barometer's 90 build.....Cubicus Maximus II

barometer · Jan 14, 2009

It's been a long time coming. I think I got the OK for the upgrade last summer. Space holding a premium in our house, the plan was for a large custom cube. Then a friend of mine Dennis (Wanaleime) posted Cubicus Maximus (his 90 cube that I'd drooled over for months) up for sale and I knew it was meant to be so I literally jumped at the opportunity. We brought the new baby home at the beginning of September

:ahhhhh: I know, I catch plenty of flack

Nikko's very interested....."Daddy, look! There's a new BIG tank in the living room!" :laugh:

Then started the process of scrimping and saving, planning and panicking, searching and scrounging and no less than begging to finally piece together a mostly complete system that I feel is adequate. So may I present to SoCaliReefs..........Cubicus Maximus II!
Please, any and all feedback is welcome, I have no idea what I'm doing

system stats:
90g semi-cube, 30x30x24, .5" low-iron glass
center trapezoid overflow, Herbie method, 1.5" and 1" in drains
36" cabinet and 10" canopy made by Dennis
Neptune Systems AquaController Jr. with DC8
Iwasaki Aqua2 15k MH, Blue Wave Ballast, Reefoptix 2 pendant
2 UVL Super Actinic 24" retrofit T5s
Tunze 9010 skimmer
Tunze Osmolator ATO with DIY kalk dispenser
Eheim 1262 return pump
PCI CL-280 1/10HP chiller
TLF phosban reactor with MJ400 feeding the fuge
28x14x14 sump with 12" fuge/RDSB side
PAR38 spot fuge light

barometer · Jan 14, 2009

360 and closer view of the aquascaping

.....and now we exit the tank. Aren't Dennis' Delorean doors sweet

barometer · Jan 14, 2009

please don't mind the wire mess in any of the pics. Until I move the hex all wiring is temporary, hence the still disconnected ACjr

Both side panels of the cabinet are completely removable. Even with all the equipment in place I can almost slide through there. It's great to have so much room and access, another great job by Dennis

pookstreet · Jan 14, 2009

Looks sweet. Love the rocks.

Nanoreefbro · Jan 14, 2009

Looks great... So what kind of fish are you gonna stock?

nahtanoj · Jan 14, 2009

looking good ed! keep it going!

EyeReef · Jan 14, 2009

Ed thanks for sharing. I remember that tank! Its a great setup. Please keep us updated on its progression.

ksanmamaril · Jan 14, 2009

is that a foam rock bg?

coral diver · Jan 14, 2009

Ahhhh Cubicus Maximus

Thanks Ed for continuing the saga of this famous tank in San Diego i can't wait when its all stock up.

socaltropicalfish · Jan 14, 2009

looking great !!

Crush · Jan 14, 2009

wow really cool looking keep the pics coming

barometer · Jan 15, 2009

thanks for the kind words everyone. I'm gonna try me best to live up to it's previous incarnation's legacy.

It is a foam back, I did not do it though, it was put in by the original owner. I've kept it filled since I brought it home to ensure no deterioration and it's held up great. If I get any info on the foam, I'll be sure to post it

racinjason · Jan 15, 2009

looking good, I dig that foam on the back wall, makes the whole tank look very natural

Reefer08 · Jan 16, 2009

wow very nice tank!!!!!

Why the heck did you put a maxijet though?? Some new tunze's in the nanostream rock would look really nice if you integrated in into the back wall. Very sleak.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewI...~view~idProduct~TZ1251~idCategory~FIPHAC.html

barometer · Jan 16, 2009

Thanks guys

:laugh: Reefer08, I hear ya. That MJ in there is just for temp flow for cycling since the returns from the sump aren't very strong. I haven't yet detemined what I'm gonna do for powerheads yet, but I do like those Tunze rocks :top:

BTW, for any interested here's the link for the foam. DFS sells a kit with it as well
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9232
There's another product that others have used called Tuff/Great Stuff. But it's yellow and not specifically made for water applications, so I'd recommend the Handifoam since it's known to be good for ponds and comes out grey

John7429 · Jan 31, 2009

Very nice setup

barometer · Feb 17, 2009

I've been camera-less for some time now. I lost my charger for the DSLR batteries (just haven't got a new one yet), and my P&S finally crapped out. So we got a new P&S that I have to get used to. Thought I'd share some crappy pics of the first phishies now residing in C. Max. There's Twitch the helfrichi firefish (that I couldn't get a good shot of ), Tad the yellow longnose butterfly and Cyclops the mystery wrasse

TAD

CYCLOPS

I thought this shot was kinda cool

EyeReef · Feb 17, 2009

awesome fish collection. Can you tell me more about the butterfly? I didnt think any butterflies were reef safe except copperbands

barometer · Feb 17, 2009

Thanks Mike, just getting started

I've had the butterfly for a few weeks now. He started out in the hex 'til the cube was ready for him. He never picked at anything (not even the aiptasia

) and there's a little of everything in the hex. I think these guys are more like the CBBs in that they're beak is very long and thin. Other butterfly fish with shorter snouts (Klein, Pakistani, Auriga, etc.) are supposed to be more prone to nipping at polyps, but I've got a couple friends who keep multiple butterflies in their reefs. I also have other friends who got a Klein for aiptasia control only to have them start destroying everything else. I guess it's the usual 'with caution' rule with these guys.

Aquafrags · Feb 17, 2009

that is a awesome cube, and great rockwork

barometer's 90 build.....Cubicus Maximus II

2

2

2

New member

Member

Member

Admin

2

New member

2

New member

2

New member

Member

2

2

2

Admin

2

New member