2.5 Gallon Pico Tank

[murfman]

After seeing Calvin415's Nano, I wanted to try something new. I got a 2.5 gallon pico tank from Eric D and decided that I will set it up for softies and maybe 1 or two small, non jumping/burrowing fish. I didn't want a lot of sand blowing around and take a chance on scratching the acrylic so I decided to epoxy the substrate to the bottom of the tank. I picked up some epoxy from Hobby Lobby and mixed it up.

Once it was mixed I mixed in some crushed coral I had laying around and poured that into the bottom of the tank. The tank dimensions are 23 X 5 X 5 so there is not a lot of room to work with. I used a foam brush to spread it out and then added more CC and patted it down into the epoxy.

No, the picture is not upside down.

Once the epoxy cured, I washed out the tank, removing any excess CC and dust and then built a small stand for it. I drilled a 9/16" hole for the return nozzle from a fountain pump I used to mix salt water.

The pump fits in the hole, if you put the removeable nozzle in first and then the pump. I added Siporax beads to the chamber, they will filter upto 100X more than live rock will. I added some LR rubble, caulerpa and cheato to populate it.

Next is a 24" dual bulb T5 for lighting and then I can add corals. This is a stand alone tank so it will require a lot more maintenance than my 125, but, 10* water change is 1/4 gallon!!!

 

[clowninaround74]

sweet. Im trying to picture where it is in your house....just at the top of the stairs?? That tank is sweet! Get those lights on there asap!

 

[reefkoi]

Thats awesome I love the epoxied sand idea I may have to do that to my 10. Was it messy or easy?

 

[murfman]

Chris, it was very easy, less than 5 minutes and then the cure time.

Randall, at the top of the stairs, on top of the closet.

 

[reefkoi]

So are you sure its not going to leach anything into the water over time? Or are you just wingin it?

 

[Huhhhhh]

Looks cool and is a neet idea.

How are you going to do keep it clean from algae growing into it? Do you think this could be a problem?

 

[calvin415]

Looks great Murph!

 

[normanviking]

Looks cool. Wonder about stuff collecting on the bottom of that though? Deitrus buildup? Guess you could take the whole slab out and rinse it.

 

[Deuce67]

Cool looking nano! I like the sandbed idea. Does it dry up clear? It should be inert once it dries up.

 

[murfman]

dries totally clear and does not leech into the water once it is cured. Algea will be controled with a mag scrapper or credit card. Detritus will be syphoned off when I do water changes.

 

[Deuce67]

Does that Envirotex cure pretty hard or does it feel rubbery?

 

[murfman]

Dries hard. It's the stuff they use in restaurants to coat tables that have inlays in them.

 

[Deuce67]

Nice! I may use this product when I do my foam back wall.

 

[Deuce67]

LOL! "restraunts". Get him Grammar nazi!

 

[murfman]

So, you would use this and the foam backing or just this in lieu of the foam?


There, bite me!!!! I got lazy! I am not the grammar Nazi, she is.

 

[reefkoi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9532601#post9532601 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by murfman
dries totally clear and does not leech into the water once it is cured. Algea will be controled with a mag scrapper or credit card. Detritus will be syphoned off when I do water changes.

Dang you are slipping there guy, I see 4 typo's here! not to mention lack of capitalization. LOL, sorry buddy but you asked for it. :smokin:

 

[Deuce67]

LOL! Ill use the product to coat the foam backwall.

 

[murfman]

Light came in yesterday, now I'm just waiting on the heater. Pix to follow.

 

[murfman]

Here are the pix I promised;


Siporax beads and pump chamber

Full tank

End of tank

Rics and Zoas, left side

Right side

 

[Deuce67]

Looking good!