Nano 9gal ADA - Pictures

[Tropix]

Brand new, found at a house sale today - was shocked to see it, I have been searching for a good display, i love this thing. paid 40.00 dollars it.


I really like the style being rimless especially being a nano and this this thing is heavy, heavier then my 60gal acrylic.

 

[Tropix]

150watt PFO hqi DE new bulb, waiting for the ups man, phoenix 14,000k

I have never ran a aquarium without a canopy and since this is rimless, what should I do, will it look nice with fishing string holding it up, will the light, light up the whole room.

 

[Tropix]

I was told this is a 9 gallon aquarium, I like the dimensions which are btw...

18'lenght 12"height 9.5"deep

Now I am trying to figure out the sump setup, I really hope that if I take my aquarium to the LFS he can drill the holes for me. The other problem is my sump is going to b ea 60gal, acrylic which I will add sections for fuge, calm water area for pumps, return splash down chamber, skimmer. Is this a downside, I could use a 20gal but why not the 60 if I just have it laying around.

How will my light work on this setup.

 

[Tropix]

how do these rimless work and what effect do they produce. somebody told me like this, you are in your room and looking at a aquarium with a rim, you see it as the fish trapped in this chamber.

Without a rim, you are in your room but you feel as you are in the room with the fish, it brings out the color and vividness. Makes a nano aquarium appear larger being rimless.


I don't know how it is going to look, but the construction is very nice and does look very unique and can't wait to see how it will look active, especially with the halide producing ripples in the water.

 

[Tropix]

nano reef section, bump for a rating /@=

 

[Tropix]

Did I screw up or something, is my tank junk, I know it is a different style but I thought it was a tank of good quality and yes I am not sure how it looks being rimless I bought it cause it was unique to me..

also is my light junk, just tell me, first time hanging something. I like PFO for its reflectors and just got myself a 14k phoenix bulb

 

[kaserpick]

ADA tanks are awesome, so your choice was a good one. The light you chose will do the job, but LED's would be a cooler choice (as far as temperature).

What kind of coral do you plan on keeping?

 

[Tropix]

With this setup, I would like to have SPS, with some LPS and a clam or two.

I have had very good success in the past with clams and LPS, with this nano tank, the hardware is not setup yet but I will have

High light output
High flow

The sump being much larger then the 9gal, should help control water parameters.

Keep the SPS in area's of the highest flow, highest light output.

LPS in area's where lower water flow.


I intend to learn what I need to do to care for SPS but I believe the setup should be able to house SPS. Reason I do not want LPS is that I am dealing with a smaller display and do not want LPS to take over the tank quickly, xenia would take over probably in such a tank.

Yes I would like LED lighting, I have this unit and with a new bulb for it now, I would like to use this. I live on the coast, our temps are never hot, if it gets to 80 we are all complaining in this beach city and it never gets too cold either, never cold enough not to go outside so the temps would be a Hawaii type climate since never really changes.

 

[Tropix]

What I need help in doing is this, I uploaded a picture of where my tanks are and the current setup and the setup I need help with, as soon as I get a solid design I will build it.

You see the gray section, this is the closet, directly behind this wall is the other bedroom, including the closet.

Plan A
What I wanted to do:

Under my saltwater, replace the current sump and place a identical 60 underneath the 60, would much rather have a 60gal sump, but will not fit in the stand, off by half a inch.

Solution - custom make stand to house 60sump with 60display on top for my 60 saltwater fish only,

Sitting next to my 60 as you can see in the picture would be the ADA 9gal, I then would be able to overflow the nano into the 60gal sump.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next idea

my closet has a built in on the wall with selves, 4 places to hang clothes and will have to make do and make room cause I will put the 60gal sump into the closet, because directly behind the wall is the closet to the other bedroom, I will just drill a hole into other bedrooms closet and I won't have to run any length of tube to my closet since my closet sits right against the other closet so it would just be a elbow and right back into my closet and drop down the overflow into the 60 while one more hole for the flex tube or plastic tube for the return, so really it is simple thing to do but I will have a full size 60 in the closet for the 9gal.

Being a 60gal, I will make some slots and will be plenty big enough to house a nice fuge, all my equipment and good amount of water to help out water parameters for the 9 gal.

I have in the past tried to do a nano setup while not doing sump and I really hate doing it this way, way too much stuff in the tank and I want 9gal for display only and can deal with a bulk head and return setup..

I am not even ready to bring my tank into the glass store yet cause I do not know how many overflows should be on a 9gal, where the overflow should be.. Being a rimless system, is the water suppose to be up to the edge, I would like to do all this right the first time.


If you look at cube1.jpg picture, you will see how it is right at the end where my closet begins and directly behind that wall is the other closet so you see how it will just be a elbow in, elbow back out with very little travel at all between the closet.

 

[kaserpick]

Well, if heat isn't an issue (and CA power cost isn't either), then rock the halide! I loved my Phoenix's.

Anyway, in your previous post, are you proposing two different plans (i.e. "Plan A" and "Next Idea")? In "Plan A", you say that your 9g ADA would be overflowing into the 60g sump. Is this the future 60g sump under your 60g fish only? If so, you'll want to watch out for the Nitrates levels that fish only tanks can produce (due to lack of a need of a top-notch filter, in comparison to an SPS reef.).

If, on the other hand, you're talking about using the 60g sump in the closet, I think that's a great idea. Overkill...but still a great idea. :thumbsup:

 

[Tropix]

Ok well let me clear up some things, the more I go forward my plans are coming to me a lot clearer.

Yes I thought of this too with Plan A! especially if I want a SPS system I do not want to mix the two.


You did bring up valid points, Power - I will get back on this topic in a minute.


Yes I know having the 60 for the sump is over kill, but my other choice is running another 20 gallon or something for the sump and buying it when I have a 60 sitting in the garage so why not use it.

• Some pros to using a 60 for a sump on a 9gal
• Cons for using a large sump on a 9gal

Back on Power topic -

Running two sumps Wait for it

The difference how my system was before.

1 60 w/sump
mag drive 7 return
heater
2 powerheads
4 55watt powercompacts (out of commission) kills bulbs instantly!
1 150watt halide
1 protein skimmer cprbakpak, in sump


With future plans

60gal w/30gal sump
Magdrive 7 return pump
150watt heater
Currently no lighting, Fish only with some LR - couple of T5 (lower power)

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• 9gal ADA
• 60gal Sump
• CPR BakPak Skimmer in sump
• PFO 150watt halide
• Return Pump ?? Magdrive ___
• Heater ___ wattage?
• run some low power light -fuge

Only additional power would be

• Return Pump (2nd one)
• Heater (2nd one)
• low wattage lighting for FO system
• low wattage lighting over fuge

I am not really adding all that much more power, might even be a bit less, since I was running 4 55watt compacts which I am sure T5 will be alot more efficient.

For my Fish only tank, being that my only filtration is a sump with a magdrive 7, will I have a hard time keeping fish alive. Do I need to fill that sump with bio balls since liverock will be no more, I am going for a full open look.


Aside from all that, my MAIN problem is that my LFS will not drill my tank, so it is up to me now and I will buy a diamond bit and the right stuff but that crap worries me...

I don't even know how it should be done, I make a hole on top and then the water will not rest at the rim of the tank, do I make the hole on the bottom of the tank and run a clear tube up to the top. also what size should the bulkhead be and what not, this is what i really need help with.

 

[Tropix]

Thanks for your help, anyone that knows how do math can chip in with flow rate.


What size RETURN PUMP

60 g sump

10 g display

Where should the holes be, hole for overflow, hole for return

what size should each hole be, what size bulk head

should overflow be placed on the upper back side of tank, tank is rimless

should overflow be placed on bottom, ran up with a clear plastic tube so water can rise to rim and overflow.

I don't want the water to overflow, yet I need enough flow... I really and itching to get going with the setup and start the plumbing, I can't even start drilling holes through the walls yet cause I need to know size of pvc, and just some how to how to do this.

I promise if you want pictures of the advice you give me, i will do it, give you all the credit, this member of RC had the idea of what you are seeing.. heh!

Please I am at a major ROAD BLOCK!

 

[kaserpick]

First, a rimless tank shouldn't have the water all the way up to the rim. You can decide what height you want the water level (1/4", 1/2", 3/4",...etc. from the top).

Ok, as you know, you have an ADA tank. This, in my opinion, is a premium aquarium. The idea of ADA is to keep it looking very natural (i.e. very little equipment visible). This definitely seems to be your goal, which is a great one.

Most people will tell you NOT to drill an ADA (because most say the glass will crack), but there are people who have done it without any problems. BUT, you need to decide if you want to take the risk of drilling. Based on the assumption that it can be drilled without problems, I might be inclined to suggest you to go with the idea of the clear tubing from the bottom. You could also add your rock around the tubing (like a pillar with some overhangs) to hide the tubing. This would allow you to have functionality and natural asthetics. It just takes some creativity to get the rock to hide it and look natural at the same time. You could try drilling a 1" hole for the drain with a 1/2" return line coming up through the middle of the overflow tubing. This'll keep you from drilling more than one hole (minimizing the risk of drilling).

As far as buying a diamond hole saw, www.bulkreefsupply.com sells them for a great price. If you decide to drill it, buy a small piece of acrylic and drill the hole in the acrylic first. This will act as a template/guide for you, since glass hole saws do not use drill bits in the center to guide the cut. Once you cut the hole in the acrylic and decide where you want to drill the hole in the ADA, line the acrylic hole up with the desired location on the glass and tape the acrylic in place (so that it stays still). After this is done, place a piece of wood on the other side of the glass (where the future hole will be), this will keep you from cutting through the glass and binding as you push through. Make sure you keep the drill perpendicular to the glass, and let the weight of the drill do the work. Don't force the cut with strength; this will most likely lead to a break. Also, make sure you poor water on the cut periodically, while your cutting the hole. This'll keep the hole saw and glass cooler.

You'll need live rock or bio-balls in the fish only sump to keep that system stable. I recommend 60lbs of live rock.

I wouldn't worry about giving people credit. Most ideas we give you came to us by means of someone else. Just pass on any good advice you find, when asked. This is RC.

 

[Tropix]

You out of everyone here are helping me, I am happy for this, but shocked nobody has any idea what they are talking about, seriously, all the members here should be subjects of my experiment, yes! personality though, not so crazy!

These are bumps if you didn't know, speak some babble babble babble to bump it back up, any more information is pointless to say when I asked way to much and have 17 of the same threads listed everwhere on the site with the same success, that nobody has experience on drilling nor do they know anything about flow rate and thinking about two at the same time..

You my friend that has been replying back, you I am not talking about.

 

[dainiusiva]

if you are able,you should not drill the tank IMO. there is a very suitable overflow (in terms of design) - mame overflow.do a google search on it. of course it is pricey, but for ADA you want the best!

also i would not use metal halide for a nano ever. go the led way.AI Sol is a nice option.

as for a sump, if it is not selected to enlarge water volume, IMO you could just use canister filter with carbon and GFO in it. of course you would have to top off by hand and do balling additions by hand.

as for in tank flow,my guess is that a powerfull enough canister filter (assuming you choose that route) may be all that you need for a 9g tank. 9g = 36 liters, fx5 filter flow -925 gph = 3700 lph, so its more than 100x turnover. it's more than enough for this tank.

Hope i helped a bit.

Dainius