Ratchet Reef: A delightfully trashy build

Thomas Doty

Amphipod
M.A.S.C Club Member
#1
Howdy folks! This here beauty is the result of a $50 used IM 20 peninsula tank, some spare baling wire, rusty screws, and lots of burlap. The only thing classy about it is the rbta I just got from @IUFan.
The heart of this beast is pure Italian form and function in the shape of a sicce syncra silent. 5, and is complimented by only the finest jaebo power head and 4 Channel wifi dosing pump. Above the tank you can see the latest and greatest in led technoloy, the Ai hydra! This work-horse of a light can burn and bleach sps, lps, hell even softies, faster than I can say "Clorox"! When assemblying the complex nervous system responsible for keeping this trash can filled with salt water running, I referred to the ol addage "2 wyze plugs in hand, is better than an Apex in the bush". To really make this turd really shine I added an amazon ph/ temp probe with a wyze cam pointed at it, really proud of that one lol.

To really bring the whole project together I had to decide on the most bestest and rarest of sea critters. I went on down to Colfax and got me crabs. Some people call them crustations, but I've always thought of them as the cockroaches of the sea. At any given moment you can find a fire shrimp, munching on trash, scarlet hermits, munching on trash, or a Halloween hermit, munching on trash and coral!

Thanks for checking this beaut' out! All jokes aside, this tank is running decent except my lighting and some low pH issues. If anyone has used a hydra on a fairly shallow mixed reef I could use some setting suggestions.
 

Tinyreef

Cleaner Shrimp
M.A.S.C Club Member
#2
I run an ai prime wich is basically one puck of a hydra 32 over a shallow tank. 9 inches of water over sand bed. I run my light 12.5 inches above the water line to illuminate a 14x12 inch space. Grows a mixed reef well. Hope this helps a little.
 

SynDen

Administrator
Staff member
M.A.S.C Club Member
M.A.S.C. B.O.D.
M.A.S.C President
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#3
Haha I like it. Seeing as I live near Colfax, I admire someone who can take that trash by the horns and make it their own. LOL
Tanks looks pretty good, and nothing wrong with refurbished and reused parts.. Although those power strips are a fire hazard like that. I'd relocate them to safer accommodations
 

Thomas Doty

Amphipod
M.A.S.C Club Member
#4
I run an ai prime wich is basically one puck of a hydra 32 over a shallow tank. 9 inches of water over sand bed. I run my light 12.5 inches above the water line to illuminate a 14x12 inch space. Grows a mixed reef well. Hope this helps a little.
Thank you, this helps. I guess I'll shoot for 1/2 the values in that profile given the 2 lights. I think I'm around 10 uv/v, 20 b/ rb, 3 w and slowly increasing. If all fails I'll throw a prime on it. I was thinking the hydra would have better spread/ difussion than the prime, but results are lacking
 

Thomas Doty

Amphipod
M.A.S.C Club Member
#5
Haha I like it. Seeing as I live near Colfax, I admire someone who can take that trash by the horns and make it their own. LOL
Tanks looks pretty good, and nothing wrong with refurbished and reused parts.. Although those power strips are a fire hazard like that. I'd relocate them to safer accommodations
Lol I'm glad someone can appreciate it! I hear Colfax is cleaning up sadly.
As per the power cords, I guess I'll get a small tote to seal them in under the stand. The wire rats nest really adds to the aestetic though...
 

Tinyreef

Cleaner Shrimp
M.A.S.C Club Member
#6
Thank you, this helps. I guess I'll shoot for 1/2 the values in that profile given the 2 lights. I think I'm around 10 uv/v, 20 b/ rb, 3 w and slowly increasing. If all fails I'll throw a prime on it. I was thinking the hydra would have better spread/ difussion than the prime, but results are lacking
I would put a diffuser on it if it were me. Point source lighting is hard not to get hot spots in shallow tanks.
 

neil82

Sting ray
M.A.S.C Club Member
#8
I think your tank looks good. Nothing wrong with reefing on a budget. I love finding a good bargain.

I do have to agree with @SynDen about moving the power strip. I had mine in the same location on a previous tank. I'll never forget the electrical burning smell when the overflow clogged up one day and saltwater was dripping on power strip. Fortunately, I didn't burn our house down.
 

Thomas Doty

Amphipod
M.A.S.C Club Member
#9
I think your tank looks good. Nothing wrong with reefing on a budget. I love finding a good bargain.

I do have to agree with @SynDen about moving the power strip. I had mine in the same location on a previous tank. I'll never forget the electrical burning smell when the overflow clogged up one day and saltwater was dripping on power strip. Fortunately, I didn't burn our house down.
Thanks for the heads up. Given the fabric wrapped wood stand, it wouldn't be good if something shorted. I still need to rig up a small tote to act like a pelican case for the power bar controlling the tank. I'm still thinking on what to do with the black one mounted under the stand lip... S O will not be happy if I steal all her recepticals! Only idea I have so far is use a peice of shower liner to "flap" from the top over the bar
 

Thomas Doty

Amphipod
M.A.S.C Club Member
#10
If anyone else like looking for cheap used gear, check out Aqua Imports in Boulder. Few weeks ago they had lots of drilled petco tanks and some big skimmers for dirt cheap
 
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