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Innovative Marine Aquariums

Bear's Tiny Tank


bearwithfish

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I like the second look much better.

What about keeping the left piece how it is, but standing up the right piece? Might be too tall, but I tend to prefer having the highest point offset to one side and have everything slope away from there. Personal preference.

 

I've got a 1/2 gallon cube vase with a sump that brings total water volume to about a gallon. I do 100% water changes and I use a Zero water pitcher for my tank water. My tap (well) is around 147 TDS. I've been using the same cartridge for about a year. I've run about 44.5 gallons through it and it's still putting out 0 TDS. It's the 23 cup version or something like that; it holds over a gallon. I keep a few gallon vinegar jugs full of extra water, just in case (I cycle those through when making salt water so they don't go stale). I think the replacement cartridges are $14 or something like that. If I only get 4 more gallons out of it, I'd be looking at 50¢ a gallon and I can make new water as I use it.

 

I recently removed the sand in my display. It was getting to be a pain and was the source of some algae issues after losing my nassaraus snails (in addition to lack of water changes during a hectic semester). Not really a fan of the look, but getting detritus from around and under the rock work is easier. I can also bump up the flow rate and hopefully prevent stuff from settling in the first place.

 

 

Good luck with the tank. I remember when the 2.5s used to be under $6. Great little tanks for side projects and Bettas.

yeah the size of the tank prohibits that rock form standing up (i tried LOL) but i like the idea.. I almost tried that filter pitcher with my last tank but had no idea it would have been that good.. I am on municipal water so i am not 100% that further treatment wold not be needed. Perhaps i will pick it up and have a sample tested. thanks for the feedback!!!

 

I paint the back of the tank with mirror paint. This makes the tank look twice as big and reflects the light into the back of the tank. You can also put nice corals on the back of the rock, as they will be seen in the reflection.

Oh i Like that mirror idea!! I will have to look around and see if i can locate one of the correct size. I am not good at cutting glass (trust me) so if i can find one the right size i will explore this further.. thank you!!

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  • 2 weeks later...
bearwithfish

So just a quick update. Nothing has changed yet LOL..

 

my plan is to hopefully by the last couple things i need this weekend, however there is a sudden need to make some drastic changes that may push this back a week or two.. I will keep researching, watching all these wonderful other tanks, and planning out what is going to happen.

 

As soon as a change occurs a post with the needed pictures will be posted.

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bearwithfish

*drumming fingers on desk*......

 

hmmm should i use the $5 off at BRS and what i have on Paypal to order more rock for a potential upgrade down the line? should i let the $5 at BRS off go to the wayside since there is nothing else i have need of from them just now?

 

thoughts?

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Since your tank is really new I'd bet you are going discover at least thirteen things you need between now and a month from now. I wouldn't worry about not having anything to spend the $5 credit on :D

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bearwithfish

we will see.. LOL

 

in the mean time i got thinking about the rock work and a previous poster suggested changing the rock on the right.. sooo how about this??

 

 

P_20160108_055355.jpg

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bearwithfish

I like the second look much better.

What about keeping the left piece how it is, but standing up the right piece? Might be too tall, but I tend to prefer having the highest point offset to one side and have everything slope away from there. Personal preference....

here is the post i was referring too. @Beer i took your advice after all and i think it adds a significant amount of depth to the tank.

 

I removed the pump and heater for the moment (dry tanks don't need them LOL) and will add them back in once i have gotten to the point of adding water.

 

the more i look at this version of the rock the more inclined i am to glue it in place. (the thought had not occurred tome previously) i guess this is a sign that i really like it...

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Thank you @teenyreef - when i took into consideration the cost of an RO unit, the waste water produced (i own the house so i pay the water bill) it actually turns out that buying the distilled water works out cheaper over the short and long terms.. not to mention that at under $1 per gallon the Wife wont flinch as much ;)

 

I think that the KISS concept is one i really want to stay with. not only because it is effective (from the research i have done), but because i have attempted a larger more complex tank before and after taking out a credit card just for the tank the better half is a little gun shy LOL.. .

 

Once i show that it can be successful on a small scale (and once she realizes that all the large items she wants will not work in here) she may be more likely to let me run a second larger tank using the same concept.

 

Thanks for the feedback on this tank thus far. I am really looking forward to learning a lot with this tiny tank..

 

I use distilled water from walmart and then I buy my saltwater from my local fish store for $1 a gallon.

 

As someone who's had bigger reefs in the past and has done the RODI and mixing water myself, this way is way better. I find myself doing extra large water changes on my 3 gallon and the costs are still cheap.

 

Also, for breaking rock - I have the same rock and I just threw mine on the concrete as hard as possible and picked up the pieces. I didn't worry about making anything of specific shape or size because with that rock it basically fits together no matter what you do. Smaller pieces the better I found, baseball size being my largest piece.

 

I then superglued them all together for a good hold after I got it looking like I wanted.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ok here is the update ... well a re-planning perhaps is the better term...

 

Had a horrible week last week and ended up using all the funds for the tank to survive a doomed trip.. No sarcasm it was that bad..

 

after making it back my new order of rock arrived (yeah i just had to do it) so we are considering just jumping to the upgrade i was going to hold out for. so there will not be a Pico in the future.. i am going to a 20 long instead...

 

I will outline the plan in a thread in the general area so as to not take up space here since the tank is to large to fit the criteria.

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