Planning a new nano setup

[Krish]

Well, I'm at it again and my wife is ready to kick me out :lol: When I first joined RF I started out with a 90 gal, then went down to a 75gal, then down to a 38 gal cube then down to a 24 gal aquapod so I found it only fitting to continue the saga and go smaller again Right now I am leaning towards 3 different options which are either a 10 or 15 gal standard all-glass tank that I will DIY the heck out of or a custom acrylic tank similar to an aquapods design that I will have my buddy build for me ( the same guy who built all my other tanks and sumps through their company here in the bahamas). What I've been leaning towards mostly though is something similar to what Mark (skimmerwhisperer) introduced me to a while back which is a tank, with a seperate sump attached to the back rather than under the tank.

Here is a quick sketch below of what I had in mind. A standard all glass tank which I will add an acrylic backround and overflow box to the inside of as well as a white pvc board bottom and then a custom acrylic sump added to the back to house my skimmer, phosban reactor and so forth. I was thinking I will just use a U tube like the ones that come with most prefilters to get water from the tank to the sump and then use a sumbersible pump for the return which I like the idea of as it will be one less pump sitting in the display that will offer me some circulation/flow. When I totally decide on what I plan to keep in this tank it will determine how crazy I go again with flow as most of you know, I am crazy about flow ! Where other equipment is concerned, I still have my Current USA 70w HQI metal halide and Aqua C nano skimmer which I will use on this setup to start out with along with a few other things. If you guys have thoughts or suggestion, I'm all ears!

Here's the sketch which is a top down view. I will update the thread as I start making progress or come up with new ideas




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[Scooterman]

So, you plan on keeping sharks in that thing?:lol:

 

[ac7av]

You’re going the wrong way dude! You have to go bigger and bigger not smaller and smaller. Why would your wife be kicking you out of the house for going smaller? Unless she wants to go bigger.

 

[Krish]

You’re going the wrong way dude! You have to go bigger and bigger not smaller and smaller. Why would your wife be kicking you out of the house for going smaller? Unless she wants to go bigger.

Haha!! She doesn't want to see anymore tanks period I don't have any saltwater tanks right now. Took down the last one a few years ago when the kids came along. I want something small again so going with a nano. Doubt I will ever go back big. Nonetheless, if you were around back then to follow my old threads, you would see that me downsizing was actually an upgrade in some cases because of what I did. I love to tinker with stuff

So, you plan on keeping sharks in that thing?

LOL!!! Don't tempt me Scooty! :lol: Waiting for you to get going too!

 

[pewpewlazerbeam]

hes not shrinking tanks, hes just ADDING small tanks. LOL

 

[Krish]

hes not shrinking tanks, hes just ADDING small tanks. LOL

Haha!! I think I may be obsessed with trying to see how small of a tank I can successfully keep. If I go with a 10, then only left from there is a pico


Going to get a visual today because seeing a tank in front of you is much easier than looking at dimensions on paper. Hope to make a decision before mid week

 

[Scooterman]

Waiting for you to get going too!

I will but things are going way too fast for me at this time, I need to get caught up!

 

[Krish]

I will but things are going way too fast for me at this time, I need to get caught up!

Mighht as well go with the flow and make life more hectic

 

[DonW]

Haha!! I think I may be obsessed with trying to see how small of a tank I can successfully keep. If I go with a 10, then only left from there is a pico


Going to get a visual today because seeing a tank in front of you is much easier than looking at dimensions on paper. Hope to make a decision before mid week

Krish,

I think the tiny tanks are cool but they can be more work than one a little larger. I think you need to convince the wife that it would be a good learning experience for the the kids and get a 40b. They are cheap, easy and a good size.

Don

 

[Krish]

Lol! Well I just took down a 40 fresh. Wanted something small and came up with another desisgn today. Will post a sketch when I get to a pc because I can't do it from the iPhone

 

[Skimmy]

yo mang!!!

glad to see you back in the saddle...

cool to see you doing a smaller tank.
and also, since it's a nano, i feel compelled to mention,
you could get away with doing LED's for pretty cheap, or if your handy with the soldering iron, even retro your existing fixture with LED's:idea:
yo wont need to replace any bulbs for 10 years!! you would love the insane blue flourescence, and shimmer!!

and then, for that insane flow we both love, maybe have a hole cut in the back wall to accomodate one of your tunze pumps for flow???...
do you still have one? which models? and controller??

also, there's an internal skimmer that is new, made for nano's and will rock that thing for cheap...

http://reefbuilders.com/2010/08/09/hydor-slim-skim-internal-skimmer-kinds/

http://reefbuilders.com/2010/09/23/hydor-slim-skim-prototype-falls-hands/

"The Nano Skim is 3.3 inches wide, 3 inches front to back and 13 inches tall. It is rated for tanks under 40 gallons and should retail for less than $100."
it also has a bigger brother at 4" x 4.5" x17" rated for 65g, and $150
these skimmers will be stateside very soon,
you could sell the remora and almost pay for one straight accross... :idea:

although, i know it's timely and slightly more expensive for you to get gear there in the Bahamas... but have ur pal jeremy from premium hook u up with a care package..

 

[Krish]

Hey Mark! The skimmer and led lighting sounds good! The reason I said I'd use the current USA fixture and remora was because I already had them just sitting. My new idea that I may go with won't allow for an in sump skimmer so I have to make sure I am totally set on what I want to do. We shall see

 

[Krish]

It's getting smaller :lol:

So here is the new sketch and idea below similar to what I did on my aquapod awhile back. 10 gal tank with a few inches on one side blocked off by an acrylic wall with teeth cut into it to act as an overflow into that chamber. I will install 2 bulkheads with lockline coming out of it for flow into the tank which will be supplied by 2 maxijets. Then to hide it all, I will black out that section of the tank with probably black vinyl (similar to was is used to black out the aquapods back section). I will use the same color acrylic as the wall to put a backround on the back of the tank from the inside which will probably be the blue again as I like the look of the shimmer from the lights against it. Then on the floor, a white pvc board (similar to starboard) bottom. I have a koralia powerhead never used sitting here that I got from a buddy today that I will use if I need the extra flow.

So here's the sketch




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And here is my old aquapod I chopped up to give you an idea of what I am doing where the false wall and maxijets are concerned for those who never saw the thread. The only difference is the side of the tank will have the wall not the back and the tank will only be able to be viewed from the front and one side.





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[Krish]

So decision was made, tank is bought and already dropped off to have all the acrylic pieces (ie backwall, overflow and pvc bottom) cut. So once I get everything back I will start a new thread in the members showcase forum to log my little build