I have just started playing around with acrylic. My first adventure was building a 10 gal fuge for my 34 gal tank I setup last month. That experience went fairly well, so I thought I would build a pico for my office using the scrap pieces of acrylic I had from the previous build. I started playing around with ideas when I stumbled upon this thread. I really liked the dual biotope idea. I started running with the idea in google sketchup, using the pieces of scrap I had. The finalized design came out looking more like an upside down U than a L, since I wanted a small sump area for increase water capacity and ato. I also wanted the tank to be freestanding, although I will be adding a middle support structure to the stand I build.
I finished the rough assembly of the tank yesterday. I'm going to need to sand some areas down where I got overzealous with the weldon and paint a few areas black. I didn't have the camera with me last night so pictures are going to have to wait until tonight. I do have a quick sketch up rendering I created to give you an idea of what it looks like.

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The total volume is 6.1 gallons if filled to the top.
Quite One 2200 pump (external operation) 581 gph!

Todo:

• add another return below the first one (need to divide the 581 gph a bit)
• add a piece of acrylic to overflow teeth to allow adjustment of water level and flow
• decide whether to add a diy cpr (hob fuge type) skimmer, my skimmer from my nano wave 9, or just add a place for media (chemipure, etc).
• Figure out a design for the stand...then build it
• Decide on rock layout and stocking for the biotope system (types of macroalgea, sand/mud, number of mangroves etc)
• Decide on lighting. I may just use the 10 led setup from my nw 9. Also thinking about an Evil pico lamp when the new ones are ready.

If anyone has any ideas or questions feel free to chime in I would appreciate it.

Here are two pics I got last night. Just finished a water test.
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Plumbing advice needed...
I think I need to upsize the 3/4" bulkhead in the overflow to 1". During testing lastnight the pump seemed like it wasn't getting enough water. It worked fine when I removed the standpipe, so the 3/4" bulkhead really isn't the problem, its probably the 90 degree elbow that comes out of the bulkhead and connects to the standpipe. I'm not sure what else to do other than step up to a 1" bulkhead and elbow.
Do I need to use a standpipe or could I just go with a strainer on the bulkhead. It is basically a closed loop system so even if it does clog the only thing that will happen is the pump will be fried. There would be no flooding since it is a closed loop.
Any other ideas.

So whats the plan here?

Reef on the left mangroves in the middle and sump area on the right?

I'm still trying to decide what is going where. I have a couple of options:
reef | macro area | mangroves w/ cheato | sump
reef | shallow reef | mangroves w/ cheato | macro in sump
reef | shallow reef and macro | mangroves w/ cheato | sump
reef | shallow reef | macro area | mangroves w/ cheato in sump.

I really like that a lot, good job. Cant wait to see it finished!!!

I vote option three, It seems to have the best "flow" (for lack of a better word) You could keep the Cheato in the display, so you won't have to light your sump (making it a fuge) and will be able to use it for mechanical and chemical filtration.

the only problem with the cheato is that its really brittle and will have a tendency to end up all over your tank.

great tank and great idea,tagging along

I like option three the best as well. As far as cheato goes I going to do what John from reefcleaners recommends and have it grow around the roots of the mangroves. He also says that other forms of macro grow well between the roots.

Yup in the thread I linked to in the first post, Muggz's idea for his biotope was influenced by that pic. Then I stole Muggz's idea and changed it a tad.

IMO i think the deep part should be the reef(left side) then have a shallow reef (middle) and mangroves on the right (before the sump). I think this is going to look amazing.

As far as the pump the bulkhead should be fine with just a strainer but theres nothing wrong with going bigger.

Agreed, option 3 has the best flow. I'm going to suggest doing hard corals on the left drop off/ softies to mix with the macros/ and of course your mangroves on the far right.

I realize that this is farther down the road but; LED lighting would work incredibly well on this tank. That way you can adjust the lighting for the different partitions of the tank. Brighter and bluer for the deep end/ whiter and less intensity in the middle/ and yellower and softer on the far right...

Good luck, I'll be tagging along.

I have decided to go with LED lighting over the tank. I already have a 10 LED (6 blue, 4 white) setup from my nano wave 9 that I will be using. I think that should be enough light. I have the dimmer setup already as well. I hope to get the hood, stand and tank finished and setup in my office by tuesday. Then I can order live rock from sea life inc on tue.

I'm playing around with stand designs now. I'll post a few to see which you guys like better.

As small as the tank is I'd be afraid the mangroves root system may compromise the structural integrity of the fuge section in a matter of a year or perhaps less. Do you have any plans to pot your mangroves? There are ways to limit their growth of course which require a degree of maintenance on your part.

I'm a little behind schedule, but the stand is build, just need to stain it. I have a few more things to finish up on the tank itself, but hope to set it up monday. Also going to order rock that day if everything gets setup.

Marteen, thanks for the advice. How can you limit their growth? I plan on trimming the roots to keep them from overrunning the tank.

any updates? this tank looks like it'll turn out awesome

this is a great concept... if you can pull it off like the pic scrapz posted you'll be in business!

Everything is pretty much done. The stand had been stained and the tank plumbed. I just need to get it to the office. I may be moving to a different office (same building) so I'm waiting to see if that is going to happen before I setup my tank. I have around 15 mangrove propagules growing in the sump of my home tank. Most of them now have roots and are starting to open up top. So hopefully I'll have two or three with leaves by the time this tank is setup. Also have so cool macro growing in another tank as well.

Pics?

+1 were ar teh pictuerz?

Soon. Sorry to delay. Nothing much has changed. I haven't moved things to my office yet. Just getting all of the boxes emptied from the office move. Hopefully soon. Mangroves have roots but no leaves at the moment. I do still need to paint some of the tank walls black and make a new standpipe.

Ok I have decided to not set this up in my office. Instead it is going in my new fish room. Good news is I should have time to clear out the room and at least setup the tank this weekend. Hopefully can add water too. We will see.

Yay!

Its about time! I have been waiting for what seems like forever.

Stand is setup...Tank is painted. I just need to brace it in a few spots I believe and and sand, rock and water. Should have some cloudy pics tonight!!

what a tease!

Here you go. Clearer pics tomorrow. Still need to make the hood. The LEDS in the pic are what I'm going to use.
During setup
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With LR and sand!
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Sorry my wives' camera sucks. And the room is somewhat small so that is about as far back as I could go.

The quiet one pump is not so quiet. I have one on my 34 gal as well, it is underwater, it isn't quiet either but it is not as loud as in this setup. Probably going to need to find a quieter pump. Any suggestions? I'm not running a sump, so it is basically a closed loop. I have a mouse pad under the pump.

Nice, do you plan to support the center "bridge" part?

Yes. I actually have a wooden structure that slides in. I took it out for the pics.

If it were me, I'd try to support that bridge with a wood frame of sorts with a little storage drawer in there, so its serves 2 purposes. Very interesting design, looking forward to updates.

Tank is doing good. Really in a holding pattern while it cycles and waiting for payday (friday) so I can purchase a new pump. The quite one is at all quiet. Plus the ~500gph is a little much. I think I'm going with an Eheim 1250 with ~300gph. The Eheim's are suppose to be much quieter. If anyone knows a less expensive pump that is has around the same noise level as the eheim, please let me know.

Found my pump!! I ordered a Panworld 10PX-MD10 external pump. We are only talking 180gph, but I can always add a maxi if need be. So I received the pump today and hooked it up for a test run. Man is this pump quiet!, its only a whisper. Plus it is much smaller than the "Quiet One" I had on previously. Just need to pick up a ball valve tomorrow. I'll get pictures up tomorrow night.

THOSE PICS LEFT ME WANTING MORE



MUCH MUCH MORE


get a ton of random like top view and pics of the mangroves or whatever

Will do. No mangroves in yet. Actually nothing but some rock at the moment.

Ok, here are some crappy pics, but should give you an idea. Added some macro. I moved most of it from the 10g I'm taking down. Hope to add the mangroves in a week or so. I have four or five that are finally starting to open up.

I just threw the 70w MH on there to give you guys some light. I still haven't built the hood for the LEDs.

The 2x4 supports under the span is temp. I haven't had time to build the acrylic supports yet. I think the arched acrylic supports will be sweet though.

Two upper tiers. I'll be moving some smaller rock pieces from the 10gal soon. 2 to 4 mangroves will be going in the back where the chaeto is.


The sweet panworld 10px.


Terrible front shot.


Side Shot.


Side Shot of upper tiers


Side shot of lower tier. Reflection from the fuge light on the frag tank as well.

Mmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacccccccccccccccccrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrooooooooooooooosssssssssss
ssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, now that that is out of my system; might I suggest more live rock in the lower tier? Go ahead and build it up on that wall to create the barrier look okay? Thanks.

I saw on another thread that you bought some blue scroll algae, is it going in this tank or another one?

Btw, did you build your light stand? It be sexy!

Yeah more rock is coming. I'm trying to slowly move the live rock over from the 10 gal. I have one probably 5lb rock that will take up most of the lower tier and two smaller rocks. It is not all going to fit, so I'll have some playing around to do to see what looks best. I don't think is big rock will work cause it is pointed at the top so you cannot stack anything on it.

Yeah the scroll algae will be going in here, but I'm going to grow it out a bit in the frag tank first. It is brown at the moment since it is a small frag (~ 1 inch).

Right now there are a few different types of macro in there.
Ulva
Chaeto
Red palm
Red Branching
Halimeda
Red Grape
Red Gracilaria
Flame Algae

I haven't even thought about coral stocking options yet. I do have a lot of goodies that I just put in the frag tank. All are pretty small though atm.

As for the light, the more I think about it I'm leaning towards using the 70w Halide. That way I can have the light hanging a decent ways above the top which will give you the top down view. The LED hood would not allow the top down view.

Hoping to get the light bar for the macros/mangroves up on sunday.