Summer Project
 

I have an extra 17 gallon starphire cube that I want to set up this summer as a project. I have a 60 gallon cube already and was hoping you guys could help me figure out what best to do with it.

Here is the 60 gallon cube:

http://i.imgur.com/TM5AHodh.jpg

I am thinking of putting the 17 gallon on the left side of the table. I was originally going to make it a high tech planted tank again but I want to consider some other ideas.

This is what it looked like at it's best at my office:

http://i.imgur.com/UoEJ5v2h.jpg

It has a built in filter section in the back but it comes out easily. I was thinking about drilling this tank, and tying it into my main system. The sump is underneath the left side of the stand. It seems like it would be way easier an project that way as I would need little in the way of equipment and wouldn't have to worry about two sets of water parameters.

My first thought was to make it a seahorse tank. But it looks like that would be tricky. It's too small for regular seahorses and it looks like dwarf seahorses are super finicky.

My other thought would be too make it a fuge and fill it with lots of different macro algae. I don't really know how feasible this is or what is involved though.

Anyone have any ideas or tips? Or any other ideas?

Thanks,

How about a species tank for a nice angler fish or something similar?

That planted tank looks sweet! I vote Frogfish or some little fish like a Pistol shrimp and Goby pair with a couple Firefish or something like that.

That sounds cool. I think it's a bit small for most fish like that but I am going to look around.

Yeah I had a lot of fun with the planted tank. I'm still tempted to do it but all I have left is my CO2 stuff and some lights. I think I want to do something in the small tank that I couldn't put into the big tank. Something that looks really different. That's why I was kind of thinking about macro algae.

Something like this:

http://i.imgur.com/RofLNB5l.jpg

That's interesting, I wonder what it looked like when it grew out, or if it was a fail. :lol: On that note, how about an non-photosynthetic tank? You could have one piece of rock like your pic and no sand, so you can pick the rock up to clean around it real well (cleaning is the big challenge with NPS).

http://reefbuilders.com/files/2011/0...f-Builders.jpg

I'd try and track down a peacock mantis shrimp.

What about an anemone or jellyfish tank

If you want to sell the 17 Id be interested.

That is beautiful. I looked into that specific tank. It's pretty amazing but looks like a ton of work. I don't think I'd be able to feed the tank as much as it would need without overloading the whole system. Or maybe as the whole system is quite a bit bigger it'd be fine.. I'm not sure. I am going to look more into this. Thanks.


That's also something I hadn't thought of. Is 17 gallons big enough for one? They are very cool. I'm going to look into it.

Wow lots of good ideas. This would also be super cool.


Sorry, I really like the tank and am not interested in selling it.

Yeah, NPS is a challenge. I figure if you could keep that sweet looking planted tank, you'd be up for anything! :D I want to try a NPS takn sometime, I've never done it.

some seahorses would look pretty sexy in that tank...

I'd second a seahorse tank.

IMHO the peacock mantis is too large for this sized tank. I had mine in a 30g (30" long) and it wasn't ideal, the 17g cube has even less length. They grow to about 6" and would need a lot of room to roam. A G. Smithii is a better choice as it's much smaller. The peacock is very prone to shell rot (it got mine, unfortunately :cry:). You can't keep most corals as any decent coral-growing lighting will cause shell rot.

So far, I think I'm leaning mostly towards something like a nice looking display fuge with lots of different macros.

I stumbled on this yesterday though and it may be changing my mind.

http://i.imgur.com/aXn53HLh.jpg

How feasible to you guys think this is? It's pretty amazing. Is that GSP on the ground?