Question about very small nano

[Anonymous]

I am tinkering around with the idea of starting a small tank, maybe 1-2 gallons, and I am wondering if it is necessary to have the tank sealed up like I see most of the very small ones to prevent evaportation. If my tank is setup with a sump and an auto top off in the stand that its in would a cover be necessary?


Also, would airborne pollutants be more of a concern with a tank that size as compared with my larger tank?

 

[Anonymous]

I'm running a 1 gal without a top, 18w PC and a fan running 24/7 because of air temps 80F & 90F weather. Topoffs are done twice a day and at the most consist of 24oz of water for the day.
Pollution is a concern with all tanks, smaller tanks more so, so smoking, etc should be kept to a minimum.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[Anonymous]

well, there is no smoking here, and no sprayed pollutants because of our parrot, the worst thing would be dust, cat dander, and the occasional feather

So the top is not essential.

Now, for the next part of the idea twittering around in my empty head

it has to be a bowl shaped tank, sort of like a goldfish bowl. The water inlet will have to be on the very bottom because I want it very clean looking from every side.

The outlet will be over the edge of the bowl. In other words the return from the sump will fill the bowl which will overflow and run down the sides of the bowl into the stand and down to the sump.

So, it will be a very open tank

Any problems with that?

 

[Anonymous]

well, there is no smoking here, and no sprayed pollutants because of our parrot, the worst thing would be dust, cat dander, and the occasional feather

Cat hair is a problem, I get it in mine quite a bit.

So the top is not essential.

Nope.

Now, for the next part of the idea twittering around in my empty head

it has to be a bowl shaped tank, sort of like a goldfish bowl. The water inlet will have to be on the very bottom because I want it very clean looking from every side.

The outlet will be over the edge of the bowl. In other words the return from the sump will fill the bowl which will overflow and run down the sides of the bowl into the stand and down to the sump.

So, it will be a very open tank

Any problems with that?

I originally wanted to do a goldfish bowl or a candy jar but I couldn't find one spur of the moment.
What are you going to use for circulation, surface aggitation?

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[Anonymous]

I was thinking of making a custom outlet for the water that would sit on the bottom of the bowl under neath any rock. So the water would enter at the very bottom of the bowl and rise to the top. Then run over the edge, down into the bowl shaped depression in the stand. It would then be channelled into a hose and pour into a small sump tank. In the sump tank there would be one of Matt's very small pvc skimmers and maybe a filter pad (that would have to be changed very regularly, but needs to be used to eliminate air bubbles returning to the bowl) It would come out of the sump tank to a pump which would pump it back up to the bottom of the bowl. The only way to set that up due to the pump return being on the bottom would be to use a checkvalve unfortunately.

Anyway, the picture in my head looks more like a small work of art on a hourglass shaped stand sort of.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Knuck,
Inland Aqatics has a very nice clam tank, not circlular or fishbowled, but it is almost the same concept. Water overflows the outside and is pumped back in threw a pipe/glass cylindar in the middle of the tank. Very cool set up.

I wish I could find one of those "Mall Glassblowers" guys, I've wanted to do one of those for quite some time now. I've even been trying to find a vase or something similar, to drill and play with.

 

[Anonymous]

I have seen pictures of a couple of those tanks.

One thing that concerns me and I probably won't be able to test it until I find the bowl is whether or not the view would be too distorted with water running over the outside.

 

[Jolieve]

knucklehead, check Michael's and other craft stores for 1-2 gallon vases. You would be surprised what you can find. A friend of mine found a five gallon glass "planter" in the shape of a brandy snifter for her betta.

Also.. I have a problem with dog hair getting into my tanks. I run all of them with screens or covers in place, but when my dog explodes in fall and spring, I am always finding dog hair collecting in the tank on the sand somewhere. *sigh* The joys of pet ownership!

J.

 

[Anonymous]

I have seen pictures of a couple of those tanks.

One thing that concerns me and I probably won't be able to test it until I find the bowl is whether or not the view would be too distorted with water running over the outside.

Yes, that is a problem, it would have to be a "view from the top" type tank. But it's still "kewl"! 8)

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Interesting idea Kuncklehead. Have you thought about how to address the coraline build up/film algae issue on the curved glass?

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, the same way Brandon does his. toothbrushes, dentil pik, curved pieces of credit cards, infinite patience


or a drop or two of bleach....