10g nano + 4g refugium

After much inspiration from fellow nano-reefers and research on the benefits of a refugium, I have now added (DIY) a 4gal fuge to my 9 month old nano. pH is now more stable with the fuge set on a reverse photoperiod.

I've also added another 55W PC, making it 3x55W.

Here are some pics of the nano and fuge...

tridacna crocea, maxima and derasa...

t. maxima and t. derasa

Here's a pic of my forever active and inquisitive yellow canary wrasse It doesn't grow very fast nor very large and is ideal for a nano. You will also notice several frags in the pic (from left to right)... fire coral (next to torch), pectinia, alveopora, blue shroom, pink dendro, favites (?), montipora sp & birdsnest.

VERY nice!! Good job!

:woot:

Very nice. I like your Millenium filter with protein skimmer. What skimmer did you chop off for that or did you DIY? Once again good job and nice tank.

Can you show us how exactly you made the refugium?

Very nice tank! I love the Derasa

JJ

Thanks y'all!

OxInYB... I have a Piccolo skimmer in the Millenium 2000. I also squeezed in a mini power filter w/ Rowaphos in the Millenium. The mini filter is on 12hrs/day.

Mantis... I used a 4g container from IKEA. It sits about 3" taller than the tank, hence the overflow via the two 1" holes cut out with a sturdy pen knife and rounded off with a round file for a nice fit - any 1" PVC/plastic tubing will work - just make sure the output (overflow) can more than handle the input (the powerhead feeding the refugium). The 100gal/hr pwrhead is at the top left corner of the tank. Tubing then links the pwrhead to a small 'media/filter' box that sits at the top left front corner of the fuge. Water then overflows from the media box into the main fuge area - in the event of power outage, water siphoning into the tank is minimised.

I divided the container/fuge into two parts (1:2 ratio) with an acrylic sheet with numerous holes pre-drilled half way down. The holes allow for a gentle flow into the main refugium area. The small 'media' box and chiller fit nicely in the first section. I also built braces to support the ice-probe chiller and fuge lighting. I used aquarium silicone sealant to secure/seal everything.

Dan

Holy moly! You have really outdone yourself this time. Very nice work! Those clams are SO nice! You may have pushed me over refugium edge as I have been teetering on doung something similar (although not nearly as ingenuitive as yours). Thanks for the idea and pictures!

As always, NICE!

Jeff, not sure if you seen this, there's a thread in the Refugium Discussion forum on the 12g Eclipse.

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...&threadid=11316

Isn't this one of the greatest hobbies... and sharing experiences with others is very much a part of it!

Dan awesome tank... love the clams... especially the derasa. Good decision on the fuge. You may have this posted elsewhere, but I'm curious what lights you have, what you do for calcium and alk, and whether or not you dose phyto. Again the tank looks great, and I love the yellow wrasse too. Keep us updated...

Johnny

Thanks Johnny and a special thanks for the inspiration on the fuge.

For lighting, I'm using PC's, 1x55W 10000k, 1x55W 17000k actinic, 1x55W 50/50 and a supplemental standard 15W actinic to simulate dawn and dusk. A 13W PC illuminates the fuge on a reverse 12hr photoperiod.

To maintain Ca and alk, I use:

- Seachem Reef Carbonate (liquid form of Reef Builder), one capful 2x/wk in top-up water

- Seachem Reef Complete (liquid form of Reef Advantage Calcium), one capful 2x/wk in top-up water

- 10% water change every two weeks using Tropic Marin salt

- Water top-up 0.25 gal daily.

I feed/dose Marine Snow (microscopic plankton diet), half a capful once or twice a day. It's the next best thing to live phyto and zooplankton.

Other daily supplements (high-end of recommended dosage):

- Sea Elements (Julian Sprung's Reef Formula)

- Coralife Strontium Plus, Calcium and Iodine

- Kent Marine Coral Accel

I've had the yellow canary wrasse for about 6 months. It's one of the smaller wrasses and is a great fish to have in a nano. Just two days ago, "Discovery Channel" was on live in my nano. I observed the yellow wrasse peck at and pull a 3" bristle worm out of a LR and chew of half an inch. At the same time, the tomato clown, false percula and damsel ganged up on the mauled bristle worm. Thereafter, the clean-up crew (cleaner shrimp) moved in to finish off business. Too bad I didn't have a video cam handy... it was a pretty amazing sight!

Dan

awesome.

WOW, excellent work!

More pics... pink tip a., yellow cup, lettuce, pipe organ, a. humilis (pastel yellow alveopora in background), fox, clams, blue shroom, torch, false percula, clams, tomato clown (m. danae in background), clams (top view), cleaner shrimp, nano

Very nice, I really like the diversity you've got there.

Thanks Cal. Your nano is another that inspired me!

Dan

Some new pictures... any thoughts, comments, feedback or questions are welcome

Nano-reef inhabitants,

• SPS - green porite, brown porite, pink tip a., green tip a., a. humilis, a. millepora (green hairy), montipora danae, montipora sp. frag (green plate coral), m. capricornis, agaricia (lettuce coral), birds nest frags

• LPS - white alveopora, green/white alveo, torch, yellow cup, pipe organ, fox, candy cane, pastel yellow goniopora, favites sp frag (close brain), blastomussa (red w/ green center), pectinia frag

• Soft coral - Dendronephthya (carnation tree coral: orange, pink, peach), red chili

• Polyps - clove, yellow, green star, brown

• Zoos - orange, yellow, green button, brown button, red, etc.

• Shrooms - blue, green hairy, etc.

• Inverts - cleaner shrimp, acro crabs, porite shrimps, misc reef crabs, X'mas tree worms (small and large sizes), feather duster worm, snails

• Clams - tridacna maxima, t. crocea, t. derasa

• Fish - tomato clown, false percula clown, yellow canary wrasse, damsel

• Other - millepora sp (fire coral)

the reef... at 12" deep

My synchronized swimming team:happy:

My nano specs for easy reference...

Equipment:

• 10 gallon acrylic tank (Aug '02)

• 4 gallon DIY refugium (Apr '03)

• Ice Probe chiller

• Piccolo protein skimmer (sits in Millenium 2000)

• Mini power filter w/ Rowaphos (in Millenium)

• Max flow rate from powerheads/filters is 1800 L/hr (470 gph)

Lighting:

• 1X55W 10000K & 1x55W 17000K actinic PC w/ 12hr photoperiod

• 1X55W 50/50 PC w/ 9hr photoperiod

• 15W actinic FL w/ 13hr photoperiod (to simulate dawn & dusk)

• PC 13W for refugium on reverse 12hr photoperiod

Daily supplements (high-end of recommended dosage):

• Sea Elements (Julian Sprung's Reef Formula)

• Coralife Strontium Plus, Calcium and Iodine

• Kent Marine Coral Accel

Food:

• Marine Snow (microscopic plankton diet), half a capful 2x/day

• Marine fish food/pellets, 1x/day

Water parameters:

• Ph: 8.0 low 8.3 high

• Nitrite: undetectable/negligible

• Ammonia: undetectable/negligible

• Nitrate: undetectable/negligible

• Salinity: 1.025

• Calcium: 420-450ppm (Salifert)

• Temperature: 79.7 low 82.4 high

• Alkalinity: 9 - 10 DKH

Water, pH & alk maintenance:

• Seachem Reef Carbonate (Builder), one capful 3x/wk in top-up water

• Seachem Reef Complete (Advantage Calcium), one capful 2x/wk in top-up water

• 10% water change every two weeks using Tropic Marin salt

• Water top-up 0.25 gal daily

4g refugium inhabitants:

• 4 species of macroalgae, LR w/ green star polyps and blue bubble, candy cane, blue shroom

Man, you must stay on that tank to have such good calcium levels.

Dustin, it takes 24/7 TLC... well almost