༺ ᴀq͎ᴜᴀ ꜱᴘʟᴇɴᴅᴏʀ - ɴᴀɴᴏ ʀᴇᴇꜰ ༻

[Aqua Splendor]

꧁Hello Reefers and welcome to my thread꧂

I'm super excited to finally enter in my first Aquarium competition, always wanted to participate in this kind of event, this time the timing is good 🙂

My name is Nicolas Marion, i'm from Montréal. I also have a YouTube channel youtube.com/c/aquasplendor where I create ... "things".

 

I'm really happy that my first competition is on the nano side, space is a big issue in my apartment so I don't have choice :P. Also reefing have a special place in my heart, so both together is close to a Big Bang event for me hehe 🙂
 

I'm pumped to create a display tank, I don't any, the one I have at home is more a laboratory testing gears/product for my channel then anything else. 

I'm also planning to cover this aquarium on my channel, so everyone can see the evolution of a reef tank. In other to do that I will have to change my editing style, something more simple and relaxing that is fast/easy to edit. I will show the total budget also maybe? Will see. 

 

I bought a tank for this competition 3 weeks ago and last week I receive the cabinet to put the tank on. 

Today I just open the box to see inside, turn out, they sent me the wrong cabinet... yay, it's starting well 🤣

 

The tank size is 60x30x20cm (23.6x11.8x7.8 inches)

It's 36 Liters, 9.6 U.S. Gallon

 

I'm not 100% sure if it's that aquarium i'm going with, i'm concern about the height with coral growth that might be problematic with one of my aqua scape I have in mind.

I'm still looking for equipment most of has been bought, waiting to be deliver. For the wall separator I will look at it when i'm sure i'm going with this tank.

 

I'm not in hurry to start the aquarium right now. I love planning things before, making sure i'm taking the right decision, specialy with aquascape.

 

This aquarium will be set at my work place. I've been annoying my collegue with aquarium for the last 2 years, but now, they will see why i love this so much.

It worry me a little bit to have different people (client/unknow/cleaner) to be around this. It's a little fragile baby for me and, i'm not going with a friendly budget either, hopefully people don't know how this hobby is expansive! Also the real reason why i'm doing this at work it's because I don't have any place for aquarium at home 😶, and look so much better at work then at home. L.i.g.h.t.

 

 

EVOLUTION OF THE AQUARIUM

 

 

 

[Aqua Splendor]

PLAYLIST VIDEOS MADE FOR THIS AQUARIUM:

 

 

Episode 1

 

Episode 2

 

Episode 3

 

Episode 4

 

Episode 5

 

Episode 6

 

Episode 7

 

Episode 8

 

Episode 9

 

 

Episode 10

Episode 11

 

Episode 12

 

Episode 13

 

Episode 14

Episode 15

Episode 16

Episode 17

 

Episode 18

 

Episode 19

 

Episode 20

 

Episode 21

 

Episode 22

 

Episode 23

 

Episode 24

 

Episode 25

 

Episode 26

 

Episode 27

 

 

Episode 28

 

Episode 29

 

Episode 30

 

Episode 31

 

Episode 32

 

Episode 33

 

Episode 34

 

Episode 35

(Coming soon)

[Aqua Splendor]

PRICE OF THIS PROJECT

spoiler alert: Not friendly budget.

Canadian $ with tax included

 

- HARDWARE -

• Wood Cabinet: 540$
• Aquarium Glass: 126$
• 2nd Aquarium 65$
• Acrylic Separator: 86$
• RODI Aquatic Life 50gdp: 138$
• Eheim Thermocontrol E heater 50W: 54$
• Sicce Syncra Silent Pump 1.0: 87$ (might switch to smaller size)
• Hanna Marine Salinity Waterproof Tester - HI98319: 113$
• AI Prime 16HD: 325$
• AI Prime Mountain arm: 40$
• CaribSea - Hawaiian Black: 23$
• Matrix Bio media: 20$
• Versa Dosing pump: 241$
• CaribSea Liferock Base: 133$
• CaribSea Sand Hawaiian black: 22$
• CaribSea Sand Eco-Complete: 40$
• CaribSea Sand Fiji pink: 30$
• Egg crate black 24x48: 45$
• FISH NET COVER (free so far, taking the back glass from the broken first aquarium)
• XP Aqua Duetto: 201$
• Carpet Neoprene: 20$
• Tubing for return pump: 12$
• Glass Scraper: 0$
• Ikea Ranarp: 29$
• Ikea Roller blind Bleking: 41$
• 4x Super glue: 52$
• Metal wire for plants: 10$
• Cotton: 3$
• IM Refugium light: 100$

__________________

Subtotal: 2576$

 

- MAINTENANCE -

• Salt - Tropic Marine Pro - 140$
• Powder Alk/Cal - 0$
• Amino Acid 40$
• Fish Food 40$
• Dr. Tim’s Aquatics Ammonium Chloride: 14$
• Brightwell MacroBacter 7 20$

 

__________________

Subtotal: 234$

- LIVE STOCK -

Fishes

•  

 

Corals

Soft

 

• Toadstool green with grey base - Sarcophyton sp. 60$
• Neon Green Finger Leather - Sinularia sp. 40$
• Orange and Orange/Green Clove Polyp - Clavularia sp. 30$
• Knopia Octocontacanalis - Clavularia sp. 25$
• Gorgonian Purple Candelabra - Purple Bush - Candalabra Eunicea sp. 25$
• Gorgonian Pterogorgia citrina - Yellow sea whip - Pseudopterogorgia sp. 25$
• Gorgonian Muriceopsis flavida - Purple Bottle Brush - Pseudopterogorgia sp. 35$
• 1x Mushroom - Discosuma Blue - Discosuma sp. 10$
• 1x Mushroom - Discosuma Purple with Blue dot - Discosuma sp. 30$
• 1x Mushroom - Discosuma Purple with Yellow edge - Discosuma sp. 25$
• 1x Mushroom - Discosuma Purple with Yellow dot and white Bubble - Discosuma sp.  30$
• 1x Mushroom - Rhodactis Orange with Green center and Yellow edge - Rhodactis sp. 35$
• 1x Mushroom - Rhodactis Green - Rhodactis sp. 12$
• 1x Mushroom - Rhodactis Green with Gray & Orange bubble - Rhodactis sp. 10$
• 1x Mushroom - Discosuma Brown/Gray with Black spot - Discosuma sp. 50$
• 1x Mushroom - Discosuma Green/Brown with Green/Yellow dot - Discosuma sp. 35$
• 1x Mushroom - Discosuma Red with Red dot and white Bubble - Discosuma sp.  30$
• 1x Mushroom - Discosuma Red with intense fluorescence - Discosuma sp.  35$
• 1x Mushroom - Discosuma Pale green with white pattern - Discosuma sp.  20$
• 1x Mushroom - Discosuma Green with orange dot - Discosuma sp.  40$
• 8x Zoa Yellow Sparkle - Zoanthids sp. 20$
• Frosted leather Coral - Capnella sp. 35$
• Green Toadstool white tips - Sarcophyton sp. 45$
• Xenia full white/beige thick - Xenia sp. 25$
• Organ pipe - Tubipora chamissonis(?) - Tubipora sp. 45$
• Toadstool green long tentacle with green base - Sarcophyton sp - 60$
• Toadstool beige long tentacle with beige base - Sarcophyton sp - 30$
• 1x Zoa Seduction - Zoanthids sp. 25$
• 7x Zoa Purple Monster - Zoanthids sp. 20$
• 1x Zoa Superman - Zoanthids sp. 6$
• 1x Zoa Speckled krakatoa - Zoanthids sp. 20$

 

LPS

• Pastel Brown/white Alveopora - Alveopora sp. 30$
• Goniopora Violet - Goniopora sp. 25$
• Goniopora Green - Goniopora sp. 25$
• Goniopora Red Sparkle - Goniopora sp. 80$
• Goniopora Violet & pink - Goniopora sp. 100$
• Goniopora Red/Orange sparkle - Goniopora sp. 150$
• Goniopora Teal with pink center - Goniopora sp. 45$
• Green Polyp Duncan - Duncanopsammia Axifuga sp. 35$
• Caulastrea - Brown with Green center Candy Cane - Caulastrea Tumida sp. 30$
• Caulastrea - Green Neon Candy Cane - Caulastrea Curvata sp. 15$
• Caulastrea - Full Teal Candy Cane - Caulastrea Curvata sp. 35$
• Caulastrea - Teal Pattern Candy Cane - Caulastrea Echinulata sp. 30$

 

SPS

• Green Pocillopora Damicornis - Pocillopora Genus 25$
• Purple Pocillopora Damicornis - Pocillopora Genus 25$
• Turquoise Seriatopora - Seriatopora sp. 20$

 

NPS

• Feather Duster - Sabellastarte Sanctijosephi(?) - Sabellastarte sp. 25$
• Feather Duster - Sabellastarte Magnifica (?) - Sabellastarte sp. 15$
• Feather Duster - Bispira brunnea (?) - Bispira sp. 15$
• Sun coral - Tubastraea coccinea - Tubastraea sp. 120$

 

Anemone

• 5x Phymanthus crucifer - Rock Flower Anemone 250$

 

Clam/Oyster/Mussel

• 2x mussel - unknown type 12$
•  

Shrimps

• 1x Alpheus ochrostriatus - Yellow-lined Pistol Shrimp 30$
• 3x Thor amboinensis 48$
• 1x Thor amboinensis 0$

Hermit Crabs

• 6x Dwarf Hermit Crabe 12$
   

 

Snails

• 3x Trochus 0$ Baby

 

Macro Algea

• Chaetomorpha linum - Chaetomorpha sp. 0$
• Gracilaria Hayi - Lectotype sp. 0$

 

__________________

Subtotal: 000$

 

- R.I.P.-

• 3x Dwarf Hermit Crabs 6$
• 1x Babylon snail 8$
• Green Stylophora - Stylophora sp. 35$ (frag in my lab tank)
• Green Seriatopora Caliendrum - Seriatopora Caliendrum sp. 25$ (frag in my lab tank)
• Purple Milka Stylo  - Stylophora pistillata sp. 35$ (frag in my lab tank) 
• Bird of Paradise - Seriatopora sp. 35$ (frag in my lab tank)
• Pink Birdnest - Seriatopora hystrix 30$ (frag in my lab tank)
• Panda Goby - Paragobius lacunicolus 100$
• Alveopora Brown/white tips - Alveopora sp. 60$
• 2x Thor amboinensis 28$
• 1x Phymanthus crucifer - Rock Flower Anemone 50$
• Gorgeous prawn-goby - Amblyeleotris wheeleri - Gobiidae 35$

 

- Moved to another tank -

• Yellow Goby Clown fish 35$

 

- DECORATIVE STUFF -

 

• Air plants 200$
• Spider wood 60$

 

___________________________________

TOTAL PRICE: 3300+ ish$  So far...for god's sake...

[mitten_reef]

2 minutes ago, Aqua Splendor said:

How to merge post god damnit

Oh i figure out i guess?

I had more problem trying to un-merging. 

[banasophia]

1 hour ago, mitten_reef said:

I had more problem trying to un-merging. 

Haha glad I’m not the only one!!

 

 

@Aqua Splendor, excited to follow along!

[devaji108]

nice!

 

question- is that a rubber squeaky hamburger dog toy in the back ground?  

 

[seabass]

9 hours ago, Aqua Splendor said:

I'm not in hurry to start the aquarium right now. I love planning things before, making sure i'm taking the right decision, specialy with aquascape.

Yeah, my "OCD" has kicked in while planning my AIO chambers.  I spent most of my free time this weekend trying to work it out.  I think I'm finally satisfied.  Once I get some more acrylic, I can actually start working on it.

 

I haven't done a nice rock scape in so long; maybe I should attempt one this time.  IDK, I bet I can progress even slower than you.

 

Good luck!

[debbeach13]

Hi welcome to the contest. Are you making the AIO compartment or buying one? If you have room I think you might really like the over sized cabinet. My cabinet is the same size as the tank and I am always wishing I could put some plants or shells next to the tank. Good luck with your tank. 

[Aqua Splendor]

11 hours ago, devaji108 said:

nice!

 

question- is that a rubber squeaky hamburger dog toy in the back ground?  

 

AH! god damnit my boss will kill me. It's actually a phone 🤣

6 hours ago, seabass said:

Yeah, my "OCD" has kicked in while planning my AIO chambers.  I spent most of my free time this weekend trying to work it out.  I think I'm finally satisfied.  Once I get some more acrylic, I can actually start working on it.

 

I haven't done a nice rock scape in so long; maybe I should attempt one this time.  IDK, I bet I can progress even slower than you.

 

Good luck!

You know with that tank dimension i might not even able to make rock aquascape, i'm thinking something very low profil so coral can grow easily.

 

1 hour ago, debbeach13 said:

Hi welcome to the contest. Are you making the AIO compartment or buying one? If you have room I think you might really like the over sized cabinet. My cabinet is the same size as the tank and I am always wishing I could put some plants or shells next to the tank. Good luck with your tank. 

I'm going to make compartment. I search around my area for laser cut because last time i did my self it wasn't super straight and that bother me 😅.
Hehe you got it right for the oversize cabinet, I chosen it like this for putting ... "things" around it (It might be more than plants? I don't know will see)

[Aqua Splendor]

I need your advice on this design choice for the separator

 

 

 

Is the second Separator (red) on the right is low enough compare to the intake?
 

[devaji108]

1 minute ago, Aqua Splendor said:

I need your advice on this design choice for the separator

 

 

where dose the heater go? in the RT section?

not my fav. place to put one. not that I have had AIO for long...lol  

[Aqua Splendor]

Probably in the bio media section, so it doesn't run dry by accident.

[devaji108]

1 minute ago, Aqua Splendor said:

Probably in the bio media section, so it doesn't run dry by accident.

my thoughts too!

are you making a media basket for the 1st chamber? if so then you can change media and your tanks needs.  

[Aqua Splendor]

21 minutes ago, devaji108 said:

my thoughts too!

are you making a media basket for the 1st chamber? if so then you can change media and your tanks needs.  

Yup

[Aqua Splendor]

For the guy who will cut it:

 

Back side planification

 

 

Which one of these option is the best, I would like to skim the water has much possible and we don't see any hole if possible.

 

[devaji108]

if you go option #3 its needs to be stainless steel or titanium what did you have in mind?

#2 the most common

when I was thinking of making an AIO insert I was gonna use glass and go with #1 not sure if if any good tho...curious to see what others think   

[Kat_Syd]

I love the shape of this tank - can wait to see how you aqua scape it. 

[Aqua Splendor]

1 hour ago, Kat_Syd said:

I love the shape of this tank - can wait to see how you aqua scape it. 

I love the shape also, I just wish it was higher, I have different idea but in long term most of them failed...

I wasn't quick enough to switch the aquarium before the deadline

[banasophia]

7 hours ago, Aqua Splendor said:

I love the shape also, I just wish it was higher, I have different idea but in long term most of them failed...

I wasn't quick enough to switch the aquarium before the deadline

I think the unique shape will really lend itself to something creative... excited to see what you come up with. Have you thought about doing something with the scape extending out of the water?

[Aqua Splendor]

4 hours ago, banasophia said:

I think the unique shape will really lend itself to something creative... excited to see what you come up with. Have you thought about doing something with the scape extending out of the water?

Yeah I did, many many idea... too much idea lol, just don't know which one to go with.

I need to feel it, I guess when the separator will be made and other hardware in place it will be more clear in my head. I would like to go with birdnest coral, black sand, black rock.

I'm thinking also instead of having outflow with a pipe that you see, it would be a long vertical mesh, like holes in the wall separator. I wouldn't be able to control the flow direction but it would be invisible.

 

[debbeach13]

That would be a very different look. I like it.

[Aqua Splendor]

 

Alright i continu very slowly but surely, so here is the hardware I bought for this project, I might change light or pumps, depending how it goes. But most of the hardware is here.

 

Now here the thing.

 

It's freaking hard to do this project right with the time I have and YouTube at the same time, holycow!

Doing this at work make all this process very slow: I have specific window when I can film, I don't always have all the tools to build the aquarium, gotta hide some stuff when I record/picture, my boss always worry about the mess, you can hear the people talking in my mic (try to film when no body is around), Gotta good way to get water with the RODI without people notice too much, I rush thing has much has I can but, will get there, will get there!

 

I think I finish the All-In-One section, the small size give me trouble when i'm going to do maintenance, but I think it will do. Pipe are in the way..

 

Right now this is what the things look like (21 march 2020), I really want to have that tank ready and start the cycling process during that Covid-19 quarantine, we are not in quarantine yet but things might change next week. Also don't know if i'm still going to have work after this, we are in a critical situation. 

 

I will do videos of this project when I can. It's getting there, slowly but surely!

[Aqua Splendor]

I don't have access to my aquarium at work during the Covid-19 so I can't take picture for the monthly update unfortunately.

The aquarium is actually empty anyways.

[kimberbee]

On 4/4/2020 at 12:15 PM, Aqua Splendor said:

I don't have access to my aquarium at work during the Covid-19 so I can't take picture for the monthly update unfortunately.

The aquarium is actually empty anyways.

Do you still not have access to your tank? 

[Aqua Splendor]

No, I don't think in the 3 week either 😞
If they were some livestock in it then I would have yell but since it doesn't even have water in it I let it go for now.