A bit of an Introduction

[DH Freewheeler]

Hey!

 

I have been a member of this site for quite some time now, not only on this username, but also on another username that I have either forgotten the username, or the password, but anyway........... I wish to set up an extremely small nano (or in this case - micro) reef. Problemo is - im new to the reef aquarium hobby. Im expecting to be flamed right now, but before you do, I have owned a plastic carrycase aquarium, full of stuff I have picked up from a local beach, and to my astonishment kept all the invertabraes I had collected alive for a long amount of time (occupants were some nudibranch, snails and a small crab that I have failed to destinguish). I used a plastic DIY skimmer, that worked rather well, and did water changes bi-weekly using water that i kept circulating in a large esky.

 

Past aquarium experience has mainly been freshwater. I've owned many a tank, and bred many species of fish, however I would like to run my hand at something that is

a)more challenging &

b)more fascinating (and IMHO, more beautiful)

 

I have been studying the biological nature of a reef aquarium for a long period of time. I basically know many of the vital guidelines and what is needed for reef establishment. Coming from Australia, we have different means of running a reef aquarium (plenums, mechanical filtration etc) so upon mentioning many of the systems that the members of this board have adopted, LFS workers/owners either laugh at me, or think that I am completely nuts. This is not going to discourage me, but rather my past experience with these people has made my passion for an "unconventional" aquarium burn greater.

 

The aquarium that I am willing to establish will be 2.5 gallons. I will utilise a small powerhead that will be positioned to point upwards, breaking the surface and create enough current to help circulate the water within the tank. I will use a DSB (or plenum????? - there has been no definite answer to my querry) and a substantial amount of live rock. In the preliminary stage of the establishment I will use NO lights (I would use PC, but they are unavailable in Australia) with a remote ballast. I will use 1 Actinic light and another 8,000k globe). Before introducing any fish, invertabrae or coral, I will wait for the aquarium to cycle (Im expecting 2 months?). Once the cycling stage has completed I will add mushrooms, polyps, and gradually, as my light levels increase, I wish to add more light intensive corals such as sps corals (I am still doing research regarding water paramaters and nutrients).

 

Eventually, I will purchase a HOB filter or construct my own devie that will allow me to have room for a micro-chilling device, and in a seprate compartment, a refugium, that will house caulerpa (grapevine) algae.

 

I would appreciate any critical response.

[Sahin]

Double post.

 

Please check the other one.