1.5 gallon nano reef tank a bad idea?

[drizcol]

its setting up a 1.5 gallon nano reef tank a bad idea? I bought a glass square container at world market and its about 1.5 gallons. Im trying to figure out if its even possiable to set up. I would need lights and tiny heater and tiny filter of some kind. if its possiable please let me know.
I have a 13watt ott light that would work for lighting but Im not sure if thats enough.
Before I start this project I would like to get a few ideas of how it could work!
here is the container I found.

 

[scsinet]

"bad idea" is really a matter of opinion.
I personally wouldn't try it...
But I've seen it done successfully.
If you know what you are doing, and you take things very consertatively... I.E. ONE VERY SMALL FISH if any fish at all, it could be done. It's just a matter of understanding that the smaller the tanks get, the smaller each maintenance task gets, true, but the more frequently maintenance tasks have to take place.
As for the matter of opinion... if this is your first tank or only reef tank, then I'd call it a bad idea. 1.5g is not a good starter tank, and unless you have an established larger reef going somewhere else nearby to use for an emergency place to put things if something goes wrong, an emergency source of water, etc, you have no safety net.

 

[chipmaker]

I myself am a PICO fanatic. And what size yur talking about does not fit i the NANO size its actually a PICO size tank. Go for it.its very doable. I have em down to 3 quarts in capacity and at one time had em in a 1 quart container as well. Not much needed for filter, but the Aqua Clear Mini-20 is superb for a pico or nano hob type filter. I would go for seachems 25 watt submersible heater if a heater is needed.....stay away from the uncontrlled mat or other submersible heaters as they can slowly boil yur tank. They maintain a water temp of 3 to 5 deg higher than surrounding temp. So when lights and such heat up yur water they auto matically try and heat it up another couple of degree's higher, and it never ends......Those unregulated heaters can not be left without worrying about. Seachems are good and have a thermostat control. Fit good i most small tanks.
I would use a large nice piece of live rock and a sand bed no deeper than 1" preferably with live sand from a established tank would be good.....
Another suitable hob filter is the Azoo Palm filter or nano filters buyt they are not anywhere near as good as a Aqua Clear Mini-20 for that size.
13 watts will do lots for you and provide ampole illumination for leathers, zoos, shrooms and even frogspawn Do water changes once a week or every other week and it wil be just fine. The yellow clown goby is a fine fish for a small tank as is a yasha hasha goby with a pistol shrimp. Sexy shrimp do well in the smaller pico tanks as well. Peppermints and skunk cleaners grow to large and can be problems in small tanks.....sexy and pistols do fine. Cerith snails are better as well as they do not get that large like a turbo does, and even the bumble bee snails work fine, along with a nassarius or so.
That container looks like the contaiers they sell in World Bazaar for candles. Its kind of tall and not much width to it , but it should be just fine. Afterall I kept a pico reef in a 1 quart brandy snifter for close to two years with a pair of sexy shrimp and it did fine.

 

[xdave]

That vase has too low of a surface area to volume ratio. It will be very difficult to sustain a dissolved oxygen level high enough to support any life.

 

[drizcol]

thanks for the info and concern. I currently have a 90 gal reef that has beed doing really well for over a year and I pretty much have the same RO water system that you have set up. I acctually used your help when I was originally setting it up.
i think i might try the tiny tank.
thanks again!
Originally Posted by SCSInet
"bad idea" is really a matter of opinion.
I personally wouldn't try it...
But I've seen it done successfully.
If you know what you are doing, and you take things very consertatively... I.E. ONE VERY SMALL FISH if any fish at all, it could be done. It's just a matter of understanding that the smaller the tanks get, the smaller each maintenance task gets, true, but the more frequently maintenance tasks have to take place.
As for the matter of opinion... if this is your first tank or only reef tank, then I'd call it a bad idea. 1.5g is not a good starter tank, and unless you have an established larger reef going somewhere else nearby to use for an emergency place to put things if something goes wrong, an emergency source of water, etc, you have no safety net.

 

[drizcol]

Thanks a ton for the great info and filter, heater sugestions!!!
Im pretty sure Im going to try it out!
im going to look into the pricing on that stuff! any sugestions an where to look for the best prices? you IM me my aim screen name is collidemedia or email me at drizcol@wi.rr.com.
Thanks
Sean
Originally Posted by chipmaker
I myself am a PICO fanatic. And what size yur talking about does not fit i the NANO size its actually a PICO size tank. Go for it.its very doable. I have em down to 3 quarts in capacity and at one time had em in a 1 quart container as well. Not much needed for filter, but the Aqua Clear Mini-20 is superb for a pico or nano hob type filter. I would go for seachems 25 watt submersible heater if a heater is needed.....stay away from the uncontrlled mat or other submersible heaters as they can slowly boil yur tank. They maintain a water temp of 3 to 5 deg higher than surrounding temp. So when lights and such heat up yur water they auto matically try and heat it up another couple of degree's higher, and it never ends......Those unregulated heaters can not be left without worrying about. Seachems are good and have a thermostat control. Fit good i most small tanks.
I would use a large nice piece of live rock and a sand bed no deeper than 1" preferably with live sand from a established tank would be good.....
Another suitable hob filter is the Azoo Palm filter or nano filters buyt they are not anywhere near as good as a Aqua Clear Mini-20 for that size.
13 watts will do lots for you and provide ampole illumination for leathers, zoos, shrooms and even frogspawn Do water changes once a week or every other week and it wil be just fine. The yellow clown goby is a fine fish for a small tank as is a yasha hasha goby with a pistol shrimp. Sexy shrimp do well in the smaller pico tanks as well. Peppermints and skunk cleaners grow to large and can be problems in small tanks.....sexy and pistols do fine. Cerith snails are better as well as they do not get that large like a turbo does, and even the bumble bee snails work fine, along with a nassarius or so.
That container looks like the contaiers they sell in World Bazaar for candles. Its kind of tall and not much width to it , but it should be just fine. Afterall I kept a pico reef in a 1 quart brandy snifter for close to two years with a pair of sexy shrimp and it did fine.

 

[drizcol]

HI,
where does the desolved o2 level come from? I dont understand how the hight of 11.5 inches is too tall to effect o2 levels.
the dimentions are 5.25 x 5.25 x 11.5
thanks
Sean
Originally Posted by xDave
That vase has too low of a surface area to volume ratio. It will be very difficult to sustain a dissolved oxygen level high enough to support any life.

 

[bojik]

Originally Posted by DRIZCOL
HI,
where does the desolved o2 level come from? I dont understand how the hight of 11.5 inches is too tall to effect o2 levels.
the dimentions are 5.25 x 5.25 x 11.5
thanks
Sean
You might invest in a tiny home made skimmer. Which I think would help a little with the dissolved O2. Though if you went with a longer shallower container you'd be able to keep more tiny coral frags.

 

[drizcol]

thanks! I definatly want a skimmer, I just have to figure out how it will work. have you seen any that would work? I think I might go to a few other places in the area that might have these nice vases and see if I can find something a little wider and shallower.
thanks
Sean
Originally Posted by Bojik
You might invest in a tiny home made skimmer. Which I think would help a little with the dissolved O2. Though if you went with a longer shallower container you'd be able to keep more tiny coral frags.

 

[bojik]

Theres some old threads in the archives in the DIY section do a search there are a few good nano designs in there.

 

[theappe]

Just outta curiousity, what are you planning on keepin?

 

[chipmaker]

The thing of condern with that container is its height as compared to its surface area. Lots of height as compared to surface area availablility to allow for gasseous exchange of O2, but for perhaps a goby shrimp pair of a couploe of sexy shrimp provided yu do water changes I do not see any reaon it will not work.

 

[drizcol]

I pretty much want to have maybe a couple of small shrip and one fish like a clown goby or something, possiable a pom pom crab and some small corals and obviously liverock. I would just like something small on my desktop since I spend a lot of time in my home office. I also wanted to spend the least amount of money. If anything goes wrong I have my 90 gal reef that I can use for a safty. If I find a differnt container that is shorter and wider Ill probably get it and use this one as a vase for my wife or something. Now its just a matter of finneding the smallest heater and submersable filter and skimmer. I found a post on another website that looked pretty interesting. I might scrap this whole glass vase thing and do somthing similar to that. I dont think they like links to other sites here but we will see what happens.
i like the one marked mantis tank.
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/inde...owtopic=107467

 

[bojik]

Try small peices of tonga branch like live rock for some of the LR in it. IMO that would look and work well. I wish you luck in your endeavor.

 

[drizcol]

Thanks! I will post pics once I get everything going! I would really like some sugestions on skimming and submerged filters if anyone has any!
Thanks!
Originally Posted by Bojik
Try small peices of tonga branch like live rock for some of the LR in it. IMO that would look and work well. I wish you luck in your endeavor.

 

[bojik]

The back filters people have mentioned earlier are good choices. ANd on something that small the water changes should suffice enough without a skimmer if you use restraint when feeding.