New setup

[EddieW]

Bit of a newbie here - I have been keeping FW for a while and everything has settled into a nice easy routine - water changes, cleaning, testing, etc. Managed to get guppies to breed (probably harder gettign them not to breed ) but also managed with dwarf cichlids.

 

So I decided I needed a new challenge. After having a look around and doing my research I decided to try a nano reef tank. Spent a lot of time lurking around on here and other forums to find out what I needed to know and eventually felt that the timw was right to take the plunge. Biggest problem was that a lot of the equipment mentioned on the forum is either not available in the UK or is exorbitantly priced, so I have had to make some compromises at the moment which can be changed at a later date.

 

Over the weekend I stripped down a FW community tank and throughly cleaned it out. I refilled with FW and left the filters running overnight and then cleaned it out again. Set up the plumbing the way I wanted it and fitted the new lighting. Filled with RO water and added 3/4 of the salt I think it will need (LFS had no hydro so I am waiting for one on back order) and left it to run to check temp.

 

Thought I would post a pic showing the basic set up before I start adding LR and LS.

 

Tank is a FLuval Duo 600 - 24 x 14 x 14, approx 20 gal. Standard hood (2 x 15w NO) replaced with ASL T5 Aluminium Overtank lighting with 2 x 36w T5s. Circulation is currently with 2 Fluval 104 external filters with no media in the baskets, a powerhead is going to be added (I will hopefully be adding a wave maker at a later date).

 

Planning to add 6kg of live rock once I have checked the salinity - hopefully at the weekend but it will have to wait until the hydro arrives

 

Cheers, Eddie

[LITTLEFISHEE]

So far so good IMO. That sucks that you can't get all the supplies you need reasonably priced. What are you going to keep?

[Dingo]

If you have EVER used copper to treat disease in that tank, you can't use it. Just an FYI.

 

I'm curious, is it possible for you to order more cheaply from Germany? They seem to be the people that everyone wants to emulate, and they are a lot closer to you than the US suppliers most of us use...

[EddieW]

Littlefishee - going to start off with just LR & LS and whatever comes along for the ride. Fortunately I know the guy who owns the place I am going to get the LR shipped from so I can ask him nicely to pick out some nice pieces. Once the tank is cycled and settled I will be adding the usual stuff - snails, hermits, etc. Not totally decided yet but I have at least a month till that stage. I won't be going for corals as the lighting is not enough from what I understand. I might add a fish or two in a couple of months if I can find some that I like that won't get too big.

 

Dingo - fortunately never used any meds ever in that tank - only occasional additions of Cycle and plant fertilisers. I would never use any copper based ones anyway as I like to have shrimps in my FW tanks as part of the clean up crew and I have always been advised to avoid copper meds with them.

 

We do get some kit from Germany available over here but there don't seem to be many sites over there that offer international shipping. The frieght charges would be high as well. It is annoying as I'd like to stick a fuge on the tank but the only thing I can find is going to be something like an EcoSystem 40 which is way over the top for what I need and very expensive (c 270 GBP or US $450).

 

Next major piece of kit is going to be one of the auto top up systems so if I am away for a few days the chemistry won't go too far out of whack.

 

Cheers for the feedback, Eddie