My 5.5g pico with built in Fuge

[BKtomodachi]

You could easily attach this for night lighting:

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~Sea...ts~vendor~.html

 

 

I am trying to convince my husband to let me do this system with a 10 gallon we have in the attic so any help on prices and best equipment would be helpful. I love this thread!

Just a side note- if you want to setup a system, I would recommend getting a new tank for it. Many times, old tanks have been used for freshwater, and had freshwater medications used in them, which will kill many invertebrates when they leach back out into salt water. Also, who knows what is in the dust in an attic. Tanks are usually no more than $15 for a 10 gallon, so that is a minor expense to make sure everything goes as well as possible.

[tarajean0627]

I understand about the attic dust and I know 10 gallons are pretty cheap but it all has to do with convincing the husband. The other thing is that this tank has never even held water. I orginally got it for a hamster but then found out it was way too small for her. I know that isn't much better than the freshwater fish so I will probably take your advice and just get a new one. Also I wanted to share with you another couple of light fixtures I found that I thought would work and I am looking for opinions. Yes these are more expensive but I like the options.

 

http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/power_novaXtreme.htm

 

This second one I really like because of the sunrise and sunset options and I don't think it is that bad of a deal money wise but I am new to all this so correct me if I am wrong.

 

http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/power_sundialt5.htm

 

Also I appoligize for hijacking this thread but I really love your simple DIY set up and I would love to copy it.

[Sandeep]

I would not get too hung up on the moonlight, not sure coral really need it. I don't use any night light on any of my tanks.

 

Concerning T5-High Output vs PC, T5-HO have the definite advantage, specifically:

1) Brighter

2) Usually lower wattage

3) PC bulbs shift their spectrum over time and need to be replaced a lot sooner

 

I have two T5-HO 24Wx2 fixtures over my 20g nano with mainly LPS and everything is thriving well.

 

What's nice about this 18" T5-HO fixture is that it will also provide top down lighting for the refugium, currently with my 12" fixture, the refugium only gets partial side lighting through the transparent partition wall between the refugium and the main tank.

 

Currently this 18" fixture contains the shortest T5-HO tubes produced to date (not to be confused with T5 tubes), and the only people making these small High Output T-5 tubes are Current USA which introduced this fixture, so that's about the only down side I see, that your sources of replacement tubes will be limited (the fixture already comes with 2 tubes). I'm sure over time we will see other manufacturers producing these smaller tubes and fixtures as well.

[Hoosierfan]

Have you had any trouble with your inverts? I really love the emerald and porcelain crabs...have there been any issues?

[Sandeep]

Have you had any trouble with your inverts? I really love the emerald and porcelain crabs...have there been any issues?

 

No issues with any of the invertebrates. I just don't keep any snails in the tank. The porcelain crabs are filter feeders so they don't cause anyone any trouble. Some emerald crabs have been known to eat coral, but in general most are reef safe. Mine has been a model citizen and not bothered anyone.

[SF2K4]

I have only one issue with this setup... the pump blows the sand around in the corner directly across from it. Other than that, it's great

 

Currently I have:

 

1 Skunk cleaner

2 blue legged hermits

1 scarlet hermit

3 astraea snails

3 nassarius snails

1 turbo snail

1 red mushroom

1 GSP

1 brown zoa

1 frogspawn

 

All looks great

 

Still need some more snails for the main tank and the fuge area... thinking about a hermit for the fuge, too... kind of like a mini display.

[Sandeep]

I guess it depends on the kind of sand you have, mine looks pretty fine grained, maybe yours is finer. I don't get any blowing sand issues in either my 5.5g or 2.5g pico's.

[tarajean0627]

Sandeep,

Hey I just wanted to say thanks for your 2 pico threads with your DIY AIO tanks. I really like them and they are just beautiful. I am looking to do something like this but I don't want to start quit as small as a 2.5 or 5.5 so I was wondering if your design would work with a 10 gal and if there is any extra equipment that you would recommend for it? Or would I do just what you have done and that would be enough? Again great tanks and keep up the updates.

Sarah

[Sandeep]

Actually construction in a 10g will be a lot easier to do. It was a pretty tight fit in there when I was trying to glue the partition walls (especially in the 2.5g). Just be careful that when you first cut the acrylic piece for the main partition that it's not too tight a fit against the glass wall, as some folks have had the tank glass crack due to stress. The fit should be snug but not tight. Just cut the acrylic piece, slide it in the tank and if its too tight a fit, use a piece of sand paper to sand it down until it's perfect.

 

You might even be able to fit a protein skimmer intake into that back sump chamber if you plan on using one. In the refugium chamber, fill it only about 1/3 of the way up with large chunks of coral rock and then leave the rest for your macro algea.

 

Sandeep,

Hey I just wanted to say thanks for your 2 pico threads with your DIY AIO tanks. I really like them and they are just beautiful. I am looking to do something like this but I don't want to start quit as small as a 2.5 or 5.5 so I was wondering if your design would work with a 10 gal and if there is any extra equipment that you would recommend for it? Or would I do just what you have done and that would be enough? Again great tanks and keep up the updates.

Sarah

Edited April 2, 2008 by Sandeep

[tarajean0627]

but would you agree a protein skimmer is not necessary in this system (10 gal) ?

[Sandeep]

Yes given the ease of changing larger volumes of water with smaller tanks you really don't need a skimmer on a 10g.

[revkev6]

sandeep, I'm putting together a 10g mantis tank based off of your refugium setup, that will also house some frags from my 30g tank. I'm expecting the water quality to be a bit of an issue with the feeding of the mantis and want to add a skimmer to help with that. I have a CPR bakpak hob skimmer that I was thinking of putting in the fuge side. The problem with this setup is the amount of bubbles the CPR puts back into the tank. I was thinking of making the intake pump on the skimmer on the same side as the output pump to the tank and the skimmer return on the macro/rubble side of the fuge to filter the air out. do you think there will be enough flow between the dividers without running the pump side of the fuge dry?? the pump is 225gph with the return to tank pump about 160gph

 

the added benefit of this setup is it should reskim the water multiple times before it makes it's way back into the tank.

[tarajean0627]

Yes given the ease of changing larger volumes of water with smaller tanks you really don't need a skimmer on a 10g.

 

 

Okay the next question is. What do you suggest the demesions be on the built in fuge for a 10g or what is your demensions on your 5.5g and would I just double it?

 

Also how much of a water change would you suggest every week if I didn't have a skimmer?

 

Thanks for helping me out. Silly questions I know but hey I am a noob with no tank and I am blonde. LOL

[BKtomodachi]

I can't help with the AIO fuge dimensions, but 1 Gal/week water change on a ten would be just about right in my opinion.

[Sandeep]

Very interesting idea. Not sure but perhaps worth a try.

 

On aside I think a lot of reefers get hung up about bubbles, no harm really, have you seen how many bubbles waves in shallow ocean reefs create.

 

sandeep, I'm putting together a 10g mantis tank based off of your refugium setup, that will also house some frags from my 30g tank. I'm expecting the water quality to be a bit of an issue with the feeding of the mantis and want to add a skimmer to help with that. I have a CPR bakpak hob skimmer that I was thinking of putting in the fuge side. The problem with this setup is the amount of bubbles the CPR puts back into the tank. I was thinking of making the intake pump on the skimmer on the same side as the output pump to the tank and the skimmer return on the macro/rubble side of the fuge to filter the air out. do you think there will be enough flow between the dividers without running the pump side of the fuge dry?? the pump is 225gph with the return to tank pump about 160gph

 

the added benefit of this setup is it should reskim the water multiple times before it makes it's way back into the tank.

[CapHillReef]

Anyone using the 16.5" Sunpod on top of the 5.5? It's the perfect length - and nobody will say it's not enough light...

[tarajean0627]

Sandeep,

for the fuge what are your demensions for the 5.5? Do you have any suggesstions for what the demensions would be on a 10g? How far from the bottom of the tank is the divider in the fuge?

Thanks

Sarah

[revkev6]

Sandeep,

for the fuge what are your demensions for the 5.5? Do you have any suggesstions for what the demensions would be on a 10g? How far from the bottom of the tank is the divider in the fuge?

Thanks

Sarah

 

 

I just put the fuge chamber in the back of my 10g tank yesterday. I made mine just large enough to fit the two pumps it will need to house, about 3-4". hopefully tonight I will be able to do a test with water to check my overflow. I'll try to get some pictures. Just make sure that you have enough room to fairly easily get the pump in and out for maintenance. I put the divider 1.5" up from the bottom because I am concerned about the water flow required between the chambers with the addition of the skimmer I have. I didn't want the LR rubble to block much flow. I would think less than an inch would be acceptable without a skimmer.

 

sandeep, on the bubbles, I'm not concerned about them hurting my corals, they just bother me looking at them.

[Sandeep]

A nice looking variation with lovely wooden stand/top and perfect to scale landscaping:

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=152964

[GHawsJR]

Two questions for all of you:

1) On a pico/nano tank such as this, how do you do water changes?

I just see these tanks and they look so perfect. The biggest pain I always had with my AP12 was

the water changes (going out, getting filtered water, mixing, bringing up to temp, etc...) Do you all just

buy pre-mixed from the pet store? What do you all do with this size tank?

2) Do/If you grow copopods in the fuge, how do they get from there into the main tank? Do they? Do they need to?

I hear everyone talking about copopods in the fuge. Also how they are good to provide food for tank inhabitants. How do you grow these? Do they get sucked into the pump in the sump side and sit into the tank? Just curious! Thanks guys.

[John Hopkins]

anymore updates and pics ?

[OzeDiver]

One Aussie's take on the concept here.

[ununknown]

I'm currently does a ton of research on everything possible for setting up a reef. If i didn't see this, Wires would've been running all over the place, now i could be able to see the tank from front and back. This is such a smart idea. I'll be setting up my tank (not anytime soon) like this.

[Sandeep]

Tank is doing just fine. I've had to prune the xenia a couple of times. New inhabitants include a yellow clown goby (trying to get the darn thing to eat for the last week since I got it) and a peppermint shrimp that has cleaned up some aptasia nicely. Not any dramatic changes visually since my last pictures, I'll post some when it's changed enough.

 

Concerning water changes, I do 1gallon per week. The volume of water we are talking about is so small, that it's not much of a hassle to mix it up. I just drop a heater into the jug for about 20min to bring it's temp up to the tank temp before doing the water change.

 

The main objective of my fuge is for the growth of macro algea to suck up those nutrients in the water, my tank has remained surprisingly free of algea outbreaks unlike my 20g nano which has no refugium. Copopods can get into the main tank through the maxi-jet out or the inbound slots.

[Sandeep]

Here are some updated pictures of the tank: