Dave,
My tank is made of glass and was drilled by the shop (but I have done it before). That is a neat looking start you have there. If I were you I would probably set that up as a fresh water tank. You could have some sand in the bottom and cool plant in the center and then some of those tiny little neon buggers that school together (sorry I don't know much about FW livestock).
The reason that I wouldn't do that in SW is because I wouldn't run a marine tank without circulation and by adding a little powerhead or air pump, the electrical cord or airline hose would probably ruin the effect that you were going for.?? It is definitely a neat looking jar and will look nice when you are done; one thing that I found though, is that most household glassware is not made with optics in mind and will have grains and imperfections all through it that will obscure/distort the view.
Of course I am a big fan of making impossible "sleeper" nanos and if you were really serious about a nano jar/bowl, the easiest way would be to find one made out of acrylic or plastic so that it can be drilled without shattering. I would then plumb bulkheads in the bottom to a closed loop or cannister filter. I've never done it, but you could maybe cut the plug off of a small powerhead and fish it through a tiny hole in the tank. After you've sealed the hole up tight with silicone, put the plug back on and start it up???
On the other hand, in my quest to find solutions to problems I never knew I had
, I came across a new product that will allow reefers to add circulation to a tank without drilling it and still being able to hide all of the equipment. Check it out:
http://www.ecotechmarine.com/products/vortech.htm
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=1
It is baisically a powerhead where the impellor sits on the inside of the tank and the motor sits on the outside and turns the impellor magnetically. If you were making a jar reef you could have the impellor section hidden inside your rockwork and have the motor unit hidden inside the pedestal or stand. The problem is, they haven't been released yet, will probably be too much flow for your tank, and will probably be expensive. Sorry this post was so long (and un-helpful). This stuff really is exceiting though. Best of luck with your project, I love the look of tanks that are different like this!
- Chad