Cafe 50 cube - Page 3

EGS25 · 05/14/2016, 08:55 AM

Great build so far love the cube! Wish I could have gotten one but just didn't have the right space for it. Ironically I just bought my sca-301 skimmer this morning b/c it dropped to $70

looking forward to future updates!

Eric

D.v · 05/14/2016, 10:34 AM

Very neat build.

CafeReef · 05/14/2016, 06:26 PM

Thanks, it has been a fun build so far.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EGS25

Great build so far love the cube! Wish I could have gotten one but just didn't have the right space for it. Ironically I just bought my sca-301 skimmer this morning b/c it dropped to $70

looking forward to future updates!

Eric

I highly recommend the modification to the SCA-301 skimmer, cutting the barbed fitting down. It will give you far less micro bubbles and give you better head in your skimmer.

CafeReef · 05/14/2016, 06:58 PM

A few weeks ago I made my first screen top. I ordered the kit from BRS and royally jacked it up.

I tried to make notches in the screen to go around my light and an area for my Apex auto feeder. Where it technically worked, it was not square, the screen was loose and I frankly just could not live with it.

I have looked into the artfully acrylic screen tops. LOVE the way the look. I think I might ask for one for christmas from my wife and kid this year.

For now, I went to the hardware store, and bought some more frame. Luckly BRS sent me enough clear mesh to make a top for a 1000 gallon tank.

First/old screen (it looks much better in the picture than in person):

New screen:
I just made a square frame screen, no more bump outs or notches. I picked up some acrylic and took it to the bandsaw and cut it up so that I could get everything covered for jumpers. With this I used 100lb clear 3m tape (I think it should hold ha) and then some clear velcro to create a food door to remove when I need to use the AFS when I travel.

Full top:

Notched area for the AFS. The center section in front of the AFS is the door that I used velcro to hold in place, this way I can remove it easily.

remainder of the back. The senter section is over my overflow. I havnt decided if I want to cover this yet or not as I like to be able to have the area to get into to pull water samples from easily.

CafeReef · 05/14/2016, 07:21 PM

Also,

Recently picked up a swatch book from Apollo gel filters, decided to take some pictures of some of my corals tonight to see how it would work.

Mind you these are ultra crap iphone pictures. my camera is borderline shot on my phone...

rastas, sunny d's and utter choas zoas:

Frogspawn closeup (7 heads):

GSP, keeping this guy as an island on my sandbed as the rock is fully encrusted:

garf bonzai acro:

more zoa's, blue eye'd blondies and an unknown (my first frag from my old tank, it has been broken up and placed around the tank)

small hammer I recently brought home from my work tank, still new:

EGS25 · 05/15/2016, 01:10 PM

Thanks for the tip ill definitely do that! That GSP is awesome, have to grab me one of those.

CafeReef · 05/17/2016, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EGS25

Thanks for the tip ill definitely do that! That GSP is awesome, have to grab me one of those.

heh. if you were in Nebraska I'd give you some. I have a frag I put up on my local reef club for free. couple people were interested, but no one claimed it. it fell into my rocks down to my sand bed. Now I need to dig it out...

homer1475 · 05/17/2016, 07:11 AM

Wondering what mod to the 301 your referring to? I've looked up the mod, and it seems my 301 doesn't have the barb fitting. Just a small snub fitting(no barbs above the threads). I plan on cleaning my skimmer today, and I'll snap a couple pics.

CafeReef · 05/17/2016, 08:02 AM

this is the best pic I can find. Sorry if the owner is on here. full credit! you can see him holding the part cut off. after the "hex" part of the fitting to tighten, the fitting goes straight up for a half inch or so, then transitions to a barbed fitting, the mod is to cut it when the straight part ends right when the barbed fitting begins. this way when your skimmer is sitting ontop of the pump, you will see just a small amount of the fitting sticking up into the body of the skimmer. I can see about 1/8" on mine.

CafeReef · 05/17/2016, 08:03 AM

found the link. much better:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...php?p=19918529

homer1475 · 05/17/2016, 08:15 AM

Yeah my 301 looks just like that pic of it cut off, I don't have the barbs above the threads.

Maybe in newer models they already made that adjustment? I'll post up some pics later when I tear it down to clean it.

CafeReef · 05/17/2016, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1475

Yeah my 301 looks just like that pic of it cut off, I don't have the barbs above the threads.

Maybe in newer models they already made that adjustment? I'll post up some pics later when I tear it down to clean it.

possibly. i got mine in February. I wouldnt think that it is anything SCA did as they are just utilizing a pump the purchased to go with their skimmer. maybe it's a different pump all together?

I need to clean mine too. Been up and running 5 weeks now, algae boom is in full force.

homer1475 · 05/17/2016, 08:53 AM

Got mine right around the same time, interesting. Maybe I'm mistaken, I'll definitely look at it when I take it apart this afternoon.

homer1475 · 05/17/2016, 08:58 AM

Actually, I just looked on SC's site. My mistake, I have the 302 skimmer. But I'll still post some pics, because I think mine comes like that stock.

EGS25 · 05/17/2016, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CafeReef

heh. if you were in Nebraska I'd give you some. I have a frag I put up on my local reef club for free. couple people were interested, but no one claimed it. it fell into my rocks down to my sand bed. Now I need to dig it out...

I don't need another reason to take a vacation! The hard part will be convincing the wife that Nebraska is the best place to take a vacation right now

CafeReef · 05/17/2016, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EGS25

I don't need another reason to take a vacation! The hard part will be convincing the wife that Nebraska is the best place to take a vacation right now

http://www.omahazoo.com/

Rated the best zoo in the world and has a pretty sweet aquarium

EGS25 · 05/17/2016, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CafeReef

http://www.omahazoo.com/

Rated the best zoo in the world and has a pretty sweet aquarium

Our son loves animals, its perfect! I wish we had an aquarium up here. The best one I've ever seen is the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, which I get to go back to this summer

homer1475 · 05/17/2016, 02:01 PM

Just finished cleaning the 302, it already has that mod stock.

Just the screw in part.

Installed on the pump with the bubble cup in place.

And no that not a crack in the pump. Cheap Chinese pumps, and that's where it looks like it was molded together.

CafeReef · 05/17/2016, 02:19 PM

see, now that fitting would have been nice to have out of the box...

not that it took me much time, about 2 seconds on my bandsaw. but still, principle ha.

HuskerBioProf · 05/17/2016, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CafeReef

heh. if you were in Nebraska I'd give you some. I have a frag I put up on my local reef club for free. couple people were interested, but no one claimed it. it fell into my rocks down to my sand bed. Now I need to dig it out...

I might take you up on that in a couple of months. I like the look of GSP. I was thinking of keeping it on an island to prevent invasion, as well, but I have never had it in previous tanks. Has the island been working?

CafeReef · 05/27/2016, 08:38 AM

Update 05-27-2016

Nothing overly new tank wise. I have decided not to wash my filter socks, since I am making them myself, the material just falls apart in my washing machine causing it to pill, this is making me not like the material so much.

I am going to have my wife make me socks out of non-flame retardant felt since it is extremely cheap and easy to do.

One new aspect, I have decided it is time to step my DIY game up a notch (might even make a small side gig out of it if I could help fellow reefers out, unsure yet).

3D printer

Not the grandest in the world, but will allow me to print objects in ABS up to 7.8x7.8x7.8 inches.

first reef project teaser

EGS25 · 05/27/2016, 08:57 AM

That thing looks awesome! I know i could just buy an overflow but buying a printer and printing it sounds much cooler...

mannyhernz · 05/28/2016, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CafeReef

Update 05-27-2016

Nothing overly new tank wise. I have decided not to wash my filter socks, since I am making them myself, the material just falls apart in my washing machine causing it to pill, this is making me not like the material so much.

I am going to have my wife make me socks out of non-flame retardant felt since it is extremely cheap and easy to do.

One new aspect, I have decided it is time to step my DIY game up a notch (might even make a small side gig out of it if I could help fellow reefers out, unsure yet).

3D printer

Not the grandest in the world, but will allow me to print objects in ABS up to 7.8x7.8x7.8 inches.

first reef project teaser

following!!
let me know if you print a sock holder! i need one since i just purchased the same setup with the same sump!!!

CafeReef · 05/28/2016, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mannyhernz

following!!
let me know if you print a sock holder! i need one since i just purchased the same setup with the same sump!!!

Im actually working on a design to eliminate socks but still give the sock concept.

plecoco · 05/28/2016, 10:22 PM

Following this thread. Keep posting.

05/14/2016, 08:55 AM	#51
EGS25 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 43	Great build so far love the cube! Wish I could have gotten one but just didn't have the right space for it. Ironically I just bought my sca-301 skimmer this morning b/c it dropped to $70 looking forward to future updates! Eric __________________ -Eric Its Better to Have it and Not Need it, Then to Need it and Not Have it

05/14/2016, 06:58 PM	#54
CafeReef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Elkhorn, NE Posts: 1,405	A few weeks ago I made my first screen top. I ordered the kit from BRS and royally jacked it up. I tried to make notches in the screen to go around my light and an area for my Apex auto feeder. Where it technically worked, it was not square, the screen was loose and I frankly just could not live with it. I have looked into the artfully acrylic screen tops. LOVE the way the look. I think I might ask for one for christmas from my wife and kid this year. For now, I went to the hardware store, and bought some more frame. Luckly BRS sent me enough clear mesh to make a top for a 1000 gallon tank. First/old screen (it looks much better in the picture than in person): New screen: I just made a square frame screen, no more bump outs or notches. I picked up some acrylic and took it to the bandsaw and cut it up so that I could get everything covered for jumpers. With this I used 100lb clear 3m tape (I think it should hold ha) and then some clear velcro to create a food door to remove when I need to use the AFS when I travel. Full top: Notched area for the AFS. The center section in front of the AFS is the door that I used velcro to hold in place, this way I can remove it easily. remainder of the back. The senter section is over my overflow. I havnt decided if I want to cover this yet or not as I like to be able to have the area to get into to pull water samples from easily. __________________ 50 Gallon cube

05/14/2016, 07:21 PM	#55
CafeReef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Elkhorn, NE Posts: 1,405	Also, Recently picked up a swatch book from Apollo gel filters, decided to take some pictures of some of my corals tonight to see how it would work. Mind you these are ultra crap iphone pictures. my camera is borderline shot on my phone... rastas, sunny d's and utter choas zoas: Frogspawn closeup (7 heads): GSP, keeping this guy as an island on my sandbed as the rock is fully encrusted: garf bonzai acro: more zoa's, blue eye'd blondies and an unknown (my first frag from my old tank, it has been broken up and placed around the tank) small hammer I recently brought home from my work tank, still new: __________________ 50 Gallon cube

05/15/2016, 01:10 PM	#56
EGS25 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 43	Thanks for the tip ill definitely do that! That GSP is awesome, have to grab me one of those. __________________ -Eric Its Better to Have it and Not Need it, Then to Need it and Not Have it

05/17/2016, 07:11 AM	#58
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	Wondering what mod to the 301 your referring to? I've looked up the mod, and it seems my 301 doesn't have the barb fitting. Just a small snub fitting(no barbs above the threads). I plan on cleaning my skimmer today, and I'll snap a couple pics. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

05/14/2016, 10:34 AM	#52
D.v Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: South Africa Posts: 49	Very neat build.

05/17/2016, 08:02 AM	#59
CafeReef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Elkhorn, NE Posts: 1,405	this is the best pic I can find. Sorry if the owner is on here. full credit! you can see him holding the part cut off. after the "hex" part of the fitting to tighten, the fitting goes straight up for a half inch or so, then transitions to a barbed fitting, the mod is to cut it when the straight part ends right when the barbed fitting begins. this way when your skimmer is sitting ontop of the pump, you will see just a small amount of the fitting sticking up into the body of the skimmer. I can see about 1/8" on mine. __________________ 50 Gallon cube

05/17/2016, 08:03 AM	#60
CafeReef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Elkhorn, NE Posts: 1,405	found the link. much better: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...php?p=19918529 __________________ 50 Gallon cube

05/17/2016, 08:15 AM	#61
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	Yeah my 301 looks just like that pic of it cut off, I don't have the barbs above the threads. Maybe in newer models they already made that adjustment? I'll post up some pics later when I tear it down to clean it. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

05/17/2016, 08:53 AM	#63
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	Got mine right around the same time, interesting. Maybe I'm mistaken, I'll definitely look at it when I take it apart this afternoon. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

05/17/2016, 08:58 AM	#64
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	Actually, I just looked on SC's site. My mistake, I have the 302 skimmer. But I'll still post some pics, because I think mine comes like that stock. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

05/17/2016, 02:01 PM	#68
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	Just finished cleaning the 302, it already has that mod stock. Just the screw in part. Installed on the pump with the bubble cup in place. And no that not a crack in the pump. Cheap Chinese pumps, and that's where it looks like it was molded together. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

05/17/2016, 02:19 PM	#69
CafeReef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Elkhorn, NE Posts: 1,405	see, now that fitting would have been nice to have out of the box... not that it took me much time, about 2 seconds on my bandsaw. but still, principle ha. __________________ 50 Gallon cube

05/27/2016, 08:38 AM	#71
CafeReef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Elkhorn, NE Posts: 1,405	Update 05-27-2016 Nothing overly new tank wise. I have decided not to wash my filter socks, since I am making them myself, the material just falls apart in my washing machine causing it to pill, this is making me not like the material so much. I am going to have my wife make me socks out of non-flame retardant felt since it is extremely cheap and easy to do. One new aspect, I have decided it is time to step my DIY game up a notch (might even make a small side gig out of it if I could help fellow reefers out, unsure yet). 3D printer Not the grandest in the world, but will allow me to print objects in ABS up to 7.8x7.8x7.8 inches. first reef project teaser __________________ 50 Gallon cube

05/27/2016, 08:57 AM	#72
EGS25 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 43	That thing looks awesome! I know i could just buy an overflow but buying a printer and printing it sounds much cooler... __________________ -Eric Its Better to Have it and Not Need it, Then to Need it and Not Have it

05/28/2016, 10:22 PM	#75
plecoco Registered Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: California Posts: 78	Following this thread. Keep posting. __________________ Get deals > cuddledeals.com Skimmer FAQ > skimmergeek.com Current Tank Info: 10g tank looking for stocking ideas