Nano Adventures

[RyanRe1n8olt]

After weeks of research im ready to start a thread on my 20 gallon high reef tank im building.. i will be getting equipment slowly but eventually i will fill this threat with pictures hopefully of a beautiful aqarium.

 

A couple months ago i started a 20 gallon high freshwater tank. Although it was beautiful i eventually wanted a reef tank. I wanted to go small so i decided to get rid of my freshwater tank. So i got rid of it all and moved the fish into my planted aquarium wherre they are all doing great. Anyways from there i started planning my new aquarium.

 

I started by getting about 17lb of base rock and 1lb of live rock. I also got 10lb of live sand. I then got reef salt good for up to 170 gallons. After that I used an old heater and an old power head and started cycling the tank. Here is the current tank as we speak.

While getting the equipment to start the cycle, i also got some cleaning equipment and clothes so i do not mix my freshwater equipment with my saltwater equipment.

For people who are curious, i went with a 20 gallon because i cannot get a rodi unit so i am purchasing rodi water which explains why i went with a smaller nano aquarium.

[RyanRe1n8olt]

Equipment wise... everything in the tank right now will be replaced.

Lighting:

- Aqua Illumination Prime HD

 

Filtration:

-Hagen Aquaclear Power Filter 70 running carbon and filter floss + whatever i needto keep parameters balanced at the right levels.

 

Heater:

- Marineland Precision Submersible Heater 50W

 

Powerheads:

-Two Hydor Koralia Nano Pumps 240 connected to a Hydor Koralia Smartwave Pump Controller

 

Auto Top Off:

-Tunze osomolator universal 3155 auto top off running to a 5 gallon tank in the stand with an old heater and old powerhead in the tank.

 

Refractometer:

-Sybon Opticon Series Salinity Refractometer-FG100sa

 

Test Kits:

- Red Sea Reef Foundation Pro Test Kit and Red Sea Algae Control Test kit

 

 

There is probally some things i am missing out on but will update this thread if need be. I will be purchasing my equipment from my local fish store which is a Big Al's. I will also be purchasing the more expensive items from reefsupplies.ca

I will soon update with my plans on what corals and fish i will be going with.

 

Thanks to burtbollinger and anyone who replied to my other posts on helping plan this aquarium. Cant wait to create a awesome tank.

[ajmckay]

Looking good... Do you have the AI Prime? I'm wondering if there will be enough light toward the ends of the tank...

 

While getting the equipment to start the cycle, i also got some cleaning equipment and clothes so i do not mix my freshwater equipment with my saltwater equipment.

You got new clothes specifically for your tank? Curious what you got?

 

Regarding the koralias, they're great pumps but you might consider 1 nano and 1 of the 400gph ones. It's tough to have too much flow in a reef setting. I had 2 400gph koralias in my 29g back in the day which was a little wider but honestly I think I could have done with more. Another option is the Jebao PP-4. At about $50 for a DC controllable pump it's a pretty solid option though IME the durability is nowhere near the Koralias which I've had forever it seems.

 

Probably can skip the heater and pump in the ATO reservoir. Generally the ATO is adding small amounts of water through the day so even if the water is freezing cold it's not enough to alter anything in the tank. Having it circulated isn't really necessary either. Now by all means get an extra heater and pump though because those are super useful in preparing water for water changes.

[RyanRe1n8olt]

Looking good... Do you have the AI Prime? I'm wondering if there will be enough light toward the ends of the tank...

 

 

You got new clothes specifically for your tank? Curious what you got?

 

Regarding the koralias, they're great pumps but you might consider 1 nano and 1 of the 400gph ones. It's tough to have too much flow in a reef setting. I had 2 400gph koralias in my 29g back in the day which was a little wider but honestly I think I could have done with more. Another option is the Jebao PP-4. At about $50 for a DC controllable pump it's a pretty solid option though IME the durability is nowhere near the Koralias which I've had forever it seems.

 

Probably can skip the heater and pump in the ATO reservoir. Generally the ATO is adding small amounts of water through the day so even if the water is freezing cold it's not enough to alter anything in the tank. Having it circulated isn't really necessary either. Now by all means get an extra heater and pump though because those are super useful in preparing water for water changes.

No i dont get the light till the beginning of february. I cant wait for that because the lights i have on it now really do suck haha. Yes i believe it will cover the ends of the tank. My tank is about 23-12" when i measured it. And the spread on the prime is 24 by 24 so it will be close. If it was a 20 gallon long however it wouldnt be enough being 30" long. When i get the light i will test it and if it isnt enough light along the end i will move the light higher up and i will be careful with what corals i put tjhere.

As for the pump i dont really want to much flow. I know if i go bigger it wouldnt be too bad but i dont want it really. With the ac70 i think it will be enough flow for me. With the corals im going with only one needs a good amount of flow which i will be putting by the power head.

As for the ATO i have so many heaters and pumps lying around honestly im just adding them so they have some kind of use i guess haha. I just dont like having them sitting around. And i just ment i went to walmart and got a bunch of towels and clothes to clean up.. because i go through a shit ton and this way i know i there will be no chemicals on these towels haha. And yes for water changes i have a 18 gallon bucket that i make saltwater in. Got a good heater in there and a 750gph powerhead so it just sits overnight whenever i need saltwater.

[RyanRe1n8olt]

I ment to say cloths. Auto correct lol

[RyanRe1n8olt]

For corals i will be getting in total about 10 different types of corals and letting them grow. After i get all the equipment which is a process itself.. i will be adding corals and fish slowly over probally a 12 month period or so.. so i dont run into problems

The first coral is..

 

Green star polyps:

- i will be getting a small piece or two of live rock and placing it on the sand bed on the far left of the tank in front of the giant rock. I will have my green star polyps on those rocks away from the other corals as i know they can take over a tank easily.

 

Paula neptha leather coral:

-The next coral will be a paula neptha leather coral as i love the branching look it gives off. I will be putting this also on the left side but about halfway up that big piece of liverock in the front.

 

Frogspawn:

- gonna get a frogspawn coral and will put it right below where the top rock attaches with the middle rock. Kind of in the middle of the tank.

 

Monti cap:

-This will be on the top rock as i love the look these corals create. It will be hanging slightly behind the frogspawn off the side of the top rock so the shade created will be towards the back of the tank.

 

Toadstool:

- i love the look of toadstools. Personally neon green is the best but i have alot of green already in the tank so i might try for another color. Not sure yet though.

 

Photosynthetic purple gorgonian:

- this will be on the far right of the tank at the very back rock(cant see in picture). This will add height to the tank so that space doesnt feel empty.

 

Torch coral:

- i will be getting a torch coral that i will be putting on the far right side on that small rock that is somewhat isolated.

 

Rock flower anemonies:

- these will be right center on the sand bed. Lots of space for them. I will either do a pair or a garden of them not sure yet.

 

Also i am going to put orange bam bam zoas somewhere in the tank where i can find a spot. As well various ricordeas along the bottom of the tank where there is empty areas. Any auggestions are welcomed.

[RyanRe1n8olt]

Just a livestock update...

So i decided i am going to go with a pair of percula clownfish. Gonna try to look for a unique pair. Also i am going to add a blenny fish as well.

I am going to do this over a long period of time. Once my tank is cycled i will add the clownfish first.. i will then wait a week or two and add the blenny. If all goes well i will keep those fish in the tank for a couple weeks before i start adding my clean up crew. Either i will wait a week or two after all my fish are added or once i see some type of algae growth starting.

For a clean up crew i am starting small and will add more as my tank progresses.

To start im gonna add three snails...

•one nassarius snail

•2 Trochus

I will also add one or two hermit crabs. While in the proccess of adding fish i will still continue to get equipment slowly and hopefully a couple months after the fish are in, i will be able to start adding corals.

[RyanRe1n8olt]

So i finally was able to get some equipment today.. i got the stand, the aquaclear 70 filter, media for the aquaclear, a marineland 50 watt heater, and one of the two hydor pumps.

 

 

I will be getting the lights, refractometer,and coral dip on february 8th.

I will hopefully get all my testing equipment apart from the ones i have now. Then if my water tests good i will be able to start adding fish.

[RyanRe1n8olt]

Update:

So i am very OCD.. and i went out and got alot of items to organize my cabinet. Got a bunch of lights so i am able to see. And got a bunch of cable managment items to organize my cables. I will definitly need more as i get more equipment but it is a start. Also i was able to get my test kits. I went with the api test kit for phosphates and nitrates because i dont wanna spend another 80$ for just those two. But i did get the red sea test kit for alkalinity, calcium and magnesium.

Currently my tank has ammonia in it. I didnt bother testing all the parameters. I basically just tested alkalinity to get used to it. And my alkalinity was at 11.35dkm. But since im using a hydrometer my salinity very well could be inaccurate which could play a role in my other readings. So i will hold off on testing these until i get my refractometer.

 

 

[burtbollinger]

very nice start. looks cool.

 

OCD and this hobby work very well together, btw.

[RyanRe1n8olt]

Update:

I got a bit more equipment including another hydor wave maker and a refractometer! I tested all my water and my tank is cycled!! All my parameters are on point. So i got a pair of clownfish yesterday and I absolutely love them! I drip acclimated them and they are very healthy eating well. Also i got to order my light and coral dip so that should be here by friday! Here is a picture of the clownfish.

 

[RyanRe1n8olt]

Update:

My pictures are a bit blurry as im still working on how to post photos on here so i apologize for the terrible quality. But i got more equipment!! I got my al prime in the mail and i absolutly love it!!! Hard to figure out but once i get it going it will make things alot easier. I also got the hydor controller that controls my pumps. I have the pumps set to pump one for a minute and the other for a minute after that.. and so on..

Along with that i got coral dip and some other cleaning accesories. I started getting my clean up crew that is doing a great job! And soon i think i will add my first coral or my third and probally last fish. Ive decided on a royal gramma for my third fish as i love the colores. I will update more once i get more livestock in the tank.