10 gallon all-in-one tide pool style tank build (picture heavy)

[new-b-reefer]

so i am building an all in one tank but planning to make it tide pool style so to speak. the filtration will be built in but the water level in the display is not going to stay at the top but rather mid level in the tank. under the water will be soft corals and hermit crabs and fish and live rock (transfering from my 5.5 gallon reef tank) with the rock partially submerged with part of the rock above the water line. with this i plan on adding some costal crabs that can venture above the water line. thihs way when you look at the tank you will see under and above the water line with the water surface being disturbed or ripply to give it the tide pool look. i will keep pics posted for the updates as i build. feedback is welcomed

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/speedee86/10Ga...feat=directlink

[new-b-reefer]

So I water tested tonight and 0 leaks. Works great. And pardon the link in my last post. I had lots of pics and the easiest way to post them seemed to be to set up that link. Next step is to get paint tomorrow and paint the back parts of the tank to hide the rear filtration. Feedback is appreciated.

[Fery]

Next step is to get paint tomorrow and paint the back parts of the tank to hide the rear filtration. Feedback is appreciated.

 

I have a similar (only bigger and more complex) setup and I did not find yet an aquarium-safe paint to separate the display from the filtration area. Did you find such a paint?

[skimlessinseattle]

I have a similar (only bigger and more complex) setup and I did not find yet an aquarium-safe paint to separate the display from the filtration area. Did you find such a paint?

Krylon fusion is safe.

[new-b-reefer]

i have hered about the paint you listed. krylon fusion, my plan is to just paint the outside of the tank to hide the filtration and let the coraline take care of the inner wall over time

[East1]

i have hered about the paint you listed. krylon fusion, my plan is to just paint the outside of the tank to hide the filtration and let the coraline take care of the inner wall over time

 

you could build a carlson surge device, if u put it together right u cud have a tide that rises and falls if u use it on a timer, pm me for details and ill try help but u cud if you have space move as much a 3 gallons up out of the tank for a period for a low tied

i was thinking bout this today actually, and then have it all come back into the tank slowly or fast depending how u want it to be.

 

try some mudskippers too woo

[hlander]

Mudskippers are very cool. I was considering setting up a biotope for them but i changed my mind

[tankcrazed]

what kind of crabs are you planning on putting in there?

 

cool idea btw

[new-b-reefer]

what kind of crabs are you planning on putting in there?

 

cool idea btw

 

thanks, i have some hermits in there and i know they venture out above the surface from time to time. and my lfs hase some red fiddler crabs that are reef safe that go above the water line. i actually need to post some pics, hopefully tonight. the tank is up and running and clear this morning so when i get home from work i will have to snap some pics. i need to get a bit more rock and figure out some scape ideas. oh and East1, you mentioned mud skippers, do you have a link or a pic of what they look like or where i can get one. i will post some more pics tonight and i was thinking of adding in this cool little blue glass bottle in the sand and trying out the "live bottle" thing and trying to get some corals to colonize it. what do you guys think about the live bottles?

[new-b-reefer]

thanks, i have some hermits in there and i know they venture out above the surface from time to time. and my lfs hase some red fiddler crabs that are reef safe that go above the water line. i actually need to post some pics, hopefully tonight. the tank is up and running and clear this morning so when i get home from work i will have to snap some pics. i need to get a bit more rock and figure out some scape ideas. oh and East1, you mentioned mud skippers, do you have a link or a pic of what they look like or where i can get one. i will post some more pics tonight and i was thinking of adding in this cool little blue glass bottle in the sand and trying out the "live bottle" thing and trying to get some corals to colonize it. what do you guys think about the live bottles?

 

so this is the finished mini tide pool tank.

 

livestock includes:

2 red fiddler crabs

2 dwarf hermit crabs

1 nassarius snail

1 yellow tail blue damsel

1 yellow watchman goby

and

some soft corals

 

enjoy the pics and feedback is welcomed

http://picasaweb.google.com/speedee86/AioT...feat=directlink

[clownfish14]

wow thats a great idea i also like the idea of the tide change like east1 you should try to set it up

[new-b-reefer]

wow thats a great idea i also like the idea of the tide change like east1 you should try to set it up

 

Thanks for the compliment. I think it would be a neat idea to have a tide change. Right now I am trying to figure out what I want to put in the fuge area. I was thinking a pice of live rock and some chaeto maybe, I am open for suggestions. Right now I have the media I was using in an ac50 that was running the 5 gallon tank I had the fish in corals in before the transfer so like I said, I'm open for fuge suggestions.

[new-b-reefer]

So I have added some chaeto to the refugium. Hopefully in time I will start seeing some pod population growth. Gotta couple questions... does anyone know of some other costal crabs I could add in here? And does anyone have any tips when doing the live bottles? Also, I picked up a small skin of gsp and want to attach it to the live bottle I'm working with, how do I go about that? Do it put a small drop of superglue to hold it in place and let it go from there? I'm open for sugesstions.

[reef2.5]

You should totally try and do a surge device it would give your tank an amazing tide pool effect you should be able to find something on youtube

[TidePoolcool]

You should put some striped shore crabs in there. They naturally live on the coast of California and are found in and around the water. Tide pools are another area where they are found.