Here's our tank. Started September 2009. After researching, and reading... and more reading, books, forums and researching people's opinions, we started up on our first saltwater tank. Not to mention a week diving in Maui. Have had freshwater in the the past, but with all the new resources available it seems so much more inviting to keep a nano-reef nowadays.

Thanks to all of you who share their info on this site it helps tremendously. Thanks especially to all you other newbies out there, it can be pretty intimidating. So remember, there's no such thing as a stupid question... just stupid people who ask questions. Ha!

Yeah, so the details of our tank and pics:

Hardware:
JBJ 28g Nano-Cube CF
Stock Lighting (11/13 hour Day/Night Cycle)
JBJ Nano-Cube Protein Skimmer
100W Visi-Therm Stealth Heater
Karalia Nano

35lbs Live Rock
20lb Live Sand

Stock:
2 - Black and White Clowns
1 - Spotted Goby
2 - Feather Duster Worms
CUC:
3 - Hermit Crabs
1 - Cleaner Shrimp
1 - Emerald Crab
Astria, Nasarius, Cerith Snails

Corals:
Branching Flower Pot
Hammer
Torch
Zoas
Pipe-Organ
Brain
Various Mushroom
Kenya Tree
Green Star Polyps
Green Montipora
Xenias
Daisies

PICTURES:

FTS






Fish
the 2 Black and Whites, so far... they're hosting the Koralia


the Goby








Flowerpot


Hammer


Little Torch Heads


The Pipe Organs with a Star poking his arms out


Some of the Zoas


At first we got this brain that was a nice looking piece, big, bright, colorful, and fit nicely. But then we got the clowns in a few weeks later. And so every time we fed the clowns some food fell on the brain, and the Brain went all super-nova on us and blew up. It always went back down to normal after a little bit, but when it got big it would push up against some rockwork. We didn't want it to damage itself so we traded it in at a LFS.

The Old Brain


The New Brain


Montipora - Picked up at Reef-a-palooza


One of two Featherdusters


The Cleaner, With something growing on his torso.


And then there's this guy.... Came in with the rocks. I don't like him, but I don't see him often, so its cool.




Here's a link to all my Reef photos on Flickr. Hopefully we'll add some video, and definitely more photos as the tank progresses.

Thanks for viewing.

Your tank is looking good!

Oh, and what a clever title!

VERY NICE LOOKING TANK YOU GOT THERE

oh... get used to him.

in 2 months, there will be a whole lotta him's.....

Thanks for the compliments y'all.

I'm starting to see more and more hitch-hikers comin out. Gotta get some more pics up soon. I'm trying to learn to take better shot of the tank. Lighting and getting true colors is a nice little challenge.

On another note: For y'all that have clowns (any type), how long did they take to act "normal" in the tank. Ours seem to call the Koralia Nano home, and only brave the rest of the tank every so often. And there are literally dozens of places we gave them to get comfortable in.

Again a big thanks guys/gals. This forum has been a great resource.

For the other newbies... SEARCH. Its awesome.

Nice tank. I'm a noobie to this hobby too. I just ordered my JBJ 28G HQI and should be coming in the mail any day now. Any tips for this noobie anyone?

I like the set-up you have, where did you get your LR?

Thanks Drewster,

We got our live rock from a local shop. At first we looked into just ordering some online, but going down to the shop was easy for us and hand picking the pieces out was something we couldn't pass up.

Tips... hmmmm...

- Take your time
- Research
- Use the "search bar"
- Take your time, and don't freak out
- Always have water on hand and ready to go (Salt & Fresh)
- Money up front = less headaches later
- Everyone has their opinions. (Opinion is the key word)
- Get a Refractometer. Don't ask, just do it.
- Take your time.

And read this whole thing:
Beginners thread

Got all that down...i should be recieving the LR in the mail thursday...can't wait. thanks for the info. I have been researching like a crazy person.

Got a question for you or anyone who has some insight. I plan to put LS and LR and cheato in the back. I don't know how beneficial it will be for the LR and LS...I can see benefit in the cheato, but not LS and LR. I hope to get a bloom of copepods back there living on the LR and LS, but don't know if they would even make their way to the main tank. What do you think? I hve those spong things on the sides before the water goes into the power heads and don't know if those will stop the copepods from traveling through the power heads and into the tank.

Anyone can answer that has a 28G nanocube...

From my experience, Chaeto would be good in the media chamber. So long as you get some light on it. LR and LS in the back chambers would just be a hassle IMO, there just isn't too much room back there. We have bunches of copepods growing in our display, even with the critters munching on them.

More pictures:

Zoas


From the top down


Flowerpot


Torch up close


Tiny Blasto?


Brain Nocturnal


Scarlette


Wallpaper anyone?


Still a work in progress. Thanks for viewing.