3 gallon nano eclipse

[Pooky125]

I'm looking for a little help, on setting up my nano, please criticise as much as you can. I would like to do a 3 gallon Eclipse, Eng style, if your unfarmiliar with that term, here's a link, with a nice breifing. http://www.garf.org/news6p3.html Basically, what I would like to do is, run it with only live rock, and live sand as a filter. I was thinking a sandbed somewhere between 2-3 inches, and about 5 pounds of live rock. I know a fish would be pushing this system, but as my first nano reef, or only nano reef at that, I would like to have some sort of constant movement, besides the water. I was thinking about a Neon Goby (Gobiosoma oceanops), or a Green Banded Goby (Gobiosoma multifasciatum), or a Red Headed Goby (Gobiosoma puncticulatus), or maybe a Clown Goby (Gobiodon spp). Thanks for looking, Lisa )

[gobies]

My suggestion: do a 5.5g glass tank. It's a lot less expensive, and the extra 2.5g will make it much easier to keep a goby in your tank (since the system will be somewhat more stable).

 

With an Eclipse tank, you're paying for the filtration system you aren't going to be using, and acrylic is a lot easier to scratch up and harder to clean than glass. Also, if you're going pure Eng style, using sunlight only, the Eclipse hood is going to get in the way of a lot of your light. If you're concerned about needing a hood for fish that might jump, there are glass tops for 5.5g tanks that will keep even the most determined jumper in the tank. (I'm relying on one to keep an unhappy-but-alive knight goby in a hospital tank.)

 

A question: why so much sand? I don't think that any of the gobies you listed are sand-dwellers.

[Pooky125]

I can get the Eclipse and a heater for 15 bucks, I'm not doing total eng style, just, mostly, and a deep sand bed, will help help with making a stabler tank, as there is more places for the benifical bacteria to grow.

[NaNO ReeFiN]

If you'd like something moving in the tank besides the water, how bout a shrimp? Skunk cleaner shrimps are beautiful and active... you could also add a hermit or two as well as some snails. I wouldn't recommend a fish for a tank so small.

[Pooky125]

Whoops, guess I deleted a few things in ther huh? I was thinking a Turbo snail, and a few blue legs, but, there pretty boring from what I've seen. I understand this tank is very small for a fish, but, I have also fallen in love with these fish. By this point, I'm sure sumone will recommend I get a 10 gallon, so, before anyone can get there, I guess I'll add, that, I don't have that much money, nor space, I currently have 5 freshwater tanks running, 3 in my bedroom. This tank, will be placed next to the computer, and I don't think it could hold more then a 3 gallon.

[Bocephous]

Go with a 5.5gallon glass tank. It's not much bigger than the Eclipse, way more durable and versatile. You could keep a Tiger Pistol Shrimp and a Goby in there, very fun combo as they work as a team.

 

If you do go with the eclipse I can't recommend adding fish with a clear concious.

 

Good luck.

[gobies]

The 3g Eclipse has too small a footprint to have an effective deep sand bed for anaerobic nitrification. That's true of every tank that could be considered a nano -- you don't get the anaerobic action going until you get more than four square feet of sand surface area. This is according to Shimek on RC, I believe, though I heard this explanation secondhand.

 

I don't think you'll find anyone who would recommend a fish for a tank less than 5 gallons. That'd be about the minimum, even for such tiny fish as the gobies you list. Remember, with the sand and live rock, the actual water volume ends up being a lot less than the stated tank volume. With three inches of sand and five pounds of live rock in a three gallon tank, I bet you'd be lucky to get a gallon and a half of water in there. I wouldn't put a freshwater fish in that amount of water.

[tinyreef]

i'd tend to agree with everyone else on the fish capacity issue except that you are using an eclipse, which runs a wet/dry (biowheel). the neon goby AND citron goby can go in there but that's it. you'll be limiting yourself on any inverts you may want to raise including snails. the fish can tolerate a much higher nitrate level than most inverts. probably the only inverts you could have are the hardiest hermits.

 

the neon is tiny and the citron's catatonic so their bioload is minimal but minimal becomes significant in 3g. the wet/dry gives you significant leeway but confines you a bit to a FOWLR. go with only the neon and you may be able to get more inverts. lose the fish entirely and you have a chance at a nanoreef (lights?).

 

besides all that, go for a bigger tank anyways. starting small in this hobby is going advanced for a beginner, not impossible but fraught with more difficulties. read some more on the livestock (vertebrates and inverts) you intend to have and that will save you time and money! good luck!

[reefskunk]

I had an EXPLORER 2 gallon (i know, shame on me) that i tried corals in. i only had one rock with half dozen mushrooms, some calerpa and 2 hermits, 2 astreas, and a pistol shrimp. i had to slam it with a lot of live rock, but it worked. (until i gave it to my gf, bad idea.) i ran it with sunlight, and it was beautiful, and eventually i added a neon, and it still was fine, just clean the pad, have lots of rock, macro algae helps, and its cheap.

 

I agree with most answers here...you could push it and try the neon goby and THATS IT, but there would be no leeway for the corals you're gonna spot on the way out of the LFS. I understand that 15 bucks does sound great, but remember, you are gonna have to do mandatory weekly water changes of SW and top off every DAMn day like i did.

 

try it, but remember its very fragile and the life of the critters depends on ur patience.

 

-good luck

a

[Pooky125]

I've had the tank up and running with just freshwater for about 3 days, checking on the temperature, and I haven't topped off the water yet. This is a full tank, no opening at the top like yours. The eclipse filter has been removed, and replaced with a fluval 1 internal filter, with out a media basket, and some cheese cloth rubber banded over it. So far, so good. Tommorrow I should be going out to get some salt, test kits, and hopefully, live rock and live sand. As for fish, yes, I know it is a small tank, and yes, I do know that everyone here thinks I'm absoutluty mad, but, please understand I have done extesive research, and this is not the only place I have asked for opinions. Needless to say, they were a little more helpful, and a little more positive...

[tinyreef]

sorry if you felt slighted here. i think everyone was just trying to give you honest and straightforward opinions from our experiences. i deal with my clients the same way and have built a pretty successful business that way.

 

i assumed since you opted for an eclipse you weren't going for a true eng setup (sans gadgets), which btw imo is very advanced. imo it's easier to start out with the gadgets (to make up for our own shortcomings) and then slowly wean ourselves to a true natural approach (eng/nnr style).

 

i would not say you're crazy or wrong just that your approach would not be what i would do or suggest. i wish you luck anyway!

[NaNO ReeFiN]

Hey, whatever floats your boat... if you think you're knowledgeable enough to add fish to a 3 gallon tank, then whatever... :| More postive and helpful..? Nah.. we're just being more realistic. (Where's Dave when you need him...)

[gobies]

I saw Steven Pro's answer to you on WetWebMedia's daily Q&A, and dang near wrote him a "Steven, what were you thinking??" letter. I know he does aquarium service stuff for a living, BUT...he doesn't keep nanos. The crew here does. (IIRC, his smallest personal tank is a 55g. I think he's a bit stressed lately...he recommended a whoppin' 252watts for my 30g long tank when I asked. That's 8.4wpg, and he knows I don't do SPS or clams.)

[reefskunk]

Im telling you, if you wanna crap up the tank go right ahead. i believe its possible, i know it is, but you have to be religious about everything. And if one little worm or snail decides to croak, lets just say its gonna be funny watching you prance around your room pulling out your hair while you watch everything in your tank floating at the top. Sorry to be so morbid, i was just giving my advice, because this is what you do on a message board. If you wanted a pep talk go talk to your old highschool coach.

 

-a

[MikeTLive]

It has been almost three months. Care to post an update?

-miket

[PFB]

Eclipse 3 is do-able, I have one and Korbin did one as well.

Lots of cons but it will make a nice small set up.

I have a pic under members tanks forum.

(it only been a month, but so far so good)

 

I have:

6lbs LS

5lbs LR

2 groups of Brown Buttons

Candycane frag

Macro Algae

Mushrooms

2 Turbos

3 Blue lgd hermits - just added

18 watt combo JBJ resting on top of glass

50Watt heater

Micro PH

Glass canopy

Dose with reefchem reefcomplete and iodine - one drop each, every other day.

4 cups of water per week

very little top-off required since use of glass top and weather in atlanta is now cool.

[Pooky125]

I did set it up.. had it going for almost 2 months.. a lil peppermint shrimp in it any everything, when one of my 10 gallons opened up.. so, it got transfered.. i have about 10-15 pds of live rock in it, 20 pds of live sand, a skunk pseudochromis, and a yellowtailed damsel, so far, so good!