Jump to content
Cultivated Reef

2.5 Mini-Bow Pico Project


doncb

Recommended Posts

Glad you like the tank! I did some "remodeling" the last time I did a water change and cleaning. Here is a pic I just took.

 

P5210019.jpg

Link to comment
  • Replies 132
  • Created
  • Last Reply
snowlancer2720

very nice looking mb, doncb, I had one a while ago but i couldnt seem to get the lighting right..so i switched to a regular 2.5...compliments on the scaping, it looks great and that hugh shroom is looking great, too!

Link to comment
very nice looking mb, doncb, I had one a while ago but i couldnt seem to get the lighting right..so i switched to a regular 2.5...compliments on the scaping, it looks great and that hugh shroom is looking great, too!

Thanks! I have a 20w 50/50 Coralife screw-in in the hood. Also have a 9w actinic, but it went out so I need to get another one.

Link to comment
irishtexan

Tank looks great! So you still have the 20 watt and the 9 watt actinic? Your tank has come a long way and looks fantastic.

 

texan

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

The photos are awesome. Thanks for the update. All the corals are looking really good. How do you keep your mb cool? Now that summer is FULLY here in Southern California, I'm having some trouble keeping it cool.

Link to comment
The photos are awesome. Thanks for the update. All the corals are looking really good. How do you keep your mb cool? Now that summer is FULLY here in Southern California, I'm having some trouble keeping it cool.

One thing I did when I put the 20w lamp in the hood was to put a small CPU fan in the back of the hood. It runs 24/7 and uses the same wall-wart as the LED "moon lights". It serves 2 functions. 1) pulls hot air from the lamp. 2) keeps condensation out of the hood at night when the lights are off. We keep our house at 78 - 80f and the tank stays around 80 - 82f. In the winter, I plug in the 7.5w Hydor mat heater.

Here is a pic of the fan mod. The fan is held in and sealed w/ hot glue.

Fan_Mod.jpg

Link to comment
irishtexan

Do you still have the scissortail goby in there? What is the biggest size fish that you think you could keep in a 2.5 gallon tank? jw, trying to figure out what fish I should get when the time comes. Thanks!

 

texan

Link to comment
Do you still have the scissortail goby in there? What is the biggest size fish that you think you could keep in a 2.5 gallon tank? jw, trying to figure out what fish I should get when the time comes. Thanks!

texan

The Goby is still there and doing fine. I'd go with a Tang in the 2.5. (NOTE TO TANG POLICE: I'M KIDDING!)

 

There aren't too many fish you can keep in a small tank. The goby does well but is shy. I'm sure there are others. I'm thinking about a Sexy Shrimp for my pico contest tank.

Link to comment
One thing I did when I put the 20w lamp in the hood was to put a small CPU fan in the back of the hood. It runs 24/7 and uses the same wall-wart as the LED "moon lights". It serves 2 functions. 1) pulls hot air from the lamp. 2) keeps condensation out of the hood at night when the lights are off. We keep our house at 78 - 80f and the tank stays around 80 - 82f. In the winter, I plug in the 7.5w Hydor mat heater.

 

I borrowed your idea using a 40mm CPU fan but mounted it inside on the left hand side, opposite the fixtures. I'm running it only when the light is on so maybe I'll move the fan off the timer and simply run it 24/7. Never considered the LED moonlights. Sounds like a nice idea as well.

 

Thanks!

PaulS

Link to comment

Hey, great tank. Give my complaments to your wife, she did a great job with the interior decorating. Just a couple questions.

 

Are you using the AC20 for all your flow or do you have another source of flow hiding in there somwhere?

 

Did you dremel out the stock brackets when you did the lghting mods and if so how did you stabalize the new light?

 

Thanks for this thread it will be a lot of help w/ my mini bow!

Link to comment

I see a algae magnet cleaner in one of your pictures and I wondered what brand and model it was because I have been looking for a magnet cleaner for one of my acrylic tanks.

Link to comment
well is this tank still up and runnin or what?

The tank is up, running and doing very well. I might actually have to start thinning out some more stuff. I've already thinned the GSP and some zoos and mushrooms. I'll try to take some pics this weekend. Didn't realize it had been so long since the last pics!

 

As to the other questions.

 

Yes, I use the AC20 for all the flow. I have a piece of plexi on the output to direct the flow across the surface.

 

I actually took some side cutters and clipped the plastic webbing out of the hood. The new socket is helt in by epoxy and a screw.

 

The magnet is a mag-float for acrylic. Works ok on soft algae but doesn't work very well on harder stuff.

Link to comment
SanDiegoIllini
"but I was wondering what your opinion would be if I should add a hob fuge or some kind of small skimmer or if things should go well enough with just the ac mini."

In the AC 30 I have some LR chunks and part of a bag of Chemiclean. I also set up an ATO drip and add one drop of iodine and 2 drops of calicium a week. I also change out 1/2g of water 2 times a week. I have a 20w 50/50 on order. The 10w is OK but I think the tank needs more light.

 

Hi there-

Great looking tank, looks like you've been getting good growth and had good luck while this has been up. Everyone posts what filtration they start with, but nobody ever comes back! I'm much more interested in what lasts than what people start with ;)

 

So my question... Is what is listed above still pretty much what you're running/following? If so, it must work!

Thanks

Link to comment
Hi there-

Great looking tank, looks like you've been getting good growth and had good luck while this has been up. Everyone posts what filtration they start with, but nobody ever comes back! I'm much more interested in what lasts than what people start with ;)

 

So my question... Is what is listed above still pretty much what you're running/following? If so, it must work!

Thanks

Haven't changed anything filter or light wise. Still use the AC20 w/ LR in it. Still use the 20w 50/50. I'm on my 2nd light. The 1st one burned out after 8 months. I did add a 9w actinic but it burned out a couple of months ago. Haven't replaced it yet. I get better growth in that little tank than in my Nano Cube!

Link to comment

Couple of new pics. There is a green stripe mushroom in the back that's probably 3" across. The Candy Cane started as 2 heads. Now there are 4 with the one in the back splitting.

P1010039-1.jpg

P1010029-1.jpg

Link to comment

your tank is amazing

Im gonna set up a MB soon after I finish setting up my 10 gallon

thanks for the inspiration!

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...
your tank is amazing

Im gonna set up a MB soon after I finish setting up my 10 gallon

thanks for the inspiration!

 

Tanks is looking great Don! I am just about to finish mine and bring into work, I e-mailed you like last year regarding this tank, not sure if you remember. I was just about to finish it but goofed on the paint and it was all chipping off, wasn't till this past week I finally bought another minbow, this time in black =). I will def put up some pics when it is done.

Link to comment
Tanks is looking great Don! I am just about to finish mine and bring into work, I e-mailed you like last year regarding this tank, not sure if you remember. I was just about to finish it but goofed on the paint and it was all chipping off, wasn't till this past week I finally bought another minbow, this time in black =). I will def put up some pics when it is done.

Looking forward to seeing your tank!

Link to comment

I Love your tank and it has really inspired to me to set up my own MiniBow. I started one month ago and I did almost the same set up that you did, I hope to have a great tank like yours

Link to comment
I Love your tank and it has really inspired to me to set up my own MiniBow. I started one month ago and I did almost the same set up that you did, I hope to have a great tank like yours

Thanks! The coral growth in the tank is amazing. Really nice to look at. Be sure to post some pics!

Link to comment
  • 4 weeks later...

Figured it was time for some new pics. (Please excuse the flatworms. They're not nearly as bad as they used to be.)

FTS

P9240186.jpg

Couple of nice mushrooms & GSP.

P9240188.jpg

This started w/ 2 heads. Now it's 5 going on 6.

P9240187.jpg

Love these because they're so bright.

P9240189.jpg

Green Stripes. There's 2 on the back of the rock.

P9240190.jpg

A nice mix w/ one Yellow Polyp.

P9240191.jpg

The only critters in the tank are one snail, one red hermit and a Chiton that's about 1.5" long. He comes out at night.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions


×
×
  • Create New...