30g rimless build

[checkinhawk]

i have seen alot of rimless tanks here on RC and always thought they looked awesome,that meant i had to have one :)
i decided on a 24"x24"x14" built from 3/4" thick with a 1/2" bottom.the tank has an external overflow and will be used as a sps growout/QT tank for my main display.lighting will be from a 175w 14k SE mh,skimming will be from a euroreef RS-80 that i recirced.flow im a little confused on,i want the tank to be UBER clean and no extra anything going into the tank.so i think i will do 2 returns from the sump through the back wall and maybe tunze down low on the back wall.the return pump will be a little giant 2-mdqx-sc(roughly 700gph at 1ft head).i have considered a closed loop with outlets on the bottom of the tank with an OM to redirect flow.any thoughts or suggestions would be helpfull.

i built this tank over the last few days,all tank joints were glued with weld-on #40 and the overflow was solvent welded with weld-on #4.here are some pics of the build,i just need to router the base tommorrow and polish the base edge.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture002.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture005.jpg

glue joint visible
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture.jpg

routered glue joint all polished up
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture006.jpg

overflow cutout(3/4"x8")
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture012.jpg

light diffuser glued onto the back of the tank
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture016.jpg

overflow finished with gutter gaurd in place
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture018.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture021.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture020.jpg

[erickrm]

sweet! keep the pics coming i love 24" tanks ;) mine is 24" too but only 18deep.... this is going to be a great tank! Thanks for sharing!

[OARrocks]

that external overflow is too cool. if i ever do a rimless thats EXACTLY what i'm going to do.

[checkinhawk]

i just love the rimless look and i figured the external overflow was the best way to go.it was either external or a 6"x6" black box right in the middle,but i didnt want to lose any space to an internal oveflow.

[checkinhawk]

the tank is finished,i still need to drill the 2 return holes in the back wall.i think i know what ill do for flow,does two 6025 nanostreams sound good enough?the nanostreams are 660gph each plus about 500gph for return gives me 1820gph or approx 60X turnover rate.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture025.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture026.jpg

ready for the drain line(i dont know if im doing a durso or some other drain)
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture027.jpg

[YoitsArson]

looks great. Rimless is just classy.

[FishyBiz]

Nice tank. Thats almost exactly like my buddies tank.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v699/FishyBiz/IMG_4189.jpg

Hears the link if you wanna check it out for ideas.
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1244758

[checkinhawk]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11197471#post11197471 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FishyBiz
Nice tank. Thats almost exactly like my buddies tank.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v699/FishyBiz/IMG_4189.jpg

Hears the link if you wanna check it out for ideas.
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1244758

how thick is that tank?i see a nanostream on the back wall,i just checked out the nanostreams and they said it only holds to 1/2" thick max.from the pic it looks like 3/4".

[uhuru]

mine will hold on 3/4" though it can be knocked off pretty easily

[DOTZ]

Were do you get the thick acrylic form, and how much was it per sheet?

[checkinhawk]

uhuru......thats what i kind of figured

dotz......i got the sheet from my work,price was a steal for me.
3/4" clear cast acrylic runs approx. $350/sheet(8'x4')

[DOTZ]

WOW thats alot. Acrylic is expensive. BTW it looks great.

[checkinhawk]

the sump on this new tank will be my old cube.it is 16x16x14 and fits everything i need into it.i will have to make an acrylic filter sock holder and glue it into the tank and drill a hole for a bulkhead for the external return pump.i will talk to my LFS tomorrow about how strong the nanosteams magnets are.i need to 3/4" uniseals to get the skimmer pump hooked up and a few bulkheads for the tank which i will get tomorrow.here are some pics of the sump and skimmer.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture029.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture030.jpg

[jcm2m9]

Nice looking tank if I do say so myself! I have the exact same tank except it is 16" tall and utlizes and external overflow.

My flow is through two modded 6025's.

Here is a link to my thread.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1243384&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

I will be watching this thread. If you have any questions I will try to answer them.

[checkinhawk]

is your tanks back wall 3/4"?how good do your nanostreams hold to it?i have seen your build and think it looks awesome,keep up th good work :thumbsup:

[Eklikewhoa]

That stand does not do the tank justice!

[checkinhawk]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11200939#post11200939 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Eklikewhoa
That stand does not do the tank justice!

yeah i know :( i would like a new one but it isnt in the budget right now.i plan on throwing some trim on the stand to fancy it up a bit.

[reefman13]

Nice! Can't wait to see it all stocked up!

[jcm2m9]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11200884#post11200884 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by checkinhawk
is your tanks back wall 3/4"?how good do your nanostreams hold to it?i have seen your build and think it looks awesome,keep up th good work :thumbsup:

My tank is 3/4"s on the side except for the back. The back is actually 3/4" clear acrylic with 1/6" sheet of black acrylic laminated to it.

The nanostreams hold, but if you hit they they will definitely fall off.

[checkinhawk]

i got a 6025 nanostream today and had it modded already.it does stick to 3/4"but it isnt the strongest bond.the bulkheads for the return lines are drilled already and i got the lockline for returns.the sump is next in line to drill for the return pump intake.

[checkinhawk]

well the tank is plumbed up and running,i put all the liverock i had into it(i need alot more)and added my cheato to the sump.i got the wrong size uniseals so i didnt get the skimmer online today :(
i hooked a SCWD inline from the return pump and have one modded tunze 6025 in it so far,i plan on adding one more 6025 for more flow.i will work on hanging the light over the tank tomorrow.i also plan on adding a piece of white starboard to cover the bottom as this will be a BB tank.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture034.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture035.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture031.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture032.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture033.jpg

[jcm2m9]

It looks good. I would either drill anti siphon holes in your loc line or raise the out put level of your return so it does not siphon back to the sump.

[checkinhawk]

i have them set about 1" below the waters surface so backflow isnt too bad.

[Seadoc]

It looks great!!!
What type of lights are you planning to use?

[checkinhawk]

i am getting a 250w aquamedic pendant and plan on running a 14k pheonix bulb.

[Crackerballer]

looks sweet, only thing I would have done differently was paint the back panel black or blue

[checkinhawk]

i plan on doing that this weekend and also adding in starboard to the bottom of the tank.

[checkinhawk]

well it was a tight fit but i was able to pack my skimmer into the sump,i am getting a 250mh this weekend to upgrade from my current 175mh.i also am going to drain the tank and paint the back wall black and add in some starboard to the bottom.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture039.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture040.jpg

[thrillreefer]

go for the sand! nothing cooler than a wide open lagoon style with lots of pearly white. I guess you'd probably get storms in there with all that flow at only 14" deep.

[checkinhawk]

no sand for me :) i have the starboard down and it looks great.i thought about it and am not going to paint the back wall,i will find nice flat pieces of rock to cover the wall and hide the tunzes.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture041.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture046.jpg

[checkinhawk]

YEY...........i got my new lght today,i now have a DE 250w pheonix 14k running over the tank.i also added in the first fish,an elibi angel fish.he is only about 1" long and seems to be liking his new home.

i mounted the light using 8020 extruded aluminum
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture048.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture050.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/checkinhawk/30g%20rimless/Picture052.jpg

[SaltwaterChris]

:D nice looking angel I want to put an elibi in mine also

[checkinhawk]

im gonna bring the angel back to the store i got it from.he is a SPS nipper,as soon as i added in monties he started nipping and hasnt stopped.

[Chibils]

Your title makes me so sad... I was going to ask if you'd be willing to build me a cube. :<

That's how nice it is.
Keep up the good work, can't wait to see it as it develops.

[uhuru]

looking awesome so far, man there's quite a few nice nano rimless BB cubes around here lately

[SaltwaterChris]

sorry to here that you have to get rid of him.It was a good looking fish.Well it just hit and miss with angles some are very destructive and you may get another that could care less

[checkinhawk]

yeah i had a golden angel that never nipped anything so i figured id give this guy a shot.

uhuru,i actually saw your rimless build and had to make one for myself.rimless tanks look so classy and clean,keep up the good work on your rimless cube.

[Felix1021]

Great looking tank...glad you gave me the Link...

Tagging along for this one,

Felix-