Ok, Back to the Lighting fixture. It is a 24" Jebo Odyssea 130watt PC with a 10,000k bulb and a nice actinic. It came with two built in lunar LEDs and a couple of nice built in fans to help control any heating issues. All said and deliverd, it ended up at my door step brand new for $60 USD. I found a little 13" pc with a 50/50 for a very reasonable price as well for my fuge conversion. I can't remember the wattage but my Cheto is loving it.
For my filtration, I am using a 2" live sand bed of approximatly 30lbs, that I also found on ebay. $23USD later it was purchased and shipped to my door nice and damp in thick plastic wrap. It also came with a little fuge starter pack with a couple of Cerith Snails, a clump of cheto, and two little peices of Figi rubble. I was surprised to see some small critters still in the sand after a 48 hour trip in moderatly damp sand. I am also using aprox 18lbs of CURED Tonga Ultra Kaelini rock. I know, "only 18lbs" but with a few perchases with Zoo covered rock, I'll be at 25lbs in no time. I know of this guy I found of Craigs list who has converted his garage into a saltwater supply paradise with outstanding prices. He is in Ahwatukee, AZ and I call him Live Rock Paul. His phone is 602-618-0509 if you are in the area and tell him that State Farm Guy sent you. It has only been two weeks that I have had my sand and rock in there and my cycle is now complete!!!!! Great rock Paul!!!!!
I have also been a little bit of a Modster. Dr. F & S has been the best deal on new Aqua Clear products so I ordered a AC110 from them. With a small sheet of acrylic and a drimmel tool, I cut two baffles to fit in the main chamber of the AC110. the first is about 3/4 of an inch from the intake and the other is 1 inch apart from that. In the first section between the impeller and the baffle is a filter pad with carbon inside, the second small chamber houses a 50 watt heater and the last large section has 3 inches of sand, a couple of nassarius snails, 2 cerrith snails, figi rubble, and my cheto. I took the stock basket for it and cut it down to sillicon to the overflow of the AC110 for a nice little gate. The cheto stays in and the pods flow into the maind display. I cut out the section of the lid the the AC110 for the light to pass in unfiltered. I keep the light on the fuge on 24 hrs. I do have a little problem with some light entering the display at night and you can't really see the LED's that well but oh well.
So far in the Main display I have my rock, sand, 5 blue leg hermits, 5 zebra hermits, and 13 nassarius snails. I have to do a water change tonight but I will start with a pair of clowns next week becaus my little boy is obsessed with Finding Nemo, and a little cleaner shrimp. Over time I will get a fire fish and maybe two other small gobies. No more than 5 small fish total. This is a large bioload for this small tank but a 10 gallon fuge with a skimmer is soon to come.
Thanks for checking this out and I will have some pics very soon!!! None of the empty suplies but some of it all up and running. Sorry.
