my super low tech reef jarquarium (with diy pj reef)

[new-b-reefer]

it is very important to know that aquarium curing can be a deal breaker for still tanks, if we use uncured oceanic rock that comes from highly oxygenated, moving waters and place it in a still tank, we have to guide the aquarium curing part it can't just be left still to do so.

 

water changes

 

before these systems are left totally still w no water changes, we should do several full changes to export any dying material being adjusted to o2 flux environments (night phase in a still tank is very low o2 due to respiration from animals and corals in the tank)

 

for sure many setups using lucky good aquarium cured rocks can be still right from the bat, this is a newer evolution in pico reef keeping but it doesnt really break any rules as the animals being stocked here, and typically the live rock curing state, is adaptable just because they have it in the genes to deal with tidepool living under some conditions

 

just wanted to add that there's no solid reason to deny water changes on these kinds of tanks if you want them to live past 5 mos. up until then, they'll appear strong, and then crashes can set in depending on tank variables.

 

smelling the water regularly at the end of a few days run time, and watching for cloudiness, are two great indicators of more curing time and more aggressive water changes needed before the system truly runs long term as a tidepool setup.

Agreed

I change all the water and clean all the glass once a month. These systems are low maintenance but still need some to ensure it is healthy and not "just making it"

And the maintenance in such a small volume takes maybe 5 minutes for a full cleaning

Observation and attention to your inhabitants is the best maintenance. The critters will tell you if something is off.

[Spenseriana]

I use and recomend to all for these little reefs, fully cured rock. It makes for an instant reef and nothing needs cycle. Even getting a rock with a frag attached is a good way to go. I attached all my own frags. Cool thing is with this small amount of rock, the cured good stuff isnt a pain in the wallet and you can shop around for the one rock that makes your whole scape

Happy reefing

 

Thanks, New-b!

[obeythefro]

Little update, my jarquarium is doing well. I received the micromotors to create my pico pump, but I got sidetracked with thermal management issues. Summer in southern ca can be rough, so I have ben working on a chiller/heater for my jar. The residents of the jar seem to be enjoying it. Pics to come.

[fragtal]

Started messing around with this since reading the thread. I have a 5"x5"x5" glass cube that's currently set up with a glass casserole top, and a 6500K day CF. I used stuff scrounged from my freshwater planted gear until I get the jar rig together.

 

 

I've added little bits of cured live rock that have already yielded a Maybe Zoa, and a white grape looking thing, both have moved a bit.

 

 

The bulb that new-b-reefer recommended is on its way, and I'll go looking for the jar and some chaeto in the next day or so. Everyone in the house is staring fixedly at the cube looking for creatures to pop out.

 

My big concern is temps. Would it be safe to sit the jar on a dry betta heater? My temps run 72-74 here at home.

 

Thanks to all posters in this thread, fascinating, fun, and informative!

[new-b-reefer]

 

Little update, my jarquarium is doing well. I received the micromotors to create my pico pump, but I got sidetracked with thermal management issues. Summer in southern ca can be rough, so I have ben working on a chiller/heater for my jar. The residents of the jar seem to be enjoying it. Pics to come.

I feel ya. Im also in socal battling tue temp swings that summer brings. I personally have all 3 of my reefs in the living room and I leave the livingroom ac set at 78 even when we are hone at work and it keeps things happy and veing at 78 isnt too crazy on the elec bill with it set on energy saver

 

Started messing around with this since reading the thread. I have a 5"x5"x5" glass cube that's currently set up with a glass casserole top, and a 6500K day CF. I used stuff scrounged from my freshwater planted gear until I get the jar rig together.

 

 

I've added little bits of cured live rock that have already yielded a Maybe Zoa, and a white grape looking thing, both have moved a bit.

 

 

The bulb that new-b-reefer recommended is on its way, and I'll go looking for the jar and some chaeto in the next day or so. Everyone in the house is staring fixedly at the cube looking for creatures to pop out.

 

My big concern is temps. Would it be safe to sit the jar on a dry betta heater? My temps run 72-74 here at home.

 

Thanks to all posters in this thread, fascinating, fun, and informative!

Nice, sounds like a great start

[Carebearcatz]

Any idea where to get the dry betta heaters? I've been looking around on the internet and hAvent been able to find them

[obeythefro]

They should have them at petco and petsmart. Or try amazon.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006JVQ67K?cache=71e7b1994a09b7765f7890a6a1ed90aaπ=SY200_QL40&qid=1412049457&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

[trithumb]

What light did you use? Do you have a link? Just an air stone is what you use for flow?

[new-b-reefer]

 

What light did you use? Do you have a link? Just an air stone is what you use for flow?

Not sure if this was directed at me or one of the other replies. My light is listed in a previous post. Was an led from eBay with an e27 base, 15watt. And a desk lamp. I actually don't have an airstone or anything for flow. Just what the critters create as they move and scurry around.

[new-b-reefer]

Quick update. Still going strong. The corals closed for a few days and then opened back up. I had done a water change and the gsp and ZOA's have kind of inter mixed. Growth is good but ofcpurse they grew into each other. Also added a lone hermit in there a while ago to help with the bits of algae. He's done a great job of keeping things clean and still doing great in his lil home. So far looking like a hermit is a good possibility for these jars cause he's been doing great. More pics to come soon.

[pnyf]

I love your jars! I just started a 1 gallon cookie jar like this while I collect pieces for my bigger tank. Thanks for the ideas.

[Halo_003]

Update: all was well until my dad took it to Philly where the jar dropped to 57F overnight. Everything died except the hermit crab which lived in the jar for another month after that. Which is amazing in my opinion. Today I pull some rubble from my 20G tank and bought some $5 frags and restocked it with fresh (mature) rock. Inhabitants now consist of:

 

1x mini brittle star - Kraken

1x black &white leg hermit - Church Norris

2x little ZOA frags

1x ricordia

1x red mushroom

1x GSP frag

 

[Halo_003]

I wonder if any encrusting LPS would work in one of these. Have any of you tried anything other than Z/P's or softies?

[new-b-reefer]

Pic update. My gsp are kinda upset but the ZOA's and my hermit are doing real well. He keeps thing clean and makes for entertainment

 

 

I love your jars! I just started a 1 gallon cookie jar like this while I collect pieces for my bigger tank. Thanks for the ideas.

Thanks. Love hearing about new ones going up

 

Update: all was well until my dad took it to Philly where the jar dropped to 57F overnight. Everything died except the hermit crab which lived in the jar for another month after that. Which is amazing in my opinion. Today I pull some rubble from my 20G tank and bought some $5 frags and restocked it with fresh (mature) rock. Inhabitants now consist of:

 

1x mini brittle star - Kraken

1x black &white leg hermit - Church Norris

2x little ZOA frags

1x ricordia

1x red mushroom

1x GSP frag

 

Bummer it crashed but fun to build up again. Keep it going

 

I wonder if any encrusting LPS would work in one of these. Have any of you tried anything other than Z/P's or softies?

I have only done softies

I feel the LPS would need more flow but I could be wrong. Certain LPS might work. Worth a try

[Halo_003]

Another question. Right now I have an EBay 5x1W par LED bulb over mine. Zoas are often closed with it and my ricordia is slumped over. What do you think of putting a Coral Compulsion 22K PAR 30 (14W) over it?

 

Posting in other thread as well.

[new-b-reefer]

Another question. Right now I have an EBay 5x1W par LED bulb over mine. Zoas are often closed with it and my ricordia is slumped over. What do you think of putting a Coral Compulsion 22K PAR 30 (14W) over it?

 

Posting in other thread as well.

I think it will work well. My bulb is an eBay bulb and is 15 watts and working out well. I'm wondering if it isn't the intensity that is causing the issue as I have had ZOA's stay open in ambient light. What's the temp of the jar? What color spectrum is your current bulb? Also a water change may be in order. Sometimes mine have closed up and after a water change they open again. Also some of the microfauna can irritate them like bristle worms and stuff. Could be many factors.

[Halo_003]

Temp - room temp, about 76-78 on average.

Water change - did a 100% water change last week and it didn't seem to help this issue.

Microfauna is limited to a small hermit, a hair worm, feather dusters, and a mini brittle star.

 

 

 

The current bulb is a 3x RB 2x NW eBay bulb like linked early in the thread. It's description says 5x1W.

[new-b-reefer]

Temp - room temp, about 76-78 on average.

Water change - did a 100% water change last week and it didn't seem to help this issue.

Microfauna is limited to a small hermit, a hair worm, feather dusters, and a mini brittle star.

 

 

 

The current bulb is a 3x RB 2x NW eBay bulb like linked early in the thread. It's description says 5x1W.

hm, i wonder if the link changed or seller changed the item or something. i know mine is a 5x3w. at any rate the 14 watt should do fine and even you current 5 watt should work just fine. i have built these for others using the 10watt mini cf 50/50 bulbs from petco or petsmart and they worked out fine. i know my hermit on occasion will trample things and i have had mine close up for long periods of time unexplaned as well. but i think mine was coral warfare. the gsp and zoas grew into eachother and intermingled. all your stuff seems to check out just fine. i also found at one point when alot of my zoas were closed that i rotated the jar a bit, since the light shines at a slight angle and within a few hours everything was fully open. you can try that. makes sense as after we clean these things and place them back, they are technically never in the exact same position so the corals have to adjust ever so slightly but still make for a bit of stress i am assuming. i would keep an eye on it, maybe rotate the jar 45-90 degrees and see if there is any response. how long have they been closed up?

[Halo_003]

About a week and a half since I've seen them open. I will try rotating a bit.

[brandon429]

Still reefs are the wave of the future enjoy the wave

 

 

I would have never thought it would work in 2000s no way

 

Neat how new things come about, at one time just a tiny tank was new now we see wide temp and micro circulation variabilities in common reef tank organisms

 

Your color balance looks the same as a circulated system and the zos are amazing. Nice job

[Halo_003]

Well seems like it's crashing. Will have to test tomorrow AM when I have time at last, but the mushroom melted, the ric seems to have melted, the zoas are still constantly closed up. Hermit killed the micro brittle star, dunno if that caused this or not. Macroalgae is still @ 100% though.

[new-b-reefer]

Well seems like it's crashing. Will have to test tomorrow AM when I have time at last, but the mushroom melted, the ric seems to have melted, the zoas are still constantly closed up. Hermit killed the micro brittle star, dunno if that caused this or not. Macroalgae is still @ 100% though.

Well that's one plus :-) . I can't remember if you said if you hermit crab was alive or not. If he is that is a good sign. I would say, remove the dead coral, add in new coral and change all the water. Luckily these systems are inexpensive to restock. Just my two cents :-) but don't loose hope.

[Halo_003]

Hmm. Maybe it went through some sort of mini cycle. I had an algae bloom last week, and this week zoas are all about half opened up..

 

 

 

Do we have any ideas on how to heat one of these effectively for less than $50?

 

Edit: what about using one of those tiny betta stick heaters with a timer to come on for a few minutes multiple times through the day?

[Halo_003]

Here's the idea for a setup I might look at for my desk with nicer zoas and softies:

 

Heater:

http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Blue-Professional-ADB12881-Bettastik/dp/B005DGHG8U/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1418244219&sr=1-2&keywords=betta+heater

 

Timer:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FAJO8BI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1JLJT6ADYFVS7&coliid=I1R1HYXHU6DYX

 

Light:

http://coralcompulsion.com/led/PAR-BULBS/led-21w-18k

 

Lamp: http://www.amazon.com/Illuminada-17347-001-37-4-Inch-Swing-Black/dp/B00FD5E0DK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1418244514&sr=8-2&keywords=arm+lamps

 

The heater would take some testing to see how long it needs to be on and how often. The timer can control each outlet independently, so it can have the heater turned on for an hour up to 10 times per day(for example), and the other outlet on the timer can have the light controlled to come on for 8 hours a day, and perhaps like 2 at night for example.

 

Thoughts on that method of heating?

[Halo_003]

Decided to risk it all... All being the $5 of zoas I'm stocking and a tiny bit of red titan macro. I put in a tiny 40GPH pump turned all the way to low. Its beneath the rocks, and I put a couple of small rubble bits in to cover it up some. It isn't invisible, but its mostly covered. The lid goes on snugly with the wire coming out of the top, but I imagine I'll see more evap. If so, it will probably not be very much. I'm now certain it went through a mini cycle, either it got too cold or the rock wasn't quite cured fully. The hermit killed the mini brittle star, but then the hermit died too. I then had an algae bloom and the Xenia and ricordia both melted, so did GSP but that might have been my fault from gluing.

 

I'll spend today monitoring what temps do with the pump added. If all goes well I may look at drilling a tiny hole in the side and running the cord out through it with silicon holding it in place. The temp without the pump was holding at 70-72F depending on the day. With the pump I expect it to be 80-82, but if it gets high above that I'll put it on the timer linked above and run the pump on for an hour, off for 2, etc.

 

Edit: pumpnis actually 80GPH, turned all the way low. 4 watts, so hopefully it works nwell. If it does and I can get temp stable at 80-82 I'll set up a jar on my desk for nicer things. I do have a teeny birdsnest accidental frag I'd be willing to try if all goes well.