# Blinky's Shallow Glass Box



## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Just thought I'd share some photos of my reef tank. It's a custom build built by Paul at Fitfiltration with one piece euro brace and sits on an ACS anthracite and lime green custom cabinet. Volume 260 litres inc sump.


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Work in progress new nano reef


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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

Looks immense. Would love a marine tank for a peacock mantis shrimp.


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Basin79 said:


> Looks immense. Would love a marine tank for a peacock mantis shrimp.


Thanks, this is my main passion in life I've been fishkeeping over 30years started as a kid. I've tried all aspects of the hobby including koi keeping we had a huge brick built koi pond at the old house just a shame we couldn't bring it with us when we sold the house but along came the kids so it was one danger I could do without. I've been keeping marines for 9years started converting off the shelf tanks before buying custom where you can have a system built to your own spec.

Mantis shrimps are wonderful creatures, I had one as a hitchhiker it came in with some live rock unfortunately it was nothing to look at like some but it had to go as there was too great a risk to my livestock as it got bigger


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## Punchfish (Jun 13, 2008)

Wow great looking tank. Nice living room too haha.


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)




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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

blinky71 said:


> image


Stunning.


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Hoping to get the lights hooked up on the nano next week and then I can get on with filling it :2thumb:


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)




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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)




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## Hootz (Aug 28, 2014)

Basin79 said:


> Looks immense.


 That ^^

Few quids-worth of corals there I'd imagine! Does it take much maintenance?


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Hootz said:


> That ^^
> 
> Few quids-worth of corals there I'd imagine! Does it take much maintenance?


I daren't even add up how much I've spent over the years on tanks, equipment and livestock :gasp:
Regular dosing and maintenance along with good water quality and regular water changes is key. It doesn't take any more time than the frogs though :2thumb:


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

That setup is absolutely amazing , I'm so envious 

How on earth do you choose which fish to put in it ... whenever I look in the local fish stores at the tropical sections I sneak a peep at the Marine fish and I'm amazed at the sheer amount of choice at hand . Virtually every darn type of fish looks stunning and in so many different ways . I would need a tank about 10 foot long


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

A lot of fish aren't reef safe so you can rule about half out but you're right there are so many beautiful specimens :2thumb:

Thanks for looking !


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

blinky71 said:


> A lot of fish aren't reef safe so you can rule about half out but you're right there are so many beautiful specimens :2thumb:
> 
> Thanks for looking !



Reef safe ??

Keep it simple though


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Quick video of the tank sorry about quality taken on mobile device 



http://youtu.be/YQ28dmLRpds


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Fantastic !.
Just needs a couple of Finding Nemos and a fake silk Scorpion fish and you're done


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Today I received an early Christmas present, new nano reefscape


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

blinky71 said:


> Today I received an early Christmas present, new nano reefscape
> 
> image


It looks fantastic . Is that the container it was sent in ??


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## Hootz (Aug 28, 2014)

@ the video; awesome, that's all I've got 

Look forward to seeing you build this one up!


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Zincubus said:


> It looks fantastic . Is that the container it was sent in ??


No this is the actual tank and cabinet. The cabinet is anthracite grey with lime green pull out electrics section built by my friend Nick at Aquarium Cabinet Solutions and compliments the one in my lounge which is similar. The wrap is still on the cabinet panels hence the arrows and writing :blush:


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

This is my nano you can just see the alcove build in the the other room


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Light up, just got to link it to Ecosmart live to be able to control it. While the Aquaroche is cycling I won't have the lights on though.


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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

That's looking really, really smart already.


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Thanks Basin, this will be an SPS dominated tank. Hope to have it filled over the Xmas hols : victory:


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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

blinky71 said:


> Thanks Basin, this will be an SPS dominated tank. Hope to have it filled over the Xmas hols : victory:


SPS, what does that mean? Sponges?


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Basin79 said:


> SPS, what does that mean? Sponges?


No small polyp stony corals or "sticks" twigs as we affectionately call them :flrt:


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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

blinky71 said:


> No small polyp stony corals or "sticks" twigs as we affectionately call them :flrt:


Ah right. Thanks.


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Any fish ??


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Zincubus said:


> Any fish ??


I have a pair of wild caught percs and a valentini puffer that will be going in, not sure what else yet


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

My puffer destined for this tank


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Happy Christmas everyone


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## Sjames (Apr 8, 2013)

Awesome tank! Been thinking about setting a marnie tank up! Looking forward to you finishing the next one!


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Sjames said:


> Awesome tank! Been thinking about setting a marnie tank up! Looking forward to you finishing the next one!


Thanks, hopefully I'll fill it during the Christmas hols


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Alcove build final tank shot of 2014 bought the tank a Christmas pressie (peppermint and lime trachy)


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Bladdy amazing , I'm so envious !!!

What's a trachy by the way ?


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Zincubus said:


> Bladdy amazing , I'm so envious !!!
> 
> What's a trachy by the way ?


Trachyphyllia (open brain coral) 

Thanks for looking and commenting :2thumb:


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

New nano finally getting wet


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Back up and running, sand in today :2thumb:


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

What's the yellow underneath ....is it temp or permanent ??


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Zincubus said:


> What's the yellow underneath ....is it temp or permanent ??


Part of the cabinet, still got the protective wrap on :blush:


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Link to video of my acrylic (self built) tumbling chaeto refugium reverse lit by nano glo 


http://youtu.be/t48yrE7t_58



Thanks for looking :2thumb:


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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

blinky71 said:


> Link to video of my acrylic (self built) tumbling chaeto refugium reverse lit by nano glo
> 
> 
> http://youtu.be/t48yrE7t_58
> ...



Aren't you a talented little keeper. Looks really smart.


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Thanks Basin :blush: as you know I made my T enclosures from acrylic it's great you can build all sorts for many different applications. 
The idea behind my rotating fuge means the algae gets turned and so all the chaeto gets equal exposure to the light making it grow faster as it grows it utilises nuisance nitrates .......... Happy days :2thumb:


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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

blinky71 said:


> Thanks Basin :blush: as you know I made my T enclosures from acrylic it's great you can build all sorts for many different applications.
> The idea behind my rotating fuge means the algae gets turned and so all the chaeto gets equal exposure to the light making it grow faster as it grows it utilises nuisance nitrates .......... Happy days :2thumb:


Immense.


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

blinky71 said:


> The idea behind my rotating fuge means the algae gets turned and so all the chaeto gets equal exposure to the light making it grow faster as it grows it utilises nuisance nitrates .......... Happy days :2thumb:


You do realise that many of us don't understand Japanese don't you !?


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

My pair of wild caught perc clowns


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

They have to be my favourite marine fish . Only recently learnt that there are loads of different strains of Clown fish ...


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Zincubus said:


> They have to be my favourite marine fish . Only recently learnt that there are loads of different strains of Clown fish ...


I have a pair of clarkii clowns in the alcove build and these percula clowns. There are many different designer clowns now available that carry a hefty price tag and can run into a couple of hundred + pounds :gasp:


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Full tank shot of the new nano and my alcove build


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Can you buy the LED light units separately and attach them onto older tanks ??

If so , I'd appreciate a link or two


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

blinky71 said:


> Full tank shot of the new nano and my alcove build
> 
> image
> 
> image


Just baddy stunning !



What would the coral cost roughly ??

Also would a standard Fluval internal filter work ok with marines as long as it was powerful enough ??

I've got a Fluval filter and a heater / thermostat and a the possibility of a decent quality 2' tank . It's small but I'm only thinking of having a couple of Nemos


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Zincubus said:


> Just baddy stunning !
> 
> 
> 
> ...




LEDs can be purchased separately I'd recommend for a 2' tank either the AI Hydra 26 or the Radion XR15wpro there are many units available but some are not up to growing corals, OK for fish only though.
Coral frags start from £8 but you can pay upwards of £50 
Good live rock will perform the function of filtration so you don't need the filter it will only act as a nitrate factory leading to nuisance algae and high phosphates (not good for coral growth and colour) flow inside the tank is important one to look at would be the industry standard Vortech MP10 or maybe one of the Tunze pumps, both have magnetic tank mounts. You could use your filter for media if you wanted such as carbon, phos remover, chemipure elite etc
Get yourself a refractometer for measuring salinity not the cheap plastic swing arm meters they are not very accurate. You'll need access to RO water so either make your own or make sure your local fish shop sells it.

Good luck !


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

These are my sumps first pic is the nano sump second the sump on the alcove build.


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## ZicoZ (Sep 18, 2010)

blinky71 said:


> These are my sumps first pic is the nano sump second the sump on the alcove build.
> 
> image
> 
> image


Holy cow Batman ... looks like a scene from Breaking Bad !


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## ZicoZ (Sep 18, 2010)

blinky71 said:


> LEDs can be purchased separately I'd recommend for a 2' tank either the AI Hydra 26 or the Radion XR15wpro there are many units available but some are not up to growing corals, OK for fish only though.
> Coral frags start from £8 but you can pay upwards of £50
> Good live rock will perform the function of filtration so you don't need the filter it will only act as a nitrate factory leading to nuisance algae and high phosphates (not good for coral growth and colour) flow inside the tank is important one to look at would be the industry standard Vortech MP10 or maybe one of the Tunze pumps, both have magnetic tank mounts. You could use your filter for media if you wanted such as carbon, phos remover, chemipure elite etc
> Get yourself a refractometer for measuring salinity not the cheap plastic swing arm meters they are not very accurate. You'll need access to RO water so either make your own or make sure your local fish shop sells it.
> ...


Ah ... sounds very technical and very costly !


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

ZicoZ said:


> Ah ... sounds very technical and very costly !


It's certainly not a cheap hobby and their are ongoing costs too but you can simplify things it needn't be over complicated :blush:


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

Video here :


https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=I3fNJimulmc



Thanks for watching : victory:


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## zdoughty (Sep 23, 2011)

Both tanks are looking great Lisa:2thumb:


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

zdoughty said:


> Both tanks are looking great Lisa:2thumb:


Thanks Zak, have you been down to Pauls new shop ?


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## zdoughty (Sep 23, 2011)

blinky71 said:


> Thanks Zak, have you been down to Pauls new shop ?


Not yet im just finishing the house off. hopefully moving in at the long easter weekend but i will pop in after... if i dare


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

zdoughty said:


> Not yet im just finishing the house off. hopefully moving in at the long easter weekend but i will pop in after... if i dare


The new shop is excellent, I think the reptile section will do really well : victory:


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## zdoughty (Sep 23, 2011)

blinky71 said:


> The new shop is excellent, I think the reptile section will do really well : victory:


good i plan on collecting again :whistling2:


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

zdoughty said:


> good i plan on collecting again :whistling2:


I think he's shifted a lot of reps in his first week when I was in a guy came to look at marine fish ended up going away with a full horsfields setup :gasp:
Two gorgeous chameleons but have since sold


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## zdoughty (Sep 23, 2011)

blinky71 said:


> I think he's shifted a lot of reps in his first week when I was in a guy came to look at marine fish ended up going away with a full horsfields setup :gasp:
> Two gorgeous chameleons but have since sold


Its great a respectable reptile shop has opened so close to home. Yeah i think the gel between marine and reptiles is a good one:2thumb:


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

A few photos after today's water change and a bit of coral pruning !





































Thanks for looking : victory:


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## stonker (May 10, 2013)

*shallow tank*

Hi could you post a link to the shop you mentioned would like to visit thanks


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## blinky71 (Jan 23, 2014)

stonker said:


> Hi could you post a link to the shop you mentioned would like to visit thanks


Here's a link to their Facebook page address details and opening times can be found here : victory:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ocean-Corals-Reptiles/121008277941041


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