Chris' 12.5g Rimless Shallow

C

cnseekatz

Member
Once you get an idea in your brain, it gets harder and harder to ignore, until finally you have to act. This was the case with my newest tank setup. I've had a ton of fun with my 5 gallon EcoPico setup, but wanted to upgrade.

This will be another desktop setup at the office, so the design had to be very clean, with minimal external gear. A sump was out of the question, and I find the tanks with the overflow and equipment in the back to look cluttered and messy. So I took inspiration from Hype's Caribbean Bomie tank, and decided to run a canister filter, with Lily Pipes and an inline heater. This keeps most of the gear out of the tank, and out of sight.

I ended up purchasing a 12.5 gallon shallow tank from Chris at Pico Aquariums. The tank is 18x18x9, all Starphire glass and clear seams. I couldn't be more pleased with the product. They built the tank to order, as well as a custom Starphire top. There was a slight hiccup in the build, when they had an issue with bubbling in a seam, but they were communicative and very professional. I highly recommend their tanks.

I ended up purchasing all new equipment as well. I chose gear that will scale well if I decide to upgrade in the future.

Here's a rundown of my (proposed) setup:

Tank: 12.5 Gallon (18x18x9) Starphire-Glass Tank from Pico Aquariums
Lighting: Aqua Illumination Sol - Super Blue with Controller
Filtration: Eheim 2213 Canister Filter setup with glass inflow/outflow pipes
Flow: Vortech MP10 (with acrylic flow shield)
Heater: Hydor 200W inline heater
 
New Toys for the new build

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Here's the canister filter, set up with the Hydor inline heater. Since turning this on, I've found the heater to be extremely efficient, and keeps the temperature very stable....

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I debated whether to use live rock, dry rock, fake rock and basically every other option available. I didn't want to introduce any pests or algae into the system after struggling mightily with them in my last tank. In the end I decided to use cured rock that came from a broken down display tank from a trusted LFS.

I really like the open look of shallow tanks, where you have a lot of sandy surface area and open swim areas. With that in mind, my concept was to have minimal hardscaping. I ended up buying too much rock, and throwing extra away. One of the rocks in the front will be removed, I just haven't figured out which one I like, and which one will get tossed. Any thoughts?

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I had a couple of PMs asking about how I mounted my AI Sol, so here's a brief explanation:

The unit is too heavy to do a tank mount (like I wanted), so I just used a couple pieces of square steel mounted to the underside of a shelf on the wall. Very simple, very clean, and doesn't impede the cooling of the Sol unit.

Note: At first, I had the unit mounted directly to the underside of the shelf, which was fine, but left the light too far back toward the wall. The pertinent info here is that when I had the unit cinched up snugly under the shelf, the cooling fan was not able to turn, which resulted in the unit auto-dimming, and eventually shutting itself off. When I loosened the mounting screws a couple turns, the fan switched back on, and the lights resumed their normal program. So if you're using a Sol, just make sure your fan can turn...

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I'm in the middle of what I hope turns out to be a short cycle. I used high end cured rock, and fresh live sand, so hopefully I can get to livestock sooner than later. I had my diatom bloom after like 2-3 days, and after a couple days, it's already almost gone. I'm going to bring my testing kit back into the office tomorrow, so I'll be able to see exactly where I am.

Meanwhile, here's a full-tank shot with the lights mounted properly. If you look closely, you'll see a little piece of red flame algae from Chad Vossen. I needed a little bit of color in there, and it seems to enjoy all the extra nutrients in the water! I can't wait to get some clean-up crew in there, and start adding corals!

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bdevillier said:
keep the rocks as they are. the rocks in the front really add to the depth of the tank. looks awesome!
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Thanks for the suggestion. I ended up switching a couple of pieces around (tank A.D.D.), and kept both front pieces, but pushed one back toward the middle, so it isn't quite so symmetrical.

Whysoserious said:
What a sweet setup! Def going to be following
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Thanks! Glad to have you along!

Parker0824 said:
Tank looks pretty sweet so far, keep up the good work.
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Thanks Parker... I appreciate it!

small alien said:
Very nice, indeed.
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Thanks!

larcomak11 said:
very nice! i love all these nano office builds, they all seem to turn our really cool
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Hey... if you're going to be in an office, might as well have something other than a computer screen to stare at! Plus, I find that you avoid a lot of problems that might arise due to lack of attention. You can be a lot more mindful when you have close access to your tank for 8 hours a day!
 
"Thanks for the suggestion. I ended up switching a couple of pieces around (tank A.D.D.), and kept both front pieces, but pushed one back toward the middle, so it isn't quite so symmetrical."

That was a good move. Since we're on that topic, the left one still reads as a little close to the glass for me. But the asymmetry created by moving the right one back really improves the naturalistic look. As a former landscape designer, I feel I've got at least a little credibility in this department.
 
SeanPrice said:
Nice, very nice. I like the overall clean look to this setup, nice attention to detail so far!
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Thanks Sean, that's the idea!

small alien said:
"Thanks for the suggestion. I ended up switching a couple of pieces around (tank A.D.D.), and kept both front pieces, but pushed one back toward the middle, so it isn't quite so symmetrical."

That was a good move. Since we're on that topic, the left one still reads as a little close to the glass for me. But the asymmetry created by moving the right one back really improves the naturalistic look. As a former landscape designer, I feel I've got at least a little credibility in this department.
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Well, since you're a (former) professional, I really appreciate the commentary. Like I said, I switched some stuff around when I found a couple of pieces that I really liked. The one in the back-right got changed out. It still gives me the arch look I wanted, but is much more open and has a cool latticework look to it. It'll allow for more water flow then before, and more hiding places for critters. Plus, the less rock touching the sand... the better. I also replaced the piece in the front left with a neat branching piece that lays lower, so it won't obstruct the view on that side.

Top view:
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Frontal view: You can't see it from this angle, but the big flat piece in the back is still raised up with a 1-2" inch grotto underneath. Again, more flow, more caves, and less rock touching sand...
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I got a question. It seems our desk is almost similar in design. You have a open desk correct?

With setting up the tank like that, are you not worried about anyone trying to mess with the tank in anyway? And what about co worker neighbors? I dont mean to ask personal questions but I was always a fond of having a tank at my desk but I don't think I'll get the approval lol
 
Whysoserious said:
I got a question. It seems our desk is almost similar in design. You have a open desk correct?

With setting up the tank like that, are you not worried about anyone trying to mess with the tank in anyway? And what about co worker neighbors? I dont mean to ask personal questions but I was always a fond of having a tank at my desk but I don't think I'll get the approval lol
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Yeah, my desk is out in the open, but I don't have any neighbors close-by. I've never had any problems with people messing with my tank(s). Just keep a tight fitting lid on it when you're away and you won't need to worry about accidents. If you have jerky co-workers who would mess with you just to mess with you, then that's a different story.
 
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