need suggestions on a small tank for my office desk

[garydm]

well the 55 is trucking along and I feel I some what have a handle on the hobby so now im looking at getting a small tank for my office desk.......any suggestions of a self contained unit or can I just buy a 5 gallon tank from walmart and build my own cheaper....any suggestions on what I can do

 

[mng777777]

The answer is that it depends. Red Sea Max makes some nice self contained units. The lighting is perhaps the biggest question and it will just depend on what you want to keep in it. A 5g is going to limit you to one SMALL fish and just a few coral. In a nano, you really have no need for a skimmer, so you just basically need something to hold the water, something to stabilize temps, and lighting suited to your livestock. Just FYI the smaller the tank, the more unstable your water parameters will be. It will be more important than ever that you check temps at least twice daily, and parameters frequently.

 

[d2mini]

The best looking tank in my opinion is the 6g Fluval Edge.
I just started one and you can see it in the off topic forum, but i did freshwater because I didn't want the hassle of sw at the office. Plus I think it would have needed a lighting upgrade, instead of just the two little halogens it comes with. It would be badass if fluval would make an edge that was specifically for saltwater.

 

[garydm]

well I was looking for mabye a CUC and a small fish but want softies and zoa's and polyps just something to look at on my desk....

 

[dcantucson]

A Red Sea would be way too big for a desk unless you have a huge desk! :lol:
I would go with a 12 gallon nano.

 

[garydm]

I have a 10 x 10 cubicle and I have a desk all around me so space isnt a option......but If its that much of a task I would hate to have to come in on my day off just to test the water.....I thought if it was a self contained unit I might get away with a 2 day weekend

 

[Rcpilot]

I'd do it with a 10g tank. Use one of those HOB refugiums with the built in skimmer that I'm always talking about. They work great. Fill the bottom baffle with sand, about 20-50 golf ball sized rocks and a little hunk of cheato. Hook it up to any 200-300gph pump and dial in the skimmer.

Your only concern with that setup over a weekend is evaporation. But you could cover the tank on that setup. The fuge is still open and the skimmer is sucking in air all the time. Covering the tank would reduce evaporation significantly. You'll get plenty of gas exchange in the fuge.

Slap a PC light fixture on top with somewhere between 50-90watts. Or do a clamp-on 70watt halide.

Let's see:
Fuge $50
Tank $20
Light $100
Custom cover $20
Powerhead $30
Sand $10
Live rock $40

About $250-$300 by my calculator. ;-) You could do it cheaper. I was generous with most of the numbers. Then ya need corals................

 

[Bifferwine]

Just buy a little all in one setup. Why would you need to come in on the weekends? Put the light on a timer, and top-off evaporated water when you come in on Monday.

 

[garydm]

I may try the all in one......what brand do you recommend

 

[Bifferwine]

Red Sea Max and BioCubes are good. You won't be able to keep anything too light demanding in them, but softies, mushrooms, zoas and most LPS will be fine.

 

[d2mini]

Don't forget you'll have to do water changes and salt mixing and testing.
Will require re-buying some equipment or schlepping stuff back and forth.
Could mix your salt at home and haul to work in jugs or something.


heh heh... I said "jugs". :D