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5 gallon carboy tank

Hockeynut

NJRC Member
Decided to try and make a carboy into a n tank today. I took a 5 gallon carboy and with a demell with a diamond wheel I cut the top off.
I plan on a small canister filter and some sort of pendant light. I want to keep it simple. The only thing I really don’t want to skimp on is the ato. Here’s where I’m at. 2F5CD6EF-9A73-4D88-BA6E-47ACD77E18BC.jpeg
I thin cut a Slit in a piece of 1/4” tubing to cover the rough edge. I also used thinCA glue on the edge to fill any possible future chips. Then installed the tubing.
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here it is with some sand and where it will live. Just have to order a canister a small heater and a light. I have the Ato just not sure if it’s to big or not. It is the old version Smart Ato.
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MadReefer

Vice President
Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
Nice. Are getting a yesterday go under it? Like those small reptile may heaters to save space.
 
Looks and sounds like a great project Glass is easy to sand. temporarily take off your slit 1/4 tubing. Take 120 grit sand paper and go ahead and sand the edge you Dremel cut. Just be carful to only sand the edges. I know it is obvious but don’t let the sand paper touch any of the glass that’s not edge or that you will look thru. It should take ten minutes to clean up any uneven edges and remove all sharp edges. If you wrap the sand paper around a flat stick. You can even make the edges dead strait. If you feel up to it. In less than an hour you can rough sand a round edge. And even work down to fine grit paper and make it look like a factory finish. Since you have a Dremel, if you take a fine grit Dremel sanding drum. In ten minutes you can cut down the sharp edge and shape it round. Before moving on to a flat stick and sand paper and do the job in half the time. With a little effort you will not need the 1/4 tubing. And CAN have a near FACTORY finish.
 

Hockeynut

NJRC Member
Looks and sounds like a great project Glass is easy to sand. temporarily take off your slit 1/4 tubing. Take 120 grit sand paper and go ahead and sand the edge you Dremel cut. Just be carful to only sand the edges. I know it is obvious but don’t let the sand paper touch any of the glass that’s not edge or that you will look thru. It should take ten minutes to clean up any uneven edges and remove all sharp edges. If you wrap the sand paper around a flat stick. You can even make the edges dead strait. If you feel up to it. In less than an hour you can rough sand a round edge. And even work down to fine grit paper and make it look like a factory finish. Since you have a Dremel, if you take a fine grit Dremel sanding drum. In ten minutes you can cut down the sharp edge and shape it round. Before moving on to a flat stick and sand paper and do the job in half the time. With a little effort you will not need the 1/4 tubing. And CAN have a near FACTORY finish.
Thanks sponge I was gonna go crazy with the edge as you said and knew I could get it smooth but I thought it was a lot of work thanks for the info. I still may do it although I really like the black coping look.
 

Hockeynut

NJRC Member
Yesterday I decided while I was waiting for my light and filter I would paint a black stripe on the back to camo the hoses and top off lines.
while i was painting the delivery truck showed up and my ATO was delivered(yeaaa)
Look at the size of this thing, it’s tiny I knew it was small but didn’t realize it was this small I don’t see how you could have a nano tank without this sucker.
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MadReefer

Vice President
Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
Yesterday I decided while I was waiting for my light and filter I would paint a black stripe on the back to camo the hoses and top off lines.
while i was painting the delivery truck showed up and my ATO was delivered(yeaaa)
Look at the size of this thing, it’s tiny I knew it was small but didn’t realize it was this small I don’t see how you could have a nano tank without this sucker.

Looks good. I did not know they made ATO units that tiny.
 
That's a good little ATO I have one on my fluval 13.5. It's going on 2 years now the only thing bad about it is that the alarm will go off on it every once and a while.
 

Mark_C

Staff member
Officer Emeritus
NJRC Member
Moderator
I'm burning charcoal tonight for a few sirloins.
But...
I'm gonna need that Jerk Chicken recipe.
I do a mean blackened, but a good jerk recipe would be something.
 

Hockeynut

NJRC Member
Ahhhh man my buddy is Jamaican born and raised he thought me everything I know and I promise that chicken will knock your socks off.
 

Hockeynut

NJRC Member
Fish bowl has been running for about a month now with no fish I cycled it using ammonia and bacteria and have been ghost feeding it for 3 weeks.
So today it gets its inhabitants, a pair of ORA black ice clowns they are perfect size for this nano tank. Now all I need is a rainbow bubble tip.
 

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