Hey everyone.... So here is my idea....
I am planning on setting up a rimless cube tank in the next few months. Hoping to get a custom built cube from OBD that will be 20x20x15. Price will be the major factor. If I can't get it custom I will be purchasing a 18x18x18 aquatop rimless cube. The lighting will be current USA marine orbit fixture. For filtration I am kicking two ideas around one being an overflow with 10 gallon refugium (if OBD builds It) verses the canister filter (if i get the aquatop, because it's tempered) filter probably rated for around a 90 gallon tank with approximately 500 GPH return. For circulation I will get the hydor koralia 425 GPH. (will this be enough circulation? Or should i also get the hydor koralia 250 GPH nano?) This will all be on a Custom built stand that i will do myself. I might also make a floating hood for the light that would sit about 3 inches above the rim that i will make adjustable for maintanence (still up in the air on a floating hood or not, probably will be budget allowing).
But, the reason I posted is I have been thinking about aquascapes for it.....(dreaming/planning). I will be using 25 pounds of dry rock (1 or 2 small pieces from my existing aquarium for seeding) and 20 pounds of black live sand. I plan on building a rock wall (supported with pvc rod and drilling the rock for support) in the back right corner in a 90 degree angle. I will have a cave possibly two on the bottom of the wall and a gradual decline the highest part being the corner, and then having two coves coming out the sides of the rock wall kindof making a horse shoe. (this will be where my zoas are placed, different colors on different levels of the decline). On the very outer part of the horseshoe at the very bottom of the decline will be a frogspawn on one side and a torch coral or hammer coral on the other. When i get the clam it will be the centerpiece in the middle of the rock horseshoe. The left front corner will have a column (also supported with PVC/ drilling the rock), on the different levels of the column i will have zoas and polyps up on the top levels and Rhodactus mushrooms towards the bottom parts of the column. then in the right front and left rear of the tank i will have two single rock islands one with blastos the other with rhodactus mushrooms. I plan on having the exposed back wall covered with xenia or green star polyps. No rocks will be touching any of the glass for circulation purposes.
Any ways I wanted to know if anyone has seen or heard of the aquascape breaking the water level (this would be the top of the rock wall in the back right corner) and having a small waterfall or water trickling down the rockwork back into the tank for the return. Does anyone know if this would be a good idea or any problems that could arise from doing something like this? I just thought of it and not sure if it is a good idea or not or if there are any consequences for doing it. I know it would look beautiful and would have that relaxing running water sound.
The corals I want to keep are soft corals (rhodactis mushrooms, high end zoas and polyps, xenia or green star polyps growing up the back glass) and LPS (euphylia species, hammer, frogspawn, and torch, and some Blastos) and a clam (after tank has been established at least 8 months, would this be possible with all the softies and lps?) with 0 sps in the tank.
For fish I want two clowns (black and white occelarius and a snowflake... hopefully can become a mated pair, Would love to see how breeding works, if they do) a diamond goby (the one i already have that eats frozen, flake, and pellets as well as sifts the sand for leftovers, I absolutely love him great personallity and hard worker) and last but not least two banghaii cardinals ( again fastenated to see the breeding patterns of fish) and maybe a lawnmower blenny (love these guys but don't think the tank will be big enough, approximately 25 gallons). All these fish would be added in the order of Goby because i already have him, wait a month or two then The Cardinal Pair wait a month or two then the lawnmower wait a month or two then finally the pair of clowns. Would these fish work in the tank that i specified or will there be issues?
I rushed my last tank and am still paying for it at times. I am new to the hobby (about 2 years now) and want to plan everything and take it VERY SLOW this time and make a tank and setup to keep for years (as well as the livestock). I am trying to build this set-up for under 600 dollars (not including the corals and fish). I think I can do it if I plan and do some DIY projects along the way(Stand and hood). Anyways let me know of anything you guys can think of problems, ideas, suggestions.
Thanks much appreciated.
I am planning on setting up a rimless cube tank in the next few months. Hoping to get a custom built cube from OBD that will be 20x20x15. Price will be the major factor. If I can't get it custom I will be purchasing a 18x18x18 aquatop rimless cube. The lighting will be current USA marine orbit fixture. For filtration I am kicking two ideas around one being an overflow with 10 gallon refugium (if OBD builds It) verses the canister filter (if i get the aquatop, because it's tempered) filter probably rated for around a 90 gallon tank with approximately 500 GPH return. For circulation I will get the hydor koralia 425 GPH. (will this be enough circulation? Or should i also get the hydor koralia 250 GPH nano?) This will all be on a Custom built stand that i will do myself. I might also make a floating hood for the light that would sit about 3 inches above the rim that i will make adjustable for maintanence (still up in the air on a floating hood or not, probably will be budget allowing).
But, the reason I posted is I have been thinking about aquascapes for it.....(dreaming/planning). I will be using 25 pounds of dry rock (1 or 2 small pieces from my existing aquarium for seeding) and 20 pounds of black live sand. I plan on building a rock wall (supported with pvc rod and drilling the rock for support) in the back right corner in a 90 degree angle. I will have a cave possibly two on the bottom of the wall and a gradual decline the highest part being the corner, and then having two coves coming out the sides of the rock wall kindof making a horse shoe. (this will be where my zoas are placed, different colors on different levels of the decline). On the very outer part of the horseshoe at the very bottom of the decline will be a frogspawn on one side and a torch coral or hammer coral on the other. When i get the clam it will be the centerpiece in the middle of the rock horseshoe. The left front corner will have a column (also supported with PVC/ drilling the rock), on the different levels of the column i will have zoas and polyps up on the top levels and Rhodactus mushrooms towards the bottom parts of the column. then in the right front and left rear of the tank i will have two single rock islands one with blastos the other with rhodactus mushrooms. I plan on having the exposed back wall covered with xenia or green star polyps. No rocks will be touching any of the glass for circulation purposes.
Any ways I wanted to know if anyone has seen or heard of the aquascape breaking the water level (this would be the top of the rock wall in the back right corner) and having a small waterfall or water trickling down the rockwork back into the tank for the return. Does anyone know if this would be a good idea or any problems that could arise from doing something like this? I just thought of it and not sure if it is a good idea or not or if there are any consequences for doing it. I know it would look beautiful and would have that relaxing running water sound.
The corals I want to keep are soft corals (rhodactis mushrooms, high end zoas and polyps, xenia or green star polyps growing up the back glass) and LPS (euphylia species, hammer, frogspawn, and torch, and some Blastos) and a clam (after tank has been established at least 8 months, would this be possible with all the softies and lps?) with 0 sps in the tank.
For fish I want two clowns (black and white occelarius and a snowflake... hopefully can become a mated pair, Would love to see how breeding works, if they do) a diamond goby (the one i already have that eats frozen, flake, and pellets as well as sifts the sand for leftovers, I absolutely love him great personallity and hard worker) and last but not least two banghaii cardinals ( again fastenated to see the breeding patterns of fish) and maybe a lawnmower blenny (love these guys but don't think the tank will be big enough, approximately 25 gallons). All these fish would be added in the order of Goby because i already have him, wait a month or two then The Cardinal Pair wait a month or two then the lawnmower wait a month or two then finally the pair of clowns. Would these fish work in the tank that i specified or will there be issues?
I rushed my last tank and am still paying for it at times. I am new to the hobby (about 2 years now) and want to plan everything and take it VERY SLOW this time and make a tank and setup to keep for years (as well as the livestock). I am trying to build this set-up for under 600 dollars (not including the corals and fish). I think I can do it if I plan and do some DIY projects along the way(Stand and hood). Anyways let me know of anything you guys can think of problems, ideas, suggestions.
Thanks much appreciated.
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I haven't heard any concerns as far as water quality or anything goes so I'm pretty stoked and think it worth trying. Ill just build it in a way it can be removed if something doesn't work out for me..... how does the fish stocking sound? Is the two pairs (clown and cardinal)and the goby and blenny too much of a bioload for a 25 gallon or should it be fine? Will either pair not breed because of the other pair being in the same tank? Thanks
