Australian College Insanity - One Cubic Foot of Reef

[Avalon_Princess]

So I live at one of the few colleges in Australia (American's would call it a dorm) lucky me. I can't say I'm fond of it and I was hoping to move out at the end of the year, due to parental problems this is unlikely to happen. So I decided to make the most of it and set up a marine tank.

 

I do actually have a marine tank at my parents house but my Mother who has looked after it for me has since fallen in love and since she has done all the work for the past year I would rather let her keep it and start anew.

 

The plan is for a tank that can be simple to maintain but if I so choose can still take up lots of time, in other words a tank for procrastination. It will be bare bottom with a single piece of live rock in the center of the cube, I'm currently thinking I'll just keep softies but that may change. The current plan is for a fairly minimalistic tank with a single soft coral like a toadstool growing out of one side of the rock and some mushrooms around the base. However I'm pretty much incapable of deciding on what I want.

 

The minimalistic concept is partly out of necessity, the one and only LFS within four hours is uh not the nicest. So I intend to only buy live rock and a just a couple of corals there. The rest of the corals will be slowly collected through frags from my own tank and purchases from the stores near my parents house.

 

FTS as of 8/9

[Avalon_Princess]

So the equipment list, since it's a small tank I did splurge a bit, making it an expensive small tank but anyway. I figured I'd list everything with prices for anyone interested in the costs associated with these tanks. All prices are in $AUD. As to the colours Blue is things I left behind that my Mum is bringing up for me, Purple is things I intend to buy and Black is things I have already bought.

 

Tank and Equipment

30cm x 30cm x 30cm Glass Tank - $27

AquaClear 70 - $62

40cm 2 x 24w Power Compact Light - $65

17 000k/420nm Light Bulb - $17

50w Heater - $20

2l Top Off Jar - $6

Airline For Top Off Jar - $0.80

1kg Carbon - $10

Light Timer - $8

Nano Mag- $15

 

Water Change Equipment

6kg Marine Salt - $15

2 x 10l Heavy Duty Buckets - $8

Small 200l/ph pump- $10

25w Heater - $15

1.5m Syphon - $4

Kitchen Scales - $40

Prefilter Sock - $14

2 x Filter Media Bags - $6

 

Testing Equipment

Refractometer - $40

API Saltwater Master Test Kit - $40

Hydrometer - $10

Salifert Calcium Test Kit - $20

Salifert Magnesium Test Kit - $21

Salifert Alkalinity Test Kit - $25

Salifert Phosphate Test Kit - $17

 

Additives

Fluval Lab Phosphate Remover - $22

Salifert Liquid Magnesium - $13

Kent Marine Nano Reef Parts A + B - $20

 

Miscellaneous Accessories

Tunze Coral Putty - $15

Vinegar - $3

Hypodermic Syringe - $0.30

Pipette - $2

Torch - $10

 

So that is $591.10 just for equipment and everything to run a very small tank...

[bitts]

There is a great reference thread called the ada tank thread. It may be of use since many will be similar in concept to yours.

 

Looking forward to seeing this evolve.

[Avalon_Princess]

Wow thanks for that, those tanks are amazing!

 

So since I don't have any interesting pics of my own I thought I'd post some of my favorites.

 

So firstly there's OzarksReef's Tank

 

Then There's Jamie's Tank

 

Then schg's Tank

 

DeMartinis Tank

 

Supernip's Tank

 

ADAReef's Tank

 

And of course who could forget Pisces' Tank

[supernip]

my tank is like a bazillion times more awesome than any of those other tanks imo

[Avalon_Princess]

LOl In the style of rock work I'd completely agree but I'm not sure if you've noticed but there uh aren't any corals in that picture

[supernip]

not just rock homie, technical build. No one touchs a supernip tank :3

But theres no corals in it. corals are boring

[Avalon_Princess]

Yes so boring I decided to devote a tank solely to corals, actually come to think of it is there even water in that tank? LOL. Though I will admit I am envious of the equipment Nano LED lights have not made it this far south at a reasonable price.

[BigBad82]

Avalon, sorry to hear you don't like where you're staying. Looks like you're gonna to be building a great little setup to keep your mind occupied though. Looking forward to the progress.

[supernip]

i was growing imagination imo. theres no longer any water in there but there was

[Avalon_Princess]

Yeah I don't do well living with other people, and when the other people are thirty girls and we don't have enough showers nor a kitchen it gets dicey. Plus the no pets rule, I'm thinking of taking up horse riding again.

 

I'm trying very hard not to put my online order in tonight, must sleep on it, must sleep on it LOL. I need to order the light and I'm still debating on throwing in the Salifert Test Kits, Kent Marine and Salifert additives... As the postage is $40 regardless...

[BigBad82]

Well I say if the postage is $40 regardless order as much stuff as you can that you're gonna need. You've got most of your setup, don't sleep on it and get your order in.............lol.

[Avalon_Princess]

LOL, except for the part I'm a uni student and have to dip into savings LOL, and will then feel crap if I have to ask my parents for money because something broke, there being incredibly kind as is supporting me while I do my degree. I dunno I'm still unsure, I'm thinking I won't get the Salifert Liquid Magnesium though as much as I hate to admit it, it's because I like having matching sets of things and I'm already getting Kent Marine bottles... Though since I cant seem to find Tech M anywhere I may get it... LOL I'm planning to do an order later when I'm not completely skint and buy the Salifert Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and pH test kits as the API ones are getting a bit old and close to use bys. I learnt the hard way that they are still essential even after the tank cycles... However the site I'm ordering from doesn't have them in stock so I can't order them now.

[BigBad82]

The joys of being a student. Seriously tho, maybe hold off a bit until you get a bit more money saved, it'd be a shame to keep paying postage for multiple orders.

[m05tw4nt3d]

Avalon sydney?

[Avalon_Princess]

Nope, Avalon as in King Arthur's Resting Place LOL. It's the name of my parents property which is in the middle of nowhere...

 

The next order I do will be from a different store, I only use this store for lighting, because like I said they charge an arm and a leg for postage... It'll be worth it though.

 

I also have an invite from a friend of mine to stay with her at Castle Hill during the summer which will be great, I'm hoping some of the LFS are near public transport so I can grab a few things before I head home. I will admit though that I will have to greatly rely on corals ability to spend more then 12 hours in bags because my uni aint exactly close to anything.

[Avalon_Princess]

So I definitely won't order until tomorrow but I'm thinking I'll get

The Light (well duh)

Kent Marine Nano Reef Parts A + B

Salifert Nitrite Test Kit

Salifert Silicate Test Kit

Salifert Magnesium Test Kit

Salifert Calcium Test Kit

Salifert Phosphate Test Kit

Salifert Alkalinity Test Kit

 

And at a later date because you know there is no way I can rationalize these purchases except because it's fun, I'll get

Salifert Strontium Test Kit

Salifert Ammonia Test Kit

Salifert pH Test Kit

Salifert Nitrate Test Kit

Salifert Iodine Test Kit

And Probably Kent Marine Tech M if I can find it.

 

I'll be using tap water for the tank and fully expect and algae outbreak hence the phosphate and silicate test kit and GFO. And I love coralline algae and always noticed I got so much of it when I dosed magnesium. Okay and I will also admit I like test kits, I've always been a bit of a science kid whilst hating the subject at school LOL.

[BigBad82]

Order lists look good. It's a shame you can't order your RO water online for your initial setup, you can here in the UK. Then you could buy distilled water for tops offs and water changes perhaps?

[Avalon_Princess]

Unfortunately distilled water is no go as well, way to expensive and it would take awhile to get a stash of thirty bottles (only sold in 1l bottles). Plus I'd have to get it up six flights of stairs... not to mention the hike from the carpark...

[BigBad82]

Yeah that sounds like too much hard work!

[straydog]

Nope, Avalon as in King Arthur's Resting Place LOL. It's the name of my parents property which is in the middle of nowhere...

 

The next order I do will be from a different store, I only use this store for lighting, because like I said they charge an arm and a leg for postage... It'll be worth it though.

 

I also have an invite from a friend of mine to stay with her at Castle Hill during the summer which will be great, I'm hoping some of the LFS are near public transport so I can grab a few things before I head home. I will admit though that I will have to greatly rely on corals ability to spend more then 12 hours in bags because my uni aint exactly close to anything.

baged corals will do best in a cooler for that time period , you don't want the temperature to fluctuate too much and they should do fine.

[Avalon_Princess]

Awesome. I'm currently planning on sticking to soft corals, but no doubt I'll see a favia or fungia I absolutely must have next time I'm in a decent store... LOL

[Weetabix7]

You should talk to n0rk, he's another Aussie Reefer on this site.

Course who knows, he might be on the other side of the country from you, but he might still have some good suggestions of good online places for you to order from.

He's also managed to get Nano sized LED lights from somewhere or other, which is something you expressed an interest in.

[Avalon_Princess]

Not sure where he's from, he hasn't put it in his profile. He's running DIY LED's which are a bit beyond me, correction would cause the college to freak to high heaven if I built an LED fixture. I'm still waiting to see their reaction when they realize that 'cardboard box of rubbish' in my room is holding equipment for a marine tank. The rules do not say anything regarding marine tanks, just that fish tanks are allowed. However I'm fairly sure no ones tried to keep a marine tank here before... LOL

[Coraline Kati]

So I live at one of the few colleges in Australia (American's would call it a dorm) lucky me. I can't say I'm fond of it and I was hoping to move out at the end of the year, due to parental problems this is unlikely to happen. So I decided to make the most of it and set up a marine tank.

 

Hey excellent lists, looking forward to seeing the tank. Curious if you say "few colleges in Australia" meaning most of your uni's don't have dorms? Most folks commute to uni there? I like the term "Uni"...it was used in Canada where I did my undergraduate. I was never a fan of the dorms and stranger-mates but there were always cheap basement suites/apartments in Canada to stay. You must be getting ready for your summer there then?

 

I like the singular coral with mushrooms idea. We're setting up a 5.5 gallon and trying to decide the scape...I'm really liking the style of Pisces.