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Innovative Marine Aquariums

My DIY all in one


keitht85

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I decided to make my own all in one tank for my desk using a standard 10 gallon. I made the display area 12" wide and the rest a filtration/refugium area. I used 1/4" smoked glass for the divider and 3/16" for making the rest. I used a cap from a fish food container to create an overflow. I made an airstone skimmer out of 1-1/4" pvc pipe that is producing great results. to work with the small space and to ensure no bubbles make it back to the display area water flows thru a passage under the return area then to the refugium and the media area. the return pump is a rio 900. the tank has great flow throughout. as for lighting I made a hoop that is over the top of the tank out of 1/2" pvc holding 2 bulbs one PAR30 7w and a PAR38 45w. I will post photos soon.


I am using all CaribSea dry rock and indo pacific black sand. All salt, media, and chem are Tropic Marin. My plan is to make this an Indo Pacific tank keeping all livestock from the same area.

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  • 1 month later...

Update. The tank is doing great. The pvc/airstone skimmer is performing much better than I expected.

 

 

I was not happy with the color of the lighting so I ended up replacing some of the diodes in the bulbs. currently I have 1 uv, 1 lime, 3 neutral white 4 cool blue, and 13 royal blue all are 3w epistar diodes.

 

Current stock list is 1 clown, 2 pj cardinals, 1 mccoskers flasher wrasse, 1 cbs, 1 red fromia sea star, 2 scarlet hermits, and a mix of cerenth and bumblebee snails.

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Update. The tank is doing great. The pvc/airstone skimmer is performing much better than I expected.

 

 

I was not happy with the color of the lighting so I ended up replacing some of the diodes in the bulbs. currently I have 1 uv, 1 lime, 3 neutral white 4 cool blue, and 13 royal blue all are 3w epistar diodes.

 

Current stock list is 1 clown, 2 pj cardinals, 1 mccoskers flasher wrasse, 1 cbs, 1 red fromia sea star, 2 scarlet hermits, and a mix of cerenth and bumblebee snails.

 

 

Tank looks good. I love the DIY refugium and skimmer. That is the best way to go :D! Your new light seems to give off a much better hue than the previous one. At least it seems that way in the pictures. Also nice looking favia in there.

 

The one thing I would be careful on is that wrasse. That tank is definitely a bit too small for him and without a lid he could get easily spooked and jump. Just something to be wary about. Other than that keep up the good work.

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I have a top I put on it over night and on weekends when I am not here. I am aware of the size of the wrasse but as I own an aquarium store my plan is to swap him out as they grow.

 

It is the same light just soldered in different colored diodes.

 

So far my total investment into this is less than $200.00 I wanted to prove to my staff that you did not need the best and most expensive equipment to have good looking and successful experience.

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