3.7 gallons in a 2.5 gallon tank

[2.slowduo]

so..

I've been keeping saltwater aquariums since the early 90's

 

just recently broke down my 46 bowfront to move to chicago.

 

I sold the 46 but brought a 29bowfront with me,I'm not quite ready to fire up the 29 but really feel the need to have some reef animals

 

so I have this aga 2.5 I've always kept a planted betta tank in

 

I,ve decided to run by backback skimmer on and turn into a pico

 

I was not sure this would work,so I set it up this evening just to see

testing

skimmer,nearly as large as the tank

it took 1 gallon 4 cups more water once I fired the skimmer,but it did not overflow the tank,even with the 260gph of the skimmer

 

gonna get saltwater and liverock tomorrow and set it up to cycle.

 

I plan in this being a zoa,sexy shrimp tank. Maybe a clown goby

very melow

 

if the bacpack proves to be a problem I will switch to an ac20/fuge

only time will tell

 

input is welcome,thanks

[krackerjacksna]

Looks like a lot of weight on the side of that aquarium, try and support the skimmer some how so all tha weight isn't on the side of the aquarium. Put your heater in the return of the skimmer so it's not in the display tank

[Islandoftiki]

That's freakin' awesome! Wow. Following along.

[googoomas]

This should be cool!

[2.slowduo]

heater is most certainly going in the skimmer.

 

I was worried the tank would not support this HUGE skimmer but it held it even when it was empty,I was really surprised, I'm planning on supporting the skimmer from below,like I said this was just the test to see if the tank would hold it up and hold it in.

 

266gph in a 2.5g tank seemed crazy as lector to me,but it seems to work.

 

does not even overflow when unplugged, another of my concerns

 

I'm gonna go with it

[krackerjacksna]

Run with it, maybe rig up a shelf before the outlet of the skimmer for chemi pure, What are you going to do for a light?

[Islandoftiki]

I can't wait to see how this turns out. You might just be creating a new kind of reef setup.

[2.slowduo]

getting a led fixture my brother(mygolfisslow) build for his fuge,white and blues,kree 30w. I think

 

for the cycle it will run a cfl box I built

 

it will be interesting,I have always had a hard time not outgrowing my tanks

 

this is so small it will take some restraint

[2.slowduo]

so, it's up and running!

I picked up 5lbs of live sand yesterday.

today after work I grabbed 5 gallons of salt water from my lfs (living sea aquarims in park ridge ill)

and 3.5 lbs of live rock.

 

cost me a whopping $13.59

maybe the cheapest I've ever got out of a fish store

 

on to some picks

 

this light is a pos I made a long time ago when I had this set up as a betta tank, it just has a houshold cfl in it right now

 

the scape for the moment,and some bubbles

 

in the past this skimmer has calmed way down bubble wise once it runs for a week or so,and I think it will be enough flow for this little tank, the pump says it runs 266gph

[acrab78]

Good score at the lfs.... Good luck with the setup looks cool!

Maybe some filter floss could trap some bubbles?

[2.slowduo]

starting to come together.

 

got the new light in the mail saturday, 3 3w whites,2 3w blues kree leds in an old cut down coralife box

looks amazing!! like a little hqi

 

also been spending a bit more at the LFS

tank now has

2 small frags of bright green zoas

1 small frag green skirt with red center zoas

1 larger but still small green skirt red center zoas

a covered frag plug of gsp

and a covered plug of "LA Lakers" zoas (purple skirts,neon yellow\green center)

and some hermits

on the fence about the sexy shrimp this time,the last couple times I had them I payed 7$ a piece for them so getting a nice group of them was not a big deal, but the lfs here wants 24.95$ per

WTF no way!

for now I think I'll just focus on zoas,I am tempted by the 10$ birds nest frags though

I'll get some pics up soon

[wenwillwego]

Sounds to be filling out, looking forward to pictures.

[TheUnfocusedOne]

Maybe some filter floss could trap some bubbles?

 

I agree, there's things you could do to get rid of some of those bubbles.

[2.slowduo]

Snagged some more nice zoa's at another Windy City lfs in this case New Fish. Just down the street on division.

Starting to look like something.

My lady will be home from her trip sat with the camera and the laptop.

So ill snap some pics then

 

As for the bubbles, they have mellowed a good bit since the skimmer has broken in a bit. I was thinking about some of the looser floss. Like what comes in the non reef backpack.

The stuff I had laying around is to dense I guess, it just wants to fill up.

Too restrictive

 

Happy holidays

[2.slowduo]

finally have an update with some pics.

my brother (mygolfisslow) broke his setup down, so he sent me his fuge lamp

5 3watt led's 3 white 2 blue in a tiny coralife fixture. I dont have any shots of just the light but the output is really nice!

It really makes this tank look nice in person.

I'm still dealing with some bubble issues,and have not found any suitable filter floss, but it does not look too bad in person.

I shut the air off on the skimmer for the pics, but as you can see there are still alot of bubbles

some green zoas and a ric I just got

not a great shot, gsp and some pallys

still only have hermits in here,may pick up an emerald crab and possibly a clown goby soon. I would love to put sexy shrimp in here but, here in chicago they cost 25$ a piece and that is just crazy talk

[Coco66]

Check out Aquapros in Glen Ellyn. We get a lot of our corals and fish from him. Great prices. You can find him on Facebook.