Micro reef

[Joshifer]

I have to put up my flags and disclaimers for this one.

I am NOT attempting to do this ever. I'm starting a conversation between hobbyists.

 

The cookie jar reefs and 1 gallon reefs fascinate me.

How does it work? I can't imagine what the flow would be. Possibly less then 10GPH. Do you need a filter? Please feel free to discus this I find it amazing.

 

Since its so small it should be quite the challenge. Since you only have less then a gallon of water to work with due to LR + sand. It must be impossible to keep stats acceptable.

[lutz123]

They are amazing, aren't they? I don't imagine it would be too tough, perhaps long term. I have a 3 gallon JBJ picotope that's running fine with the stock filter and lights. The flow is too low - perfect for a 1 gallon? I plan to upgrade, but everything is doing fine. I have some easy LPS, clove polyps, yellow clown goby, scarlet hermit, and some sexy shrimp. Live rock has great coralline. Water changes keep parameters in check but they are super easy with a large cup. SPS would make it more challenging but not terrible. That's not for me though. The same idea would work for 1 gallon. Salinity would be the biggest issue. Some people feed a dog twice a day - topoffs twice a day should be a cinch.

 

There are some pretty cool tiny ones people have kept. The nanoreefs site has some tank builds you could read.

[Mattiejay6]

Hey josh,

 

Have you seen this thread?

 

http://wamas.org/forums/topic/59688-reef-in-a-cookie-jar/?hl=%2Bcookie+%2Bjar

 

Lots of good info on cookie jar reef in there.. It's definitely cool...

Edited September 21, 2013 by Mattiejay6

[smallreef]

Hey rob...stfu! Why bring up nothing that has tondo with this thread....

 

Anyways,

So if I did the cookie jar or micro reef, I'd have to keep fish out of it..I'd just do some zoas and other easier LPS...then all you really need to do is have a lid and do a water change weekly...may have to top off in the middle of the week before the water change but not having a fish to over feed would help me,lol

[taiscici]

Josh,

I think the key for success here is water change. You can find the detail instruction in the above link. Although this look challenging I think this should be easy if you keep up with water change and keep things stable. I would reccomend no fish or maybe a really small one to start, also a good live rock that you can find for filtration. Good luck if you decide to give it a try.

[Origami]

I've never tried these but have seen them on videos and in the occasional thread. They really are pretty cool. Closing it off to manage evaporation may be a factor. The ones that I've seen seem to be loaded with live rock and very few higher-level animals that require much in the way of additional food input that requires you to add food. Remember: My theory is that most, if not all, of the energy to keep the biotope going should come from light if possible so that it becomes self-sustaining - otherwise managing detritus in such a packed container may become a problem. But, that's just a guess on one way to do this.

 

I'd be curious to know if anyone here has ever done these micro-biotopes or cookie jar reefs, and the challenges and advice they'd share.

[Origami]

Good link, taiscici!
 
Here's where I first became enthralled by these micro reefs (and where I got the notion that they were sealed - which, you've got to admit, is pretty cool):

 
The title on youtube is "1 gallon Reefbowl I, half gallon completely sealed SPS pico reef tank" and he writes,

"Each environment holds one gallon or less total saltwater volume, uses no water pumps or filters and houses delicate coral ecosystems replete with starfish, hard and soft corals, sandbeds with many fauna and years-long lifespan depending on hardware consistency. The square sealed environment on the left is my own personal invention and biodesign, but the aquarium comes from a petshop--it was meant to be a betta tank I just retrofitted it to work with saltwater. I paid a glass company to fabricate a custom sealed lid, totally my design idea- the first truly sealed reef aquarium that does not evaporate whatsoever. An internal subdivision behind the coral wall makes the oxygen...Never before this design has topoff been eliminated from the hobby (and the resulting SG shifts) much less at .75 total gallons."

He linked to here, where he talks about these systems. What's really amazing in the squared-up aquarium is that some the oxygen in this biotope is produced by the macroalgae in the back of the tank.
 

[kjamaya]

I've tried it once with a glass vase. I bought it at AC Moore and also purchased a clamp on LED. I kept only softies and a panda goby. It was a success for about a year. I have photos of it somewhere on my pc when I first started it. It was fun while it lasted.

[Origami]

I've tried it once with a glass vase. I bought it at AC Moore and also purchased a clamp on LED. I kept only softies and a panda goby. It was a success for about a year. I have photos of it somewhere on my pc when I first started it. It was fun while it lasted.

How did it do and what do you think were the keys to maintaining it?

[Joshifer]

Every cool info links pics and videos everyone. I said I won't be doing it but now I'm tempted to stick some live rock in some kind of jar and walk away from it for 2 months then stick some gsp in there and see what happens lol

[Joshifer]

I've tried it once with a glass vase. I bought it at AC Moore and also purchased a clamp on LED. I kept only softies and a panda goby. It was a success for about a year. I have photos of it somewhere on my pc when I first started it. It was fun while it lasted.

What so you mean while it lasted? Everything died?

[TheyCallMeMr.703]

WOW     IF YOU ALL COULD SEE THE SMILE ON MY FACE....      

[kjamaya]

I've tried it once with a glass vase. I bought it at AC Moore and also purchased a clamp on LED. I kept only softies and a panda goby. It was a success for about a year. I have photos of it somewhere on my pc when I first started it. It was fun while it lasted.

WOW     IF YOU ALL COULD SEE THE SMILE ON MY FACE....      

Soooooo......

I used one of these filters with chemipure elite and took off the nozzle of the filter so the water will shot straight up for gas exchange.

www.viaaquaoceanpure.com/pumps/ViaAqua_internalpump.html

And a heater similar to this, rated upto 5g

reefbuilders.com/2011/09/29/fluval-edge-nano-heater/

I positioned both filter and heater in the middle back of the vase and aquascaped around it.

For lighting I used this guy,

www.championlighting.com/product.php?productid=28103&cat=1594&page=2

And added a 4" sand bed.

I left the top open for evaporation and topped it off every day so prepare for that. ..

 

After about a year of having it my panda goby got bigger and fatter, corals grew and took over, and parameters were in check. The only issue I had was the salinity because of the evaporation.

I could of added an ato but as it was on my desk I just maintained a 20oz dasani bottle full at all time.

Looking back, the only thing I would do differently is to add a ato unit. As I only kept softies there was need for dosing or skimming. Water changes, I did every 3 days and should of done them every 2 weeks, and lastly DO NOT feed corals or fish anything not naturally made by him himself.

[Joshifer]

Soooooo......

I used one of these filters with chemipure elite and took off the nozzle of the filter so the water will shot straight up for gas exchange.

www.viaaquaoceanpure.com/pumps/ViaAqua_internalpump.html

And a heater similar to this, rated upto 5g

reefbuilders.com/2011/09/29/fluval-edge-nano-heater/

I positioned both filter and heater in the middle back of the vase and aquascaped around it.

For lighting I used this guy,

www.championlighting.com/product.php?productid=28103&cat=1594&page=2

And added a 4" sand bed.

I left the top open for evaporation and topped it off every day so prepare for that. ..

After about a year of having it my panda goby got bigger and fatter, corals grew and took over, and parameters were in check. The only issue I had was the salinity because of the evaporation.

I could of added an ato but as it was on my desk I just maintained a 20oz dasani bottle full at all time.

Looking back, the only thing I would do differently is to add a ato unit. As I only kept softies there was need for dosing or skimming. Water changes, I did every 3 days and should of done them every 2 weeks, and lastly DO NOT feed corals or fish anything not naturally made by him himself.

I'm gonna try it in a few months once I start trimming back my gsp and whatever else I decide on. I wanna do it in something odd. Like a empty vodka bottle. The neck will be too narrow unless I cut the top off clean and carefully glue it back after.

Or one or those giant display purfume bottles. Chanel no5 reef ^_^

[Origami]

I'm gonna try it in a few months once I start trimming back my gsp and whatever else I decide on. I wanna do it in something odd. Like a empty vodka bottle. The neck will be too narrow unless I cut the top off clean and carefully glue it back after.

Or one or those giant display purfume bottles. Chanel no5 reef ^_^

Interesting idea, but maintenance may be really tough if you can't easily access the insides.

 

Over the next several months, you'll begin to get a sense and understanding of what you need to do to maintain a reasonably stable and receptive environment for some marine life. That experience will be the base that you use as you branch out into other, more challenging biotopes. The other thing I want you to remember, Josh, is that it doesn't take much failure to undermine and undo a whole lot of success where our spirits are concerned. Ask anyone here who's both passionate and who has also suffered some major loss event how hard it was on them. So, my advice to you in these early months is take small, planned steps that are designed to succeed and build you up. It's like elementary school that way: Start with your ABC's and counting to 10 and build from there. Just like reading, once you've got the basics, an explosion of possibilities will open in front of you.

[kjamaya]

Yeah don't do that josh....

Understand its not about being the 1st to do this or that, its about maintaining and growing something that only nature can...

You're only going to harm your self buddy.

[Joshifer]

Yeah don't do that josh....

Understand its not about being the 1st to do this or that, its about maintaining and growing something that only nature can...

You're only going to harm your self buddy.

Oh I'm not doing it. Just storming up ideas. Edited September 22, 2013 by Joshifer