3 Foot Long Nano

[insanespain]

1st off, let me just say that I LOVE this tank, and the way it looks. Actually, so much that I bought one and am in the middle of a build right now. I'm new to the forum, I figured I had used enough info from here that I should sign up and contribute what I could back. I thought like you, that I had my overflow all figured out. However I was smart enough to test my theory on a plastic container first before drilling the tank. I ran into the same problem, realizing I could not turn the flow up like I thought. Running 2 horizontal 1 inch bulkheads with screens. My question to you is have you ever had any trouble with the overflow since you setup this tank? And do you get alot of bubbles in the sump? I am getting considerable amounts of bubbles in the sump with a mag3 wide open. Excellent tank and build thread, and thanks for inspiring me to build a nano.

[Scorched]

1st off, let me just say that I LOVE this tank, and the way it looks. Actually, so much that I bought one and am in the middle of a build right now. I'm new to the forum, I figured I had used enough info from here that I should sign up and contribute what I could back. I thought like you, that I had my overflow all figured out. However I was smart enough to test my theory on a plastic container first before drilling the tank. I ran into the same problem, realizing I could not turn the flow up like I thought. Running 2 horizontal 1 inch bulkheads with screens. My question to you is have you ever had any trouble with the overflow since you setup this tank? And do you get alot of bubbles in the sump? I am getting considerable amounts of bubbles in the sump with a mag3 wide open. Excellent tank and build thread, and thanks for inspiring me to build a nano.

 

Thank you so much!! Glad I could inspire you with your tank and join NanoReef

 

The overflow maybe is not perfect but after having it running for a year and a half I've loved what it has been able to do so far. Sure the flow might not be the 600-700gph I was hoping for but its closer to 500 and still causes enough movement in my corals for me to see them sway in the current. A mag 3 runs around 300-350 and the Eheim I am using goes up to 650 at 0 zero head pressure. Both drains are able to keep up with the flow it puts out, an Eheim 1262 would probably overflow the tank. The Mag3 should have no issues going full blast, if anything youd probably want the Mag5 at 500gph. That should give you lots of flow and match the draining speed of 2 1" bulkheads with strainers.

 

I used to have a waterfall in the sump as my drains were both cut above the sumps waterline. To solve this issue I run the drains into a filter sock filled with polyfill. It quiets the drains, stops the splashing and bubbles, as well as removes the larger debris.

 

And I honestly have never had any major issues with the system. The only thing that could be considered a problem is that at a very particular water height the drains cause a sucking sound every 10 seconds as the water slowly rises and drops from a quick suction. To solve this I turn the pump up or down a tiny amount to re equalize the water level. It usually happens after I do a water change and I mess with the valve. As soon as you get it set that way you like the water level in the display and amount of flow you should never hear it so it shouldn't be an issue.

[MR.FEESH]

I'm very impressed, this is awesome! Definitely will be following along.

 

I'm almost positive I would like my next tank to be a long/shallow, and in terms of size the 12 gal seems to be a perfect fit. I'm interested to read through your thread which I haven't done yet--hopefully you address and explain your choices for equipment and/or how you affixed/built everything if you did any custom work or DIY. I think that's one of the biggest issues I'd have starting a tank like this. I've only ever had an AIO and while it's been super convenient overall, it hasn't provided me with the necessary experience to pull off the planning, shopping, and execution for something like a sump in the stand, proper plumbing, auto top offs etc. Hell, I can't even fathom what that black screen thing is that you link in your main/first post. I guess I'll just look at it as an opportunity to learn when the time comes

 

Keep up the good work! I'll be lurking

[Cruzersoul]

How many pounds of the pukani did you buy for the tank, and did you use it all?

[Scorched]

How many pounds of the pukani did you buy for the tank, and did you use it all?

 

I think I bought 12 lbs and used half. In the BRS order I put in a note requesting "Football size pieces" They seemed to accommodate my request. I cut all the bottoms off the rocks I liked and had 1-2 rocks I never used.

 

I'm very impressed, this is awesome! Definitely will be following along.

 

I'm almost positive I would like my next tank to be a long/shallow, and in terms of size the 12 gal seems to be a perfect fit. I'm interested to read through your thread which I haven't done yet--hopefully you address and explain your choices for equipment and/or how you affixed/built everything if you did any custom work or DIY. I think that's one of the biggest issues I'd have starting a tank like this. I've only ever had an AIO and while it's been super convenient overall, it hasn't provided me with the necessary experience to pull off the planning, shopping, and execution for something like a sump in the stand, proper plumbing, auto top offs etc. Hell, I can't even fathom what that black screen thing is that you link in your main/first post. I guess I'll just look at it as an opportunity to learn when the time comes

 

Keep up the good work! I'll be lurking

 

Thanks,

 

Lurk away friend, let me know if you have any questions.

[Scorched]

In recent news my RBTA split in 2. The nicer of the split went on a short trip behind the middle rock and the smaller lopsided one moved slightly further down the front of the rock so at least that one is still visible. My porcelain crab of course chose the larger one behind the rock. :shakes fist:

 

If either of them start walking around any further one or maybe both will be for sale.

[ArabTanker]

Hey Scorched. Hope all is going well with you and your tank!

Bless us with a fts sometime soon, bud.

[tlombardo]

In recent news my RBTA split in 2. The nicer of the split went on a short trip behind the middle rock and the smaller lopsided one moved slightly further down the front of the rock so at least that one is still visible. My porcelain crab of course chose the larger one behind the rock. :shakes fist:

 

If either of them start walking around any further one or maybe both will be for sale.

 

How has the RBTA been as a whole in a tank this size? I've been figuring out if it might be a possibility for me to get one in the future with a similar sized tank and was just wondering what your experience has been?

 

Love the setup and everything inside it all looks great,

 

Tony

[Scorched]

Hey Scorched. Hope all is going well with you and your tank!

Bless us with a fts sometime soon, bud.

 

I'll try to do it soon, my camera is at work, just busy with projects at the moment.

 

How has the RBTA been as a whole in a tank this size? I've been figuring out if it might be a possibility for me to get one in the future with a similar sized tank and was just wondering what your experience has been?

 

Love the setup and everything inside it all looks great,

 

Tony

 

The BTA probably doubled, maybe even tripled in size from when I got it last fall but it was also really small when I got it. The last FTS shows approximately how big it got fully inflated during the day before the recent split.

 

In the very beginning, first week or so the anemone did its own thing and chose various crappy places on rocks that I couldnt see it. Eventually I just moved the rock that it stayed on in front of my pump return holes and the anemone moved to the front of the rock. After it moved I placed the rock back where I wanted it and it didnt move until yesterday when it split in half. I knew something was us as by 9 or 10 am it is usually full size. But it was all shriveled up and tucked inside the rock. By 4-5 pm you could see red poking out of holes it usually doesnt come out of. By morning both were inflated again and on separate sides of the rock.

 

Its a very cool creature and creates cool symbiotic relationships. If you don't mind the fact that they can move if they want to then I'd definitely recommend one.

[tlombardo]

I'll try to do it soon, my camera is at work, just busy with projects at the moment.

 

 

The BTA probably doubled, maybe even tripled in size from when I got it last fall but it was also really small when I got it. The last FTS shows approximately how big it got fully inflated during the day before the recent split.

 

In the very beginning, first week or so the anemone did its own thing and chose various crappy places on rocks that I couldnt see it. Eventually I just moved the rock that it stayed on in front of my pump return holes and the anemone moved to the front of the rock. After it moved I placed the rock back where I wanted it and it didnt move until yesterday when it split in half. I knew something was us as by 9 or 10 am it is usually full size. But it was all shriveled up and tucked inside the rock. By 4-5 pm you could see red poking out of holes it usually doesnt come out of. By morning both were inflated again and on separate sides of the rock.

 

Its a very cool creature and creates cool symbiotic relationships. If you don't mind the fact that they can move if they want to then I'd definitely recommend one.

 

Did you have any issues with aggression and corals when it was moving around? I have a very static scape that I can move much so I would just have to deal with its location choice probably

[Munch]

Really nice build, and excellent camera work.

 

Could you put together some tips on what you've learned on your shooting? You've touched on shooting in JPEG mode. Are you using a clear box for shooting in the tank, or simply over the water? Are you shooting full manual or typically Aperature Priority mode? Also, any lightroom tips for simple adjustments you "typically" make?

 

I'd love to see a RAW shot, then walk thru the changes you made to it and show the final.

 

It's insanely difficult to get great aquarium shots, and you certainly make it look easy

[Cameron6796]

Your tank is insanely beautiful,I love the way you used the front to back depth to your advantage

[DannaM]

This tank has always been one of my favorites....and still is !!!!!

[Reef_Suds]

New FTS please!

[Scorched]

Your tank is insanely beautiful,I love the way you used the front to back depth to your advantage

 

Thank you, a design goal in the beginning was to make sure nothing touched any of the glass but the depth effect fully setup was a happy accident.

 

This tank has always been one of my favorites....and still is !!!!!

 

Thanks

 

New FTS please!

 

New Video ok?

 

 

VIDEO UPDATE

 

[Illuiix]

Cleaner than my water, I like it.

[Reef_Suds]

EVEN BETTER!!

 

Your white balance is amazing, what camera and setting? I have trouble getting my t3i to pull true vivid colors.

[Giga]

My office tank is a sham next to this beast

[Scorched]

EVEN BETTER!!

 

Your white balance is amazing, what camera and setting? I have trouble getting my t3i to pull true vivid colors.

 

T2i with a 50mm 1.4 lens. The video before this one was with a 13 or 14mm wide angle lens I borrowed from a coworker - it gave it a very cool look and want to shoot some more video with it.

 

As for settings they should be very similar on the T3i. This videos are straight from the camera and haven't been altered. You should be able to get similar results.

 

 

Under the video menu I use 1920x1080 at 30fps or 720 at 60fps if I want smoother motion. Looks almost the same uploaded to youtube but for you own viewing you can choose if you want smoother or larger. Auto Focus I have disabled and Shutter/AE locked. Movie Exposure set to manual.

 

I put shutter speed as low as it goes (30 or 60 depending on fps) so that it lets in as much light as possible. Then set your aperture manually next. Its just personal preference if you want the focus to be narrower or not. I like shooting at 1.4 or 2 but it can cause too much of the tank to be blurry. Sometimes I'll go as high as 6 or 8 if I want everything to be sharp. After you have those the way you like it change the ISO to the brightness level you desire. If it is really high 1600 or 3200 go lower on the aperture so that the video isnt grainy. Shooting at 400 or 800 turns out fine for me but I try to get it to be 200 or lower.

 

Now the most important part - White balance!! None of the presets will look good. You have to manually set this and it can be a little time consuming. You can use either a white piece of paper or white plastic. The plastic could allow you to take a picture of it underwater. Take 10+ photos of this object at different locations in or around your tank. Try to fill the entire picture with this object. Put the object right above the water, in front of the tank, on the side, tilted towards or away from you, maybe also turn the blue lights up or down etc. Use auto white balance and the jpeg setting when taking these photos.

 

After you have a bunch of blue or purple looking photos go into the menu and select "Custom White Balance". Select your first photo and hit ok. Then on the back of your camera hit the white balance button and choose the last one, it should now be using the manual setting you just created. Take a standard photo of your tank to see how it looks. It may still look too blue or maybe even yellow now. At this point you then have to select a new white balance photo to get closer to the real color. If it still looks too blue you need to select your most blue looking photo for the manual setting, if your tank looks a little too yellow you need to use a photo that isnt as blue as the one you just picked. This is pretty much trial and error with a little bit of finesse. Once I had my manual setting that I liked I haven't had to change in a months.

[Reef_Suds]

T2i with a 50mm 1.4 lens. The video before this one was with a 13 or 14mm wide angle lens I borrowed from a coworker - it gave it a very cool look and want to shoot some more video with it.

 

As for settings they should be very similar on the T3i. This videos are straight from the camera and haven't been altered. You should be able to get similar results.

 

 

Under the video menu I use 1920x1080 at 30fps or 720 at 60fps if I want smoother motion. Looks almost the same uploaded to youtube but for you own viewing you can choose if you want smoother or larger. Auto Focus I have disabled and Shutter/AE locked. Movie Exposure set to manual.

 

I put shutter speed as low as it goes (30 or 60 depending on fps) so that it lets in as much light as possible. Then set your aperture manually next. Its just personal preference if you want the focus to be narrower or not. I like shooting at 1.4 or 2 but it can cause too much of the tank to be blurry. Sometimes I'll go as high as 6 or 8 if I want everything to be sharp. After you have those the way you like it change the ISO to the brightness level you desire. If it is really high 1600 or 3200 go lower on the aperture so that the video isnt grainy. Shooting at 400 or 800 turns out fine for me but I try to get it to be 200 or lower.

 

Now the most important part - White balance!! None of the presets will look good. You have to manually set this and it can be a little time consuming. You can use either a white piece of paper or white plastic. The plastic could allow you to take a picture of it underwater. Take 10+ photos of this object at different locations in or around your tank. Try to fill the entire picture with this object. Put the object right above the water, in front of the tank, on the side, tilted towards or away from you, maybe also turn the blue lights up or down etc. Use auto white balance and the jpeg setting when taking these photos.

 

After you have a bunch of blue or purple looking photos go into the menu and select "Custom White Balance". Select your first photo and hit ok. Then on the back of your camera hit the white balance button and choose the last one, it should now be using the manual setting you just created. Take a standard photo of your tank to see how it looks. It may still look too blue or maybe even yellow now. At this point you then have to select a new white balance photo to get closer to the real color. If it still looks too blue you need to select your most blue looking photo for the manual setting, if your tank looks a little too yellow you need to use a photo that isnt as blue as the one you just picked. This is pretty much trial and error with a little bit of finesse. Once I had my manual setting that I liked I haven't had to change in a months.

 

 

Best. Post. Ever!

 

Thank you so much for that indepth description! As a camera newbie this is incredibly helpful! Ill be using a 50mm 1.8 lens and understand everything you just told me so keep an eye out for some new pics and videos!

[iadubber]

Best. Post. Ever!

 

Thank you so much for that indepth description! As a camera newbie this is incredibly helpful! Ill be using a 50mm 1.8 lens and understand everything you just told me so keep an eye out for some new pics and videos!

Or just shoot RAW and adjust the white balance with Lightroom, DPP, or whatever raw editor available.

[Reef_Suds]

Or just shoot RAW and adjust the white balance with Lightroom, DPP, or whatever raw editor available.

 

I don't know anything about Lightroom, DPP or any of that

[Scorched]

Or just shoot RAW and adjust the white balance with Lightroom, DPP, or whatever raw editor available.

 

This is true for 99% of photography and I love using Lightroom. However for aquarium photography with actinic lighting or blue leds shooting RAW often produces strange results when using an image editor. The color temperature is so different from normal shooting that the values often go outside the programs ranges.

 

Check out this post as well as some of the ones afterwards http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/296235-3-foot-office-nano-mr-aqua-12-gallon-long/?p=4147256

 

What I discovered was that if you can get the manual white balance and settings correct in your camera and shoot in large jpeg format they produce way nicer looking photos than using RAW. It might just be for my lighting for this specific tank, but I encourage people to try this. With digital photography you aren't wasting film so you might as well experiment and shoot hundreds of test photos.

[iadubber]

This is true for 99% of photography and I love using Lightroom. However for aquarium photography with actinic lighting or blue leds shooting RAW often produces strange results when using an image editor. The color temperature is so different from normal shooting that the values often go outside the programs ranges.

 

Check out this post as well as some of the ones afterwards http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/296235-3-foot-office-nano-mr-aqua-12-gallon-long/?p=4147256

 

What I discovered was that if you can get the manual white balance and settings correct in your camera and shoot in large jpeg format they produce way nicer looking photos than using RAW. It might just be for my lighting for this specific tank, but I encourage people to try this. With digital photography you aren't wasting film so you might as well experiment and shoot hundreds of test photos.

 

 

I'll try that. I've actually never shot JPG in the six years I've owned DSLRs.

[Tamberav]

Still coming back to drool over this tank. I was reading through your old posts.

 

How did you fix the drain issue where you couldn't run the pump at max?

 

And do you still use the same 3 ft ebay light? Wasn't sure if you upgraded to buildmyled or something else.

 

I would like to eventually "downgrade" to this tank for NPS and create laminar flow for gorgs by having a inlet on one side and the overflow on another.