ReefShark Reef jar build

ReefSharkBuilder · Jul 11, 2018

Hey everyone! So I may be crazy, but I am setting up a 3 gallon reef jar. I have included an image of the container. I will be using. I need suggestions on how to ensure that the salt doesn't eat through the seal on the spicket at the bottom. I am making it as low tech as possible. It won't be easy. But it is going to be super cool when I'm done. I plan on making it an sps dominant tank.
I am looking at stocking it with some acros' and possibly some lords. And maybe a chalice.
For fish I was thinking about a pair of spike in gobies.
Let me know what you all think!

WV Reefer · Jul 11, 2018

ReefSharkBuilder said:
Hey everyone! So I may be crazy, but I am setting up a 3 gallon reef jar. I have included an image of the container. I will be using. I need suggestions on how to ensure that the salt doesn't eat through the seal on the spicket at the bottom. I am making it as low tech as possible. It won't be easy. But it is going to be super cool when I'm done. I plan on making it an sps dominant tank.
I am looking at stocking it with some acros' and possibly some lords. And maybe a chalice.
For fish I was thinking about a pair of spike in gobies.
Let me know what you all think!

Good luck!

I’ve seen lots of jar reefs and that one is certainly unique.

ReefSharkBuilder · Jul 11, 2018

WV Reefer said:
Good luck!

I’ve seen lots of jar reefs and that one is certainly unique.

Ya it is going to be an interesting build. It is 4 months in the making so far

cameronh · Jul 12, 2018

ReefSharkBuilder said:
Ya it is going to be an interesting build. It is 4 months in the making so far

You know.......I've been wanting to do this for about two years now.
You have inspired me to do it now.
I'll be tagging along with you on this and I'll start mine soon and maybe we can help each other out lol.
And welcome to reef2reef haha.
As far as salt eating that spicket you could get som aquarium sealant and put over it on the inside and smooth it out with a squeegee and let it cure for 24 hours so that the salt cant get to it at all.

ReefSharkBuilder · Jul 12, 2018

cameronh said:
You know.......I've been wanting to do this for about two years now.
You have inspired me to do it now.
I'll be tagging along with you on this and I'll start mine soon and maybe we can help each other out lol.
And welcome to reef2reef haha.
As far as salt eating that spicket you could get som aquarium sealant and put over it on the inside and smooth it out with a squeegee and let it cure for 24 hours so that the salt cant get to it at all.

That's awesome! I'm working on getting the lid together now. Eventually I will be posting YouTube videos about it.

vector824 · Jul 12, 2018

I want to see how this goes! Cool idea.

najer · Jul 12, 2018

Very nice container, good luck.

ReefSharkBuilder · Jul 12, 2018

I just finished drilling the lid. I will have 3 lines going in and one coming out. 1-air line for circulation 2- ato line (with a small amount of kalkwasser for PH and corals) 3- in line for automated water change 4- line out for automated water change.

The large hole is for feeding with a special syringe. That way I can reduce contaminants and there is always a fresh supply of O2 and it allows me to have direct access to the hard acrylic lines inside the tank.

chefjpaul · Jul 12, 2018

Following this story for sure

revhtree · Jul 12, 2018

Oh man I hope you're super successful! Love these jar reefs!

ReefSharkBuilder · Jul 12, 2018

This is my first attempt at bending the hard acrylic lines for inside the tank. I was using my wife's hairdryer and accidentally burned it out. So I made a quick run to Walmart to purchase a new one for her.... now I need to find a heat gun.

Jay Duke · Jul 13, 2018

Super cool.

ReefSharkBuilder · Jul 19, 2018

So in light of burning out my wife's hairdryer, I went to my local makerspace. They have just about everything I need to keep this project going. Including a heat gun. So today I spent some time bending the acrylic tubing for the outside lines on the pico reefjar.
It was a difficult learning process. But it was well worth it. I was able to fit the ends of each line with an airline straight connection so that normal flexible tubing can be added later. I also sealed each of these with the specialty glue you see depicted. It made them water tight.
I also was able to build a small bracket for the optical sensor and ATO line. This was a huge plus for me. And it kind of came as a momentary apiffany as to how to build it. I don't have a picture now but I will in the future. The next bit will be working on the hard lines inside the jar.

hart24601 · Jul 21, 2018

Wow. You could probably commercially sell these with how nice it looks.

Redleg · Jul 21, 2018

I would remove the spigot and replace it with a regular bulkhead if possible. Then you can either just put in a plug or maybe a ball valve so you can still use it as a drain.

ReefSharkBuilder · Jul 21, 2018

Redleg said:
I would remove the spigot and replace it with a regular bulkhead if possible. Then you can either just put in a plug or maybe a ball valve so you can still use it as a drain.

I have an automatic waterchange system to drain it. So it would just be a plug. I think that is probably a good idea. I just need to find one that will work on curved glass.

ReefSharkBuilder · Jul 21, 2018

ReefSharkBuilder said:
So in light of burning out my wife's hairdryer, I went to my local makerspace. They have just about everything I need to keep this project going. Including a heat gun. So today I spent some time bending the acrylic tubing for the outside lines on the pico reefjar.
It was a difficult learning process. But it was well worth it. I was able to fit the ends of each line with an airline straight connection so that normal flexible tubing can be added later. I also sealed each of these with the specialty glue you see depicted. It made them water tight.
I also was able to build a small bracket for the optical sensor and ATO line. This was a huge plus for me. And it kind of came as a momentary apiffany as to how to build it. I don't have a picture now but I will in the future. The next bit will be working on the hard lines inside the jar.

Hahahaha, I don't know about commercially. But that would be super cool

TheEngineer · Jul 21, 2018

Cool! Following along!

LadyMac · Jul 21, 2018

Lovely little jar. If you’re sealing that hole perhaps you can find a way to hide the bulkhead with the spigot just for looks, cause I think it would add to the aesthetic of the build.