"Brain Coral" - 1/2 container contest reef.

[Schg]

I'm not sure there are many people who have nano tanks on WAMAS, but for those who do you may also frequent Nano-Reef. There is a pico reef contest on there where you specifically have to use a container that is not normally considered an aquarium, and I decided to think a little outside of the box with this one. Welcome to my 1/2 gallon pico head reef!

 

 

There are a few challenges I will have to overcome, beyond the difficulties of maintaining such a small aquarium. The first is that I cannot modify the container itself, so drilling the top for a lid and then sealing off the bottom wasn't an option, although I would have loved to have been able to do that.

 

I do have a plan that I am hoping will work, which requires me to lay the head on its side and seal it up. I purchased a 3.5" cork online (should be here today), which I will hopefully be able to use to seal up the head and everything inside. In order to fill and drain the tank to work on it, I will be cutting a small hole into the cork to allow for airline tubing and the cable for a small powerhead. I am hoping to keep this hole as flush as possible to prevent leaks, but I may have to silicone everything in place instead. This may end up failing entirely, but I will do everything I can to make it work. *&#@ty drawing of my idea:

 

 

The other issue I will have to deal with is the clarity of the glass itself. The inside is smooth as can be, but the outside has that kind of "recycled" glass texture to it. I have already tried hand buffing it with emory, with some success, but I ended up getting a small packet of Cerium Oxide. I am going to use this to try to buff it out further, and see if I can just increase the clarity of the glass a tiny bit. Having the head on its side facing up helps, as the side is the most clear part of it.

 

For equipment, I am just going to be using a small powerhead, a cheapo ABI Tuna Blue par30, and possibly an Aqueon mini heater on an Inkbird controller.

 

Enjoy for now, and wish me luck! The prizes are pretty phenomenal.

[YHSublime]

Neat!

[Origami]

Very cool. I love the concept and the look.

 

The way you have it drawn, though - won't the cut in the cork have to be at the high water mark? Otherwise, the water will leak out. Silicone would help, I guess. Also, access for maintenance (cleaning, adding or removing something, etc.) looks like it would be tough. Pop the cork and you lose water. Tip the head and everything tumbles. How do you think you might resolve these challenges?

[Schg]

Neat!

 

Thanks!

 

Very cool. I love the concept and the look.

 

The way you have it drawn, though - won't the cut in the cork have to be at the high water mark? Otherwise, the water will leak out. Silicone would help, I guess. Also, access for maintenance (cleaning, adding or removing something, etc.) looks like it would be tough. Pop the cork and you lose water. Tip the head and everything tumbles. How do you think you might resolve these challenges?

 

Thanks! I have a few ideas regarding this, and I am actually waiting on clarification of the rules for one of my ideas to work. The one thing I know I will be doing no matter what, just because I have to seal the head somehow, is drain the tank before opening and fill after closing. I will have tubing running into the head that I can use to siphon water out prior to opening, complete my maintenance, and then fill it back up after I seal it up again.

 

I am hoping I can just leave the cork alone and drill a small hole at the top of the neck to run everything in, and silicone around the cables / tubing. I still have to worry about water leaking, but a small hole int he neck is likely easier to deal with than anything in the cork.

 

Any ideas you all have would be great to hear!

[YHSublime]

Why don't you do an upside down reef head? It would be easier.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Origami]

 

Any ideas you all have would be great to hear!

 

I was thinking about drilling the cork and inserting several pieces of glass tubing, one of which was bent so that it curved up toward a high point inside the head. This would be your air vent to allow air from your airstone out.  Because it reached high up in the head, it would allow you to have water in the tank just about to that level. Cleaning and utility passage for electric, air and such remain open challenges if you want to make a system that's maintainable.

 

Also, just thought of this: Because it's got such irregular curves, once algae starts growing on the inner surface,  it's going to be a challenge to clean up.

[Schg]

Why don't you do an upside down reef head? It would be easier.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

I was thinking about drilling the cork and inserting several pieces of glass tubing, one of which was bent so that it curved up toward a high point inside the head. This would be your air vent to allow air from your airstone out.  Because it reached high up in the head, it would allow you to have water in the tank just about to that level. Cleaning and utility passage for electric, air and such remain open challenges if you want to make a system that's maintainable.

 

Also, just thought of this: Because it's got such irregular curves, once algae starts growing on the inner surface,  it's going to be a challenge to clean up.

 

So I originally didn't want to do the head upside down because it looked weird to me, although it is clearly the easiest solution. This was when I had the head facing directly toward me. Now that I have more or less decided to view the head from the side, this option seems more appealing.

 

I also received the cork in, and it is just too tight to fit properly without modifying, which I feel could be a waste of time. I think I may just give in and change the orientation.

[Schg]

Well, I took the easy way out:

 

At least this makes some things easier, and opens up a few different opportunities. I also built this little stand / holder real quick, which will be filled with sand. I am going to be making a matching light fixture as well.

[Origami]

Maybe, when you aquascape it, you need to think upside down. Then, just flip the picture when you post it to nano-reef. 

[Schg]

Maybe, when you aquascape it, you need to think upside down. Then, just flip the picture when you post it to nano-reef. 

I should have made the stand look like a hat!

 

Got part of my light done, need to hang it and mount the actual socket. Also filled the stand with sand. I'm not filling the container yet as I still need to work on the clarity a little bit, although I have made some progress with it.

 

 

 

 

 

Going to buy one of the ABI par bulbs off Amazon tomorrow, just not sure which one yet...

[wildcrazyjoker81]

Have you looked into the PAR light from 21ledusa yet? Might be worth a shot as I know their reefpro bars have been given fairly good reviews thus far.

https://www.21ledusa.com/category_s/1842.htm

[treesprite]

Am I the only one who can't not think brain coral?

[Schg]

Have you looked into the PAR light from 21ledusa yet? Might be worth a shot as I know their reefpro bars have been given fairly good reviews thus far.

https://www.21ledusa.com/category_s/1842.htm

 

I already ordered the ABI Tuna Blue off Amazon, but that light looks sweet! Trying to keep this low budget, so I may have passed anyway, as I have only spent $25 on this build so far.

 

Am I the only one who can't not think brain coral?

 

Hah, that is the title of the build! I don't know if I will be doing much LPS in here though, to be honest. We will see!

[Schg]

Was able to get some more done on the light fixture, just waiting on the bulb to come on now:

 

I will have to figure out how to hang it still, but I am sure I can come up with something.

[Schg]

Received my light today! ABI 12W Tuna Blue PAR38

 

 

 

Pretty good job on my part with the fixture, considering I didn't have a bulb to actually go off of in person. I had to use the measurements online while building.

 

 

 

AND the tank is filled!!

 

 

I'm probably going to remove a little live rock, but you can at least see the clarity issue here:

 

 

Definitely worse on the face:

 

[treesprite]

I had a dream about this crazy thing last night. First time I ever dreamed about someone else's tank project. I really hope you win the contest.

[YHSublime]

I think the clarity issue add's to it's uniqueness. 

 

Keep on keeping on. 

[treesprite]

+1

 

I think putting something wavy in there would combine with the effect to make a cool visual display.

[Schg]

I had a dream about this crazy thing last night. First time I ever dreamed about someone else's tank project. I really hope you win the contest.

Hahah, this is the best response ever! I hope I win too, and I will try not to dissappoint. I just have to somehow manage stocking my display tank and this at the same time without pissing my wife off.

[Schg]

I think the clarity issue add's to it's uniqueness. 

 

Keep on keeping on. 

 

 

+1

 

I think putting something wavy in there would combine with the effect to make a cool visual display.

 

 

I think you're both right, and I do plan on at least adding some pulsing Xenia since I refuse to put it in my actual tank. I will see what else I can add that would be easy and give some movement.

[Schg]

PS: Finished my light mounting setup, excuse the messy wiring. I am waiting on my buddy to give me his old ReefKeeper Lite for this tank, so I can actually have a heater without cooking it. I should just buy a temp controller, as it would be nice to have the RKL on my main tank!

 

 

 

[Bruleyii]

I may have missed up, but are you capping the top or leaving it open. If you are capping the top, will enough light get through?

[Viktoriia]

Very cool idea. What are you thinking of putting inside? What about a tube anenome?

[Schg]

I may have missed up, but are you capping the top or leaving it open. If you are capping the top, will enough light get through?

 

I have a temporary glass lid on it from another jar, but I want something that I can run my cables under without it sitting funny. I don't think light penetration will be much of an issue, as my light is pretty over-powered for this tank. It's a fine balance between slowing evaporation and allowing gas exchange properly.

 

Very cool idea. What are you thinking of putting inside? What about a tube anenome?

 

Thanks! I'm mostly going to fill it with soft corals, but may do some acans or favia. I don't really want anything too demanding, and would prefer to not have to feed anything. Tube anemones are cool, but I don't think this would be a great environment for one.

[treesprite]

I would consider doing pompom xenia, 2 or 3 heads duncan, tiny green toadstool, and small piece of a thin branched gorgonian. Not anything encrusting, because if it starts growing in the curves you may never get rid of it.