'

New Light!!
 

This is the light I fabricated from 3/4" aluminum angles, the T5 ballast bellow, and some facia soffit for houses is the top. I cut holes for the special mounting hardware that comes with the coralife mounting legs. I welded together the frame using the DHC 2000 Cobra torch http://www.diversifiedenterprises.ca/ and cut everything with a dremel. I bought the ballast at home depot for 80$ so including the bulbs the whole fixture comes out under 200$ the bulbs killed me on this one with the whole cheapness part, but most of the these parts were laying around so all I really bought was one 10,000k and the angles.

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...ightPic001.jpg
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...ightPic002.jpg
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...TankPic006.jpg

Awesome idea using the sofit has lots of ventilation too. Loookin good dude

DYI Protein Skimmer
 

Ok so as much as I would love to spend the money and get a nice Reef Octopus skimmer or a little bubble king, but I'm cheap and have a Maxi Jet 1200, Sea Clone Collection Cup and about $40.00 so I mean cheap! I bought the acrylic container from superstore and then the rest is plumbing parts from home depot: 3 1/2" to 1 1/2" PVC pipe, three 3/4" Elbows, one Gate Valve (actually from Can Tire) and 3/4" Street Elbow, and 2" of 1" Vinyl Tubing.


http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...Skimmer001.jpg

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...Skimmer002.jpg

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...Skimmer003.jpg



And now I have fitted the parts and let it run over night
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...Skimmer007.jpg

So here is what I woke up to this morning and I'm very happy with the preformance!!:biggrin:
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...Skimmer006.jpg

Pod Production!!
 

The Refugium has been doing a great job just check the pod production and this is in the display tank.
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...iumPics006.jpg

I did not expect that sucker to work as good as it seems to. Great job! I would put that on the Ghetto rigs post on RC

Update!!
 

I've have moved a couple things around in the refugium and the display, and its about time for an update on the tank so check it out.
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...TankPic008.jpg
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...impPics001.jpg
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...impPics001.jpg
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...ralPics001.jpg
I've been trying to get a pic of my Hector's Goby and the Mandarin but they're just to shy!

Sump Cleaning
 

The sump has been doing a good job collecting small sediment and pieces of algea, so I felt like it was time to pull out the sump a give it a good clean.
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...atePics007.jpg

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...efugium003.jpg

My Skimmer has a FRO !!
 

All I know is that this skimmer works, maybe to well! This is all coming out of the little hole in the cap.

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...Skimmer009.jpg

The Friendly Mantis
 

The mantis (still haven't found a name) is getting used to the refugium and have been seeing it out and about.
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...impPics003.jpg
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/z...impPics002.jpg