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Innovative Marine Aquariums

Sanbed's Custom Nano


SandBed

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Setup Information (I need to update livestock)


Tank:
Custom build 10.39 gallon (24x10x10)

Stand:
Ikea Expedit 2x2 shelving unit

Lighting:
Kessil A160 (x2)

Kessil Spectral controller


Wire suspension hanging kit suspended from a custom aluminum bracket bolted to the stand

 

Overflow:

1" bulkhead with 45° PVC schedule 40 fitting inside the tank to raise the water level above the bulkhead.

 

Sump:
Custom build 6.55 gallon capacity (12x9x14)
Sock filter

HMO 150W Finnex Heater

Tunze Comline DOC Skimmer 9004

Hydor Smart Level Controller ATO

Eheim Compact+ 2000 Return Pump (set to lowest flow)

Seachem Purigen

Fluval Activated Carbon

Fluval Clearmax (phosphate remover)

Threw in a couple pieces of extra dry rock

 

Rock:
Dry rock from the LFS

No Live rock was used

Substrate:
Fiji Pink Arag-Alive Live Reef Sand (10lbs)

 

Fish:

Six Line Wrasse - Pseudocheilinus hexataenia x 1

Mandarin Dragonet - Synchiropus splendidus x 1

 

Invertebrates:

Peppermint Shrimp - Lysmata wurdemanni x 1

Blue Porcelain crab - Petrolisthes galathinus x1

Nassarius snails

Astraea snails

Cerith snails

Turbo snails

Hitch hiker snails - unidentified

 

 

SPS

Need to update

 

LPS

Green Torch Coral - Euphyllia glabrescens

Gold Torch

Frogspawn - Euphyllia divisa

Chalice coral (need to ID)

 

 

Soft Corals:

Various Zoanthids

 

 

If you have any suggestions, comments. or corrections of coral names please feel free to comment.

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So I have always loved aquariums and have had a few over the years including a 30gal saltwater setup for awhile. Then recently a friend had been planning his custom 150gal reef tank he is putting together, and I got the itch to get bak into the hobby again. I decided to go with a smaller nano, as I am a student and don't have much space for anything larger.

 

The tank and sump were custom designed and ordered at a LFS around the Ikea expedite shelving unit that I already owned. I am excited about the design that I came up with and how I am utilizing the 4 cubbies to house the sump, electrical and supplies. Then I plumbed the drain and return straight down through the stand to try and keep a more minimalist look.

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The plumbing gave me a bit a trouble as the drain ended up with a gurgling sound that I was not happy with. I posted on a forum and got some ideas, and ended up re-plubming the drain and am much more happy with the results. The main changes were using a 45° PVC fitting connoted to the bulkhead inside the tank rather than the 90° fitting. The second change in the T fitting allowing an air intake where the water flows down to the sump. The third change was using the PVC spa flex rather than the barb, to reduce water turbulence dropping down to the sump.

 

I took a couple days aquascaping and had some help to scape the dry rock I bought at the LFS. I ended up epoxying pieces together to get the final look. I am really happy with how it turned out, especially the small bits that extend out poking out of the sand.

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September 27, 2014

Aquascaping done and filled the tank with saltwater.

 

October 5, 2014

Added Podibio Start Up Nano to the tank

 

October 6, 2014

Tested Ammonium, Nitrite, Nitrate and all were 0

Bought the Clown, Shrimp, and 2 hermit crabs, added them to the tank

 

October 8, 2014

Bought and added the Green Torch, Zoa, and the Acan

I know that I am rushing the tank, but everything is looking really good a few days.

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The plumbing gave me a bit a trouble as the drain ended up with a gurgling sound that I was not happy with. I posted on a forum and got some ideas, and ended up re-plubming the drain and am much more happy with the results. The main changes were using a 45° PVC fitting connoted to the bulkhead inside the tank rather than the 90° fitting. The second change in the T fitting allowing an air intake where the water flows down to the sump. The third change was using the PVC spa flex rather than the barb, to reduce water turbulence dropping down to the sump.

 

Looks good Sandbed!

 

You altered the design slightly from what we chatted about and I think thats what is leading to your sound issue. The draining bulkhead isn't high enough on the glass so you had to put an elbow turned up inside the display. This is going to cause sucking and gurgling sounds. If you used the screens you'd see that they don't gurgle when the water level stabilizes. If you are getting a lot of sound in your sump I'd add filterfloss to the inside of the sock. I just buy big bags of it at a craft store. I switch it out 1-2 times a week.

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Thanks for the suggestion Scorched. I will also throw up some additional photos of the new plumbing. I am just away for another day for Canadian Thsnksgiving.

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Thanks for the suggestion Scorched. I will also throw up some additional photos of the new plumbing. I am just away for another day for Canadian Thsnksgiving.

Ok, have fun

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Could we have a close up of the new overflow? Because I'm really interested

So here is the pictures of the updated plumbing. I still need to do some touch up painting and I am also considering painting the return pipe that is currently clear black. But no rush there. I have already painted a 45 degree elbow black to replace the white one on the inside of the tank. I am giving the paint one week of drying before putting it in. I use the Krylon Fusion spray paint.

 

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I spent some time doing some finishing work of the stand to clean up the electrical cords and make things look better overall. Looks a lot better than it was all exposed before.

 

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Inside If top left cubby. All of the electrical from the sump.

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Bottom left cubby. The ATO water. I bought a RODI off of Bulk Reef and am making my own RODI water.

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Bottom right cubby. Storage for my salt (Red Sea Coral Pro Salt)

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Top right cubby. Show the hole drilled for cords to pass over to the adjacent cubby without going around the back.

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Shows the doors I put on three of the cubbies. I am planning to put one in front of the sump as well.

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Added some holes for the light electrical to go inside the aluminum bracket it is suspended from.

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Show the exits for the power cord and the controller.

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Went to the LFS today as well and had my water tested. Ammonia and Nitrite and Nitrate were fine, Calcium was 340 and Carbonate was 135. I attribute the calcium and carbonate being a bit lower as I have held off on the water change in case I stalled any cycling that was still going on. I will be doing a water change tomorrow.

 

I also added a Red Dragon Acropora, a Purple Hornet Zoa, 2 Nassarius and 2 Astraea snails.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Wanted to do a quick update on the tank. Not too much had been happening as I was holding off adding anything because the tank looked like it was doing some additional cycling. My Red Dragon acro had bleached, but in the last week has started to regain it's color. One week ago I also added a Royal Gramma to the tank. It is doing well but is still spending all of it's time in one of the caves. I am hoping that he will start coming out soon.

 

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I also recently came across a local reef keeper selling frags at $10 bucks a frag. I ended up getting 11 frags. I am a bit concerned about adding that many at a time, but for the price I figured I would go for it and see what happens.

 

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I don't have names for all of them, but they include some Acros, Montis, a Frogspawn, and a Cactus.

 

I had also been concerned about not having enough water flow. Up to this point the water flow was from the return, and a nano Koralia 240 powerhead. Neither of which was giving enough water movement, so I broke down and bought the Vortech MP10w ES. It is an amazing powerhead so far and I think it will make a big difference in my tank to have a more adequate water flow.

 

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The clown loves to swim in the current by the powerhead.

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Also wanted to throw out there, I have two filter socks that I can rotate, and I am wondering how people clean theirs?

I am also considering buying some active carbon that I throw in a bag and leave in the sump, just wondering if there are any opinions or experience with that?

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So the Gramma died. Sad day, he was never leaving the cave, he was eating a bit though..... Corals look good though and clown and shrimp are fine.

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So I did a water test today and my calcium was 440, but the alkalinity was 1. Nitrates 0. I will admit up front I had been lazy about picking up some testing kits and final did it. So this is a first test for alkalinity. I will retest tomorrow to confirm results, but any suggestions on how to go about bringing this up?

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Sorry to hear about your Gramma :( Did you just say Alalkalinity was 1? It should be closer to 8 if anything :blink: I think maybe your test was inaccurate.

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That's what I thought. But I did it twice.... Going to repeat it when I get home from work, as well as pick up a ph test and something to fix it if it is an issue. Any suggestions welcome though.

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You will have to dose to raise Alkalinity. ReefSupplies.ca is one of my favourite sites to get supplies from in Canada unless your stopping by Aquarium Illusions. I'm pretty sure they carry the Seachem one. Also J&L has super fast shipping to Edmonton.

 

I would be absolutely sure of your readings before dosing though.

 

Which test kit are you using for Alk BTW? I use the Hanna checkers and Red Sea, and always get good readings from those.

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API is known to be a bit subpar. Good for cycle and that, but once your getting into SPS and that your top choices are pretty much ELOS, Red Sea and Salifert. I personally like the Red Sea the best, but all are good choices.

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So turns out I did the test wrong, retested today correctly and the carbonate is at 7. I am going to try some sachem carbonate dosing and track it. pH was 8.3 ish so it looks good.

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So tank is going through a bit of an algae bloom right now which I figure is a good sign and just part of the process of starting a new tank. I also went to the LFS and picked up two new fish to add to the tank. I was able to get a Mandarin Golby that ate some frozen mysis shrimp at the LFS. I also grabbed a small 6 lined wrasse. They are both in the tank now and are looking great. Time will tell with the mandarin.

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