My Shot at the TOTM title

[Joevember]

Way to kick off a new setup...

Excited about your build, regardless of what was posted up there.

[raeh1]

Hi Team.

 

Sorry I was just saying. I'll have a go at it. TOTM that is is kind of a future aim.

 

But definietly caused a splash.

 

Anyway. In the tank I got looks very much like a red sea. But has some extra bits and pieces some a little nicer some a waste of time. But most disappointingly the plumbing fittings were cheap plastic which means they cracked. But fixings stuff is just part of the hobby anyways.

 

I'm still deciding if I should install my Apex neptune controller in it. As its a pile of gear but was thinking go simple again. What do you guys think?

 

This photo is a side overflow whole at the bottom. I wasn't sure of the purpose but its a backup for the top overflowing. Interesting as a semi refugium I guess as it has an overflow into the centre.

 

 

This is a little battey powered LED light for inside the tank with a little on-off sensor. Keen of cool.

 

Here is a little electrical power plug (which looks like it is wifi controlled) and power cover. Only issue is I need at least 12 power outlets so the 4 won't be enough....

 

[raeh1]

Here is the plumbing. Quiet similar to Red Seas design. I've just cut the piping as it meant the sump was sitting in the middle of the stand and so there is not enough room either side of the sump.

 

I've decide to clear pipe the gap. So I can see the flow but I have had to cyclone it otherwise it will drip and cause some salt creep in the sump.

 

 

 

New location of sump on to the side of tank stand.

 

[raeh1]

Controversially I've decided to use a lot of Coral Box aquarium equipment.

 

So far I've found it cheap for high performance from experience and being able to use the DC pump is cost effective on power and control. Interestingly enough they have now made a cut off for the unit in case of overflow. Heres the unit.

 

 

The problem with the cup will be the indentation from the cup may decrease skimming performance. But we all know that an overflowing cup of gross skim is a pain and smells gross.

 

[raeh1]

 

The white matches the sump and stand so starting well. Here is a pic of my super fluro cabbage coral. Sorry bad photo from my other tank. But no coral I have ever had is as bright a green. It grows super slow though... The photos so bad that my pink zoas with yellow centres don't look like that

[Tamberav]

Looks good!! That cabbage is pretty.

 

TOTM is just for fun guys and there are so many beautiful tanks here TOTM or not. I think its fun to look back and see how nano-reefing has changed over the years. There is old featured reefs from 2004 using MH lights on a 7g tank! Oh how our options for nano's has grown. 

[raeh1]

Yeah LEDS changed the game for sure. The old MH would burn out between 10-12 months and then need replacing. Plus the temperature increases they causes.

 

I remember when Deltec was the only real needle wheel option skimmers. I had a MCE600 that cost about $700US $1000NZ$. that sounded like a jumbo jet landing in your lounge....

[raeh1]

Been a month. And my old tanks about to be picked up by the new owner in the next week or so.

 

It was a tough decision to sell the apex neptune I had on it. But in the end with nanos its about simplicity.

 

I also installed a chiller unit. Which for NZ summers for small tanks at least is pretty important. Of also got some new fish and equipment so photos tomorrow.

 

Not done as yet but since I've been building a beach house (bach) all winter one only has so much time in a day/ weekend.

[raeh1]

Wow I said I'd post pics tomorrow. But been so busy.

 

Anyway. The tank builds been coming along. I cleared most my corals back to frag size. After all whats the point of adding full sized corals t a nano. As instantly full.

 

Here is my new chiller. I'm alittle disappointed that it gets adjusted in 1 degree increments. And like my wiring the plumbing will get done over the next month or so.

 

It currently turns on at 28 degrees but I'll dial it back to 27 degrees. Personally I've always run my tank at 26-27 degrees as corals grow fastest at this temp in my opinion.

 

It looks large but is onlt 200mm wide and sits just out of site behind the stand.

[raeh1]

Also got a Royal gamma which instantly shows whitespot.

 

I've had this before and its very common in New Zealand as all fish do 3 weeks in Government approved Quarantine facilities. Which just spreads the disease to be honest, and means prices are very high here. $189 for the Gamma. Which equals $127US....

 

Anyway Ive just got the UV going and temp will have to stay high to see the whitespot life cycle out quickly,

 

It's only a 9watt unit but it's a nano so everything's smaller than what I've been used too.

 

[Tamberav]

Holy crap.. yikes! Also those poor fish 😞 Why do they QT them? Also do they breed captive fish there? Maybe clowns? If so... are they cheaper since they arnt being imported?

 

Man if I had to pay that much for a fish with whitespot I would not have many fish.

[raeh1]

Hi.

 

NZ bio-security measures are pretty tough.

 

We have a few breeders here (like 5 maybe in the country). My black clowns are breed here.

 

But a fire filefish here is regularly $100NZ or about $70US. I saw them on Liveaquaria for $7.99 over the weekend.

 

So based on that there aern't too many reef tankers in NZ.

[raeh1]

Heres my lid... Stop these nano fish jumping out.

 

Plus the Coral box LEDs. I bought 1 but it wasn't enough but the two units is heaps and stops any shadows.

 

I quiet like the look of these units and I believe I can hide the wiring in the Gooseneck (when I get to tidying all the wiring up.... As already needing 12 sockets for all the equipment... nano lol)

[Christopher Marks]

Great progress so far @raeh1! Do you have a full tank shot you can share?

[raeh1]

Hi. Yip lights have just turned on for the day 5%. So ill get some later.

 

As I said I've purposely ripped most the corals back to frag size. But had fun yesterday and got a new clam, feather duster, hermit and blue linkia.

 

It was a king of nice mission as I used to import the fish about 6 years ago  (hence I know how hard our government is on it). So I visited the guy who bought it off me for a chat and got them off him.

 

If your interested I can find a photo of my old (small) Quarantine setup?

[raeh1]

Here is my current sump. (as I said heaps of wiring tidying up. Like heaps to come...

 

Plus the second photo is all the bits still to go into the bottom of the cabinet. As my wife has a rule... If it doesn't fit in then its not in the house. She has allowed me this time a chiller exemption... LOL...

 

Fitting doser and battery backup and another power bar under a 60cm cubes going to be interesting....

[WV Reefer]

17 minutes ago, raeh1 said:

Here is my current sump. (as I said heaps of wiring tidying up. Like heaps to come...

 

Plus the second photo is all the bits still to go into the bottom of the cabinet. As my wife has a rule... If it doesn't fit in then its not in the house. She has allowed me this time a chiller exemption... LOL...

 

Fitting doser and battery backup and another power bar under a 60cm cubes going to be interesting....

 

Those wires are killing me! 😧

 

 

 

😂

[raeh1]

Yeah. I apologise.. lol I'm hating those last two pics to be honest.

 

But learnt along time ago to get the equipment in place first then when I'm really happy work out how to hide the lot... Although the nano setup makes it alot harder than it used to be with a bigger tank. So I think there will be quiet an art.

 

Balancing easy use with tidy look.

 

 

[raeh1]

My new teardrop clam

My anemone that Ive had for 7 years (purple long tentacle with yellow tips)

And feather duster.

 

And my 3 cm NZ clam.... $130US... lol (last photo with blue spots)

[raeh1]

Wow. Been so busy it was 25th Nov.

 

So best do some updates.

 

Here's my rainbow monti colouring up. Second is my flame tip rose anemone. followed by my new chalice and my "Snott Goblin" cabbage coral.

 

Been awesome that my black and white clowns have finally found the anemone and the colours are an amazing clash.

 

I'll do some sump updates etc etc shortly.

 

Dumb iphone 5s photos look average....

[banasophia]

Great pics, what a beautiful nem!

[vlangel]

Nice pics!