12 Gallon Bookshelf build

[jhawkins]

Hi all!

I'm plunging back into the reef hobby after a long hiatus. While I remain knowledgeable about the basics of reef system design and maintenance, I've fallen way behind with the current equipment and technology. The last reef I built was a 29 gallon setup, but it's been 15 years or so. I've recently been lurking on the forums again and relearning.

All that to say this: I'd love some recommendations regarding setup & gear for this project. I've chosen a tank and a location, but that's it. Nothing purchased yet.

The idea:

12 Gallon Bookshelf Rimless tank from Mr Aqua - https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/12-ga...s-mr-aqua.html

This tank fits rather well into the built in nook I plan to use. It's currently a bookshelf, 44"x10". It's in a central location, but doesn't get direct sunlight and isn't affected by HVAC vents. It's not too close to a bedroom, so a little noise is OK. Pictured below:



The basic plan is this:

12 Gallon show tank. Drilled for overflow / return. Sump / Refugium on bottom tile shelf. LED lighting (can be mounted at any distance above tank, plenty of room vertically). I plan to stock it with some fairly hearty / simple coral and a few small fish / inverts, nothing fancy for the first few years.

Budget:
For initial setup I can spend $2,000, but I'd sure like to keep it less if I'm not sacrificing something significant. In the same manner, budget could be stretched a bit if it's to gain something important. The long term goal is a reasonably low maintenance setup (for a nano).

Any equipment advice would be hugely appreciated. I'm fairly handy and technically skilled, so wouldn't shy away from more complicated DIY plumbing, lighting, or installations.

Thanks so much, in advance!

Justin
 

[WV Reefer]

3 hours ago, jhawkins said:

Hi all!

I'm plunging back into the reef hobby after a long hiatus. While I remain knowledgeable about the basics of reef system design and maintenance, I've fallen way behind with the current equipment and technology. The last reef I built was a 29 gallon setup, but it's been 15 years or so. I've recently been lurking on the forums again and relearning.

All that to say this: I'd love some recommendations regarding setup & gear for this project. I've chosen a tank and a location, but that's it. Nothing purchased yet.

The idea:

12 Gallon Bookshelf Rimless tank from Mr Aqua - https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/12-ga...s-mr-aqua.html

This tank fits rather well into the built in nook I plan to use. It's currently a bookshelf, 44"x10". It's in a central location, but doesn't get direct sunlight and isn't affected by HVAC vents. It's not too close to a bedroom, so a little noise is OK. Pictured below:



The basic plan is this:

12 Gallon show tank. Drilled for overflow / return. Sump / Refugium on bottom tile shelf. LED lighting (can be mounted at any distance above tank, plenty of room vertically). I plan to stock it with some fairly hearty / simple coral and a few small fish / inverts, nothing fancy for the first few years.

Budget:
For initial setup I can spend $2,000, but I'd sure like to keep it less if I'm not sacrificing something significant. In the same manner, budget could be stretched a bit if it's to gain something important. The long term goal is a reasonably low maintenance setup (for a nano).

Any equipment advice would be hugely appreciated. I'm fairly handy and technically skilled, so wouldn't shy away from more complicated DIY plumbing, lighting, or installations.

Thanks so much, in advance!

Justin
 

 

im a fan of bookshelf tanks. Can’t wait to see what you come up with. 

[jhawkins]

On 3/27/2020 at 10:00 PM, WV Reefer said:

 

im a fan of bookshelf tanks. Can’t wait to see what you come up with. 

Yours is awesome! I didn't read all 100+ pages of the thread, but I'm impressed. 

 

Personally, I'll require a bit more complex equipment setup, as I don't exactly have a "golden touch" with this type of thing. 

 

 

For now, I'm still researching the equipment. I'm thinking for initial setup: 

 

-Drill a return on one side of the tank, use a hob overflow for the other side. (Is a HOB overflow disadvantaged over a drilled one?)

-50 PX return pump

-MP10 powerhead  (just one)

-DIY ATO

-Eshopps nano in sump skimmer

 

Eventually I'd like to add a controller and dosing pump. I'm completely ignorant to dosing gear, setup, chemicals, etc so I'll need to do a lot of research there.

 

I'm a little perplaxed by the lighting. Don't want to blow my entire budget on lights, and this tank is fairly shallow. The length vs narrow width presents a challenge though. 

 

Anyone have a favorite pump, powerhead, sump, skimmer, etc?