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HippieSquirrel

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HippieSquirrel

I recently found myself with an empty 3 gallon rimless which was previously home to my last Betta: Ivan (the terrible - I decided he was Russian at some point).  I’ll try to find a picture of him in his glory days, he made it 4 years in my care so somewhere between 4-5 years old.. should’ve been longer but he went blind in both eyes and got a tumor of some sort.  When he started getting sick I downsized him so he could reach the surface to breath easier.  

 

Anywho.  I decided I don’t want another Betta, and since my new addiction is reefing I’ve decided to try my hand at a simple ‘low tech’ softy/zoa garden/RFA/invert/goby tank.

 

Equipment: 

AC 50 + surface skimmer attachment

neotherm 25w

DIY gravity top off - I’m gonna do a bit of playing with a drip system to counteract evaporation

12w 38par led bulb w/ desk lamp

 

Current livestock: 

porcelain anemone  crab

RFA x3

Xenia swimming crab

pedersons cleaner shrimp x2

Red neon eviota goby

4-5 tiny hermits

 

Current corals: 

Many zoas/palys - I’ll add a list of species/morphs

Xenia

 

 

Work starts this weekend!

 

First FTS: 

0B69B8E3-9760-42DA-900C-40AC4F78CDDB.thumb.jpeg.594b968ccff0016466ad4628e4f90d68.jpeg

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HippieSquirrel

Bit of a hiccup.. the led bulb is a little too heavy for my fixture.  Its a cheapo ikea desk lamp.  I'm gonna work on browsing other builds to find a replacement.  

 

Suggestions anyone?  A shelf bracket would work but I don't want to drill into the wall.  Also since the tank is so small and the filter till take up nearly all of the back rim I would prefer not to mount it to the tank.  

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HarryPotter
2 minutes ago, HippieSquirrel said:

Bit of a hiccup.. the led bulb is a little too heavy for my fixture.  Its a cheapo ikea desk lamp.  I'm gonna work on browsing other builds to find a replacement.  

 

Suggestions anyone?  A shelf bracket would work but I don't want to drill into the wall.  Also since the tank is so small and the filter till take up nearly all of the back rim I would prefer not to mount it to the tank.  

 

Could you perhaps use some thick wire around the “bendy” part of the lamp to give it more resistance against the weight of the bulb? (I have no idea what that bendy part is called lol)

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HippieSquirrel
7 hours ago, HarryPotter said:

 

Could you perhaps use some thick wire around the “bendy” part of the lamp to give it more resistance against the weight of the bulb? (I have no idea what that bendy part is called lol)

That’s the termonology I’d use lol.  Perhaps, I’ll look into it.. maybe I could put it inside the joint to prevent it from bending past a certain point.  

 

Thanks!

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8 hours ago, HarryPotter said:

 

Could you perhaps use some thick wire around the “bendy” part of the lamp to give it more resistance against the weight of the bulb? (I have no idea what that bendy part is called lol)

I've seen someone use a thicker metal coat hanger. They twisted a segment of it into a spiral and wrapped it around the bendy part! 

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HippieSquirrel
1 hour ago, SeaFurn said:

I've seen someone use a thicker metal coat hanger. They twisted a segment of it into a spiral and wrapped it around the bendy part! 

That might be perfect!  I think I actually have some of those somewhere!

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HippieSquirrel

Worked like a charm thanks SeaFurn and HarryPotter!  Took a good 30 minutes, most of which was me attempting to bend metal without a pair of pliers but I got it done :lol:.  Now I've gotta mod the filter intake, DIY this drip system out of a bottle and some misc. RO/DI fittings, waterweld some rock rubble together... no idea what kinda scape I want to go for yet, I wanna fill the tank but not have it look cramped.... maybe a skinny arch?  And the most exciting part clean <_<.  

 

Looks like I've got my work cut out for me tonight!

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HippieSquirrel

Yes but very shallow, probably less than an inch.  Mostly aesthetic.

 

Plus I managed to work in a couple ‘caves’ so I can potentially keep a few different inverts!  I’m pleased with it I just felt like I was filling a lot of the tank which is probably a good thing.. scaping is much different with saltwater!  

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7 hours ago, HippieSquirrel said:

Too busy?? I can’t decide... 35F06EA4-E6B6-47F4-91DF-3663F0B55770.thumb.jpeg.5d4dcd6a67d4d9907fe5f190cc12b8d9.jpeg132BDD9C-DDB5-46CA-959B-B659EC29A585.thumb.jpeg.ad5f317023399185ea5a63f0a0403e41.jpeg43003BB6-CF79-4056-A37D-3ED2685C06F9.thumb.jpeg.ce4ff4dbcf969327cc53ba4673d4c546.jpeg2211E234-013C-4A9B-B104-179C6D7CE2E1.thumb.jpeg.4ec7dc9c5eec2ae233d1134463ce3948.jpeg0939DF20-5C6A-46DD-8CFE-0999845AB0B6.thumb.jpeg.4b9d9a153ccdfbef34cec1b694c6f3f6.jpeg

I'm liking this a lot! 

Just make sure that left side is far enough from the sides to keep scraping the glass easy. 

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HippieSquirrel

Everything is in place!  I've just got to decide what to do with the filter... and mix some water.  Oh! and level the tank.  I'm debating between chemi pure (original plan) or a mangrove or two in rock rubble. 

 

Chemi pure I have to replace..

Would mangroves be supported by my light? I know they prefer natural light.  I'm also concerned about how tall they'd grow the light is only about 7 inches off the tank.  

 

Setup:

B913F46A-0E34-4342-87EB-721CF313C248.thumb.jpeg.d7bd8d157cf882df92d11fc966abbc6f.jpeg

 

Drip system: hopefully I’ll have enough control with the two ballvalves.

AEC54B8C-936F-4C96-8FEF-F04FE39C3777.thumb.jpeg.7237a41db35f9856d559349d4c9af2be.jpeg

Edited by HippieSquirrel
Added pictures
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HippieSquirrel
55 minutes ago, vlangel said:

Your scape looks great!  Coral and inverts will love it.  Maybe even a small goby?

Thanks! 

Not gonna lie I've been debating it!  I'm not sure if I want to deal with the extra bioload in such a small system.. although gobies are pretty inactive so it shouldn't be much right?  

 

We shall see but lets be honest ill fall in love with one somewhere and impulse buy it :lol:

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HippieSquirrel
1 hour ago, SeaFurn said:

Just make sure that left side is far enough from the sides to keep scraping the glass easy. 

I wish they made a pico flipper!

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3 hours ago, HippieSquirrel said:

Thanks! 

Not gonna lie I've been debating it!  I'm not sure if I want to deal with the extra bioload in such a small system.. although gobies are pretty inactive so it shouldn't be much right?  

 

We shall see but lets be honest ill fall in love with one somewhere and impulse buy it :lol:

I do not think that a goby or 2  will make too much nutrients.  Coral do better with nutrients and with such a small tank you can easily do a 50-100% water change once a week or every other.

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This tank has so much potential, I am following along. Those little gobies are so cute and make the centre of attention for the tank.

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HippieSquirrel
8 hours ago, vlangel said:

I do not think that a goby or 2  will make too much nutrients.  Coral do better with nutrients and with such a small tank you can easily do a 50-100% water change once a week or every other.

Since I plan on keeping easier corals I could get away with mainly feeding the goby then.  

 

That was the plan, I’m going to use the extra water I mix for my 20 gallon. 50-100% will be a cake walk in this tank.  

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HippieSquirrel
4 hours ago, k4ndyk1ng said:

This tank has so much potential, I am following along. Those little gobies are so cute and make the centre of attention for the tank.

I think so too, I’m just hoping I can live up to the expectations!  You’re right they would make a nice centerpiece.. I’ll have to look for the perfect one now!

 

Couple questions:

What would be the best way to level my tank, the desk is too large and in an L.  I may try lifting the corner it’s on but if that doesn’t work what could I use underneath? The foam it came with doesn’t do the job.. 

 

Should I bother with egg crate on the bottom? I feel like it may be unnecessary in such a small system and may only irritate inhabitants.. or they’ll uncover it and that’ll irritate me :lol:.

Edited by HippieSquirrel
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19 minutes ago, HippieSquirrel said:

Since I plan on keeping easier corals I could get away with mainly feeding the goby then.  

 

That was the plan, I’m going to use the extra water I mix for my 20 gallon. 50-100% will be a cake walk in this tank.  

That's the beauty of these little picos.  Water changes are so easy.

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HippieSquirrel

And so it begins..

 

777707B4-05AE-4384-9FB7-A6402ABFC6EA.thumb.jpeg.3488c635ef054ad3695b8ddb86e1cbf7.jpeg

 

I’ll grab a better one when it clears up.  Gonna run to the store in the morning and pick up some turbo start!  So excited! :D

 

Cleared up: the shimmer is excellent!

9AC8BE48-B8F1-4D66-9124-4D6A01FFE01A.thumb.jpeg.a475badb7e5ed72559c88343c68f6682.jpeg

 

Slight lack of foresight.. may have to play with light schedules to prevent algae.

6DF2A948-B196-4CB1-B7B3-1D6D4CDDFB99.thumb.jpeg.66caca777aef699d34a69ac7df824051.jpeg

Edited by HippieSquirrel
Added more pics
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On 3/11/2018 at 3:13 AM, HippieSquirrel said:

And so it begins..

 

777707B4-05AE-4384-9FB7-A6402ABFC6EA.thumb.jpeg.3488c635ef054ad3695b8ddb86e1cbf7.jpeg

 

I’ll grab a better one when it clears up.  Gonna run to the store in the morning and pick up some turbo start!  So excited! :D

 

Cleared up: the shimmer is excellent!

9AC8BE48-B8F1-4D66-9124-4D6A01FFE01A.thumb.jpeg.a475badb7e5ed72559c88343c68f6682.jpeg

 

Slight lack of foresight.. may have to play with light schedules to prevent algae.

6DF2A948-B196-4CB1-B7B3-1D6D4CDDFB99.thumb.jpeg.66caca777aef699d34a69ac7df824051.jpeg

Oooh what's in the viv?

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HippieSquirrel
17 minutes ago, Lula_Mae said:

Oooh what's in the viv?

The plan is to put a pair of thumbnail dart frogs in it.  It’s been set up for half a year now I just haven’t got around to stocking it with more plants.. and I haven’t had luck finding the species I want online anywhere so that project is kinda on hold.  Winter isn’t the best time to find tropical plants and frogs lol.  Regardless its been cool so far, the orchid in there I’ve had since December 2015.  Took me two years for it to flower but it finally did it this past winter! 

 

F1302192-7ABE-4599-8AA9-7BE9BC63C762.thumb.jpeg.4fa5d4da2428e9d75b0e87e0cce3bae6.jpeg

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Just now, HippieSquirrel said:

The plan is to put a pair of thumbnail dart frogs in it.  It’s been set up for half a year now I just haven’t got around to stocking it with more plants.. and I haven’t had luck finding the species I want online anywhere so that project is kinda on hold.  Winter isn’t the best time to find tropical plants and frogs lol.  Regardless its been cool so far, the orchid in there I’ve had since December 2015.  Took me two years for it to flower but it finally did it this past winter! 

I'd love to have thumbnails someday but at present am too busy to add more pets to my life lol.  Which species do you have your eye on?  I daydream about fantasticas someday but wouldn't start out with them lol.  I do like isopods, however, and just got my hands on P. scaber "Calico" and A. nasatum "Peach," which I used to have but lost after moves, and one I'm really excited about, P. scaber "Orange Dalmation." My favorites though are the giant canyon isopods, they are hilariously entertaining to watch!

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