DrewSk's Build Thread- News, New Photos, and More!

So I finally had some time to sit down and put together my build thread! Just as a heads up up front, this is going to be a very picture heavy post! I've been putting this off for around two months. I bought an older biocube 29 off of craigslist about 3 months ago. I got the tank and stand for 200, but later discovered that I needed to replace both bulbs, and one of the ballasts.

Here are the upgrades I have done to my tank so far
RapidLED Moonlight Kit
Maxijet 1200-replced the stock return pump
Finnex 100 watt Digital titanium heater.
Hydor rotating water deflector
Hydor Nano 425 powerhead
live rock rubble instead of Bio-Balls

Here are some pics of the retrofit kit and my tank



Here are the stock moonlights before I replaced them


These are some pics from the install






moonlights after the switch


and on the tank


After I got sand and water in the tank I picked up some live rock from my LFS and this was my first shot at an aquascape


After that I decided that I needed a few more pieces of rock to fill in the tank some more, and this is the scape I ended up with and am currently using


After the tank cycled, I started with a CUC and then some small Zoa frags and some mushrooms









My first fish I put in was a purple fire fish


And I just added two black and white clowns! My LFS had a good sale on em going, 2 for 50!



Here is the other side of the misbar


Sorry for the super long, picture heavy post! I am pretty excited that it is up and running, and that I finally have fish in it!

As for future upgrades, I am considering the RapidLED Biocube 29 dimmable retrofit kit, with a typhoon controller. I am also thinking about adding a sump system similar to biocubes, with a skimmer and refugium in the sump.

 

Looks great! What was the total amount of LR you ended up going with?

 

its around 30lbs, plus the rubble thats in back of it

 

Yeah that looks very nice, I like the scape. Very hard to pull off a decent scape in Nanos.

 

Very nice start. Congrats!

 

Nice start up, now sit back and enjoy it!

 

Very nice tank.

Love that misbar b/w.

 

looks really nice! Congrats on getting it up and running with your first fish and corals! I like your scape as well. Definitely keep updating your thread with your progress. I prefer heavy pic threads fwiw.

 

Thanks! Ill keep updating as I get new fish and corals, and when I eventually get into my LED's! The scape took me a few tries to get right, but I am pretty happy with it now! Plus there is still a little room to add stuff if I find some rocks with coral on them or anything like that!

Right now im playing with the idea of adding a "grow" light onto the rear flap of my hood, so that there is more direct light going into my chamber 2, which I've filled with live rock and some spaghetti macro. Anyone have any thoughts about the LED being mounted there without a plastic splash guard?

 

I figured I would put my current stock list and planned additions on here too!

I currently have:
1 Purple Firefish
1 Black and White clown (there were too, the other one succumbed to stress. I he was looking rough in the store too)
CUC of hermits, Astreas, and Margarite snails
Zoas
Mushrooms
a small piece of GSP

Definite Future Additions:
Black and White Clown-replace the one that succumbed to stress
Tail Spot Blenny
Fire Shrimp
Bubble tip Anenome
Finger Leather
Open Brain
Acans


Possible future additions
Royal Gramma
Arrow Crab
Goby/Pistol shrimp combo
Pom Pom crab
Wrasse of some sort-flasher or fairy

Any thoughts about the planned future additions?

Also, will the stock power compacts provide enough light for the LPS? I would like to get a plating montipora too. The lights are putting out 72 watts for 29 gallons.