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


new-b-reefer

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So... The pump will need a timer. Lol I checked after an hour and it was at 88F water temp. Pump has been off for half an hour and temp has dropped one degree. I'm confident with the right setup on a timer it will work. :)

Think I will order a timer for it tonight. :) I'll also look into drilling it for a cord to leave.

Edit: sorry about posting so much. Had an even better idea than a timer.

http://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Max-300-Digital-Aquarium-Controller/dp/B007480AP6

Plug pump into that, drill hole to fit the probe and the pump's cable, boom, sealed system with ability to keep temps stable and it would provide some flow for different kinds of corals. LPS might actually be doable with that setup. With determination you could glue rubble all over the pump and cover it completely, making it part of the scape.

Open to comments but I think I will order the controller and try it out. This is cool because it would mean the system is more flexible and doesn't have to be in an absolutely perfect room temp. (which is what I think my biggest struggle has been caused by, improper room temps)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Guys

My name is Nic and I am a newbie in this field.

I have always really wanted a marine aquarium but didn't have the time or money, I found out about the PJ reef and looked into buying one but I prefer to DIY things. So I found this thread and have decided to take the plunge!

 

With regards to heating, one can buy a reptile thermostat(or fish tank thermostat?) and a heating pad for very little($30/$40). I use this for my snakes and it works a charm. Of course this is one of the cheaper thermostats but it works very well and a marine thermostat might work better. You could just place one or two jars on the pad.

 

I live in South Africa and I couldn't find any LED lighting so I bought these

 

$(KGrHqUOKm4E3cRTd(gcBN4BUulqMg~~_35.JPG

 

Jebo_Light_Tube_R352-R500-R790_15watt.jp

 

 

A 10w blue and a 10w white light, would this be sufficient for a jarquarium?

 

 

 

Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading

 

Nic

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  • 2 weeks later...

New-b, how are you keeping stable temperatures? I imagine with the winter keeping things at 78F without a thermometer are hard? I just started a 2 gallon jar tank but felt I needed to add a small heater and external canister filter to get flow and temp set - I would love the very low tech setup like your enclosed jar with the GSP and Polyps on my desk at work but it's about 70F here, not sure that would work well. Thanks.

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So... The pump will need a timer. Lol I checked after an hour and it was at 88F water temp. Pump has been off for half an hour and temp has dropped one degree. I'm confident with the right setup on a timer it will work. :)

 

Think I will order a timer for it tonight. :) I'll also look into drilling it for a cord to leave.

 

Edit: sorry about posting so much. Had an even better idea than a timer.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Max-300-Digital-Aquarium-Controller/dp/B007480AP6

 

Plug pump into that, drill hole to fit the probe and the pump's cable, boom, sealed system with ability to keep temps stable and it would provide some flow for different kinds of corals. LPS might actually be doable with that setup. With determination you could glue rubble all over the pump and cover it completely, making it part of the scape.

 

Open to comments but I think I will order the controller and try it out. This is cool because it would mean the system is more flexible and doesn't have to be in an absolutely perfect room temp. (which is what I think my biggest struggle has been caused by, improper room temps)

in case you havent find a solution here, you get this guy for just $13 and has heating and cooling control. just hook up a 12v fan somewhere for cooling the water

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Digital-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat-Water-Tank-Aquarium-w-Sensor-10A-110V-/400509084920?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d4033a4f8

 

and this is how it works. im ordering one soon myself.

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in case you havent find a solution here, you get this guy for just $13 and has heating and cooling control. just hook up a 12v fan somewhere for cooling the water

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Digital-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat-Water-Tank-Aquarium-w-Sensor-10A-110V-/400509084920?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d4033a4f8

 

and this is how it works. im ordering one soon myself.

I have the same thermostat works very well haven't tried it with an aquarium though.

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  • 1 month later...
new-b-reefer

Lil update. Haven't posted in a while. I moved the rock from my jar into a 2.5 gallon glass tank with glass lid, added a large rock also in hope of accomplishing the same idea as the jar but slightly larger scale. Recently added a cheap submersible filer for water movement and can still keto the glass lid on with a small Crack for the cord. All working really well this far. Think time to add a few more inverts and corals ;)

20150316_201923_zpshqfdzpl6.jpg 20150316_201913_zpswgqnac81.jpg 20150316_201903_zps2tfaizwg.jpg 20150316_201844_zpscxgzdr7g.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I still have one going. I think it's pretty much stable. The temp never changes which is what killed my last one but I also haven't touched it at all, not even for a WC, since January. Eventually I will though lol, just haven't gotten around to it. :)

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  • 1 month later...

Any updates on these?

 

How are you keeping the jars closed and what do you use for water circulation?

 

I'm getting into this sort of reefing... ;)

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new-b-reefer

Ok update... sorry it's been a while. Unfortunately the jars and mini tank were combined with my 55 gallon reef to simplify and move only one tank. My wife and i sold our house and are in escrow on a new one. Tank is temporarily stored at a friends place till we get our keys and move in, then need to move my tanks and at that point I will start up another jar. The jar was still going strong at the time I combined it and inhabitants are doing fine after the first move. So should be within the next few weeks we should be moved in and I can dive back into it.

 

Stay tuned ;)

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  • 2 months later...

i have an idea for the temperature controller for a small jar system. Let me know what you think.

 

The idea is to use two of these

 

http://www.amazon.com/Flexible-Silicone-Rubber-Heater-Heating/dp/B00XBGJJS4/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1439343959&sr=8-5&keywords=5w+aquarium+heater

 

Wired to this

 

http://www.amazon.com/2013newestseller-Thermostat-Temperature-Thermometer-50-110%C2%B0c/dp/B00GWFK7FA/ref=pd_cp_60_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0CYC9XQXGFDB16XC2CBM

 

i figured i could just put the two heating pads underneath and use this to regulate temp?

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Would just using a turkey baster to suck out half the water then replenish half and then repeat that process work instead of removing the rock and all? I put sand in mine... also my hands are too big to fit in a mason jar to get the rocks out. I set mine up today and 4 hours later I had a starfish roaming!

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Would just using a turkey baster to suck out half the water then replenish half and then repeat that process work instead of removing the rock and all? I put sand in mine... also my hands are too big to fit in a mason jar to get the rocks out. I set mine up today and 4 hours later I had a starfish roaming!

I just use one of those drink powder scoops to get the water out of my jars, I assume a baster would work - just don't suck too fast as you may vacuum up some reef life... ;)

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  • 2 months later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

I don't have a picture handy, will get one when I go home this weekend but mine is still going and just dandy. I do once a month water change (100%), jar cleaning, and rock scrub with a toothbrush. It's sitting on a ZooMed Reptitherm under tank heater now, which holds it between 77-82, which is a perfectly fine temp range. It has a $8 Ebay PAR LED bulb over it, and an air pump for movement. I just stick the air line in and close the lid over it, works just fine and evaporates maybe 1/4" over the course of a month.

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  • 2 months later...
new-b-reefer

hey everyone, been away for a while, my apologies. as some of you know I was last in the middle of a house purchase, a move, and perfect timing, a baby was on the way. we are settled and baby boy is here and doing great. about 3.5 months old now and already is infatuated with the aquariums in the house, even set up one in his room. his own little glo-fish tank lol but he loves spacing out on the 50 gallon reef system :)

as for the jars, I have no reef jars at the moment, everything is alive but was all combined and added into my 50 gallon cad lights reef system which was an upgrade with the new house. that tank also needs an update on that thread. Just been a bit busy, dad life lol. I had a minute to sit and wanted to check my old threads, I have the kick I needed now and I think its safe to say you can expect to see another reef jar up very soon ;)
maybe I will even pull the original rock from the diy pj reef from the 50 gallon since its still in there :D

hope to get it up and running ASAP. I have 2 freshwater planted, red cherry shrimp jars that are doing very well but as lfs's with reef stuff are a little harder to come by where we live now, haven't got the jar back up. still in the reef game, but need to get back in the reef jarquarium game ;)

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new-b-reefer

Congrats on the addition! Hope to see you put together another little tank soon.

Thanks, hoping to have my little diy pj reef up again. It currently has red cherry shrimp and plants but those are moving to another jar, I want to get the original back up again ;)

Planning to do it in the next day or two :)

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new-b-reefer

As promised, the diy pj reef is back up and running. I used the original rock I had in it before. As it was sitting in my 50 gallon reef, it has gone through changes and different corals have been fighting for real estate.... these palys were the current residents. I plan to add more as it progresses and possibly a hermit for algae control since it worked so well last time. Here are pics :)

PicsArt_05-01-05.30.14_zpsjs24djtz.jpg

PicsArt_05-01-05.31.07_zpsljvlc9lu.jpg

PicsArt_05-01-05.33.23_zpstwvw6qwd.jpg

PicsArt_05-01-05.34.19_zpsbk5olkv0.jpg

PicsArt_05-01-05.32.12_zpshsysdny9.jpg

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