Burt's 10G Clown Tank

[bfessler]

Well I got this odd pair of Clowns, a Maroon and Perc, that my wife and I fell in love with at our LFS. They were OK in my display tank for a while when the big female Maroon decided to start nesting. She would dig down to the bottom of the tank and then start expanding the hole. I tried stopping her with rocks she couldn't move but she was determined to dig her nest and disrupt my display so something had to be done. I had a spare 10G tank and decided to make a home just for the Clowns where they could dig to their hearts content. I decided to put the tank on one of the end tables in our family room so there was no room for filters, sumps and the like. The design had to be a simple All In One system and I had been thinking about a Coast to Coast Overflow and decided to incorporate one into the design. Here is what I came up with. It's been running for almost a month now and the Clowns are enjoying it and my display is looking much better now that there is no digging going on.

The filter is powered by a Maxi Jet 1200 and I put some carbon and a filter sponge in the filter chamber. Here's a couple pictures with the Clowns in their new home.

The next thing I needed was an ATO so the tank could go a week or so while I am away on business. I made a DIY unit that I can set on some plastic shelves when I leave town. Here are some pics of the 3 gallon ATO.

The ATO is gravity fed and dispenses water when the water level in the filter chamber drops below the air vent tube.. I can go 2 weeks if necessary without adding water to the ATO.

 

[Posh]

Wow that is a VERY cool 10g setup. I love your design. Thanks for sharing that.

 

[Anonymous]

Very cool design, and an excellent job on the overflow area.

So, no problems on mixing the two clownfish species?

 

[bfessler]

So, no problems on mixing the two clownfish species?

No, actually they were purchased as a paired couple. That's what intrigued me when I first saw them sharing a tank at my LFS and my wife said we had to buy that pair. They had been sharing the same tank at the LFS for 6 months and the owner would only sell them together. If it weren't for the strange pairing I would have gotten rid of the Maroon a long time ago but their a great conversation piece.

 

[Anonymous]

Brilliant. An absolutely elegant solution to a very real problem when dealing with nanos. I am very impressed.

 

[Anonymous]

Brilliant. An absolutely elegant solution to a very real problem when dealing with nanos. I am very impressed.

Yes! Thanks for sharing it 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Agreed! I only wish I was so practical. 8)