My 2.5g nano in progress....

[Reefguide]

I'm looking for advice... This is it soo far. I will add a devider between the pump and the return so that the micro algea doesnt get sucked up. Another thing I think Im going to go with the stick on backing to hide the fuge in the background. What do you think?

 

[Reefguide]

Gonna change the pump to the other side... I figure the overflow and the pump shouldnt be on same side... also going to center the return....

 

[tinyreef]

i agree, you may want to add another small baffle in the middle of the refuge. that'll give you the option for some macroalgae or even a 2nd type of substrate. it'll also lower the bubbles that can reach the return pump. you could even zig zag (a simple L structure) another divider so that the pump ends up below a section in its own semi-compartment thus giving you more valuable 'floor space' in the fuge.

btw have an auto top-off on hand or cut the overflow vents lower a little imo. or seal the system like brandon does.

 

[bdelaney]

Nice job!

Colored acrylic would be much better than a stick on backing. I don't know how well a stick on backing would hold up. It would be attached to the acrylic and submerged, right?

What pump is that? I'm using a micro-jet 404 on the middle flow setting. I have overflow slots cut in the acrylic on both sides (see attached picture), but its still not enough. I think you will need to make those slots deeper. Mine are 1/2" deep, and the water just hits the bottom of the plastic tank rim. I should have made them 3/4" deep.

Unless there is a large difference in water height between the sump and main tank, you will not have any problems with bubbles. Mine stays at a 1" difference, and there are no bubbles from the overflow.

 

[Reefguide]

Thanks... I'm using a Cap 600. Might me overkill dont know yet, I dropped a valve in there to adjust flow anyways.

 

[Reefguide]

bdelaney, You were right... just fired it up and the slots are too shalow. I wanted to make sure that the water level was hiden by the black trim and it is, but its way to high I think. It's right up on the top rim. water is only flowing through the slits and not over the top but yup, too shalow.

Now to figure out how to entend them without ripping out the acrilic....

 

[bdelaney]

It's difficult to figure exactly what height the water will reach without running it. You did a nice job cutting the overflow slots. I hope you can make them a little deeper without messing it up. I think I might redo mine with a piece of colored acrylic and make the slots deeper. I run the tank sealed, and the biggest problem is with salt creep against the lid. I think another 1/4" would keep the water away from the lid.

Are you going to seal the top, or use some auto top-off mechanism?

 

[tinyreef]

i'd recommend cutting the acrylic out and re-cutting the slots BUT if that's too much of a PITA there's a couple of other options.

swiss-cheese drilling down each slot. you can do this at an angle if necessary. or drill straight down at each slot's edge. either ain't pretty but eventually it'll be coralline covered anyway.

heat piercing/cutting (use w/caution! 8O ). heat up a dull knife and press down (don't sawcut) the already cut slots. be careful to not let the plastic melt the knife into place. you may have to give sufficient time to cool between slots or use water.

be careful with power tools and fire. 8O i'd recommend the 1st option since your significant other may not appreciate losing a kitchen utensil.

 

[Reefguide]

I was thinking of going with a dremel. The only thing I think that the acrilic would actually melt and ruin the dremel blade. I might just rip the sucker out... I don't know yet....

Went to LFS today, they kept insisting that a 2.5g reef wont work. I'm flamed up are ready to prove them wrong !! :twisted:

 

[bdelaney]

I guess it depends on what LFS you go to. My LFS has a 2.5g sitting on the checkout counter. Pretty cool that these guys are into the small stuff as well as the big tanks.

ReefGuide: I'd recommend pulling that acrylic out. Its just some silicone right? I cut my overflow slots using a dremel, but it was difficult. You just cannot do it freehand and expect good results. After some experimentaiton with scrap acrylic, I bought a router attachment with a guide to keep the bit from meandering. It came out great with the right tools.

Good luck.

 

[brandon4291]

Hows your 2.5 going? did you ever use the dremel approach, thats what I have tried and it seems to work well. I use a rougher bit to do the grinding and then one of the polishing spinners to knock off the nicks here and there... I dont know what I would do without my dremel and my jigsaw.

Your refugium is well designed also, you will have room for alot of macro algae in there. Have you stocked it yet? I still think someone should try a small fish in a pico. Unlike the bulk of the population who would flame a person for trying this, I dont think a 2.5 is too small for a neon goby or a cherry-head goby. As long as you don't get ammonia/trite in the water, and the fish swims and eats healthfully, what the hell can they complain about? Some people say that keeping a fish in a small reef is mean, but I say a ten gallon is a small reef and many keep multiple fish in those... if the fish acts normal, and water parameters test fine, then I don't think the fish can tell the difference between a 10g and a pico.

BTW, there is no official measurement for a "pico" but Id like to propose that a reef be called a pico if it is less than five gallons. JMO! 5-15 gallons is nano and 15 on up is a micro reef. This had nothing to do with your post, just thought I would insert it.


ps I think atto should be used on anything less than 20 ounces (coming soon to a dream near me)
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