Something for my office

[Robb in Austin]

I just realized I have a perfect spot for a nano tank in my office. I may have a 10g laying around that I can use, but not sure. I know I have a few 2-5g tanks but don't want anything that small.

I'd want something low maintenance so nothing too fancy. Would need a light of some type, small powerhead, and filter I'm guessing.

Thoughts?

[+Capt. Obvious]

Four (five?) words: Mr. Aqua 12 gallon long

throw an aquaclear on it

a koralia nano and a BML light

[(Bio)³]

Eco pico or an aqua styles 4 like I have in the corner.

Put a bumble bee shrimp in and anytime you find asterina stars in the big tank grab them and throw them in. Never have to feed the shrimp that way.

[jestep]

I would do an AIO. Keep the fish stocking really low, and go with hardier coral that don't require perfect water conditions.

Not sure what your office setup is, but it's a pain to do water changes, and people tend to stare when you're hauling buckets outside to dump. I had one for a while and it was nice but I ultimately took it down as it was just a pain to deal with at the office.

[Juiceman]

I failed epicly with a 10g tank. My 20L is doing very well but that's not exactly a pico.

[mFrame]

I'm running a 3g pico on my desk at work. Water changes are a snap with the Super Big Gulp cup I keep in a desk drawer. Scoop out a cup, refill from the gallon jug of salt water I keep under the desk.

[+Capt. Obvious]

I'm running a 3g pico on my desk at work. Water changes are a snap with the Super Big Gulp cup I keep in a desk drawer. Scoop out a cup, refill from the gallon jug of salt water I keep under the desk.

just ensure you never mistake the cup for an actual drinking vessel

[Robb in Austin]

I failed epicly with a 10g tank. My 20L is doing very well but that's not exactly a pico.

Care to share details on the failure.

Do you have a build thread on the 20?

Just saw the thread.

[esacjack]

my 10g aio is very stable. Also, the mr.aqua 7.5 cube is an AWESOME tank, paired with a par38 or dimmable diy..

[Juiceman]

I failed epicly with a 10g tank. My 20L is doing very well but that's not exactly a pico.

Care to share details on the failure.

Do you have a build thread on the 20?

Just saw the thread.

I think what caused all the Cyano and Algae was overfeeding, overstocking, and overlighting.

[JamesL]

I think this thread is just an excuse to say you now have an office

[Robb in Austin]

The more I think about it, the more I like the 20L idea.

For those of you with office tanks, what's your routine as far as maintenance goes?

I was thinking weekly water changes on Friday but worry about no light all weekend causing trouble. My office is inside but we do keep a few hallway lights on so it might be ok. And the tank would sit right by the door.

It would be low tech, low demand corals. Got a line on a Tunze nano skimmer so that would help.

Some zoas, rics, and some other stuff. Some snails, a few fish, and not much else.

[mFrame]

I do my maintenance on Friday afternoon before I head out. A quick water change and then drop in some food pellets. The top of my tank is covered so evaporation isn't a huge issue. The small LED fixture is on a timer, so everything gets light over the weekend. On a 3g I've found no need for a skimmer, but I do run a spray wand that keeps the surface agitated. Zoas, Palys, Colt coral, mushrooms and some snails all do well. My favorite inhabitants have been sexy shrimp, emerald crabs (they see me come in, run to my side of the glass and start waving their claws for nori). I had a tailspot blenny that knew who I was as well.

The great thing is that everyone in the office comes by to see the tank, so there's never a shortage of people to feed it when I go on vacation. That would be my biggest concern for you, wanting to take off a week or two each year. Make sure there's at least one person in the office who has enough interest and skill to cover for you. An office webcam pointed at the tank could be a good idea as well.

[Robb in Austin]

Tank purchased, back painted. Got a line on a skimmer. Now for lights.

Looking at one of the following:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/290748415127?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300910382627?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/24-30-Aquarium-LED-Light-Lunar-Double-Bright-Fish-Tank-Reef-Capable-NEW-/290623271977

Any thoughts?

Looking for something that can sit on the tank as I don't have a lot of vertical height, don't want a ton of spill over from an LED hanging or want to keep SPS/clams/nems.

[esacjack]

what tank did you go with after all? Why dont you just go with a par38? or pico twentyk? or a makersled DIY. *cough* ledgroupbuy.com *cough* makersled.com *cough*

[Robb in Austin]

20L.

Figured the PAR38's would be too much, need to be mounted higher than I can do.

Me+DIY=not so much.

Plus, trying to do this on a semi-budget. Not looking to spend $2-300 on a fixture for an office tank.

[esacjack]

par38 with 90's might work for you. But you could always just take the optics shroud off completely and run without optics. The LEDTric is pretty cheap (I own the pico twenty k and par38 zooman).

I must admit, its hard to beat the price of the ebay t5's. I have a DIY over my 7.5, and a par38 over my picotope at the house. But I've bought several lights from topdogsellers for my frag tank (your second link), and I have -zero- complaints. Works great! And it was dirt cheap.. Oh wait, I did have one complaint. I bought the 36x2 version of what you're looking at, it had a bit of vibration noise from my tank, but a bit of scotch tape fixed it up

The maintenance on my office tank used to be;

Weds - Feed

Fri - Water Test / Water Change as needed

Mon - Water Test - Check Salinity - Record weekly Temp average

New Maintenance schedule;

Friday - Feed tank

Water change every two weeks if needed (10%)

Every 4th friday, swap out RO/DI ATO jugs.

After introducing a starfish to my office tank, the substrate was spotless, constantly. A key element to office tanks, is not to feed as often as youd feed your home reef. I feed once a week. I take LPS Pellets added to some RODI, and 1/8th teaspoon of coral frenzy. If you have access to a fridge, you can premix the stuff in bulk inside one of those transparent ketchup bottles you see at picnics. The office tanks worst enemy is salinity and temperature. (IME)

[Robb in Austin]

Thanks for the info!

Not real sure how to do the ATO, other than manually.

By temprature do you mean the office is too cold for the tank to stay in range?

[esacjack]

well in my office building they shut off the A/C on the weekends, so i have to be cautious of heat. During the day our office is set to 65 degrees. So my heater runs a bit during the early morning hours when its coldest in the building. But based on my RKL, i've maintained a stable 78.00 degrees since implementing a fan/heater.

[Robb in Austin]

And so it begins.

That's the view from my desk.

[JamesL]

You should turn the bed so it faces the tank

[Robb in Austin]

The light is a T5 4x24w Odyssea I got off Ebay. I've got some ATI bulbs coming in to replace the el cheapos that came with the fixture.

Flow is a K2. Going to pick up a small Aquaclear HOB for running carbon/gfo and added flow.

Caribsea Fiji pink sand.

Added some zoa rocks I got from Bio3. One of my orange legged hermits hitch hiked over this morning on the big rock.

Figure I'll give it a few weeks before I add any fish. Gonna go with a six line, royal gramma, and maybe a shrimp/goby combo.

[esacjack]

lookin mighty fine sir. MY-T-FINE INDEED.

[Robb in Austin]

Added 2 more rocks over the last month, and another is coming. I added a six line wrasse and a starry blenny yesterday, with a royal gramma coming later this week(hopefully).

I'll post pics soon.

[Robb in Austin]

As of 7/24/13