10 gal reef flat

[the reef kid]

I do believe I've gone nuts...I'm gonna try and make something similar to the reef flat of a big barrier reef...in a 10 gallon tank. The thing about the reef flat is it's super harsh, the waves crashing over, all that sun...and the tides...which makes the tops of corals stick out of the water. My idea is to use pumps, float switches and a sump to make the "tides" go in and out. Basically, there will be 2 pumps (plus powerhead), one with the float switch right side up, the other upside down. One pump will pump out until the float switch is deactivated, then the other will start to pump the water back from the sump once that is full, then once the display is full again, the cycle will start over. You probably don't understand from that description, cuz describing things is not my strong point. Hopefully you'll get once I start. There are 2 problems I can think of that are really major...first and probably foremost is keeping the corals warm while they are out of the water. The second is changing the amount of flow when the "tide" is out. I'm aiming for at least 35-45x turnover, to simulate the insane amounts of flow the corals are subject to. Now, lets say the power head is 400 gph...thats 40x turnover when the tank is full...but lets say it gets down to 6 gallons...then it becomes nearly 67x turnover...in the wild, however, the amount of flow wouldn't change by much of anything. For keeping the corals warm, I was thinking of using a heat lamp, like what you would use for a reptile, but I dunno how that would work. For the flow the only thing I can think of is having 2 powerheads, one that turns on when the "tide" is in, the other when the "tide" is out. As for equipment, it's mostly stuff that I have lying around...the T5's I had on my 20 gal before I tore it down, a heater I have lying around, a powerhead (for when the tide is in, as it's 400 gph), and some rock from my big tank. As for live stock I was thinking porites, acros, and maybe a cap. Hopefully I'll be able to update soon :^:

 

[Smitty]

That sounds like an interesting project. Something that has not been done here before...good luck and keep us updated.

 

[andersoned14]

This sound like a very cool thing to try and if possible to put it in a bigger tank app. So is your sump also 10gal? How long is the "tide" in and out? Awsome idea can't wait to see how you put this all together. When do you get started?

 

[little_fish]

I would think that the lighting required to keep most corals would keep them warm when they are exposed so long as the room isnt too drafty

 

[dcantucson]

Good luck Kid. If anyone can do it then why not you!

 

[mennazeher04]

This sounds pretty cool if it all works as your planning it. Defiantely going to follow this thread. Cant wait for pics!!!!!!

 

[the reef kid]

That sounds like an interesting project. Something that has not been done here before...good luck and keep us updated.

Thanks smitty, part of the reason I'm doing it is because its so unique

This sound like a very cool thing to try and if possible to put it in a bigger tank app. So is your sump also 10gal? How long is the "tide" in and out? Awsome idea can't wait to see how you put this all together. When do you get started?

I would be putting it in a bigger tank, but I'm doing this primarily with stuff I have lying around, and I just so happen to have the 10g lying around. Not sure how long the tide will be out yet, I'm thinking 1 1/2 hours tops, for it to be all the way out. I'll get started maybe today or tomorrow...although I won't have the sump, which will be 5-6 gals, as I won't be draining the whole tank.

I would think that the lighting required to keep most corals would keep them warm when they are exposed so long as the room isnt too drafty

Considering it's T5's, I don't think that they'll be all that warm, but I have plenty of time before coral goes in.

Good luck Kid. If anyone can do it then why not you!

Thanks, I'm sure I'll need that luck...

This sounds pretty cool if it all works as your planning it. Defiantely going to follow this thread. Cant wait for pics!!!!!!

Thanks! I may be filling the tank/setting it up, all but the pumps and the 'sump' today!

So, all that's left to get is the sump, the float switches and the two pumps...not 100% sure what I want to use, as I want them to be as slow pumping as possible, so the tides aren't instantly in then instantly out...

 

[the reef kid]

Well, after getting seriously side tracked, I'm now almost ready to set this tank up...I really couldn't decide on what to do for the tides, until I was looking through the Husbandry section in Borneman's (which is great BTW), and I found a page titled "The Borneman Flush Device" It's basically a toilet. A pump puts water into a tank above the display, and then somehow a flusher makes it work. Don't ask me how, it apparently just does. Hopefully it will be wet within the next couple weeks.

 

[Ogaawd]

surge devises have been around forever so you should be able to find a good description, I just wonder if the scale of this will leave any kind of view? would you be doing a real lunar tide or just in and out? wonder if the glass when empty will dirty up fast

 

[the reef kid]

Considering that there will be nothing but a small piece of rock or two, a power head, and a little tiny pump in the tank, it shouldn't clutter up too badly. Too bad I didn't know about any of the other surge devices...The thing that I liked about this one is that you can easily make it go really really slow, just like a real tide. I would love to add in the lunar aspect, but it would be tough to actually match it to the real lunar cycle. When you say the glass will dirty, do you mean algae or salt build up or what?

 

[Ogaawd]

the salt will reabsorb maybe the bacteria and algae will film it, looking forward to some pics, maybe your frontrunning a new style