A robust Pico tank setup? Am I dreaming?

[SnowShiva]

Hey all, im looking into a pico to keep me happy while I work at my computer into the wee hours (full time work AND Uni).

 

The only problem that it may face would be if my girlfriend and I fly off anywhere or are away, now that wouldn't happen alot but we do like trips to the beach in the summer and may go away for up to 2 weeks sometime over winter.

 

I have seen a tank that would fit on my desk, its 12"x8"x8". would I be able to have some Zoo's, maybe a hermit? would I be able to get a tank of this size to last for upto 2 weeks on its own?

 

Am I living in cloud cookoo land with this?

 

 

Many thanks

[tinyreef]

nano-reef.com's pico contest

[fishbabies]

would I be able to get a tank of this size to last for upto 2 weeks on its own?

 

My concern would be maintaining proper salinity levels with the amount of evaporation that can occur over only a couple days. 3-4 days might be ok. you could make a dripper, but sometimes these aren't foolproof. if you can find someone in your office, or someone who can stop by to check on things, you will be in much better shape. a million things can happen in 2 weeks that would only take 1 minute of maintenance a day to prevent.

[SnowShiva]

you could make a dripper, but sometimes these aren't foolproof.

 

I have always been into self sufficient environments, and automating things is a way of life hehe (Network Analyst/Engineer come IT teacher hehe) so anything that can be setup on auto but I can still keep an eye on I like alot!!!

 

Shame I cant cheaply interface the tank into a computer.

 

I was going to add a false back containing the pump, heater ect with a DIY float switch that can regulate the water level in the "sump" area. I have seen this in the nano forums.

 

Maybe I can rig up a float switch to regulate the overall tank water level and pump from another source (a bottle perhaps), hmmmmm.

[jayjay1976]

Maybe I can rig up a float switch to regulate the overall tank water level and pump from another source (a bottle perhaps), hmmmmm.

 

I'm BRAND new to reefs but your idea about a float switch got me thinking about those pet watering bowls that you screw a 2 liter bottle upside down onto and the vacuum in the bottle prevents any water from being dispensed to the bowl until the level drops below the edge of the bottle's neck. It maintains the level of the bowl at exactly the same level because only when the level is low enough to allow a bubble to be sucked up in the bottle and then it only dispenses enough water to create a vacuum again, preventing any more water from coming out until the level drops again. If you could place a container of fresh sterile water just above the water level on the side of the tank, then use a heat-bent piece of rigid airline tube to create an outlet just below the waters surface, you might have a self regulating top off system. The only possible problem I see with that setup is the possibility of 'waves' on the surface causing unit to repeatedly dispense water, but this can be remedied by using an clear 35mm film can with small holes drilled in the bottom as a miniature 'breakwater' preventing any turbulence immediately in the area of the outlet. This would also keep any critters from blocking the outlet. The water that would be dispensed would pass through the little holes into the tank and the level in the can would stay the same as the tank. I would use a rigid plastic bottle to prevent the vacuum inside from collapsing the bottle and flooding your tank. this might sound a little confusing so heres a diagram.

 

jason

[jimmy595]

The problem with that is the water would diffuse out of that bottle bcuz the solute(salt) gradients are diffrent mixing with the tank water. It would end up lowering your salinity rapidly. I do believe there are some auto top off systems on the market.

[jayjay1976]

The problem with that is the water would diffuse out of that bottle bcuz the solute(salt) gradients are diffrent mixing with the tank water. It would end up lowering your salinity rapidly.

 

would the salt diffuse into the bottle? as the water evaporates from a tank, the salinity increases, this setup would decrease it while maintaining the level of water. I dont have any thing more than my gut feeling that the decrease would be insignificant. the bottle would only need to be 10% or so of the tanks volume I would think, and if the amount of salt in the system before adding the 10% top off were expressed as 100%, and the volume also as 100%, then the level of salts in the system after dividing by 110% (total volume with top off supply) would be 90.9%, which would be mostly offset by evaporation. If salt were added to the top off reservoir at half the normal concentration, after 2 weeks away, the salinity would be high by 4.5% how significant is this? does what im saying make any sense?

[jayjay1976]

Just buy a Big Dripper from your local petsmart's amphibian section, its a container with an outlet hose to route into your tank, with a small valve you can use to adjust drip rate. I think I paid $8 for mine. As a side note, use long pliers to adjust the valve, it is easier to overcome the valve friction and turn it just a tiny bit, which is nearly impossible to do with your bare hands.

 

Because it comes disassembled, and you have to push the valve stem through a hole and add the rubber washer and nylon nut, you can just buy the slightly cheaper 'Lil Dripper and install its valve and hose on a larger container to suit your aquarium size. I bet you could use a regular airline valve manifold to gang several small containers to one drip tube and control the rate much more precisely by adjusting each containers outlet.

 

jason

[cyenna]

^^sorry to get off topic of the pico set up but can you show a picture of your big dripper set up?

[jayjay1976]

^^sorry to get off topic of the pico set up but can you show a picture of your big dripper set up?

 

I dont have a camera handy, my wife took it on a trip to NY city. Its hanging above her frog terrarium dripping water at a rate of 10 drops per minute to keep the leaves wet and the humidity high. Its the simplest thing in the world to set up.

 

jason

[tinyreef]

The problem with that is the water would diffuse out of that bottle bcuz the solute(salt) gradients are diffrent mixing with the tank water. It would end up lowering your salinity rapidly. I do believe there are some auto top off systems on the market.

i believe you're right. what's to prevent the salt from "wicking" up into the freshwater container?

 

floatswitches.net

californiareefs.com (i've bought 5 of cameron's units, very good)

 

i'm hoping cameron develops a pico-version though. *hint* this optical level switch is something i think could work though but i'm definitely not electronic-saavy enough to mock one up. anyone? bueller? bueller?

[andykee]

this optical level switch is something i think could work though but i'm definitely not electronic-saavy enough to mock one up. anyone? bueller? bueller?

 

i'll bust out the physics book. been looking for something to do while sitting here at work!

[FreakShow]

SnowShiva and jayjay1976: I like where your head's at son! I have a similar set-up in my office that gets me through some of the longer days.

 

 

The evaporation rate is staggering. I wanted an ATO but since the evaporation was so variable, drip was out of the question. I had this fear that I would show up for work after being gone and there would be a bunch of maintenance and IT guys standing around my office door scratching their heads. The strong smell of electrical fire is in the air. Then everyone turns and looks at me with that "What the f*** !", look on their faces as they discover my super secret desk top nano reef. Float switches were pretty much out of the question as even the smallest ones are bulky, my HOB and DIY surface skimmer are too small. I eventually decided to used a modified version of GreenUku's Sun Tea Jar Auto Topoff . I used a lexan bottle, drilled it and put little bulkheads in I made up at HD. After a little tweeking it worked great but it only lasted about two days and was variable.

 

.

 

One challenge was in getting the right tubing size. If your air intake was too small, it would trap water and not alow the ATO to work. If your outlet into the tank was too large it would occasionaly burp air and drop too much water into the tank. I ended up using an intake of 3/8 tubing and the output was air tubing with a knot tied into it.

 

Recently I was going away for a week and wasn't sure what I was going to do. I just upgraded the lexan bottle for a plastic sun tea jar I got at Walmart for 4 dollars. Worked like a charm. It lasts about 6 days on my tank maybe more on yours?

 

SnowShiva: If your interested, these are my desk-top plans:

[SnowShiva]

Hey hey Yesterday was nuts so I didnt get a chance to check the forums. Many thanks for all your replies chaps I like the bottle idea Freak, keeping things simple is usualy the best way, I tend to get a little caught up in technical things and over tech my ideas. Top stuff!

Fantastic looking tank btw.

 

Now that there is a good solution for the topping off is there any other issues anyone can see? Im guessing as long as everything is healthy just gefore I go away there isnt anything else that could be done!

 

What would be your suggestions as a good starting point for my pico after the LR and the cycle? Some Blue hurmits? Not sure about snails cos they might get out the tank and onto the electric components Fire Bad!

[sandiegan]

I doubt those snails would cause a fire, but ya never know Once you have the auto topoff set up, then you're pretty home free. If you don't put any fish in there then you don't have to worry about feeding, and you can hook whatever light you're using up to a timer. If you do get a fish or two, then there are always those automatic timers that run off batteries and the like, but I think those would tend to overfeed, especially on a nano.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...5554&hl=sun+tea

 

There's the link to the autotopoff DIY page.

[SnowShiva]

Top stuff Sandiegan, I might seem a little over the top with the nightmare of pyromaniac snails but thats me

[SnowShiva]

Super fast thought, bearing in mind that im planning on puting a false wall in my tank, what would be a good recomendation for a powerhead / pump??? Im currently prowling on ebay scoping for bargins. Oh and im in the UK so this may impair my choices somewhat!

 

I dont wanna blast my zoo's into orbit or nowt