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6 gal tank diary


Claude

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Crossing over from F/W because of this tank, it was an inspiration for me to check out nanos

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Bought a 22 lt (6gal) tank

 

Here is my progress

 

The space i have to work with

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Proposal

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I want to have a sump so i built an overflow box

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Modded the overflow a bit

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Hung some T5's above the tank

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This is it to date

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I am pushing about 5wpg but i am mainly gonna stock softies at the moment, i am also going to keep a prawn goby/pistol shrimp combo

 

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Thanks for looking, comments welcome :)

 

Hopefully after a bit of cladding this is all that will be on display

 

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Hallide off, fuge lit with a pc (in hood from aquaone tank)

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probs will run the PC in reverse tandem with the T5's, because the sump and tank are so close, the fuge will recieve light from the t5 during the day and be lit with the PC at night, that should be adequate?

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The overflow box has been tested for 2 1/2 days now, constantly running and there appears to be no probs, i have tested it for;-

 

integrity - no leaks, baffles work great (i'm actually getting a lot of skimming action already with tank empty!)

power outages - if the pump cuts out the tank drains to about 1/2" below the full level as i have put a hole in the inlet to prevent too much reverse siphoning and flooding of the sump

power outage then back on again - i have tried this a number of time (and this is what worries me most) - but everytime i try it the overflow system never breaks siphon and kicks in straight away.

clogging - i've tried to clog the overflow up by sticking some sand in and whirling it around, lots of rubish comes through the overflow and ends up in the sump (which is nice)

 

I'm using a feature of the overflow box as a failsafe, alot of people strive to stop their overflows 'gurgling', mine does gurgle slightly but i use it an an audio check to make sure the system is still working.

 

here are some update photos (they are cloudy because i've been trying to clog the system up and i added a 400 lt/hr powerhead to mix things up a bit).

 

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Made a few modefications to the alcove

 

before

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after

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with luminaire on

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i'm pretty pleased so far considering i know sweet fa about DIY (i have learned alot tho!), also i so far the whole project has cost me approx £100 and i'm ready for rock and water now :) who said this marine malarky was expensive? :P

 

The tank has been checked for leaks, failsafes and integrity and all is GOOOOOD

 

I have a refractometer on the way which i picked up from ebay too for £12ish

 

i'm on the look out for any old cpu fans as well, i think i might stick a couple in to the vent the alcove when temps get too high

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hey i have a prawn goby too but have had no luck getting a shrimp to pare with him. What kind of shrimp is that, and where can i get one.

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Well its a slippery slope from here, i've put together the final components needed for my nano reef and here they are :)

 

Overflow box (now a bit less bulky and sporting a milliputted sucker to keep in from flying away :) )

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Miracle mud

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Sump

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Left = inlet with mechanical filtration (plus space for rowaphos etc)

Middle = refugium (deep bed of m.mud then coral gravel, then coral sand)

Right = Equipment bay, loadsa space in here, will probs build a skimmer in the future

Sump is lit with a PC bulb from original Aquaone hood

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Live rock added and everything running successfully

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Night lights

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Wide shot of unit now

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Door open, guts out

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The total flow through the system is;-

 

Maxi Jet400 in the main tank, (hidden by aquascaping) - 400lph

Variable flow from the eheim pump in the sump (between 120 - 1000 lph) - set at about 600lph

= total 1000lph

= display tank (22lts) water is turned over 45 times every hour

= total water (display plus sump - 50lts) - 20 tomes per hour

 

Lighting is by means of 2 x 14W T5's - therefore lighting provided is (for the display tank = 6gals) 4.6wpg

 

Cheers for looking, hope i haven't missed anything out, comments, suggestions, critiques, etc etc are more than welcome cheers

 

:)

 

Most important bit is that total cost is only approx £150 at the moment :)

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Looking great so far mate.

 

I'm curious to know what you used for your overflow box, the containers specifically. I'm going to be building one myself, and was swithering about builing it entirely out of perspex, but how much were those containers and where did you get them! (I'm British too btw, Scotland)

 

Good luck with this, i'll be following.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Just remember slow is better. I would check more into that Odyssee light system you have. I have heard nothing good about them, even peoples catching on fire. Just my 2cents. Looks nice though.

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I've changed the inlet to make it less of an eyesore and make it look more tidy

 

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I was SO against getting a clown fish, due to the whole nemo thing. I couldn't refuse this little fella tho when i saw him, and i'm pleased i got him he compliments this already colourful tank so much :)

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Some vids for those who are interested :)

 

A fly by of the whole set up;-

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My tiny frag of xenia which will hopefully attach itself to the overflow box. Postitioned so high up so it doesnt grow too long (long gangly stuff looks awful imo)

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Overflow system, showing; vid 1 - it in action, vid 2 - internal box (note bag of coral sand needed to stop it floating away!), external box, drain, mechanical filter compartment with floss.

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This one is showing modded seaclone skimmer/venturi in action, also you can see the gravity drip fed plain RO top up lines

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I don't really have an actinic look on the nano, althogh one of the T5 bulbs is actinic and the other is marine white, i cant switch them independently, so i've attached some cold ray cathode tubes to the luminairre. Works quite well i think :)

 

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Under normal

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Under cathodes

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Videos

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Feeding my troops with frozen brine shrimp and mysis. Keep an eye out for the stunt emerald crab (mithrax sculptus) in the background

 

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Feeding the corals and fish the same stuff

 

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Plate coral feeding. I love this coral, it looks so static, but notice the shrimp being swept towards its mouth by its short sweeper tentacles

 

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Mithrax crab, never stops eating, also seems to try and eat his own eyeballs at times

 

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Pistol shrimp, despite being blind, knows where the food is at (who needs a goby!)

 

i find it facinating how my two nano fish find company in themselves, despite being a totally different species and inhabiting different strata of the tank, they always seem to spend time together, whether this be out of curiosity or comfort its very cute :lurve:

 

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imgs:-

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Vids:-

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After my pistol shrimp collapsed part of my reef, i had to rebuild it tonight, filling in his tunnels and moving his piles of stones. He 'clipped' me on one occasion, luckily i was wearing gloves. Anyway after the reshufle i had the cam and hand and caught "the adventures of Rodney and his mighty claw!"

 

Check it out

Part #1

A poor little blue legged hermit falls into the path of Rodney, knowing that he's not in a fun loving mood tonight i decide to help the hermit out

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Part#2

I have done some good in the world, the hermit can now reight himself and make a bolt for freeeeeeeeeedom!

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Part#3

erm, maybe not :\

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Check this out, listen and watch as he trys to disable my cocktail stick (this is what he did to my thumb!)

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Well, this will be the last pics i will post this year folks .... and no vids this time ;)

 

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i hope you enjoy :)

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best scooter blenny i have ever seen! hes so like puffy and perky =)! good luck with your fish...p.s. i would like to talk to your about your scooter blenny!

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  • 2 weeks later...
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