1gal picoglobe

[ninjafish]

Hi all,
I am just at work and am unable to upload photos of my new pico project but here is a link to a 1gal picoglobe I'm working on. Hope you like it:

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=57470

I will update this info when I get home.
Cheers,
- Chad

[cj_basser]

WOW!

I dont understand how exactly it works. Where is the top to it? How do you open it up?

[ninjafish]

Thanks,
The top is a perfectly sealed glass orb - it opens by taking the bottom off. It is best to do this while the globe is underwater so it doesn't splash around and so no air gets in.

- Chad

[LanT]

Where did you get the globe?

[Jordan55]

WOW!!!!! That is so cool. I envy your supier knowledge to complete tanks like you have. Keep up this cool work and tell us more!


And more pictures!

[ninjafish]

Originally posted by LanT
Where did you get the globe?

A custom water globe manufacturer called "Faster Form". They were referred to me by a couple of big water globe collectors that I contacted over the internet when I was planning this project. Most water globes (i've learned) are sealed via silicone and that would not work for this tank because I need to open it up more often for maitenance. This one uses a rubber gasket that pops on and off. I can track down the email address if you would like.

- Chad

[ninjafish]

Originally posted by Jordan55
WOW!!!!! That is so cool. I envy your supier knowledge to complete tanks like you have. Keep up this cool work and tell us more!


And more pictures!

Jordan,
Man that's a pretty kind compliment but I don't think it has anything to do with superiour knowledge. I've just been lucky lately with finding the right equipment for the job.
To tell you the truth, I wasn't planning on keeping this tank. I wanted to plan it and build it just to prove that it can be done. After demonstrating its viability I was planning on filling in the holes in the bottom and then making it into a real water globe. My daughter wanted something with a castle and a dragon in it... I'm kind of getting caught up in it though and am thinking about seeing how far I can develop this. I think that pulsing xenia would look awesome in there!

- Chad

[LanT]

A custom water globe manufacturer called "Faster Form". They were referred to me by a couple of big water globe collectors that I contacted over the internet when I was planning this project. Most water globes (i've learned) are sealed via silicone and that would not work for this tank because I need to open it up more often for maitenance. This one uses a rubber gasket that pops on and off. I can track down the email address if you would like.

Yes, that would be great!
I'm thinking about trying to replicate one of those eco-sphere globes. So far I know what kind of shrimp they use, but not sure about the algea and shrimp.

[swims withthe fishes]

Come on ninja, lets see how it works.... did you do it like we talked about in the original plans for the vase?

[ninjafish]

Swims,
Yes actually I did!
That reminds me, folks I need to give credit to SWTF for simplifying this design. I was initially planning on using a two channel medical pump to move equal amounts of water from the sump to the tank and from the tank to the sump. It was clumsy and doomed to fail as a result of minute inequalities in each channels' dosing rates. Swims made the point that because the globe was sealed, I could just pump straight in and the incoming water would push water out the return line. Thanks man!

- Chad

[tgillespie]

That is definately an amazing setup. Would also make a very interesting toy for a cat if only you could get a fish in there :)

[ninjafish]

Haha, maybe a fish could use it like a hamster-ball and explore its way around the house - finally, freedom from the tank :p

- Chad

[swims withthe fishes]

i have to wonder how much light you are actually getting within the globe.... being that the curve of the glass magnifies for us to look in, does it magnify, demagnify or leave the same, the par value of the light from outside.......?....?
obviously in such a small sucker, it won't make an incredible difference but i still wonder.... if it was a 30-40 gallon globe, would the light outside need to be higher?

Good stuff Chad... glad to see this project became a working reality for ya, keep us up to date on it.

chris

[ninjafish]

Chris,
Thats a good question. I have seen before how curved bottles of water left on porch have magnified the sun and burned the wood underneath. Could be kinda dangerous for the livestock...
I'll let you know how it goes.

- Chad

[Jordan55]

Any new pictures?

[alphaferret]

if it is plumbed to another tank - how will you open it in another tank-i take it the lines come thru or will come thru the desk-is'nt kind of stuck there on the stand - i'm so confused

[ninjafish]

Ferret,
You are right, I just stuck plugs in the ends of the hoses and then pulled the hoses up through the top and then reversed the process to replace the globe.
I don't have any new pictures right now because I took the globe down for a while. I was using my new metering pump as a return for this tank but it is now serving as my auto-topoff for my office cube. Also, the guy that bought my main system came and picked it up so I no longer have a sump to use. I don't know if I will go through the expence of getting a new sump and pump to run this anymore...
Sorry guys,

- Chad

[CPT. MURPHY]

Very cool keep us updated! :)

CPT.

[swims withthe fishes]

what ever happened to this little creation?

[ninjafish]

Hey SwF,
Actually this project was a one-off attempt. I am currently using the eguipment from it in my 12" cube. I still have the globe though and every once in a while I am tempted to start it back up...

- Chad

[alien9168]

ninjafish-

Your projects are awsome dude!

-alien

[ninjafish]

Thanks bro. I really appreciate it. I am already restless with my 12" cube and would like to do something else but... my wife doesn't share my enthusiasm for these projects. It's possible that I won't be doing anything new for a while at least :(

- Chad

[alien9168]

:(
Hang in there buddy. :)

-alien

[Billy1234]

The link is not working for me.. :confused:

[ninjafish]

I dont know why it suddenly went dead. Maybe this will work better:

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=57470&st=0

- Chad

[Billy1234]

Yeah that one works.. That's awesome!

[alien9168]

"Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the fear of long words."

Billy - is this true? lol :)

-alien

[zorics]

weren't they selling those for like $50 somewhere online?
and they had a hawaiian red shrimp in it too?

[ninjafish]

Thanks Billy.

Zorics,
I've never heard of one - that would be a good price though, considering that I had to pay $20 just for the sphere... then you need to buy something to provide filtration/water movement...

- Chad

[Madoktopus]

i cant use the link...

[ninjafish]

Use the one at the bottom of page 1

- Chad