3 gallon office nano

[Detri]

Thats a really cool tank! Great job.

 

[jamiehill]

I replaced the impeller with the original one from the Aquaclear and it certainly increased the flow. I also cut out a little plastic tab inside the filter that allowed me to turn the flow down a little. I think 300 gph is a little much for a 3 gallon tank. Right now the little surface skimming overflow that I built can't handle what the pump is trying to pull through, so I might have to do some more work on it tomorrow to get it working better. With the flow turned all the way down it can keep up, but if I want to turn it up any it starts sucking air. I am going to drill some more holes lower down to allow it to take more water from the middle of the tank as well.

 

[jamiehill]

This little piccolo skimmer really works well too. It is pulling out some great skimmate. I keep trying to get my co-workers to drink some, but they won't go for it.

 

[jamiehill]

I bought a glass cleaner last night at Petsmart to clean some of the algae off the corners of the tank where my magnet won't reach. I rinsed the thing off before using it but when I started scrubbing the tank, some small blue pieces came off the scrubber and started flying around the tank. My skimmer has been going nuts for the last half hour. The collection cup has filled 4 times. It normally takes about a week to fill. I even raised the skimmer and it is still bubbling over. I am mixing up some water for an emergency water change. I am going to try to give it until at least lunchtime to circulate unless things take a bad turn. I turned off the skimmer for now since it is just foaming over and pulling out clear water.

 

[jamiehill]

Just checked nitrates and they are still at 0. I am going to postpone the water change until tomorrow morning in order to let the water circulate more.

 

[Krish]

Very cool man! Glad to see you are able to keep a tank that size in great running order

 

[jamiehill]

Thanks Krish! It is surprisingly easy as long as I don't touch anything . When I start sticking my hands in the tank is when things go wrong.

 

[Krish]

Thanks Krish! It is surprisingly easy as long as I don't touch anything . When I start sticking my hands in the tank is when things go wrong.

LOL! I know what you mean. I do it all the time and eventually was told about something called the "moron cycle" that I was guilty of I get bored when I can't mess with my tanks so...

 

[returnofsid]

LOL Krish, never heard of the "moron cycle" until now. I think I'm guilty of it as well. Heck, I have a Maroon Clown that eats out of my hand and my cleaner shrimp love cleaning under my fingernails....lol.

 

[Krish]

ROFL!! Here's a thread I even started about it

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13264&highlight=moron+cycle

 

[DonW]

Is your tank entirely glass even the bottom and back? Any idea if its tempered?

Don

 

[jamiehill]

Is your tank entirely glass even the bottom and back? Any idea if its tempered?

Don

Yes, the entire tank is glass. I am not sure if it is tempered or not. Any easy way to tell?

 

[jamiehill]

Updates

I have made some changes to the tank.

First, I removed the sandbed. I just couldn't get enough flow in the tank without making a sandstorm. I also like the bare bottom look better anyway.

I am also in the process of adding a 70W metal halide light to the tank. Everything is all set up, I am just waiting on the bulb to arrive. The one I got with the setup was bad. A new bulb should be arriving today or tomorrow.

My topoff system has been running flawlessly (except for when I forget to fill the container) for about 3 months.

My single lunar eclipse paly that I purchased from Barrier Reef a few months back is now 4 polyps with new buds at the base of 3 of them. They grow fast.

Once the halide is set up, I am going to bring in some Monti Caps and possibly a small clam. After that, I am going to look into adding some more small SPS pieces.

Here are a couple new pictures of the tank. One shows the new light setup, the other is just a full tank shot from yesterday.

 

[Krish]

Looking good!!! Glad to see the little tank is still up and running

 

[spongebob lover]

what did you put under the rocks?
i think your pico is to cute

 

[balogh03]

HAHA...just got done going through this and that is awsome . If i ever have to work at an office i will DEFFINENTLY do this :lol:
Good luck with the new light.

-augustus

 

[jamiehill]

Well, it has been determined that the ballast for my MH is bad. I talked to the support people at Aromat and they ran through some tests with me and figured out that it is probably a blown capacitor in the ballast and this is not upping the voltage enough to fire the bulb. The ballast was made in 1998 but was brand new when I got it. Aromat is being very kind and shipping me out a new ballast this week, so hopefully I will have my halide up and running this weekend or monday.

 

[jamiehill]

Got the new ballast in from Aromat today and got it all wired in. The problem was definately the ballast, as I have a nice bright halide over my tank now. I will try to post pics tonight.

 

[aquarookie]

That is a SWEET little tank!

But a 70 watt metal halide over a 3 gallon?! You are worse than Bolun with his 250 watts over a 10! Maybe not watts per gallon-wise, but overall... :lol:

 

[aquarookie]

Say, where did you get the Piccolo skimmer?