Nano Redo/Upgrade

[Sits Unafraid]

So to tell a ...tail....tale ahem.
Long story short, i've been assisting my mother move several times in the past
6 months, and she wanted me to pick something she could buy me for my service.
I told her (Jokingly at first) I wanted the New Apex for my Nano and ... well ummm like I said... long story short.

If you saw my intro post on here a few weeks ago I currently have a FOWLR with a Clown Goby.

To be fair..... these little tanks are in need of constant attention
So follow along and as I set up a possibly "Over Kill" Nano
I had already planed on converting this little stand (small dresser with drawers)
into a fully plumbed system.

On a side note. The craigslist (Fish Tank) creeping has already begun

 

[tiggs]

No need to explain a controller for a nano. Stability is much harder to accomplish with so little water volume, so I'd argue that monitoring and automation is almost more important on a smaller system for the sake of consistency. Coming from the guy with an Apex Gold and DOS hooked up to a 14G AIO nano lol.

 

[Sits Unafraid]

No need to explain a controller for a nano. Stability is much harder to accomplish with so little water volume, so I'd argue that monitoring and automation is almost more important on a smaller system for the sake of consistency. Coming from the guy with an Apex Gold and DOS hooked up to a 14G AIO nano lol.

right on. Well, looks like its all in from here on out now lol.

 

[Sits Unafraid]

So progress has been made. Unfortunately I have been trying to work much more quickly than I should ahnd havnet had the opportunity to to document as much as I would like, but the Desk top nano on a dresser with HOB filter has been plumbed into a legit reef tank.

First step was to ID materials I could use. I wanted to make the stand I had already work because size is perfect.
So I found an old an old acrylic paper display rack from work and discovered it would fit where I wanted it. I had a few ideas on the sump but ended up working much more simple due to space and an not taking certain aspects into account.

(stand partially gutted)

I then installed the baffles into the sump and made a removable input chamber.... (altered/unfinished do to size restrictions, as original plan would not allow enough room to remove the chamber after adding a rim to direct flow) *see later plumbing images

After another planning/dry fitting session I built a door for the face using a shadow box moulding to accommodate the sump which sticks out of the stand just a bit. and transferred everyone to a temporary residence

 

[juniorrocketdad]

I’m sure everyone with a nano has fantasized about pimping it out at one point or another.

Following along, looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

 

[Sits Unafraid]

It was time to drill the tank and install the little over flow box I had built. my plan was dual return pipes and sorta lazy hybrid overflow.

I know the subject has already been discussed many times but to reaffirm, the JBJ Nano Cube
12 does not have a tempered back and is drillable.

AND while this process was happening, i've been planning and working on a Paludarium at work

 

[Sits Unafraid]

This is the point where I slip up on the majority of documentation.
but I decided to go with soft plumbing for my returns for the time being.
I really need to upgrade my return pump, which is currently an older Mag 9 I believe and was purchased as a back up for an old skimmer. At that point I will probably choose to hard plumb the returns.

I also got my first RO/DI just for this project.
and while perusing the good old craigslist, I picked up a fluval spec 5 for $20

the light didnt come with it but the pump and filter work and there were some cheap plug and play LEDs that I used later. I figured this would make a good quarantine tank or even an ATO for now if need be. (whiskey decanter was not included)

As for the steps that I wasn't able to document. I painted the stand interior white with acrylic and drylock,
made a shelf out of acrylic, set up the Apex and got all the life support components up and running. the plumping had to adjusted a little again but seems to be flowing properly.

 

[Sits Unafraid]

So to bring us current.
The stand has been painted black (except for trim on door) and I constructed a temporary box to hold all the apex cords and components.
I will have to up my cable management game but this will do for now.
I forgot to mention that this system will not have a skimmer. I will be utilizing the main central chamber of the sump as a fuge for chaeto. and the removable tray will hold filter floss and carbon as necessary.

I canibalized the LEDs that came with the craigslist Fluval Spec for under cabinet lighting, and added chaeto
to the fuge chamber as well as a par38 LED as a fuge light. The sponge and carbon from my HOB
are currently sitting in the removable chamber.
I will still need to clean up plumbing a bit and will be tweaking things for a while, but the primary system
is up and running

Ive also created negative space within the rock work to tidy the design and allow for
flow and detritus removal. I should mention this will be just bare bottom and there is a piece of
white foam core board cut to shape under the tank which will reflect light from the bottom and has noticeably reduced shading.

I suppose the next step is to allow everything to stabilize and and then start the hunt for frags.

System Overview:
JBJ Nano Cube
AI Prime LED
Neptune Apex
DIY Sump
Fuge with chaeto and PAR38 light

Livestock:
Yellow Clown Goby - (Sir Reginald Arbuckle Chesterfield the III)
Bicolor Dottyback - (Lady of mysterious origins, Unamed )
Large Emerald Crab - (Admiral Oliver "Ironclaw" Rutherford)
{Note Inhabitants are fed frozen food with tongs to maintain civility amongst the population}
4-6 Turbo Snails

 

[Sits Unafraid]

So you may or may not have a seen my recent post about my failing return pump and back up, well I decided now would be an appropriate time to finagle the some soft plumbing as I’ve noticed a slow leak where the barb fittings are screwed into the bulkheads, sadly to say, replacing with the classier looking schedule 80 fittings did not help and also increased flow from my return so now I have a small amount of flow going into the emergency drain as well.
While I assume this issue will be solved with the new controllable DC octopus pump I ordered. Other terrible events have occurred.
While trying to take my AI prime off the tank, it took a dunk in the display and now...

I may start calling this my Murphy Build.
;Shifty ;Shifty ;Shifty

 

[Sits Unafraid]

So today was a trip to the fish place.
My intention was to buy a new AI Prime in or order to replace the one that jumped into the nano, but... plans change. Instead I’ll be using the ugly and obtrusive par 38 and T5 combo for the time being because I brought home...

My first corals. An generic non descript acro. Which I assume is just part of a local reefers frag donation. As well as a zoa frag (not pictured) all under $25 to test the waters.
But that’s not what sucked up the New light fund.
I found some glass I couldn’t resist.
I’m not saying new build eminent, but..
New build eminent!

 

[Janci]

Ok... if it is a new build, we will follow.But only if it is a new build.
Great thread!

 

[TatorTaco]

Do you have any concerns about it getting too hot or humid in the sump area?

 

[Sits Unafraid]

Do you have any concerns about it getting too hot or humid in the sump area?

I have more concerns about the temp than humidity. The stand actually allows a fair amount of air flow underneath because it’s elevated. But this is in my bedroom which is oddly the first register from the AC duct and is constantly cold which also helps drive down humidity. I have a fan I can plug in more airflow through the stand and plumbing outlets as well as the controller box which is open in the back. I’m somewhat ashamed that I don’t have permenant cover for the box yet, but things are a little up in the air with this build any ways.

 

[Sits Unafraid]

Well zoas finally found and area of flow that’s just right to open up, and they are even prettier at home then the were in the store

The random generic acro seems content at the top. Not exactly a stunning specimen but it’s fairly pretty from above. (difficult to show) Sir Reginald believes it to be his new observation post.


Also the bacteria bloom appears to have dissipated