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André's custom AIO 11g reef tank - lots of pictures


ffoott

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Established: October 2017

 

Disclaimer: It's a long one! (that's what she said?) 

 

Hello everyone! 

 

My name is André, and I'm from the Azores (a somewhat hidden piece of paradise). 

 

This is my second saltwater tank, but the first built on actual experience and purpose. 

 

The goal of this tank (yet to be achieved) was to house a small species of Mantis Shrimp. Sadly, Capitan Hook died prematurely during a shipping misstep. Sad times. 

 

Anyway, the tank is now an actual reef, and the mantis shrimp idea is on hold. 

 

One main idea with this tank (coming from a 50g) was to reduce the equipment and maintenance needed and increase the overall enjoyment of the actual tank. In my case because I collect my own NSW that meant that reducing the total volume of the tank would have a pretty significant impact on the time put into my weekly routine. 

 

Also, I wanted it to have a clean, minimalistic look and feel. Especially in a small tank that meant hiding the equipment, so an AIO became an obvious solution. 

 

Finally, it had to be cheap. Unhappy wife would mean soon-to-be-dismantled tank xD. Bought some glass, aquarium safe silicone and some acrylic sheets. As I had access to a laser cutter from a jewelry store, all the pieces were custom made to fit the tank. 

 

That being said, on to the original setup:

 

Equipment 

 

Tank: DIY 10g AIO

Lighting: Chinese Par 38 LED Bulb

Circulation: Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5

Filtration: Filter floss, sponge and purigen

Temp. Control: Small 50w heater

ATO: Tunze Nano Osmolator

Skimmer: Air stone diy water bottle skimmer 

 

Corals

 

Utterchaos Zoas

Scrambled egg Zoas

Gorilla nipples Zoas

Playboybunny Zoas

Sunny D Zoas

Rastas Zoas

Orange Bam Bams Zoas

Ring of Fire Zoas

Blue Hornet Zoas

Purple Bee Zoas 

Keds Reds Zoas

Red Hornet Zoas

 

Green Mushroom

 

————————–—————————————

 

Below, a visual time-line of some of the phases the tank went through until reaching its current state:

 

 

October 2017

 

It's safer than it looks...

 

imwg48n.jpg

 

Back of the AIO 

 

AibFIV2.jpg

 

Custom media basket

 

jaEILVo.jpg

 

Finished!! 

 

5rGze74.jpg

 

Acrilic top helped cut down evaporation and paved the way for the removal of the ATO. 

 

9v9fTaq.jpg

 

November / December 2017

 

Used some Frieda rock to seed new one, but it starts getting some bad air algae. Had no snails to counter it at the time. 

 

jrk0Ahy.jpg

 

Ricordea Florida

 

vTywhIV.jpg

 

January - June 2018 - New rock structure made using reef glue added for a hair algae free start. This structure (or rather, part of it) would make it to present day! 

 

 umt0YqQ.jpg

 

One of the "legs" broke and the structure had to be adapted. 

 

uW72kcO.jpg

 

Tailspot Blenny, who sadly died a few days after coming in. 

 

tiKzfIW.jpg

 

Aiptasia eating monster! 

 

mXtht6j.jpg

 

Tank born little trochus snail. 

 

uhJ2NXh.jpg

 

New additions! Couple clownfish, torch, montipora, digitata and hydnophora corals. 

 

KBwX0KX.jpg

 

Top view

 

KaF632Y.jpg

 

Side view

 

92RIr1s.jpg

 

Simple "refugium" with some chaeto strands added to the back of the tank. 

 

zarXlOZ.jpg

 

July 2018 - changes to lighting and circulation 

 

AI Prime HD added! 

 

I2PR2bn.jpg

 

Spin Stream arrived! 

 

NuC0Qz4.jpg

 

Unexpected hitchhiker... 

 

4bbJac2.jpg

 

After light and flow adjustments

 

VjBf7op.jpg

 

August 18

 

eU3Z1Tq.jpg

 

Zoa island

 

QZjq0BE.jpg

 

Current Equipment 

 

Tank: DIY 10g AIO

Lighting: Ai Prime HD

Circulation: Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5 + IM Spin Stream

Filtration: Filter floss, sponge and purigen + Tunze 9001

Temp. Control: Small 50w heater

Skimmer: Tunze 9001

 

Current stock

 

- Occelaris Clownfish x 2

- Trochus Snails x 4

 

- Zoas (same as above) 

- Blue, orange and green ricordeas

- Green and blue mushrooms

- Torch Euphyllia 

-  Red Montipora

- Pink Digitata 

- Green Hydnophora

- Purple and green Clavularia

 

 

After a lot of changes and my fair share of challenges, I finally feel like it's on the right track. 

 

Feel free to offer insight or ask questions. 

 

Abraço, ffoott

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Christopher Marks

Wow, you've created a gorgeous custom nano reef system @ffoott, impressive tank building skills! I love seeing handbuilt tanks like this!

 

You have a beautiful collection of coral so far, are there many other hobbyists on the islands? Azores looks like an amazing place!

 

What is your method of collecting good NSW for your tank? That's pretty convenient 😄 

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11 minutes ago, Christopher Marks said:

Wow, you've created a gorgeous custom nano reef system @ffoott, impressive tank building skills! I love seeing handbuilt tanks like this!

 

You have a beautiful collection of coral so far, are there many other hobbyists on the islands? Azores looks like an amazing place!

 

What is your method of collecting good NSW for your tank? That's pretty convenient 😄 

Thank you! 

 

My dad is the handy man, I just talk him into helping me ^^

 

On the islands there are several. On my particular island, only one more. No local store sells saltwater related Itens, so that's probably a factor...only us masochists risk it hehe. 

 

We are almost exactly on the middle of the Atlantic, so the water here is pretty clean - I basically just w8 for the high tide in an area not near any ports. Store it in dark containers until I need it. Haven't had a problem thus far... 

 

 

  • Like 1
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13 hours ago, ffoott said:

Established: October 2017

 

Disclaimer: It's a long one! (that's what she said?) 

 

Hello everyone! 

 

My name is André, and I'm from the Azores (a somewhat hidden piece of paradise). 

 

This is my second saltwater tank, but the first built on actual experience and purpose. 

 

The goal of this tank (yet to be achieved) was to house a small species of Mantis Shrimp. Sadly, Capitan Hook died prematurely during a shipping misstep. Sad times. 

 

Anyway, the tank is now an actual reef, and the mantis shrimp idea is on hold. 

 

One main idea with this tank (coming from a 50g) was to reduce the equipment and maintenance needed and increase the overall enjoyment of the actual tank. In my case because I collect my own NSW that meant that reducing the total volume of the tank would have a pretty significant impact on the time put into my weekly routine. 

 

Also, I wanted it to have a clean, minimalistic look and feel. Especially in a small tank that meant hiding the equipment, so an AIO became an obvious solution. 

 

Finally, it had to be cheap. Unhappy wife would mean soon-to-be-dismantled tank xD. Bought some glass, aquarium safe silicone and some acrylic sheets. As I had access to a laser cutter from a jewelry store, all the pieces were custom made to fit the tank. 

 

That being said, on to the original setup:

 

Equipment 

 

Tank: DIY 10g AIO

Lighting: Chinese Par 38 LED Bulb

Circulation: Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5

Filtration: Filter floss, sponge and purigen

Temp. Control: Small 50w heater

ATO: Tunze Nano Osmolator

Skimmer: Air stone diy water bottle skimmer 

 

Corals

 

Utterchaos Zoas

Scrambled egg Zoas

Gorilla nipples Zoas

Playboybunny Zoas

Sunny D Zoas

Rastas Zoas

Orange Bam Bams Zoas

Ring of Fire Zoas

Blue Hornet Zoas

Purple Bee Zoas 

Keds Reds Zoas

Red Hornet Zoas

 

Green Mushroom

 

————————–—————————————

 

Below, a visual time-line of some of the phases the tank went through until reaching its current state:

 

 

October 2017

 

It's safer than it looks...

 

imwg48n.jpg

 

Back of the AIO 

 

AibFIV2.jpg

 

Custom media basket

 

jaEILVo.jpg

 

Finished!! 

 

5rGze74.jpg

 

Acrilic top helped cut down evaporation and paved the way for the removal of the ATO. 

 

9v9fTaq.jpg

 

November / December 2017

 

Used some Frieda rock to seed new one, but it starts getting some bad air algae. Had no snails to counter it at the time. 

 

jrk0Ahy.jpg

 

Ricordea Florida

 

vTywhIV.jpg

 

January - June 2018 - New rock structure made using reef glue added for a hair algae free start. This structure (or rather, part of it) would make it to present day! 

 

 umt0YqQ.jpg

 

One of the "legs" broke and the structure had to be adapted. 

 

uW72kcO.jpg

 

Tailspot Blenny, who sadly died a few days after coming in. 

 

tiKzfIW.jpg

 

Aiptasia eating monster! 

 

mXtht6j.jpg

 

Tank born little trochus snail. 

 

uhJ2NXh.jpg

 

New additions! Couple clownfish, torch, montipora, digitata and hydnophora corals. 

 

KBwX0KX.jpg

 

Top view

 

KaF632Y.jpg

 

Side view

 

92RIr1s.jpg

 

Simple "refugium" with some chaeto strands added to the back of the tank. 

 

zarXlOZ.jpg

 

July 2018 - changes to lighting and circulation 

 

AI Prime HD added! 

 

I2PR2bn.jpg

 

Spin Stream arrived! 

 

NuC0Qz4.jpg

 

Unexpected hitchhiker... 

 

4bbJac2.jpg

 

After light and flow adjustments

 

VjBf7op.jpg

 

August 18

 

eU3Z1Tq.jpg

 

Zoa island

 

QZjq0BE.jpg

 

Current Equipment 

 

Tank: DIY 10g AIO

Lighting: Ai Prime HD

Circulation: Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5 + IM Spin Stream

Filtration: Filter floss, sponge and purigen + Tunze 9001

Temp. Control: Small 50w heater

Skimmer: Tunze 9001

 

Current stock

 

- Occelaris Clownfish x 2

- Trochus Snails x 4

 

- Zoas (same as above) 

- Blue, orange and green ricordeas

- Green and blue mushrooms

- Torch Euphyllia 

-  Red Montipora

- Pink Digitata 

- Green Hydnophora

- Purple and green Clavularia

 

 

After a lot of changes and my fair share of challenges, I finally feel like it's on the right track. 

 

Feel free to offer insight or ask questions. 

 

Abraço, ffoott

That's what she said...lmao

 

Azores, wow! I hear its gorgeous there, lucky you. 

 

Your tank is beautiful, very well done and the pics are stunning. Thanks for sharing.

 

We love pics!

 

Just watch out for the peppermint shrimp, some turn to munching on fleshy coral and need removal. Some luck out with model citizens and others, not so much.

  • Like 2
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5 hours ago, Clown79 said:

That's what she said...lmao

 

Azores, wow! I hear its gorgeous there, lucky you. 

 

Your tank is beautiful, very well done and the pics are stunning. Thanks for sharing.

 

We love pics!

 

Just watch out for the peppermint shrimp, some turn to munching on fleshy coral and need removal. Some luck out with model citizens and others, not so much.

 

True about the peppermint...i actually filmed him eating a Zoa polyp. Although I didn't mention it, after that finding he went to a friend's sump. No aiptasia anymore...so he did his job, I suppose. 

 

 

  • Wow 1
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Christopher Marks

Beautiful zoanthid collection so far!

 

Since you must import most things for the hobby, where do you have it shipped from generally? How about the coral frags? I'm always curious how the hobby grows in new places 🙂 

Link to comment
15 minutes ago, Christopher Marks said:

Beautiful zoanthid collection so far!

 

Since you must import most things for the hobby, where do you have it shipped from generally? How about the coral frags? I'm always curious how the hobby grows in new places 🙂 

Most of it came from fellow hobbyists in mainland Portugal. My Ai Prime HD came from the US through a friend who lives there. 

 

That whole process can be a drag some times. Looking back though, it did "force" me to take things slow stock wise. Might have made a bunch of extra mistakes if I had got into the hobby in a more accessible area. 

 

 

  • Like 1
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Trying to get my torch happy is proving a challenge after my last aquascape change, so I made some small tweaks on the strength of the flow and position of the main rock on he tank.

 

Let's see how it effects things overall...

 

 

20180903_213751.jpg

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  • 2 months later...

So here goes my 9 month update! 

 

Torch coral died unfortunately. Might been stressed him with too much changes. 

 

Anyhow, the tank is doing well overall. Added a few new SPS that are showing good polyp extension. 

 

Decided to go barebottom as I wanted to reduce maintenance and room for waste build-up. 

 

So here are some pictures! 

 

 

20181125_161740.jpg

20181122_233408.jpg

20181123_005741.jpg

20181123_185533.jpg

  • Like 1
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  • 2 months later...

Hello all,

 

It's been a while since my last update, have been traveling a bit and havent found the time to post.

 

The tank seems to be doing well overall. My plans to keep SPS growing relying only on water changes doesn't look like its holding up, as im not noticing much growth. Might have to do something about that in the near future. Any advice is welcome.

 

Recently added a cleaner shrimp to the tank. Havent actually seen him clean the clownfish, but they are hovering around each other...he does steal the clown's food, so he's keeping his mouth clean? Idk...

 

Anyway, here are some updated photos!

 

Cheers

IMG_20190130_102745.jpg

IMG_20190130_103950.jpg

IMG_20190129_025917.jpg

IMG_20190130_102021.jpg

  • Like 3
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7 hours ago, vlangel said:

Beautiful little tank!  I really like your choice of mixed coral and all the color.

Thanks! It's still a work in progress but has really been a learning experience. 

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