Natalia’s reefbowl: 8 years old!

[holy carp]

Just use a giant christmas tree ornament or other glass sphere as a lid. The curve will direct all condensation right back into the bowl.

 

Or stack your bowls like a snowman.

[natalia_la_loca]

YES! I'm so gonna stack the bowls.

 

Seriously though, some kind of glass sphere does sound really good. The terrarium lid I'm considering could possibly do that because it has a drip lip about half an inch from the edge, but I still need to figure out a solution for the edge itself so that it rests just inside the opening of the bowl.

[brandon429]

Yes nice call. Any creative redirection. I keep getting lucky finding the decorative full clasp bowl setups

 

Rob the lid and seal of them and press them into other bowls as seal or partial

 

But one key prediction is venting, if you seal off a bubbled pico the pressure has to escape, or your lid interface will carry water.

 

Whatever seals still needs a tiny vent hole up top where no saltcrp hits, this pressure vent carries some evaporate agreed, but it vents so that water doesn't build around your sealing line.

 

The key will be making your cable inlet areas seal, you may have to cut and go through grommet holes in the lid, these are the challenges with lid designs and namely topoff control

[BulkRate]

Quick note for all you would be opae ula keepers... although the shrimp graze on biofilm and you DO need to cycle the tank properly, the shrimp will be perfectly happy with an occasional feeding of spirulina powder, blanched green vegetable or marine pellet.

 

No need to wait till the bowl's so green/brown you can't see em.

[brandon429]

Can you link a place they can be purchased

[natalia_la_loca]

I was thinking I'd just cut an inch off the seal and use that opening as both the air vent and the entry point for the airline and heater cord. It would cause some salt creep for sure, but hopefully not too much.

 

Quick note for all you would be opae ula keepers... although the shrimp graze on biofilm and you DO need to cycle the tank properly, the shrimp will be perfectly happy with an occasional feeding of spirulina powder, blanched green vegetable or marine pellet.

No need to wait till the bowl's so green/brown you can't see em.

 

Yup, I do plan on feeding. Maybe once every 2-3 weeks, if that.

 

Can you link a place they can be purchased

 

http://www.petshrimp.com/store/ has captive bred.

 

http://shrimpmart.bigcartel.com/ is cheaper, but supposedly these are wild collected. Not very nice because they're a geographically isolated shrimp and their habitat is shrinking.

[holy carp]

How big do those shrimp get, and can they be kept in a reef tank?

They sound like they could be good CUC members.

[natalia_la_loca]

How big do those shrimp get, and can they be kept in a reef tank?

They sound like they could be good CUC members.

 

Opae ula are very little, 1-1.5 centimeters. I think I recall reading they can be adapted to ocean salinity but that it's not ideal for them. In any case, they would hate the flow that is needed for a reef tank. The anchialine pools where they live in the wild have virtually no current, and captive breeders recommend against having any flow at all in an opae ula tank.

 

I also don't think they'd make a good CUC...they'd have to have a huge population to make any kind of impact on algae in a reef tank.

[lallen_74]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YES!!!! [EDIT: Here there be trolls]

 

Ah yes, so I see! I was wondering where they all were...the main forums have been blessedly light on trollery thus far, and I was lulled into a false sense of security there for a while.

 

 

 

Do it do it do it do it do it!

 

 

Yup, I may try a different lid. I saw some planter lids at the grocery store. They may look a little janky, but I can always remove them for photos and if they get rid of salt creep, it's worth it.

 

I'm not sure if it would work, but you could also check eBay for bell jar or cloche lids. You'd still have to jerry rig a seal if you wanted one, but they come in a huge range of sizes and shapes, and they're usually pretty awesome-looking. I just ordered a couple for a non-reef project, and here they sit with all this potential....

[natalia_la_loca]

I'm not sure if it would work, but you could also check eBay for bell jar or cloche lids. You'd still have to jerry rig a seal if you wanted one, but they come in a huge range of sizes and shapes, and they're usually pretty awesome-looking. I just ordered a couple for a non-reef project, and here they sit with all this potential....

 

Very interesting idea, I'll look into that too.

[ReefWeeds]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ah yes, so I see! I was wondering where they all were...the main forums have been blessedly light on trollery thus far, and I was lulled into a false sense of security there for a while.

 

 

 

I'm not sure if it would work, but you could also check eBay for bell jar or cloche lids. You'd still have to jerry rig a seal if you wanted one, but they come in a huge range of sizes and shapes, and they're usually pretty awesome-looking. I just ordered a couple for a non-reef project, and here they sit with all this potential....

 

 

I saw the reef artists thread and then I saw the trolls! It made me laugh

[natalia_la_loca]

OK, I think I've found a workable solution that allows me to use the terrarium lid. I took a length of 3/8" vinyl tubing, sliced it from end to end, and popped it onto the ridge of the bowl with an inch left open for heater cord and airline. The lid sits flush on the tubing, and condensate and splashes drip from the tubing back into the water. I'll still keep an eye out for a lid similar to the one on the shrimp bowl (it has a larger drip edge on the inside), but for now, this is working and looks a lot better than that crappy old plastic palette cover.

 

 

I tried adding a second Betta Stik, but the temp spiked to 86 during the night (room temp 62). So I'll stay with one Betta Stik for now and see how much/how fast the temps fluctuate. Although it's low, 74 is within the acceptable range for corals IME.

 

I was also thinking about how to remove algae from the glass. I have a Vertex Cleaner-Mag, but it's not adequate for coralline or other tough film algae, so I glued some Velcro to the edge of a carving fork that sees little action in our mostly vegetarian household. It's very narrow, has a nice curve and should allow me to take on tough algae without too much trouble. Repurposed kitchen utensils FTW.

 

Meanwhile, I've placed my order at petshrimp.com for some opae ula Weather permitting, they arrive late next week!

[brandon429]

wonderful mod and that actually looks like it was meant to be paired! mod complete salinity controlled. how did you run incoming lines through it

[natalia_la_loca]

I just cut the tubing an inch shorter than what was needed to cover the circumference of the bowl edge. This leaves enough of an opening for line entry while allowing the lid to sit flush with the tubing and parallel to the edge of the bowl.

[brandon429]

and that's your vent place as well so no water riding the seal all excellent mods

[Laika]

Awesome Opae'ula shrimp tank! I have 3 myself, I just adore the little guys. They are not very well known about here in the UK so I have started putting together a website and forum together for information etc. www.opaeula.co.uk

 

How many shrimp do you have and how long have you had the Opae'ula for?

[natalia_la_loca]

Awesome Opae'ula shrimp tank! I have 3 myself, I just adore the little guys. They are not very well known about here in the UK so I have started putting together a website and forum together for information etc. www.opaeula.co.uk

 

How many shrimp do you have and how long have you had the Opae'ula for?

Thank you Laika it's great that you're informing people about these wonderful shrimp. I don't have any yet--I was waiting for my bowl to finish cycling and accumulate some green film algae for them to feed on. But it's ready now, and if the weather cooperates, I will have 10 by the end of the week.

[holy carp]

I tried adding a second Betta Stik, but the temp spiked to 86 during the night (room temp 62). So I'll stay with one Betta Stik for now and see how much/how fast the temps fluctuate. Although it's low, 74 is within the acceptable range for corals IME.

How are you tracking temperature? Did you hook up an Apex to that bowl?

[ReefWeeds]

 

How are you tracking temperature? Did you hook up an Apex to that bowl?

 

 

If Nat says yes to this, I will love her forever

[natalia_la_loca]

How are you tracking temperature? Did you hook up an Apex to that bowl?

Funny you should mention that! Over the weekend I actually bought an Apex Jr.

 

But I almost immediately had second thoughts. First, all I really needed was the temp control. Second, the Apex temp probe is not designed to be fully submerged, a fatal flaw for my tiny sealed reefbowl.

 

So I ordered a Finnex thermostat instead. The unopened Apex is going back to the store.

 

If Nat says yes to this, I will love her forever

OMG...yes...I did...temporarily

[ReefWeeds]

Funny you should mention that! Over the weekend I actually bought an Apex Jr.

 

But I almost immediately had second thoughts. First, all I really needed was the temp control. Second, the Apex temp probe is not designed to be fully submerged, a fatal flaw for my tiny sealed reefbowl.

 

So I ordered a Finnex thermostat instead. The unopened Apex is going back to the store.

 

OMG...yes...I did...temporarily

 

I will still love you forever because you bought an Apex Jr. for your reef bowl. This is awesome.

[holy carp]

Funny you should mention that! Over the weekend I actually bought an Apex Jr.

 

But I almost immediately had second thoughts. First, all I really needed was the temp control. Second, the Apex temp probe is not designed to be fully submerged, a fatal flaw for my tiny sealed reefbowl.

 

So I ordered a Finnex thermostat instead. The unopened Apex is going back to the store.

 

OMG...yes...I did...temporarily

 

This is awesome. I hope you have third thoughts and keep it. See if you can swap out the temp probe. Then all you'll need is a Radion and an MP40... And maybe a chiller.

[ReefWeeds]

Funny you should mention that! Over the weekend I actually bought an Apex Jr.

 

But I almost immediately had second thoughts. First, all I really needed was the temp control. Second, the Apex temp probe is not designed to be fully submerged, a fatal flaw for my tiny sealed reefbowl.

 

So I ordered a Finnex thermostat instead. The unopened Apex is going back to the store.

 

OMG...yes...I did...temporarily

 

And actually I have an Apex Jr. on my 66 right now, but I'm thinking of using it on my 12 long macro tank and buying a "real" apex for the bigger tank You are validation that I'm not crazy.

[holy carp]

You are validation that I'm not crazy.

Sort of... She is La Loca...

[natalia_la_loca]

This is awesome. I hope you have third thoughts and keep it. See if you can swap out the temp probe. Then all you'll need is a Radion and an MP40... And maybe a chiller.

 

HA! You know, I also gave extremely serious thought to getting a brand new Nanobox Tide for this bowl. I was just starting to compose an email to Dave when the angel on my right shoulder smacked me upside the head and screamed "CONTROL YOURSELF FOR F***S SAKE"

Sort of... She is La Loca...

 

Took the words right out of my mouth