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College Reefing -- 10 Gallon Nano Build -- Mixed Reef


nyknicks4412

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Current Tank Shot (4/1/12)

photo11.jpg

 

Current Parameters

Amnonia: 0 ppm

Nitrite: 0 ppm

Nitrate: 0 ppm

PH: 8.1

Calcium: 300

Magnesium: 1080

Alk: 8.2

Temperature: 79 Degrees

 

Background and Goal

I am a junior computer science major in college with very limited experience in the hobby. I attempted to start a 20 gallon tank this summer but was forced to take it down due to health reasons. This tank will need to be moved sporadically throughout the year due to the fact that I do not have a permanent residence but I still hope to build something that is both decent and that I am proud of.

 

My goal is to house a variety of SPS, LPS and Soft corals. For fish I hope to stock it with 2 Clown Fish and 1 Six Line Wrasse.

 

Tank Specs

Tank: 10 Gallon (20 1/4" x 10 1/2" x 12 9/16") Back Painted Black

Sand and Rock: About 10 lbs Live Rock and 10 lbs Live Sand

Lighting: 1 x Boost PAR30 LED 60 Degree (2 Royal Blue, 2 Cool White, 1 Neutral White)

Powerhead: 1 x VoTech MP10 ES

Heater: 1 x TopFin 100 Watt

Filtration: AquaC Remora Nano with Maxi-Jet 900, AquaClear 70 Fuge Mod with Chaeto, Activated Carbon and Sponge (Lighting for Fuge is 2 x 10 Watt Halogen Submersible Bulbs)

Controller: ReefKeeper Lite with SL1

Equipment: Avast Nano Top-Off Kit with Aqua-Lifter Pump

Water Filter: Spectrapure 90 Gallon 4 Stage Refurbished RO/DI

 

Livestock

Marcos:

~Chaeto (keeps dying in AC70 probably due to chemical media)

 

Inverts:

~1 Peppermint Shrimp (dead)

~20 Dwarf Cerith

~3 Nassarius Vibex

~5 Florida Cerith

~6 Nerite Snails

~2 Virgin Nerites

~2 Blue Legged Hermit Crabs

 

Fish:

~2 Ocellaris Clownfish

 

Coral

Zoas:

~Green Bay Packers

~Eagle Eye's

~Red and Purple Unknown Name

~Rastas

 

Palys:

~Blue/Light Blue

 

Mushrooms:

~Blue/Green Ricordia

~Hairy Mushroom

~Green Mushroom

~Red Mushroom

 

Leather:

~Toadstool

 

LPS:

~Wall Hammer

~Frog Spawn

~Kryptonite CandyCane

~Favia (War Coral)

~Favia (Christmas)

~Acan

 

SPS:

~Chalice

~ Birdsnest

~Green Slimer

~Brown Monti Cap

 

Maintenance

~Clean Glass Every Day with Magnetic Cleaner

~2 Gallon Water Changes Once A Week

~Turkey Baster On Rocks Twice A Week

~Dosing 2 Part

~Kalk in ATO

 

Notes

Comments, Questions and Suggestions are always welcome...I am new so I have a lot to learn.

 

2/9/11 DIY ATO Container and Setup

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That looks really good! What kind of lighting is that? And what are you planning to do with it?

 

Updated it! My other post didn't get submitted properly...

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I am looking to get a tank similar to that and i was wondering how much it cost you to get everything in the picture. Because right now i only have a 10 gallon with cleaner inverts and 2 or 3 tiny anemones.

 

All of the items that will be in my final build are not in the picture above because some are still coming in the mail...are you looking for the total cost or?

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All of the items that will be in my final build are not in the picture above because some are still coming in the mail...are you looking for the total cost or?

Well just what you had in the pic because right now i am looking at $300-$400 and was wondering if that is near what you paid.

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Well just what you had in the pic because right now i am looking at $300-$400 and was wondering if that is near what you paid.

 

Ya you could do it for 300-400 for sure.

 

Tank: $15

Light: $120

Powerhead: $25

Live Rock: $35

Live Sand: $15

Skimmer: $85 used (not necessary)

Heater: $25

 

Those are the major costs and many can be cheaper if bought used or of lesser quality. Then you have things like thermometers and stuff. Stocking the tank is another thing though and costs will vary widely. Those prices above were just for what was pictured not what I listed as my setup. Had a lot more coming in the mail that raised the costs a lot.

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My MP10 is all hooked up...it is making a slight humming noise. Is this normal? Here are some pictures. Also any recommendations on modes to use or how high to turn the powerhead up to?

 

photo4-2.jpg

 

photo3-2.jpg

 

 

Also any opinions on my rock scape?

 

photo5-2.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here is the final setup! Tank is completely cycled and I am currently beginning the stocking process. I put in an additional piece of base rock and removed a small piece of live rock I was not happy with how it looked. Added 1 peppermint shrimp so far. He's was going to town around the tank but I have noticed his activity has slowed and he is tending to hide some more. Hope this is normal for a newly introduced shrimp. Cleanup crew is on its way and should arrive Friday along with the Chaeto for the fuge.

 

photo2-6.jpg

 

photo1-6.jpg

 

photo3-4.jpg

 

photo4-4.jpg

 

photo41.jpg

 

photo31.jpg

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I think you need a rock to make it taller.

 

Are you talking about the scaping? I can turn some on their sides and stuff if people think it would look better or provide more caves for fish.

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Update: Cleanup crew arrived from reeflceaners.org! Photos of me putting them in the tank. Extra's on top are for my girlfriends tank. Livestock list above shows what I got from them. Chaeto was also introduced to my hob ac 70 fuge. Also started adding a PH buffer to raise my ph due to it consistently remaining low.

 

photo1-7.jpg

 

photo2-7.jpg

 

I didn't order any hermits but three of these guys tagged along for the ride haha. Was shocked when I saw them running across the sand. I guess you don't need to overnight ship them since they were in the mail for 3 days! They immediately got to work.

 

photo3-5.jpg

 

Levels remained stable!

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Some serious cash in that dorm setup! I recently set up a Fluval Spec in my dorm, have an Avast Nano on the way! Managed to convince myself to buy it faster as I need one for spring break. Could you take some close shots of your ATO? Also if you don't mind me asking how much do you have invested in your setup?

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Are you talking about the scaping? I can turn some on their sides and stuff if people think it would look better or provide more caves for fish.

Who cares what others think about a scape. If you like it, keep it.

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  • 2 weeks later...
I think you need a coral to make it taller.

FTFY

 

Who cares what others think about a scape. If you like it, keep it.

+1

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chucktdbm321

Subscribed... Nice to see other college reefers, I myself am a junior with a ten gallon. Click on my link if you wanna check it out. Your equipment looks nice and as well your tank. Have you moved your tank yet? If you haven't I'd be glad to help you out. I move my tank several times a year and i'll tell you if you didn't have sand it would make your life much easier... It's ugly but its something to consider for the

convenience.

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Nice tank man! I'm also college reefing, and loving the challenge. I just started working on a dwarf sea horse pico lets see how that goes :o but I hope to see lots more in the future! I'll be following along.

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  • 4 weeks later...
nyknicks4412

Wow as I am sure anyone in college knows...when things get busy...things get busy! This thread has lacked updates because of it. Sorry for not getting back to those interested in it. Will be updating periodically from now on as I got most of my work done for the rest of the semester haha! Got a lot of new corals to post up!

 

Some serious cash in that dorm setup! I recently set up a Fluval Spec in my dorm, have an Avast Nano on the way! Managed to convince myself to buy it faster as I need one for spring break. Could you take some close shots of your ATO? Also if you don't mind me asking how much do you have invested in your setup?

 

Still interested in the shots of the ATO? I did a build thread linked above with some close ups but I can get more if you need it...as for how much I have invested. I don't really know. Kind of stopped keeping track after a little while for fear of what the final number would be! I see this tank as more of a temporary setup to get me to graduation where I can pursue a much larger setup. I figured investing in the best would get me the best growth now and the biggest return on my money when I need to resell the stuff to pay for a new tank. And I love anything techie.

 

Can you also get a shot of you Skimmer placement. I have a 10G and thinking of getting one, but may stay with just water changes

 

I can get you the shot tomorrow if still interested! I just placed it in the corner and turned the pump inwards and it takes up very little room in the tank.

 

Subscribed... Nice to see other college reefers, I myself am a junior with a ten gallon. Click on my link if you wanna check it out. Your equipment looks nice and as well your tank. Have you moved your tank yet? If you haven't I'd be glad to help you out. I move my tank several times a year and i'll tell you if you didn't have sand it would make your life much easier... It's ugly but its something to consider for the

convenience.

 

I am a junior as well! Just subscribed to your thread as well. I have not moved my tank but will be moving it in May. I am hoping to get an apartment to avoid campus housing and have the ability to keep my tank stable for a full year. We'll see! I thought about bare bottom and knew the sand would be a pita but I figured since I am living up at school all summer and all next year the moves would be short so I could just leave the sand in the tank. We'll see how it goes. How do you do your moves?

 

Nice tank man! I'm also college reefing, and loving the challenge. I just started working on a dwarf sea horse pico lets see how that goes :o but I hope to see lots more in the future! I'll be following along.

 

Definitely is a lot of fun and everyone loves the tank! Makes my room feel unique. Thanks for following along. Sea horses are real cool...hope you do a build thread.

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nyknicks4412

Here is an update with pictures of all my corals so far! Hope you guys like it...let me know if any of the names are wrong of if you see any issues with any of the corals. Thanks...

 

Aussie Wall Hammer:

 

photo13.jpg

 

Frog Spawn:

 

photo43.jpg

 

Zoa (Orange with Purple Eyes):

 

photo14.jpg

 

War Coral:

 

photo12.jpg

 

Chalice:

 

photo1-13.jpg

 

Mushroom (Green):

 

photo2-13.jpg

 

Birdsnest:

 

photo21.jpg

 

Favia (Christmas):

 

photo22.jpg

 

Acan:

 

photo23.jpg

 

Zoa (Green Bay Packer):

 

photo24.jpg

 

Green Slimer:

 

photo31-1.jpg

 

Candy Cane (Neon Green):

 

photo32.jpg

 

Montipora Cap (Brown):

 

photo34.jpg

 

Ricordia:

 

photo41-1.jpg

 

Mushroom (Red):

 

photo44.jpg

 

Hairy Mushroom:

 

photo42.jpg

 

Zoa (Eagle Eye):

 

photo51-1.jpg

 

Toadstool:

 

photo52.jpg

 

Zoa (Rasta):

 

photo53.jpg

 

Yuma:

 

photo54.jpg

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nyknicks4412

I figure I mind as well update my goals for anyone interested! I seem to be running out of room really fast in my little 10 gallon. When I move into a new dorm or apartment this summer I plan on setting up a more permanent tank. Probably something in the 30 gallon range. This will be able to be kept up for a year until I graduate so I should be able to see some good growth. By graduation I hope to have a more long term housing situation setup and move up to the big boy tanks (75 gallon plus since I want tangs!!!).

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Looks really good! I love the rasta zoa. You're right, real estate does go real fast in these little 10 gals!

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nyknicks4412

Thanks guys!

 

Looks really good! I love the rasta zoa. You're right, real estate does go real fast in these little 10 gals!

 

Everyone seems to love the rastas! They are a good investment because if they multiply too fast you can sell them real easy. Started with one polyp and am close to having 3.

 

Looks great!

 

I love that Aussie Wall Hammer. That's a new one for me. I might need one of those. :lol:

 

Ya I picked it up from a guy who thought it was a frogspawn? haha...don't know if he was just mistaken because there were so many people buying stuff from him at the time but definitely my favorite coral in the tank!

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