Jump to content
Premium Aquatics Aquarium Supplies

365 Day All-in-One Nano Reef Challenge 🏁


Christopher Marks

Recommended Posts

3 hours ago, kimberbee said:

That's a really cute tank! And at a good price too! I do wonder how the filtration is set up - it looks like a pretty skinny little box. It may not be super modifiable. 

Probably not. It’s got a little thin carbon slide filter you just pull and replace. It would probably have to run as a dirty tank like WV’s. But it’s so small the water changes would be nothing. 

  • Like 4
Link to comment

Man I was really hoping this contest would be cheap to join in. was hoping i could use a petco tank and a cheap filter. but the more I look into it, its adding up.

anyone came up with a cheap option?

 

 

   

Link to comment
1 minute ago, devaji108 said:

anyone came up with a cheap option?

There are some less expensive AIO options, or you could add a DIY insert to a standard tank (like a 10 gallon aquarium from Petco).  A PAR38 bulb should light a reduced sized 10 gallon tank adequately.  A small tank like this wouldn't likely "need" any more flow than whats provided by the return pump.  What's your budget?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
21 minutes ago, seabass said:

There are some less expensive AIO options, or you could add a DIY insert to a standard tank (like a 10 gallon aquarium from Petco).  A PAR38 bulb should light a reduced sized 10 gallon tank adequately.  A small tank like this wouldn't likely "need" any more flow than whats provided by the return pump.  What's your budget?

Oh I dont know I got one tank up and going the red sea 650 peninsula will come once we get done with the  new home reno with we are 125K over budget

dont need another tank if I was it would be a sea horse tank but really wanted to join the fun if I could hide a tank some where.

 

prob. just being cheap. I try to sale the new reef Pi controller I have maybe someone will want that  so I can get tank...haha

Link to comment

What's your definition of cheap? ~40-60$? Lots of Fluval and Imagitarium options between 50~100$ if you look at Petco types of suppliers, I think the Marineland portrait or Imagitarium are cheaper options, if a little on the smaller side. Something like this would be promising, if a bit small- https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/fish/fish-aquariums-kits/imagitarium-pro-delux-freshwater-aquarium

 

Do you have Amazon Prime? a handful of smaller options around that price there too. I scored my Marineland Portrait there for $40 shipped originally 🙂

 

If you're handy a piece of black Acrylic plastic from a plastics shop can be cut to fit and siliconed into a standard 10 or 20 gallon tank, with simple baffles behind it. Probably less than 20$ on top of the tank cost, assuming you have a pump of some sort already on hand. A 20 long with a false wall on one end in a "peninsula" style can be very affordable to build, add a koralia pump at the opposite end and you're set.

 

Years ago I cut a black plastic waste bin in half and trimmed it to fit inside a 20 long. I cut teeth in it with a hacksaw, and siliconed it in. I put a return pump inside, some chemi-pure a heater, and called it good.

 

Most of the cheaper kits will need a heater added and a light to replace the stock one, so the savings is minimal anyways for a smaller reef build versus DIY.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
1 hour ago, devaji108 said:

Man I was really hoping this contest would be cheap to join in. was hoping i could use a petco tank and a cheap filter. but the more I look into it, its adding up.

anyone came up with a cheap option?

 

 

   

I shared this idea with a friend but the more that can join the better...

 

You can buy a price of acrylic and cut it and so on ofc...

 

Or...buy a petco tank...buy plastic food container like a ice cream pale or sour cream pale. Cut it in half (so it is a half circle).... Add teeth to the top and a hole at the bottom. Silicone it to the tank. Add a cheap pump and some floss.

 

Be the envy of all the janky tank owners!

 

Small AIO runs about 60 bux otherwise. You can also check letgo and Craigslist or reef Facebook groups. Can score small AIOs for 20-25 bucks this way.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
4 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

I shared this idea with a friend but the more that can join the better...

 

You can buy a price of acrylic and cut it and so on ofc...

 

Or...buy a petco tank...buy plastic food container like a ice cream pale or sour cream pale. Cut it in half (so it is a half circle).... Add teeth to the top and a hole at the bottom. Silicone it to the tank. Add a cheap pump and some floss.

 

Be the envy of all the janky tank owners!

 

Small AIO runs about 60 bux otherwise.

not a bad idea about the janky tank...haha I was thinking of a plate glass cut a little lower on one end and glue plastic canvas for the surface skimmer, add a cpl glass baffles  then over the top for the return should not be to much.

 

yeah I am just being cheap.  

I have a cpl ideas, the think is its for 365 days and I want to do it "right" and most of the time right = some $$ that said i have some fun project i would love to try out.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
1 hour ago, devaji108 said:

Man I was really hoping this contest would be cheap to join in. was hoping i could use a petco tank and a cheap filter. but the more I look into it, its adding up.

anyone came up with a cheap option?

 

 

   

Is anything cheap in the hobby...….. :lol: 

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Just now, spectra said:

Is anything cheap in the hobby...….. :lol: 

HAHA nope and I get 2 other tanks that take priory. but I have a cpl options now just need to convince the GF its a good Idea.

 

Link to comment
3 hours ago, devaji108 said:

anyone out there have the lifguard tanks? I am very curious about them.

 

I’ve got one of their “5 gallons” (more like 4 in reality); I bought a plane tank and built the wall out of acrylic myself as I wasn’t too thrilled about the space in the filtration area. I think it was like 2, 2.5 inches? 

Link to comment

I used to be in this hobby with almost 0 dollars to spend. Most of my tanks were free used tanks people didn't want because they leaked or were old or had scratches. I had used koralias and a used chinese box (new was too expensive even on cheap equipment). This hobby can be done on the cheap if you are not picky about appearance and don't need named corals. 

 

I will be that homeless guy with the janky tank reef in my tent living by the beach for free water changes. 

  • Like 4
  • Haha 3
Link to comment
1 minute ago, RedCrow said:

I’ve got one of their “5 gallons” (more like 4 in reality); I bought a plane tank and built the wall out of acrylic myself as I wasn’t too thrilled about the space in the filtration area. I think it was like 2, 2.5 inches? 

 yup that is what I hear to very limited on aftermarket stuff.  2 1/4" not much but for a simple tank it could work but for anything fancy it think one woul dbe disappointed.  

Link to comment

Eh, it all depends on what you plan to do. I haven't run a skimmer in years (hmmmm, maybe an idea just came to me 🙂 )and run pretty minimalist on my setups (no reactors, manual topoff, etc) so if all you plan to do is run some mechanical filtration and a bunch of LR you can do just fine with some light space available to you. I primarily use my rear compartments for my heater and a filter pad of some sort, and stuff the rest with the most porous LR I can find. Ballin' on a budget is easy if you breathe deep and eschew things that are not strictly necessary. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
This guy is extra salty
1 hour ago, Lingwendil said:

If you're handy a piece of black Acrylic plastic from a plastics shop can be cut to fit and siliconed into a standard 10 or 20 gallon tank, with simple baffles behind it.

I second this

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Chadicus Meridius
5 hours ago, Coolbreeze said:

Since 1967. Aquariums always were 50g or more. Recently sold my DSA 105g full reef system and building nano and Pico as Ino longer have the space for larger systems.

I’ve been in the freshwater hobby for a year

5 hours ago, Lingwendil said:

I've been reefing since my senior year of high school in 2004, but I've been keeping fish (I started with livebearers and lots of breeding projects) back when I was seven years old- so twenty-five years of fishkeeping so far 🙂

which do you like more freshwater or saltwater?

 

12 hours ago, Ratvan said:

Myself, just under a year

Did you start with a nano or a big tank?

 

17 hours ago, ef4life said:

Over 20 years, I’ve had aquariums for over half my life.

dis you start with freshwater or saltwater?

Link to comment
2 minutes ago, Seea said:

I’ve been in the freshwater hobby for a year

which do you like more freshwater or saltwater?

 

Did you start with a nano or a big tank?

 

dis you start with freshwater or saltwater?

I started with the last Pico contest, so 2.5G or 12 Litres. I set up a few others but kept my Red Sea Max 130D. That's now my main tank and 4 months in. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
15 minutes ago, Seea said:

which do you like more freshwater or saltwater?

Yes 😄

 

I like both for different reasons- I find freshwater to be more fish focused and reef tanks to be more invertebrate focused in general for me, although I really like planted tanks when I have the time to actively trim and maintain them often. If anything I find planted tanks require more frequent maintenance than a reef when they are growing well. At least, if you want it to look good and not be a huge messy jungle 🙂 

 

If I were to set up another large tank anytime soon it would definitely be a freshwater build. Reefing becomes expensive very quickly for larger systems unless you build nearly everything- which I don't have the time to focus on currently. Small builds work better for me when I'm busy.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

I don't know how long I have been in this salt hobby, maybe 13 years? I don't have much experience with fresh.... I mean I had goldfish as a kid and betta fish in highschool. Shrug.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
2 hours ago, devaji108 said:

 yup that is what I hear to very limited on aftermarket stuff.  2 1/4" not much but for a simple tank it could work but for anything fancy it think one woul dbe disappointed.  

If you’re just looking for a nice rimless glass box I’m happy with it. A bit more affordable than the competition 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • Christopher Marks unpinned this topic

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...