zotzer October 2, 2007 Share October 2, 2007 (edited) I couldn't resist when a fellow member who lives close by put his 12G Aquapod up for sale. It is cycling now, and I am trying to decide what to do with it! He upgraded the lights to 2x32 PC (one 50/50 and one dual actinic, sunpaq, I think), and added a fan. Even so, it is still tough to keep the temp under control....seems to go to 82+ when all lights are on, and down to 78 during the evenings. Since I understand that fluctuation is more problematic than actual temperature, I bumped the heater up to 80, to keep things more steady. I also leave the little feeder lid open. It came with sand (and what appears to be a cerith who lived through the transfer and two days of a stagnant 2" of water), nice coralline algae, and a small amount of rock rubble, to which I've added about 7lbs of LR. I plan to transfer some smaller rocks from my 46g, and replace those with larger ones, so I wanted to leave some room. Chamber 1 has sea gel, purigen and filter floss (bottom to top). Chamber 2 just the heater for now. Chamber 3 is filled about 1/3 with rock rubble, and chamber 4 has the return pump. I added a micro-jet with a hydor flo to the main tank area, and plan to remove some of the plastic backing from part of the rear chambers to set up a fuge with chaeto from my main tank. There is lots of natural light in that room....do you think I should add a fuge-light on a reverse light cycle to supplement? My main issue....I have no clue what I want to do with it. LOL I can use it as a frag/grow out tank, but was also thinking of making it a ric/zoa dominated tank with tiny fish that fit to scale (ie: clown gobies). If anyone has any ideas, I am happy to take them! Will try to get some pics tonight when the lights are on. Tracy Edited October 2, 2007 by zotzer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funnyguy911 October 2, 2007 Share October 2, 2007 nanoreef.com has alot of information and ideas with the set up you have, I have a nano cube and did the 4x24 and moonlights and have a hard time with temperature. Nano tuners has a mini chiller I am aiming to get by next summer you can check them out, and good luck with the bug it gets expensive.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Ward October 2, 2007 Share October 2, 2007 www.nano-reef.com is one of the best resources for examples. www.nanotuners.com, as mentioned has a ton of mod parts. If you wanted to run open-top and upgrade to a HQI, I've seen beautiful SPS nanos: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/totm/index.php This is a recent shot of a softie/mushroom tank I love (an Aquapod 24): http://www.nano-reef.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=32585 though I liked it better a few months ago: http://www.nano-reef.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29184 or http://www.nano-reef.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27712 ~Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitro Junkie October 2, 2007 Share October 2, 2007 I had a 12g aqua pod and it broke (long story) however if you decide to upgrade the lighting I have the glass top that came with mine you can have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer October 2, 2007 Author Share October 2, 2007 Oh my gosh, Brian....those tanks are gorgeous! Definitely something to shoot for! I had a 12g aqua pod and it broke (long story) however if you decide to upgrade the lighting I have the glass top that came with mine you can have. Thanks! Will let you know for sure.... Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer October 5, 2007 Author Share October 5, 2007 Hopefully over the weekend I will get some pics. One of the snails that came with the tank turned out to be a whelk. I caught it in the middle of murdering one of my nerites, within 30 minutes of adding the snails to the tank. LOL Ahhh, Mother Nature at work. I banished him to somewhere between the LR rubble and the chaeto of one of the rear compartments of the aquapod. He can live out his days there in isolation. Eeeep. I just thought of something. Will he eat up all the pods? Let me know. If so, he's going in the freezer for a deep sleep, and then the trash...unless someone wants it. Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer October 9, 2007 Author Share October 9, 2007 Finally took some pics. My sickly xenia already seems much happier in there, and beginning to stretch out. The cleaner shrimp is a trip!!! Diatoms have appeared right on schedule. LOL Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak October 10, 2007 Share October 10, 2007 oh so it was you who took the hydor and mini jet... nice tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer October 10, 2007 Author Share October 10, 2007 oh so it was you who took the hydor and mini jet... nice tank Have had the mini-jet for a while, and bought the hydor. Makes a nice, slow, changing flow. Pretty cool, even though it sticks out a bit. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishcam October 10, 2007 Share October 10, 2007 (edited) Hey I just read this, but I have an AP12 that has the same temperature problem (stock lights, though). All I do is blow air from an 80mm computer fan across the top of the water and that gets it down to 73-70 without a problem. Cheap and great! d EDIT: Also, I had 2x~12w CF lights on the back of my AP and had cheato in the fuge. I left the lights on all the time and just sort of forgot about it until my flow slowed down out of the pump. I pulled out MOUNTAINS of cheato. That stuff was so dense it was INSANE. I've got enough (fluffed out) to fill my 20g sump now. Anyway, I would def get some lighting on the back of that thang. my bulbs were "grow"bulbs from home depot, but there is probably better stuff online a few more $$s. Second to nano-reef.com too, that place is killer for tiny tanks. On mine I added a peace of acrylic so that only the skimmer portion of the tank drained water. I did this post cycle so I used magnets to hold it in place. I also put a smaller piece of acrylic over the bottom of the teeth so I could control the water flow in. It was a great way to keep the surface clean, and maintain the water level in the tank and in the back. I just converted mine into a 55+20sump so the glory days are over, but wow was it fun. Let me know if you have ??s Edited October 10, 2007 by fishcam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer October 10, 2007 Author Share October 10, 2007 How did you blow a computer fan across the water when the top is enclosed? This one has a second fan installed, but it is up in the light case. I need to do what you did and block off the flow areas in the skimmer section, and put some sort of mesh over the teeth. (I was thinking acrylic and superglue, or silicone) I spent all night last night fishing this tiny watchman goby out of the rear section of the aquapod (got a pic that I will post tonight). Every time I retrieved him, he'd dart right back in there. (total of three times) On the last effort, I had everything pulled out, and found him in the third chamber, but my net was too big to get down in there. I was fishing around with my hand and a tiny tupperware cup, and lost sight of him completely. The only possible place he could have gone would be the return pump section, so I immediately cut the power and pulled it out. No evidence of him anywhere! I'd think if he got sucked into the (stock) return pump there would have been some sign of it, but nothing. Checked the carpet all around, but he is sooo tiny...if he jumped out, not sure I'd ever find him. I'll go on one last search and rescue mission tonight, but I think the little bugger is gone. I added a little bit of Prime to the water, just in case of an ammonia spike (if he did, in fact, meet his maker by way of the return pump) No more fish are going in until I come up with a way for them to not dive into the back!!! Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishcam October 10, 2007 Share October 10, 2007 I just propped it over the feeding hole in the top of the hood. I lost some aesthetics but it was worth it for the temps. I had it on the light timer circuit so it would only get that cold when the lights were on. I bought a used 5.5 or 12v adapter (I forget) and just ghetto rigged it to an old computer fan, and secured it to the lid of the AP. Theres more than enough room to blow the air out the two tiny vents on the side of the lid, and out the back. Salt creep increased out the back though, but no big deal for me. I also had a clown go missing for a week (yes!) and found that he had swam through the grilles down and up all the chambers and ended up in the back near the power head. He was a lucky guy. Still with me today! When I put up the acrylic flow restrictor, I also put a acrylic lip over the top of the tank back wall to decrease the area between the teeth and flow restrictor (worked for me with no more mods), and also prevented my lightfoot crab from crawling over the top and into the chambers (which happened twice, and their even harder to nab out). I tried some mesh, but it ended up getting clogged to quick. Hope this helps! d How did you blow a computer fan across the water when the top is enclosed? This one has a second fan installed, but it is up in the light case. I need to do what you did and block off the flow areas in the skimmer section, and put some sort of mesh over the teeth. (I was thinking acrylic and superglue, or silicone) I spent all night last night fishing this tiny watchman goby out of the rear section of the aquapod (got a pic that I will post tonight). Every time I retrieved him, he'd dart right back in there. (total of three times) On the last effort, I had everything pulled out, and found him in the third chamber, but my net was too big to get down in there. I was fishing around with my hand and a tiny tupperware cup, and lost sight of him completely. The only possible place he could have gone would be the return pump section, so I immediately cut the power and pulled it out. No evidence of him anywhere! I'd think if he got sucked into the (stock) return pump there would have been some sign of it, but nothing. Checked the carpet all around, but he is sooo tiny...if he jumped out, not sure I'd ever find him. I'll go on one last search and rescue mission tonight, but I think the little bugger is gone. I added a little bit of Prime to the water, just in case of an ammonia spike (if he did, in fact, meet his maker by way of the return pump) No more fish are going in until I come up with a way for them to not dive into the back!!! Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevil October 13, 2007 Share October 13, 2007 I too have a 12 Gallon Aquapod. I haven't done much with it other than use it as a staging ground for treating aptasia infected rock or to stick things that I don't want in my main tank for whatever reason. Anyway - today I decided to go buy some new lights for it as I've never changed them and to replace the dying return pump with a Maxijet 1200. I picked up 2 27W sunpaqs. Now that I have them and realize the different between those and the 32W watts, I was wondering if I could put those in instead to get more light? The 27W are 10.5" and the 32W are 12.5". Anyone know? Could I even throw the 40W bulbs in there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer October 13, 2007 Author Share October 13, 2007 Now that I have them and realize the different between those and the 32W watts, I was wondering if I could put those in instead to get more light? The 27W are 10.5" and the 32W are 12.5". Anyone know? Could I even throw the 40W bulbs in there? the 32 watts fit perfectly. That's what's in mine. Problem seems to be the heat, even with an extra fan installed. Although I'd question whether ten extra watts would contribute more to the heat than the upgraded pump. Let me know how that works. I may upgrade the main pump and remove the little micro-jet altogether. Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txaggies07 November 8, 2007 Share November 8, 2007 Tracy, Try this http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...63&catid=22 I put the two fan unit on my 24g with the 150W MH over it and it has done wonders. My temp stays at around 79 now (which is what my heater is set at). It use to run between 82 and 84. It might be worth a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitro Junkie November 8, 2007 Share November 8, 2007 Zoot , are you coming to the meeting on Sat. ? If so i will bring that aqua pod glass top for you if you want it. If you dedide to upgrade the lighting on it later you'll be all set Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer November 8, 2007 Author Share November 8, 2007 I put the two fan unit on my 24g with the 150W MH over it and it has done wonders. My temp stays at around 79 now (which is what my heater is set at). It use to run between 82 and 84. It might be worth a shot. Thanks, Tex!! That looks perfect! Zoot , are you coming to the meeting on Sat. ? If so i will bring that aqua pod glass top for you if you want it. If you dedide to upgrade the lighting on it later you'll be all set Yep, I will be there....that is so nice of you!!! Thanks! Watch for updates. Picked up the tail spot blenny I ordered tonight. Also two dwarf (Eviota?) gobies for the main tank. I ordered three, but only two came in. Wanted a little school, but not the bioload. These are perfect because they are miniscule!! Third one is on the way, but I'll have to add that later. Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txaggies07 November 8, 2007 Share November 8, 2007 The other good thing about the fan I got...it fell into the water a couple times and still runs like a champ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak November 11, 2007 Share November 11, 2007 more pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer November 11, 2007 Author Share November 11, 2007 I'll try to get some tomorrow. Lights just went out a little while ago. Raf gave me a big sinualria that I put in there, and I have the cutest new tail spot blenny that I need to get some pics of. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer November 12, 2007 Author Share November 12, 2007 So, the nano has a way to go....and pardon the glass. It's actually drips on the outside from a water change...not slime on the inside. LOL Anyway, this is an interesting TINY fish (1/2")...an Eviota pygmy goby. I'd ordered three for the main tank, only two came in, and one went carpet surfing out of the mesh breeder. Three sides surrounded by water, and he picked the 4th side with nothing but dry land beneath it! Go figure. He is really neon colored, with a belly that looks like it has a mercury drop in it. So, since my "mini-school" for the main tank failed in execution...he's in the nano: And, one of the coolest, tiniest blennies on the planet....the new tail spot blenny, with the black clown goby: Finally, the fairly unimpressive (so far! ) FTS. Raf gave me the nice sinularia....I am hoping it grows into a monster that covers up the little microjet and hydor-flo: Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak November 12, 2007 Share November 12, 2007 are you sure all those gobis and blennies won't hurt each other? or cause carpet surfing, that dwarf blenny looks neat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer November 12, 2007 Author Share November 12, 2007 (edited) They are all peaceful community fish. The blenny and the clown goby actually curl up with each other. It's the strangest thing....they actually lay across each other like they are old buds! It's just the blenny (who is teeny), the clown goby, and the eviota goby (who is beyond tiny!). They are the perfect scale for the small tank, I think. Can't wait until I have it overgrown with zoas and shrooms. No worries about carpet surfing in the aquapod...it's covered! Tracy Edited November 12, 2007 by zotzer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zotzer November 24, 2007 Author Share November 24, 2007 My little nano gets no love. LOL Here's an update on the nano too. Raf gave me a beautiful leather, and it has really taken off in there. The black clown goby loves to hang out in it! Tracy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak November 25, 2007 Share November 25, 2007 Gotta do something about that mini jet, replace with a koarlia nano maybe? Tank looks good though, love the blenny, I've updated my agressive thread and will get my pico pics up soon too. I'll have the over flow box for you tank done soon too hopefully, doing some testing right now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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