Introduction and a set up review

[Polystigma]

Hello all. as you can see, I am new. I have been keeping freshwater aquaria for quite a few years. I had a FO saltwater tank a while back, but I switched it over to FW when my moray took a carpet nap. Anyway, recently, I moved and I sold all of my tanks and rid myself of all my fish. It was a tough time!

 

Well, I have gone three months with no water in the house. It is killing me! I have been reading and reading about reef tanks for a couple years. I have been seriously considering setting up a reef tank now.

 

I decided that I want to try my hand at a nano reef. I have some equipment left over and I love DIY lighting. So, here is my design. Please take some time to look it over and give me some ideas. I am not looking to keep fish, and certainly not looking to keep SPS or clams right now.

 

6g Eclipse System 6 (filtration and stock lighting removed)

Eheim ProII 2026 canister filter (250gph, probably less in practice, empty of all media and media baskets)

SCWD wave making device for water return

2 x 13w Deluxe bright Kits (50/50 bulbs)

Customer Sealife Moon-Lite

12 pounds live sand (probably Tampa Bay Saltwater, they are local)

10 pounds live rock (Tampa Bay Saltwater aquacultured rock. Again, local. And I saw the rock, colorful!)

 

Again, no fish, maybe some mushroom corals or something.

 

How does this sound? I searched the forums, and I see there are mixed emotions about the Ecplise tanks. I figured it is worth a try though. Isn't that the spirit of the hobby? Well, within reason, I don't want to murder anything.

 

Here are some diagrams I put together, showing my design...

 

Here is the back, showing the tank, filter and SCWD.

 

Here is the top, showing the direction of water flow.

 

 

Here is the hood. The hood is the typical odd Eclipse shape. I know I can get at least two more 13w bulbs in there. Would that be desired over the 13w with the reflectors? Keeping in mind that I do not want clams or SPS... Will the center area, maybe an inch wide, create a dark spot down the center of the tank?

 

With what I have now, I can probably pull off the whole thing for just over $200. Not bad considering the cost of reef tanks in general. I know that nanos are not less expensive, in fact, sometimes I think they are MORE expensive.

 

I do not have a sump, refugium, or skimmer planned for this tank. I do have a small submersible heater that I can use, but I really do not want to. My office stays between 75 and 78 all day and night. Is this too much of a temperature swing?

 

Thanks for bearing with me.

 

Ted

 

P.S. - My user name is a species of freshwater african fish. I use it on all the forums I am a member of.

[onthefly]

Welcome!

 

Sounds and looks good! Although, using a ehiem means you'll have no HOB (easier for running carbon or putting a heat in). Also, if that ehiem was on your FW...make sure it had never had any Copper based meds run thru it. For the cost of the ehiem and the SQWD, you might look into a HOB fuge or DYI a fuge out of a AQ500. There's several posts on that. I thought about running a AQ300 and putting a small PH in the HOB and plumb it back to a spray bar or nozzle. Just all thought to try and save room in a small tank.

 

Finally, think about future needs too. There are endless posts here were people have said "Oh, I just want softies" and later added wild zoo's, shrooms, LPS and SPS.....of course, after upgrading their lighting!!! Upgrades end up costing alot more than if you had just set it up right from the get go. I'd say go as big as you can afford, everything will do better with more light. Since your saving some serious bucks on LR shipping....put that into the lighting!

 

I went budget on my lighting, packed my hood with curly's and bookworms....and now wish I had just put 1 70W HQI MH in there!!!!

 

Have fun!

[Polystigma]

Thanks for the reply! I apologize, it looks like my ISPs web server is down, or something.

 

I realize that the Eheim canister is not ideal for what I am trying to do, but the reasons I put it into the plan are:

1. I have it.

2. There is no room for a HOB anything on the tank.

 

 

Future needs are also tough. I definitely want to graduate to some higher light loving stuff. I am not sure, however, if I will be doing this in my nano. I will be moving in about 10 months. Hopefully, I will be moving to a house. This is where I plan on getting back into the hobby completely, with some nice BIG tanks.

 

I am looking at this nano as a way to get some good experience and to see the diversity that I have been missing in freshwater.

 

I probably can't fit the MH fixture in the stock hood. Part of the challenge for me was to keep the stock look of the exterior of the set up. I can stray from it if I need to, however.

 

Thanks again,

Ted

[palaegic]

Out of the gate, your pland sounds reasonable and pretty well thought out. If you are an experienced and detail oriented aquarist, I don't think that the transition to reefing is such a huge leap. Getting started is rarely a problem - it's when you get a year or two into the hobby that remaining dedicated to detail pays off.

 

Let us know how things work with the canister. And if you don't already have them, I higly recommend some of the quick disconnect valves that you can get for canister filters.

 

If you are doing a retro job on the existing hood for lighting, be careful. There is a picture floating around the site of someones eclipse meltdown - literally. Make sure that the contacts are protected against splash and salt-creep.

 

Look forward to seeing your setup.

[Polystigma]

I have seen that photo. Not a happy sight! I know I will have a hard time with heat, even with the 2 x 13w fixtures. I do plan on mounting the ballasts externalls, would "should" help. But I definitely do not want to melt anything.

 

Talk about fire coral!

 

The Eheim Pro II canisters are really easy to maintain. They have a really easy disconnect lever for the hoses and a VERY easy priming mechanism to get it going again. it isn't ideal, but I hate to have a $170+ filter sitting in my closet doing nothing.

 

Like I said, I am still in the planning stages and I am not going to start this up until I am sure I am doing everything right. But I will be sure to document the whole thing, complete with pics.

 

Ted

[Polystigma]

EDIT! I changed the server that the pics are on. Hopefully you will be able to see them now. The funny thing is that I can't see them, but others usually can. Something screwy about my server. Of well.

 

Ted

[Polystigma]

Posting again. I got the pics backon my ISP.

 

I hd some further input. Would the flow across the front of the tank in both directions leave a dead spot in the center?

 

Ted

[onthefly]

Probably not.....It should create an eddie that will stir the middle

[maroonclown]

Polystigma, you have one hell of a plan! I have never seen a newbie as prepared as you. I don't think that Eheim will leave any dead spots in the tank. Have you considered a tiny goby or damsel? It would mean more work to keep the tank in top shape, but the fish would add some action to the tank. Plus, the food they miss will help your pod population and corals. Most damsels will also eat a small amount of algae, therefore helping the tank. HTH

 

P.S., welcome to nano-reef.com:)

[Polystigma]

Wow! Thanks Maroon. Like I said, I have been secretly researching reef tanks for a couple years. Since I have never kept a reef tank, and my first project might be a nano, I thought I had better be darn sure of what I intend to do, and how to do it.

 

I have been keeping freshwater tanks for a long time. I participate in freshwater forums and I see the consequences of an ill-planned tank. I can only guess that this is multiplied in a reef tank.

 

I thought of keeping fish. I can probably get my hands on a very small fish, like a goby or something.

 

Since I plan on getting my sand and rock locally, the tank will end up being a biotope tank. Well, I guess it would. Are there any Gulf fish that are small enough to keep in my setup?

 

Ted