Workplace nano tank

carb850

carb850

New member
I been kicking around the idea of putting in a small tank in my cubical. I would need to get something like that approved before I tried it, but I will ask the questions anyhow.

If I did a 10G softie only tank with inverts and maybe a single fish, how much attention would it need? Would weekly water top off be sufficient with monthly water changes? I would be bringing the water with my from home would be be a PITA but something I would consider doing.

My other thought is to get one of the 6G Tetra pico tanks and do up a planted FW with mostly inverts. At least going this method I could use the water from my workplace.

Anyone have a small setup at their workplace (outside of home)?
 
on the salt side I would think it would depend if you leave the tank covered or open to air. Also depending on what you want to put in it you may be able to use the water from work. RO isn't always the rule and some corals esp. some softies seem to like the water a little "dirty". Salt at work would def. be harder than fresh IMO, but worth it. I have a gazillion softie frags if you go that route...

I set up a Fresh Plant Tank recently in my office and I like it alot. Low maintenance is a plus and if you go with something similar to what they have at the shop it is a complete breeze. Since it only has those little shrimp and a healthy population of snails you don't have to feed it much at all. Plus I think it would be funny to have a tank like that as all your co-workers would be asking you,"where are the fish?" Maybe if you have a big enough cubicle you could do both;)
 
I had a pico reef in a RedSea Aqua vase, less than a gallon. Did great for about a year, coral grew like crazy. Then some guy bought it. Last I heard its still up and running. Not to hard to do or maintain.
 
If it were me id setup a small softie/lps tank with a mantis or other interesting creature. I believe odoprelude has a similar setup in his office. Maybe he will chime in.
 
I would love to do a nano or pico SW tank but I worry about the cost and husbandry of such a system. If I were to setup a 5-9G setup how much do you think it would cost and if it were softies only how much does one have to do husbandry? Like I said earlier, water changes would be a PITA so it would not be weekly. I could even forgo fish if that would help and do inverts and coral only.

Anyone have a equipment list for such a tank?

Also, Taz brought up a good point on the water. Could I do it with tap? I never considered doing SW with tap but I know many do and many with success. Softies would have to be more tolerant right? If I could do tap that would make it much more realistic for me.


Odoprelude, comments?
 
Depends where your office is. I have always used tap here in Nitro. But my next tank will be doing top off and will be ro if not ro/di.
 
Carb you can go barebones or set it up with an overflow and a sump. Some of the coolest nanos I've seen have nothing in them but a powerhead and good pc or equivelant lighting.... I'd check out the nanotank thread here on reef central... you would be amazed at what you can do with so little. If you go low tech I would get one of those current surface skimming filters that they have at the shop. Ask Ron about them. They are sweet as they surface skim and have a spot for biological and chemical filtration. Plus you can set them up with 2 returns (included)! I want one myself just in case I ever do a nano. Oh I forgot to mention they are about the size of a 16oz pop bottle? And cheap? And they make coffee, espresso and a mean cappucino? Yep gotta have one of those for a Barebones nano IMO or something like it. Lighting you can go with a coralife, the smallest I've seen is about 6 or 8 inches small. Then there is led, cold cathode, etc. But make sure you check out that nano thread, especially the tanks of the month. "Sea" you at the swap.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12796822#post12796822 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mcox33
What I should have said is depends on the water in the town where the tank is. Sorry
Click to expand...

Actually I understood that. :) Scott Depot is were the tank would be keep so I didn't know if anyone would chime in to the water quality of that system.


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12797054#post12797054 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tazbader
Carb you can go barebones or set it up with an overflow and a sump. Some of the coolest nanos I've seen have nothing in them but a powerhead and good pc or equivelant lighting.... I'd check out the nanotank thread here on reef central... you would be amazed at what you can do with so little. If you go low tech I would get one of those current surface skimming filters that they have at the shop. Ask Ron about them. They are sweet as they surface skim and have a spot for biological and chemical filtration. Plus you can set them up with 2 returns (included)! I want one myself just in case I ever do a nano. Oh I forgot to mention they are about the size of a 16oz pop bottle? And cheap? And they make coffee, espresso and a mean cappucino? Yep gotta have one of those for a Barebones nano IMO or something like it. Lighting you can go with a coralife, the smallest I've seen is about 6 or 8 inches small. Then there is led, cold cathode, etc. But make sure you check out that nano thread, especially the tanks of the month. "Sea" you at the swap.
Click to expand...

If I did decide to do a SW pico at my office, it would definitely be bare bones for both price and space considerations. I really need to concentrate on getting my main display up so I most likely won't be doing anything for some time, if at all. I just like to think of the possiblities and have a plan in hand. :) My own form of window shopping.
 
I have two nanos at my office and my buddy next door has one. I have 1 12g nanocube and a 20g peacock mantis tank, both softies.. I do several topoffs a week in both. The big thing you have to watch in nanos is the heat factor. It doesn't take much at all for the temp to soar.. Nanocubes are notorious for being low on flow, add a powerhead and there goes the heat soaring.. I ended up taking off the lid and putting a JBJ K2 Viper 150w de and set up the timer to kick on a clip on fan when the light comes on.. I bought a couple 5 gallon jugs at Wal-Mart and for taking top off water and water changes and it's reallly not that difficult to keep up with.. especially having a bigger tank at the house.. You are more than welcome to swing by the office and check the setups out. And I agree with Ron and Matt.. go with a mantis.. and DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT use tap water, small tank, small problems become big really fast.. I buy mine from the Culligan at Wal-Mart.. does pretty well for me...
 
and don't feed, or feed very little. Also one of the reasons I told you about that Current surface skimmer thingy- surface skimming, biological, mechanical and water movement in an all in one deal. Get something like that. Heat is the enemy as odo says... after my pacman frog outgrows his new tank I wanna try a pico tank- 2.5 gallon... woo hoo a new use for reef rubble and unsold frags!!! Seriously, whatever you do just set it up so that you don't have to feed that sucker and use ro if you can.......... or frequent water changes- they can be fun. BTW your jones'in for your big tank to be set up. In Psych class I think we called it "compensation.";)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12808260#post12808260 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by odoprelude
Do 5 to 10% every week.. 12 gallon.. no problem..
Click to expand...

I hoped that 15% monthly would be enough because of the low fish load, but I feared it would not be since I was have no skimming capacity. A couple gallons a week may not sound bad, but it would be tough for me to do that every week at work. For that reason, this setup will not work for me at this time. Oh well, it was still a fun exercise thinking about it.


<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12808390#post12808390 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tazbader
Seriously, whatever you do just set it up so that you don't have to feed that sucker and use ro if you can.......... or frequent water changes- they can be fun. BTW your jones'in for your big tank to be set up. In Psych class I think we called it "compensation.";)
Click to expand...

Your probably right. :) I will say that a nano is not a new thought to me though. I started off last August with an 18 lbs live rock order with the idea of putting together a 10G nano. Plans changed along the way, a few times..... :) The 18 lbs of rock is still waiting for its finaly destination.
 
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