New Reefer Need Some Help

[Spiker101]

Hello,

I am a college student at OU and I have been wanting to start a salt water tank for years. However due to space and money issues, I never got started. Recently, I finally figured out a solution to my woe...a nano tank.

I would really want to start a 10 gallon nano tank that I can put on my table. I want to become familiar with saltwater ecology and raising soft corals (basically getting my feet wet). However, I do not want to use a standard 10 gallon tank for several reasons:

1. I dislike the shape
2. Regular green glass is ugly.

I really want to built either a starphire glass or acrylic tank. I prefer acrylic because I think they look nicer and is more tolerant of college life style (crowed room where things may bump into it). By the time it gets too many sketches I would have another tank.

I know building a 10 gallon tank is a very simple process (many of you build sump 10 times bigger than that). However, as a college student I do not have any tools (no router, no table saw, no tool what so ever). I was wondering if there are any fellow reefer who is willing to help me out a little. I can pay for any material that I use.

 

[pwhitby]

Hi and welcome to COMAS.

First, do you have to build a tank? You can buy acrylic tanks in that size range fairly cheap.

Secondly, the glass on that sized tank would be so thin that the green color would be hardly noticable.

Just my thoughts, but seems like you may have easier options.

If you do want to build, its likely someone in the club may be able to help.

Paul

 

[Lytehouse]

Welcome to Comas and RC,

Just another option, the all in one tanks-- like the biocubes and the JBJ tanks would be great for this application because they are small, stable and adaptable and ealily movable.

 

[rcpauff]

and they're glass and for about the same money you would spend building one youcould buy a complete 14g biocube that has options and parts readily available for it

 

[Lytehouse]

and they are fun to modify with skimmers, and fuge and new lights and......

Once upon a time I had a 28 gal biocube. You can stuff a bunch of coral in those. The beauty of the closed system is they don't evaporate much water and stay very stable.

A local pulls the top off and puts MH lights over them and grows some beautiful chalices and sps.

and they're glass and for about the same money you would spend building one youcould buy a complete 14g biocube that has options and parts readily available for it

 

[Spiker101]

Thank you for the suggestions.

I was thinking build a tank from 1 sheet of glass ($50 maybe?)
buy 2 Mini-jet® aquarium pump for 19$ each MN606 120V/60Hz 6W 82–153gph 46"
Light

I think the price is going to be pretty close (cube=$140) and it just come down to which one I like more and the time I have to put into it. So far, look wise I am leaning toward custom make since it is unique, and I really like the DIY aspect of it.

Speaking of DIY, Today I purchased 12 Cree XR-E LED

6 Cool White Q5 for $31
6 Royal Blue for $41.

I am hopping the whole LED setup is going to cost less than $120. If any of you got DIY LED experience, please let me know!

My build is going to be more expensive, but I think I am getting a much better light.

In addition, I found someone to help me make the tank, and someone to sell me fuji live rock with purple algae growth for 3$ a lb. Should I just buy all the rocks from this one person or should I try to get rocks from multiple sources to increase biodiversity?

Wow, I just saw someone selling a 6ft glass tank on craiglist for 50$ in Tulsa that is cheaper than what the class sheet is probably going to cost me.

 

[InsideJoke]

The thing you may not be looking at for making the aquarium out of glass is the costs you're not thinking about. I'm dont want to sound discouraging and I'm sure someone might be able to help you out. You're still having to look at the possiblity of buying some tools, materials(Glass, silicone, clamps to hold the glass while silicone dries, ect). Is that glass already going to be cut and finished for what you need it to be? Look at all the what ifs and possibilities. With DIY dont ever think "It should be about this much." Plan for amount and always plan on spending more. Because something might happen, you could be forgetting something, ect.

 

[Spiker101]

The thing you may not be looking at for making the aquarium out of glass is the costs you're not thinking about. I'm dont want to sound discouraging and I'm sure someone might be able to help you out. You're still having to look at the possiblity of buying some tools, materials(Glass, silicone, clamps to hold the glass while silicone dries, ect). Is that glass already going to be cut and finished for what you need it to be? Look at all the what ifs and possibilities. With DIY dont ever think "It should be about this much." Plan for amount and always plan on spending more. Because something might happen, you could be forgetting something, ect.

I found someone to help me glue it together, and I was told that city glass cut the glass. I need to call them for price.