UNS16T 1.6 gallon Upcycle Pico Tank

[Prooda]

A local reefer gave me a PNW Custom 1 gallon pico tank about 6 months ago and I've been hooked on pico tanks ever since! However, it is time to upcycle the PNW and give its components new lives. There are many things that I didn't enjoy about the PNW 1 gallon. I believe the tank is one of the earlier productions and came with A LOT of imperfection. Edges were rough, panels didn't line up perfectly, bent lid, flimsy light mount, the light also didn't have a memory function and would always stay in the middle setting. I honestly didn't mind any of that, but my biggest gripe with the tank was the acrylic. Being a small tank, cleaning the viewing panels was already a tedious task... add acrylic to the mix... and now you have to be extra careful of the rock work AND scratching the acrylic.

I will be swapping out the PNW for a UNS16T that I have lying around from a previous project. I will be reusing the light from PNW and it will be remodeled and switched over to a pwm controller for better tuning. This way, the light can be stronger so it can reach the bottom of the UNS16t tank. For now, the PNW tank will be tucked away for future projects.

This is the plan for the build. For this project, I want to upcycle as much as possible, rather than buy something new. Building the tank through CAD first also gives me a clear image before doing anything. Learning CAD has made every project enjoyable because hiccups are drastically reduced.


This is what the PNW tank used to look like

This is how the project is going right now

More to come! Stay tuned!

 

[kevgib67]

I am always amazed at these pico tank builds!

 

[Prooda]

Happy to say that all parts of the PNW light has been upcycled (except for the plastic light housing)! The original controller is now turned into a USB hub to make wiring cleaner

 

[Macbalacano]

Very cool!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I love seeing pico tanks! They are such fun builds to do!

 

[Prooda]

The next challenge is water flow. I have a few options in mind but I don't know which to choose. A small hang on back, no filter just a small water pump, canister filter, hang on back refugium... not final on any option at this point. I do have a small hang on back filter lying around and I might use it for the time being. Since I gutted the PNW tank, the inhabitants from that tank need a new tank asap.

Keeping the spirit of upcycling, any option that I end up choosing will still need to be made and not bought. I'm leaning towards a refugium since I have a lot of polycarbonate panels from other projects. It'll add extra water volume and I could feed the tank heavier without worrying about algae.

 

[Justind823]

The next challenge is water flow. I have a few options in mind but I don't know which to choose. A small hang on back, no filter just a small water pump, canister filter, hang on back refugium... not final on any option at this point. I do have a small hang on back filter lying around and I might use it for the time being. Since I gutted the PNW tank, the inhabitants from that tank need a new tank asap.

Keeping the spirit of upcycling, any option that I end up choosing will still need to be made and not bought. I'm leaning towards a refugium since I have a lot of polycarbonate panels from other projects. It'll add extra water volume and I could feed the tank heavier without worrying about algae.

Love it! Nice work on the light stand and USB retro.

Definitely get this thing up and running with that HOB. For the long term, I would personally go with a cannister. I've found in the past with a tank that size, being able to unplug the canister, dump it out and refill it with fresh sw is a great way to take care of the water change. Looking forward to more!

 

[Prooda]

Love it! Nice work on the light stand and USB retro.

Definitely get this thing up and running with that HOB. For the long term, I would personally go with a cannister. I've found in the past with a tank that size, being able to unplug the canister, dump it out and refill it with fresh sw is a great way to take care of the water change. Looking forward to more!

Thank you!

The only reason why I considered a small refugium is bc this tank will house baby fish and they need to be fed multiple times a day. With such a small water volume, it would be like a nutrient bomb if I don't do a water change every week. Aesthetically, I would go with a canister filter and like you said, easier maintenance.

I do need to get this tank up and running soon, so HOB will be the choice for now!

 

[Prooda]

It's alive!

Added water yesterday and mounted the mushrooms this morning. Not too sure what to add on the top pillar to hide the HOB tube. The HOB is actually doing a really good job. I'm able to see circulation moving from the left to the right and all the way down to the sand bed. For now, we keep the HOB and I'll make changes if necessary.

I need to 3d print a lampshade. The tank is sitting next to my desk and the light is blinding me haha. But very happy with this so far!

 

[Prooda]

A pregnant mama has been added!

I caught them in the act in my main display a couple of nights ago. Super cool to see, I've never seen videos are witnessed it in person before

 

[Prooda]

Lampshade added!