JLTRUK Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Hi everyone...I am a newbie at the whole Nano tank thing I just purchased...about 5 days ago a 12 gallon JBJ Nano Cube I have been keeping freshwater tanks for over 7 years and maintained my highschools salt tank for 3 years...it was a 160 gallon tank. well anyway, I have been doing tons of research online about Nanos and what not and there is one thing that keeps being brought up over and over...auto top off units, top off units...and just top off questions in general. Besides the obvious, the tanks being so small, why is "topping off" such an issue. Can't you just pour a little water in to bring the level back up, its not really that hard. Am I missing something. Thanks for any help, I am new at this again and maybe I am not clued in as to why this is such an important topic. Link to comment
killrblue Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Its more of convenience than anything else IMO. Especially when you are on vacation and no one can top off the tank. I don't have one set up but I already have the switch from www.californiareefs.com Link to comment
surfy Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 It is better to slowly add the fresh topoff water. Useing a dripper or doser will slowly drop the salinity of the water, instead of quickly droping it by pouring water into the tank. Smaller tanks fluctuate alot faster than bigger tanks, due to the volume of water. That is why nano's are thought to be alot harder to keep, or (imposible). Just that little bit that evaperates can change the salinity alot. Maybe even to the point that it could kill things in the tank, if you let it get too far. So in other words, quickly pouring water in can/will shock inhabitants. So don't do it. Link to comment
Vincerama Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Also a slow dripping top-off system is a good way to add kalkwasser to the system to increase alkalinity and calcium concentration. An auto-top off also keeps the tank more stable, since the salinity of the tank doesn't get a chance to rise much due to evaporated fresh water. V Link to comment
el_dante Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 Believe it or not, depending on the type of lighting you plan to get, the evap. will be more than you think. I purchased mine for a total of $32 and it was the best $$ I think I've spent yet. Good luck! Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 thanks for all the replies...sheesh this forum is bigger than I thought:) well, so far I have noticed that water can evaporate rather quickly, as you guys have mentioned. This little JBJ tank has so much lighting its crazy... so, I have a little routine. I have a little imaginary line drawn on the inside of my tank...I check it before I go to bed and when I wake up. If it needs water, I pour a little in. I think as long as I am not compensating for a gallon or something big, I mean I am probably dropping in a few ounces in there. Link to comment
fishbabies Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 the nano-cube has a tight little hood....you shouldn't get too much evap....and it has that back wall/filter area where you can pour your water or supplements and it will slowly mix with your tank water before being pumped into the main tank Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 ahh, good tip...I will add it in the back where the filter is. That does sound much better than putting it directly inside...good call man! :) yah, the water evaporation is not that bad at all...I usually wind up adding a tiny bit like at night only...and not even every night I have topped off only twice so far...but I check just in case;) Link to comment
Physh1 Posted August 7, 2003 Share Posted August 7, 2003 On my 7 bow even with a closed top still evaporated an inch of water every 2 days or so. When you consider that volume and it's affect on salinity it's pretty important. That's why I first started making float swicthes. I'm not lazy by any means but when you work full time or travel a lot it's a convenience for sure and it won't forget or get tired. My tanks have done much better with makeup systems than without. The other benifit IMO is that you can add additives to the makeup water and simplify some of that chore also. Cameron Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 7, 2003 Author Share Posted August 7, 2003 here is my main concern with the auto top off system...the way it looks. I have this tank kinda "on display" so I dont really want to add a contraption, albeit it a useful contraption to the top of it. I would also probably have to start hacking into the hood of my Nano which is something I dont really wanna do. Now the Nano does have some little slot in the back where wires and hoses can be slid in and out, so I have room to add a hose there. Do you have any pics or ideas of an auto top off unit that could work. I don't really mind just filling it up by hand, but on a vacation it would be a handy thing to have Link to comment
surfy Posted August 8, 2003 Share Posted August 8, 2003 Use a gravity dripper at night, then in the morning you can take it off the top of your tank. That way you won't have to see it all day long. Gravity feed drippers are very easy to make and cheap. If you are good at DIY stuff, then you can make something with a float switch. That way it will be more automated. Or you can spend two to three hundred dollars on a good quality doser. There are alot of good sites about drippers and dosers, with pics. Just do some searches, I'm sure you will find something you like. By the way. I use a 1/2 gallon rubbermaid container from walmart and made it into a dripper. You can also find drippers in the reptile sections in most petstores. Look up Pet-Tech products for some drippers. Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 8, 2003 Author Share Posted August 8, 2003 I will definately check out a dripper in the reptle section thanks for that. For daily use, I can do it by hand, but for a vacation this will be a must. Thanks dude Link to comment
digitallinx Posted August 8, 2003 Share Posted August 8, 2003 show us a pic of your tank, i'm intereested in what a 12gal jbj looks like stocked Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 8, 2003 Author Share Posted August 8, 2003 sure thing dude, all it has though as the two fish, sand and rock though oh yah and today I got a hermit and a sally lightfoot nothing too cool yet...but its on its way...I wanna give it a week or so more before I toss in corals but yah, Ill take some pics tonight and post em for ya Link to comment
surfy Posted August 8, 2003 Share Posted August 8, 2003 Is the 12g JBJ the" reef ready" kind you can buy now? or just a regular tank. Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 8, 2003 Author Share Posted August 8, 2003 the new "reef ready" one here check out my pics JBJ Nano Cube Link to comment
surfy Posted August 8, 2003 Share Posted August 8, 2003 Cool, nice little nano you got there. Link to comment
jrlim Posted August 12, 2003 Share Posted August 12, 2003 seems like the water in my tank evaporates alot... but my SG doesn't change that much (from 1.024 to 1.026). Is that okay? I thought my measurement was off.. but it is not. any comments? I have an Alife 7, 14 lbs liverocks, 15 lbs livesand, 1 citron goby, 1 peppermint shrimp, 3 hermits and 3 snails. water temp is around 79-80 degrees. i have a CPU fan running most of the time to cool off the water since it is warm in my room over the summer. Thanks for the help. Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 12, 2003 Author Share Posted August 12, 2003 well that CPU fan running is helping contribute to the quick evaporation...I have a little desk fan that is making my water evaporate quickly in the summer time as well 1.026 should be fine man Link to comment
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