I have one goal for this tank: Simplicity.

I've been complaining that I don't like the dimensions of my 20h nano-reef ever since I upgraded from a 10 earlier this year. That tank is going bye bye and I'm starting over with another 10 gallon. Just so happened this contest popped up so I figured I might as well take a shot at some prizes since everything I am planning fits in the rules.

This tank will be cheap, this tank will be easy, this tank will be beautiful. My intent is to be an example to noobs everywhere of what quality (not necessarily expensive!) equipment and good husbandry can look like.


Budget:
Equipment:
AC110 - $74.99
(Can't believe how expensive this is, I bought my actual one from petsmart like 3 years ago for like $45. They match their online prices in the store...guess they caught on to how much cheaper their online prices were, it's now $90!)
Visi-Therm Stealth 50w Heater- Nevermind, heaters are free!
2x65w power compact - $59
12" Incandescent strip Fuge light - $13.99 (This thing was like $7 w/ petsmarts online price, oh well)
13-w GE 6500k spiral CFL - $3.22 (19.32 divided by 6)
Equipment Total: $151.20

Livestock:
Blue Chromis - $13.50
Royal Gramma - $11.25
Peppermint shrimp - $3 (x2) $6
Emerald crab - $5
Porcelain crab - $10
Gorgonias - $3 (x3) $9
zoas - $1 PP (x3 frags, roughly 15 polyps) $45
ricordeas - $10 (x4) $40
5 pounds of live rock from the LFS - $20
Livestock Total: $159.75

Grand Total: $310.95
Remaining budget: $39.05

Current FTS:

Everything is still all disorganized from setting up the tank. Frags are in the soap dish and all the gorgonias were knocked over. I have another 2 or 3 pounds of rock and lots more sand to add.

Some spare equipment that I have at my disposal that I may switch to. Putting these links here for reference so I don't have to hunt for them if I switch:
I was going to use Single lamp 40w Current Satellite - $56.99, but it needs a new lamp and with using the HOB filter it pushes the lamp directly over the versa-top hinge. Shadows are ugly, I have the odyssea laying around, might as well use it.
Aqua Clear 70 - $46.99
Koralia Nano - $18.69
JBJ 70w K2 Viper - $148.49

Get 'em SKILLZ!

DO EEET!!!
SHOW DEM!!!!

Hiiigh hopes, he's got Hiiigh hopes, he's got high..................


Tagging along. Good luck to you sir!!!!

Added my equipment list and current budget to my first post!

Teaser: The theme I currently have planned is a biotope.

BIOTOPE! this is gonna be sweet!

BTW, this 10 gallon contest is perfect timing, as I will be setting up a 10 gallon soon... lots of inspiration!

Good luck!

Hey u don't have to take $$ for the heater
jus' sayin'

oooh a biotope, I'm gonna try for a biotope

I just noticed the heater thing in your thread, so I went back and reread the freebies section. Sweet, $20 more for livestock!

Biotopes are dumb. Don't do one.

I call shennanganz!!

Ohh Ohh!!! Neon Tetras!

Whats funny about this is I want to find that new rimless Hagen tank that Maria found for her contest 10 and do a planted tank with Neon Tetras in it!

But no, no SW tetras. The 2 fish I'm hoping for do have some blue though...

Discuss!!!

or Discus

It would make a nice FW planted for sure! stock with the flourescent light and the slim filter

edit- a delicious peacock bass

wassagoinoninhere?
no pix? chum on!!

Waiting on the "mystery object". Nothing really to see, some rocks in a bucket and an AGA 10 gallon with some paint on it.

Wow, there are some really good ppl participating in this, this is gonna be an awesome contest!
I like where you're going with this Skillzy, I'll be watching this one.

Good people? :looks around confused:

Thanks Larry! I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready to put in my order to SLF.

Can't wait to see the biotope! good luck

Couldn't wait any longer. Order placed. I guess its time to let the cat out of the bag:

This tank is going to be a Caribbean biotope!

I just ordered 3 gorgonia frags, 3 zoa frags, and 5 ricordeas.
The CUC will be blue leg hermits, florida cerith, nerite, & astrea snails, and an emerald crab.
The non CUC inverts will be a peppermint shrimp and a porcelain crab.
Fish: A blue reef chromis for movement, and the centerpiece of this tank......dromroll please.....a mated pair of yellowheaded jawfish.

This is a heavy bioload, but that is intentional because I want these softies to really grow in this short 6 months. I'm not worried about the health of the tank because I'm going to stay on top of maintenance.

I'll do the final tally in the top post, but this pretty much spends every penny of the budget.

Great Start.
All these "shoppers" in the contest. I haven't even been to the store yet!
Note above. I don't know what your configuration is, but Lowe's and Home Depot have this bulb in a reflector body and it's just a bit more moola but directs the light just where you want it. I am actually growing coral under the 26W version, at like $9.00! Might work for you.
Don't let these naysayers get to you. Biotopes are the coolest and possibly easiest to set up and maintain. Now for the artistic part!

Thanks! I haven't actually been to a store yet, I have all of the equipment already, so I just had to find prices for it all. I just ordered all the livestock online. I haven't found my fuge light yet in my pile of spare aquarium parts though, so if I can't find it I'll check out the light you mentioned. Thanks for the heads up!

As for the naysayers, that was me trying to convince Maria not to do a biotope since thats what I was planning all along! I can't wait for the artistic part, one more day!

I updated my budget in post #1.

Sounds like an awesome plan. Not having a tank right now is so awful...

I don't think you have deduct the fuge light or the bulbs...

It wasn't specifically listed as free so I counted them towards the budget. I counted the bulb because that light doesn't come with a bulb.

If fuge light was something that was discussed in the really long thread then I missed it because I didn't follow that one, I'm basing everything off of Jacobs post in the current thread.

Did the livestock arrive yet?
Tagging along

pics

Tomorrow. Ships out today, I already have the tracking number.


Tonight, I've been sick so I haven't done anything with the tank. I'll get it up and running this evening for tomorrow's arrivals.

sealife inc?

Hope u feel better

Yep.
Thanks. I'm at work today at least, feeling a little better. Hopefully I'll last the whole day. This is one heck of a head cold...no fun at all.

knew it

those jawfish pairs are so cool. i think I might get a rusty goby pair and some sponges from them eventually.

Hope you'll be back to normal soon!

I planned to get my rock from SeaLife as well, and going kind of the same route than you...
macros and Caribbean...

Not copying here, I guess it was / is quite possible that more than one person came up with this...?
Kept searching for nice LR and SeaLife became first choice...

Anyway, if you are "fewskillz" than I am "noskillz" so there should be no problem contest-wise...

I'll have to get my rock after Thanksgiving, wanna be around when it cycles...

Best of Luck!
I'll keep checking your progress.

Needreefunds did a sealife inc. 5.5g tank - it was really cool looking. I use their rocks in my tank - they're one of the best purchases I've made (also caused some random issues too - but whatever).

Their rock really looks like the way to go.

Random Issues?
Dying sponges and Monster Mantis eating trough the glass?

Actually, my little brother is "noskillz". He joined a local surfing forum back when he first started surfing with that as his username. I had only been surfing about 6 months longer than him, but joined that forum after he did. I had to be better than him, but didn't want to sound like I was bragging, so the modest "fewskillz" was chosen. We will forever be known as the Skillz brothers around the beach here.

I'm sure lots of people thought about doing the florida biotope thing, I'm not worried about it, this is all in good fun. I was going to setup this tank either way. I didn't get any rock from sealife inc, just my livestock. The last thing I need is more rock, I have at least 250 pounds between all of my tanks!

issues like out of control dictyota and some kind of random cottony algae. but that's getting under control now. also had 4 or 5 xanthid crabs. there's still one in the tank.

the good way outweighed the bad though.

That's what I think right now, too. Never ordered rock over the internet before (this is only take 2 on SW)
and wasn't sure if I dare to introduce uncured LR to my tank...
On the other hand the stuff sold here at the LFS is more like Base Rock...
And the (good) critters that come with real Live Rock are supposed to be pretty much all my livestock...

So I'll give it a go.

Thanks for your input.



That makes me "Zeroskillz" then..jk

Yep. Fun is key.

np - i'll check out your tank thread for more.

skillz, kick some ass bro.

Edit: KIE, your link is broken in your sig.

Thanks! Are you still coming down here next week?

Yeah, I am. Unfortunately we aren't going to get as much time down there as I had hoped. I'll PM you and see if I can find some time to come say hey.

Sounds good. I'm literally only a minute out of the way if you're taking highway 133 between Wilmington and Southport. The main entrance to my neighborhood is on 133.

Thanks,
I kind of fixed it, can't get a Title / Text into the Topic Link..it keeps jumping to Value "0", once I add the Title...
I am no good with that kind of stuff. I use computers for other things, no idea of HTML & stuff.

Got the tank setup this morning. I don't love the aquascape, but it'll do for now. The livestock is supposed to arrive by 10:30 this morning. I don't know if I'll get any pictures while I'm unpacking everything, but I'll definitely take some pictures tonight!

Can't wait to see what you get on your rock!!

Didn't order rock, just corals, fish, shrimp, and crabs. I have plenty of rock, in fact I'm probably going to sell some after this tank is done. I bet I have 250 pounds.

THEY'RE HERE! Now I've gotta hurry up and finish what I'm doing so I can get home and get these guys in water. I was planning on having at least another hour!

If you need to get rid of some, I can always setup a bucket at home for the rocks you're holding onto for me.