0.7 Gallon Pico Cube Experiment.

reefin'aggie · #1 04/21/2007, 10:06 PM

Well, after so many requests and nice pms, I decided I might as well start a thread for my complete custom 0.7 gallon pico experiment.

I have tried to take everything I could about a full sized sumped system and shrink it down to miniature.

The display is 1/4 inch glass. The dimensions are 6.25x5.5x5.75 inches and comes out to about 0.7 gallons.

The back will be cut out and have an external calfo overflow complete with a custom Stockman standpipe.

The standpipe and overflow without the Stockman cap.

Thanx again everyone for the compliments,
Jacob

reefin'aggie · #2 04/21/2007, 10:10 PM

The stand is made out of 1/2 inch Birchboard and bonded to be seamless.

I was able to carve the rope trim so that it appears to be seamless and rap around the tank.

Jacob

reefin'aggie · #3 04/21/2007, 10:13 PM

Here is the sump.

It is made out of 1/8 inch acrylic and measures 5x5x5 inches cubed. Inside it has a 3x3x3 inch cubed chamber for the little microjet pump.

Jacob

reefin'aggie · #4 04/21/2007, 10:16 PM

Thanx everyone for watching. I should also mention that these pictures are a little old. I have actually plumbed the tank, begun building the canopy, and finished the stand.

I will post updated pics as soon as possible.

Jacob

NanoClown · #5 04/21/2007, 10:17 PM

umm is that the lighting??? LED?

reefin'aggie · #6 04/21/2007, 10:24 PM

Yes and no. For now it will do, but I actually have plans to do something even more outrageous. Ever heard of CCFL?

The leds are a mixture of 8000mcd blues(455nm) and actinic leds(410nm). It gives a spectrum that is very close to a 20k halide. I have actually had excellent results with growth and color using this combination of leds over a small sump tank.

Jacob

reefin'aggie · #7 04/21/2007, 10:58 PM

Alright, here it is as of right now.

The toothbrush in there for scale might actually end up being my glass scraper.

A shot in the dark for fun.

Jacob

Grunt · #8 04/21/2007, 10:59 PM

Did you pull those LED's out of something? if so, what?
nice looking setup so far, what are your plans for stocking?
Cheers

reefin'aggie · #9 04/21/2007, 11:09 PM

Thank you for the compliment. I actually like to build led boards for fun every once in a while...moonlights for buddies etc...

The actinic leds I use are "true" actinic, they make corals photofluoresce(sp?) exactly like VHOs.

Stocking. I have no idea. I'm thinking a shrimp pair maybe. I have a small rockstack curing and populating in my friends 180 right now.

Thanx again,
Jacob

reefin'aggie · #10 04/21/2007, 11:14 PM

The sump again.

I was able to find 1/2 inch quick disconnect fittings for the downspout.

Everything is quick disconnect now and dismantles very easily. This is the 1/2 inch return from the microjet. And you can also see the Stockman standpipe in the overflow.

The 1/4 inch quick disconnect returns.

Jacob

reefin'aggie · #11 04/21/2007, 11:17 PM

One last one for the night before I turn in of the 1/4 inch Birchboard canopy.

The led lighting that will be replaced by an array of CCFLs.

Jacob

reefman13 · #12 04/21/2007, 11:31 PM

Looking good

Let us know when you have some live 'stuff' in there.

m1enbo1 · #13 04/22/2007, 02:01 AM

are the CCFL's similar to what is used in the solaris lighting?

reefin'aggie · #14 04/22/2007, 10:33 AM

If I recall the Solaris fixtures use high power leds that are quite a bit more powerful than the 3/4 watt leds I use.

CCFLs are Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lights that are only about 3 millimeters in diameter and available in lengths up to about 15 inches. LCD screens are actually lit by them. They put out about the same amount of light as a compact fluorescent light but at a fraction of the size.

Thanx for comments and I will keep updating pics as I finish it.

Jacob

reefin'aggie · #15 04/22/2007, 10:43 AM

Here is a pic of two 4 inch blue CCFLs.

The 3mm CCFL runs through a 10mm acrylic tube and is sealed at either end by acrylic cubes.

Jacob

obsled · #16 04/22/2007, 04:59 PM

Wow! Very nice, I'll be watching!

Danyal · #17 04/22/2007, 11:49 PM

so whats the ouput of CCFLs like? love this idea, can't wait to see how it goes.

Kengaroo131 · #18 04/23/2007, 05:57 AM

looking good so far! what are your plans for it? what will you put in it just some rock and maby small coral?

reefin'aggie · #19 04/23/2007, 10:21 AM

Thanx everybody. I can't find the specs list that I was looking at before, but I remember comparing them to Compact Fluorescents and the output was about the same for a CCFL of the same length.

The estimated lifetime of a CCFL is up to 100,000 hours.

I have a miniature rock stack curing in my friends 180 right now. I think the tank will start out as a pod farm, then maybe a shrimp pair tank(Sexy shrimp?) I am in the process of designing a mini 2" protein skimmer that will fit in the sump. If I can get it to work then I may put a small pseudo or something in there.

I am also figuring out a small float valve so that I can add a top off chamber.

What does everyone think of running the little thing off of a ACJr?

Jacob

reefin'aggie · #20 04/23/2007, 10:36 AM

Here's another CCFL called a Hyperlight that I will use as the primary source of light b/c it is very directional and extremely intense. They also put out absolutely no heat.

The one shown is a light blue Hyperlight similiar to a 14k halide. There is also a bright 6500k white Hyperlight available.

These things are only about 2.5 inches square.

Jacob

tiffrobbins · #21 04/23/2007, 11:09 AM

I had a question about this sort of lighting. How do you plug it in. I don't know much about electronics. This light looks perfect for something I have in mind; but I don't want to get it if it will be difficult to wire.

fishymann · #22 04/23/2007, 02:54 PM

They're ment for computers so they need 12Volts. Easiest thing to do is buy a 12 volt wall adapter cut off the ends on the light and connect. Let us know how the lights do, i've been wondering what cold cathodes would be equal to in aquarium lighting defintly MUCH cheaper.

Sorcha · #23 04/23/2007, 03:50 PM

Love it! Can't believe how tiny it is. You did a really nice job with the entire set up. Looking forward to seeing it stocked.

bascerballer4 · #24 04/23/2007, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefin'aggie
Here's another CCFL called a Hyperlight that I will use as the primary source of light b/c it is very directional and extremely intense. They also put out absolutely no heat.

The one shown is a light blue Hyperlight similiar to a 14k halide. There is also a bright 6500k white Hyperlight available.

These things are only about 2.5 inches square.

Jacob

Looks good. I like the fact that the CCFL is shaped in a nice flat surface with a wide area of 2.5 inches square. Looks pretty bright to me. Do you know how many lumen output this CCFL will put out and what spectrum of the light it will give out?

HecticDialectic · #25 04/23/2007, 08:42 PM

just felt like adding that this is the coolest tank I've seen in awhile... incredible work!