bigchili Posted March 10, 2002 Share Posted March 10, 2002 Hey all, I have finally got around to updating my website with pictures and info. I started this reef back in August - but really didn't start adding anything until recently. I didn't want to rush anything. Hope you enjoy. www.bigchili.com/nano Link to comment
Christopher Marks Posted March 10, 2002 Share Posted March 10, 2002 Hey Bigchili! I remember back when you had just finished installing your spraybar system and were setting it up. It's really come along nicely too! I kept checking your site hoping for updates...and it's good to see you back! Link to comment
bigchili Posted March 10, 2002 Author Share Posted March 10, 2002 I think that was one of the biggest reasons for the failure of my first Nano - Rushing it. I put it together, and the first day it was "cycled" I started cramming stuff in it - not really checking out anything about the coral before I did it. THis time - I was really patient. once it was cycled - I still waited four months. And I almost had the nerve to turn it into a FOWLR. Then came the idea to start over with a 20 Long - but I stuck with it, and I'm glad I did. I did a lot of research on the types of coral I want to keep in my tank this time - and I'm not just going to add, add, add - I'm going to take it very slow. Reefs are not created in a day - well successful are not. I planned for about 3 months before i even went and spent 8 bucks on the tank... There were lots of people who helped along the way.. and to them I say Thanks!!! chili Link to comment
Carrie Posted March 10, 2002 Share Posted March 10, 2002 Very informative site. I actually found it again through a search on yahoo for "smallest skimmer"! LOL! I saw the pics of your water storage/ dispensing tower. That is cool. Where did you get that? Is it RO, saltwater, etc? Link to comment
bigchili Posted March 10, 2002 Author Share Posted March 10, 2002 The smallest skimmer.. well I bought a piccalo - totally useless!!!!.. I went to home depot and tried to piece together a skimmer with some PVC pieces - you can see in in one of the pictures... Anyway.. small airstone skimmers just don't stay sonstant enough to be any good.. I now just do water changes... The shelves for the water I got from Home Depot. It's a two shelf tower.. or somthing. It wasnt' that much and those "jugs" fit perfectly into each shelf. I buy my Fresh water from a local water place called H2O Depot. I buy my salt water from my LFS. Never had any problems with this... It's easy and convienient. Link to comment
Delph Posted March 11, 2002 Share Posted March 11, 2002 (Edited by Delph at 9:57 am on June 3, 2002) Link to comment
lizbeth Posted March 13, 2002 Share Posted March 13, 2002 I love the corner pieces! I like the idea of hiding the equipment. I might try this on the 20 I have planned. Did you use the 1/8 inch thick acrylic? I've never worked with acrylic.....no time like the present to learn! Link to comment
bigchili Posted March 13, 2002 Author Share Posted March 13, 2002 Yes 1/8 inch acrylic. I ordered it from USPLASTICS.com - pretty cheap stuff too.... I just "scored and snapped" the acrylic... just remember to score deep enough or you will not get clean breaks. Then I just super glued the corners together and used aquarium sealer to hold them in... Remember to cut some slits in the top of them and this will eliminate surface scum... I did not have these at first, and I had to come up with a way to add them withought destroying the tank since they were permanantly afixed to the tank.. so I used a soldering iron and melted slits in the acrylic... worked like a charm... Link to comment
quiksilver5768 Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 Nice tank! I was wondering about the jugs next to your aquarium...Do they hold RO water or saltwater and where did you purchase them? If they hold saltwater, how long do you keep it in there and how long does it last? Link to comment
bigchili Posted March 18, 2002 Author Share Posted March 18, 2002 The top jug holds Fresh RO water. I buy it at a local water place called H2O Depot. The only problem with this water is that I have to add Calcium to it.. or it will rapidly drop the calcium level in my tank. The bottom two hold Salt water that I buy from my LFS - I have tested it, and be sure you do this, because not all Salt water from LFS's are the same. I like this stuff that I buy from Boutique Pet Shop in Garland Texas. I do a 1 gallon water change every week, so the bottom two jugs last 10 weeks - and the water in the jusgs do not change in composition over those ten weeks (although in theroy they should last 10 weeks - they never do - I always wind up changing mor or more ofter) I bought the jugs from the LFS I buy the water. Link to comment
LotR Clown Posted April 10, 2002 Share Posted April 10, 2002 Very nice Bigchili, So the skimmer is worthless? I thought it was interesting since you said it was the size of a coke can. Does it use a wood block or airstone? I would like to replace my lee's on my 25g with a nicer one, maybe one of the air driven berlin's chris has. Link to comment
Kapelakin Posted April 10, 2002 Share Posted April 10, 2002 Very nice... liked watching the progression through your pics. All that patience really paid off! Those yellow polyps look great. Link to comment
bigchili Posted April 10, 2002 Author Share Posted April 10, 2002 Ya the Piccalo is worthless... I had better luck with the home made one you can see in some of the pics.. but like with all of the small air stone skimmers.. they are just too hard to keep constant. They vary too much.. and not day by day.. hour by hour (at least that's the experience I have had with them). I need to update with some more pics.. The brain is "blowin'" up like crazy.. he really gets big on days after the water change!!!... I also added a yellow toadstool.. Link to comment
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