Nano build for a high school

derpychicken777

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Hi guys! Back in the area of my old high school, and I’m setting up a small saltwater tank as well as a larger neocaridinia shrimp tank to stay in my bio teacher’s classroom for future students to look at. I want to say it’s a 3 gallon container but I’m not too sure. It has the crappy little LEDs on top, and most likely this tank will never get a water change, only top offs. I’ll probably rely on turf algae and hair algae as main nutrient removal, and the current inhabitants are some aptasia. Some issues though:

Filter: not sure what to use. Currently there is an HOB filter motor in there
AB05AEAE-A146-40B5-A7BF-38C5BB63E07F.jpeg
A794FB20-1571-48F9-BE2A-2E68B97BDAB1.jpeg

I can either try a sponge filter, but I would like some movement to keep the aptasia wavy. If I use this motor, I’d have to DIY a filter around it, and if I used a full HOB I wouldn’t be able to fit on the lid, which would increase evaporation and I fear may increase maintenance.

Lighting: sunlight and this LED. Should be enough for aptasia but once again if i go the full HOB filter route I can’t really use this lid. Any ideas?
C180DD2A-B858-4B9E-BF7A-6A4C4B4E7E21.jpeg


Livestock: right now, just some aptasia. I’ll have to rely on algae for nutrient export. Would something like a really small snail or hermit crab do fine in here too? No fish for sure.
 

Gumbies R Us

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Hi guys! Back in the area of my old high school, and I’m setting up a small saltwater tank as well as a larger neocaridinia shrimp tank to stay in my bio teacher’s classroom for future students to look at. I want to say it’s a 3 gallon container but I’m not too sure. It has the crappy little LEDs on top, and most likely this tank will never get a water change, only top offs. I’ll probably rely on turf algae and hair algae as main nutrient removal, and the current inhabitants are some aptasia. Some issues though:

Filter: not sure what to use. Currently there is an HOB filter motor in there
AB05AEAE-A146-40B5-A7BF-38C5BB63E07F.jpeg
A794FB20-1571-48F9-BE2A-2E68B97BDAB1.jpeg

I can either try a sponge filter, but I would like some movement to keep the aptasia wavy. If I use this motor, I’d have to DIY a filter around it, and if I used a full HOB I wouldn’t be able to fit on the lid, which would increase evaporation and I fear may increase maintenance.

Lighting: sunlight and this LED. Should be enough for aptasia but once again if i go the full HOB filter route I can’t really use this lid. Any ideas?
C180DD2A-B858-4B9E-BF7A-6A4C4B4E7E21.jpeg


Livestock: right now, just some aptasia. I’ll have to rely on algae for nutrient export. Would something like a really small snail or hermit crab do fine in here too? No fish for sure.
Neat idea having a nano in a classroom, give students something to look at that's for sure
 
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D

derpychicken777

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Update on the progress: two tanks, a 10 falling nano reef and a 3 gallon aptasia tank. Still looking for a powerhead though.

3gallon aptasia:
FB8E27B2-81A5-41F3-B173-0098B607956E.jpeg
4B4D8164-F802-4516-9E08-32E49F64F7A0.jpeg


10 gallon nano:
CFA49F4F-634C-415D-9AC6-A3B785F5D7F0.jpeg

C8D2DBC1-1F88-471E-96DF-D37268746704.jpeg

clove polyps? Wood cloves? Not exactly sure what these are.
88E7D5C8-E2F9-4FD8-A27E-5143086F0669.jpeg

macroalgae growing rather fast
 

ireneealbrams

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Update on the progress: two tanks, a 10 falling nano reef and a 3 gallon aptasia tank. Still looking for a powerhead though.

3gallon aptasia:
FB8E27B2-81A5-41F3-B173-0098B607956E.jpeg
4B4D8164-F802-4516-9E08-32E49F64F7A0.jpeg


10 gallon nano:
CFA49F4F-634C-415D-9AC6-A3B785F5D7F0.jpeg

C8D2DBC1-1F88-471E-96DF-D37268746704.jpeg

clove polyps? Wood cloves? Not exactly sure what these are.
88E7D5C8-E2F9-4FD8-A27E-5143086F0669.jpeg

macroalgae growing rather fast
This looks like a very good thing, I am now also looking for the alternative to the filter to make it for my school, the problem is there is no water change there, I think I will do the same, thanks for sharing! Besides that I can't help but notice that I was inspired to make this build by this source https://graduateway.com/essay-examples/heart-of-darkness/ because Heart of Darkness is a very interesting piece of writing that inspires me very much and I would like to carry this over into the water tank I am going to make. Would you ever try to make something based on an idea from the book? Because it seems like a pretty good idea. Furthermore, I'm going to need a rather large piece of glass, you don't know where I could order this from, as there are few companies that are willing to do this with adequate money.
 
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Eric R.

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This looks like a very good thing, I am now also looking for the alternative to the filter to make it for my school, the problem is there is no water change there, I think I will do the same, thanks for sharing!

I'm running a filterless 20 Long aqueon aquarium in my basement with macroalgae, xenia, a leather coral, and a pair of black and white stripe clownfish. Just a light, a heater, and one jaebo wave pump. Feed flake food twice a day, and a glass top to control evaporation. I don't have to top off at all.

I also have a Fluval Evo 13.5 mixed reef in my classroom, I top that one off manually 2-3 times a week. Just live rock for filtration (plus light, heater, and heater controller), and the return pump for water motion, though I'd like to add another wave pump . I had one on there, but I think the bearings went bad as it started making noise.
 

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