andrewjwatson's 10g Mixed Reef

[andrewjwatson]

Well, it is finally time to set up my nano. With debate of selling my main tank, I have started a nano in order to house some frags of my current setup. I will keep the words short, and just let the pictures do the talking.

Equipment
AC 50 - Used for refugium and the return of water
Marineland pump - Main return
TLF reactor - For carbon, or any other media, might make it into a fuge
100 watt heater
The LED's will be built at a later date, for now there are 2 CF lights.
Livestock
List soon to come, right now it's just a rock and some sand

Here are pictures of me converting the wallmart tetra 10 gallon into a suitable tank.
I used 4 inch PVC cut in half to create an overflow to skim the surface to feed my reactor and aquaclear.

And here is the start.








SHE RUNS!


My clown goby approves.

[Duncmac]

hey andrew! i really like the idea of building a pvc overflow box into the tank. curious to see how that works out. nanos are real cool, but be sure to be really on top of your waterchanges like your life depends on it, and be sure to keep the tank topped off. salinity will swing pretty fast in a nano.

if you're thinking of running a skimmer i run an aquaticlife115 and get pretty green/brown skimmate. the tunze 9002 is also supposed to be pretty good.

[andrewjwatson]

Originally Posted by Duncmac

hey andrew! i really like the idea of building a pvc overflow box into the tank. curious to see how that works out. nanos are real cool, but be sure to be really on top of your waterchanges like your life depends on it, and be sure to keep the tank topped off. salinity will swing pretty fast in a nano.

if you're thinking of running a skimmer i run an aquaticlife115 and get pretty green/brown skimmate. the tunze 9002 is also supposed to be pretty good.

The overflow should allow for surface skimming and keeping the water level constantly at one level. This does mean that I can't let the overflow chamber run dry. The max livestock will be a pair of clowns, maybe a mandarin if it eats frozen. For my lack of skimming, you are right about water changes.

[cmaxwell39]

Very nice job Andrew. Great idea on the PVC. Looks like a nice clean setup. Keep us updated on the progress.

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[Duncmac]

you have it pumping from overflow > reactor > ac > tank?

[andrewjwatson]

Originally Posted by Duncmac

you have it pumping from overflow > reactor > ac > tank?

Correct, it can be done going straight to the ac as well, I just like the reduction in flow.

[Duncmac]

runnign like a teaspoon of phosban?

[andrewjwatson]

Originally Posted by Duncmac

runnign like a teaspoon of phosban?

No, I'll just use it for carbon or just for the added water volume.

[Duncmac]

carbon never hurts in a nano, especially mixed reef.

[cmaxwell39]

Sounds like you have a good plan. Now get that thing cycling already

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[andrewjwatson]

Originally Posted by cmaxwell39

Sounds like you have a good plan. Now get that thing cycling already

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It has been started cycling a while back then transfered the contents to the new tank.

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[Duncmac]

get it runnin?

[andrewjwatson]

Originally Posted by Duncmac

get it runnin?

It's running, and cycling. For some reason though, my ammonia isn't showing up, even though I've put quite a bit of dead shrimp into the tank to try to fish less cycle.

[Duncmac]

did you put liverock in? if you added any from your sump or 85 there wouldn't be any die-off, id assume, to cause a major cycle. maybe there was a tiny tiny cycle and you missed it? i've heard of a lot of people putting lr in from an existing system and having a 1-2 day cycle.

if you've added shrimp and still havent seen ammonia, im sure nitrite are undetected... do you have nitrates showing up? or are you scrubbing the system too clean to detect?

[katymunoz]

Without an ato aren't you worried about the salinity swings?