Zuma Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 Hello fellow nano-reefers,Not so sure my tank is actually a legit nano-reef but I find this forum inspires me to stay engaged in the reef hobby and the tanks maintained here by fellow members are awesome; not to mention the website has a great design layout and interface! I maintain a freshwater setup with the same dimensions (ADA 90p) as this build and after returning from Maui last spring I new I had to build a reef equivalent. Started collecting the parts and slowly building this tank over the last 2 months and thought I'd start documenting my build finally. Tank: AquaTop 90-P Rimless Aquarium, 48 Gallons (36”x18”x18”) w/ painted (black) back panel and drilled to accepted an Eshopps Eclipse M overflow Reef structure and substrate: 30 lbs KP Aquatics uncured live rock (love this stuff), 15 lbs fiji rock and 30-40lbs coral sandStand: DIY out of ¾” Maple plywood (36" x 18" x 32”) Sump: DIY modeled after a Trigger 26 (26”x 14” x 14”, same baffle dimensions) minus the 1st chamber for the inlet/overflow pipes Lights: 2 XR15 G3 Pro’s w/ RMS mounts Circulation and ATO: 2 MP10's, Jebao DCP 4000 return pump and a Smart Micro ATO w/ Kalkwasser in the reservoir to handle evaporation and keep things relatively stable.Here we go.. Building the stand building the sump leak test, all good! whole set up leak tested and powered up, all good! Initial aquascape; work in progress and will probably modify this weekend a bit. Taking it slow with this build and feeling pretty good about it so far, looking forward to adding some more corals soon. 4 Quote Link to comment
Reeferadicto13 Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 Beautiful tank! Good job on sump and stand 1 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted October 11, 2018 Share Posted October 11, 2018 Looking really good! 1 Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted October 11, 2018 Author Share Posted October 11, 2018 1 hour ago, Reeferadicto13 said: Beautiful tank! Good job on sump and stand Thanks! It's been fun doing all the DIY stuff. 51 minutes ago, vlangel said: Looking really good! Thanks! Looking forward to adding fish soon too. 1 Quote Link to comment
Christopher Marks Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 Awesome new nano reef @Zuma, that's a beautiful setup! That will be nice a nice tank dimension to work with. I'd be curious to see your matching freshwater tank too! Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted October 12, 2018 Author Share Posted October 12, 2018 Thanks! Indeed I really dig the dimensions of these tanks. I live about an hour away from Aqua Forrest in SF which is an ADA dealer with some amazing planted tanks. Here's a fairly current picture of my freshwater set up. I swear there's a school of fish in there and its not just plants! ; ) 1 4 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 Following! Nice looking build and you've selected great equipment. I love the uncured live rock from KP Aquatics too, I've used it to start both of my last two tanks. Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted October 12, 2018 Author Share Posted October 12, 2018 6 hours ago, teenyreef said: Following! Nice looking build and you've selected great equipment. I love the uncured live rock from KP Aquatics too, I've used it to start both of my last two tanks. Totally agree, I think I enjoy checking out all the micro fauna on the KP live rock as mush as I enjoy the macro fauna. By the way, I've definitely been inspired by your IM 40, thanks for build thread on that awesome tank! 1 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 On 10/12/2018 at 12:12 PM, Zuma said: Totally agree, I think I enjoy checking out all the micro fauna on the KP live rock as mush as I enjoy the macro fauna. By the way, I've definitely been inspired by your IM 40, thanks for build thread on that awesome tank! Thank you! Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted October 15, 2018 Author Share Posted October 15, 2018 Bit of a re-scape with the remaining LR I had curing in another tank; provides a little more real estate for corals. amazed at what comes attached to the LR; checkout the little coralites/polyp's on the bottom corner of the rock and the unidentified mollusk above it couple closeup pictures 5 Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted October 21, 2018 Author Share Posted October 21, 2018 FTS.. added a few new corals, green slimer, forest fire digi, even glued them into place which was a bit of a learning experience! 1 Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted October 31, 2018 Author Share Posted October 31, 2018 Added a few new corals and fish, really digging the carpet anemone and two Picasso clowns. Decided to trying taking a few pictures of the guys wallowing in their carpet! 5 Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted November 11, 2018 Author Share Posted November 11, 2018 A little up date and FTS , added a few new corals (an acro, acan and a few other LPS); feeling pretty good about the tank thus far everything just needs to grow in a bit now. I must say though that while I enjoy the color's of the sps "sticks" I find myself much more drawn to the LPS and softies movement and color. Think I'll continue in that direction for any future coral additions! 4 1 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 I also love the gentle swaying movement of LPS and softies. I like where this tank is going! Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted November 12, 2018 Author Share Posted November 12, 2018 4 hours ago, vlangel said: I also love the gentle swaying movement of LPS and softies. I like where this tank is going! Thnx! 1 Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted November 24, 2018 Author Share Posted November 24, 2018 Quick FTS and traded a frogspawn for this really cool hammer coral. 3 Quote Link to comment
Christopher Marks Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 Great new additions @Zuma, I dig that frogspawn! Your nano reef is filling out nicely. The placement of the torch coral makes me a little nervous though, I wonder if its sweeper tentacles will start to bother the neighboring SPS corals. Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted November 26, 2018 Author Share Posted November 26, 2018 Thanks! You read my mind with the placement of the torch; I was watching it a bit yesterday and could see several tentacles bumping into the forest fire digi causing the digi to retract some polyps. Have not seen it send out sweepers after the lights go out but I think your right and its time to move the torch and give it a bit more space; its such a cool coral. Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted December 5, 2018 Author Share Posted December 5, 2018 Quick FTS. Added a bit more rock and a tail spot blenny and tang; the tail spot blenny is super cool and easily has the most personality in the tank. Will follow up with a few macro shots soon. 2 1 Quote Link to comment
k4ndyk1ng Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 Looking very nice Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted December 23, 2018 Author Share Posted December 23, 2018 All blues, I think there's a good jazz album by that same namesake.. Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted January 16, 2019 Author Share Posted January 16, 2019 I was weeding through some pictures and came across a few of the birds nest and the chili pepper monti when I originally purchased them last year; my how they've grown in 8 months! Also including a FTS and perspectives of the tank from either site. May 2018 January 2019 May 2018 January 2019 FTS 01.2019 Rig Right side Left Side 1 Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted February 25, 2019 Author Share Posted February 25, 2019 A couple pictures for February; overall the tank is doing great, very stable and just enjoying observing life on the reef! 2 Quote Link to comment
Zuma Posted April 16, 2019 Author Share Posted April 16, 2019 Ye old FTS shot taken yesterday. I had an old 4x36" T5 fixture in the garage and wanted to see how it looks in comparison to my Radions; kinda liking it. 1 1 Quote Link to comment
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