10G Nano Build and Dosing Questions

[mwoneal]

Hi all, working on a 10G nano build, and thought I'd post a few pics / questions. Have kept freshwater tanks for years, and small FOWLR in college. Been a couple years since my last saltwater, and the itch to have one again just had to be scratched!

I already had the stand from a previous freshwater setup, so I decided to go with the 10 gallon tank. Lighting is CoralLife 96W quad tube PC, going to try a 6700K bulb, any thoughts on this? Planning to do only soft corals at first since this is my first reef, hopefully 'shrooms, rics', and sarcos'. Painted the back against advice from LFS, said to use a film so I could see behind rock pile, but I like the smooth look the painted back has.

Filtration is 5.5G 'fuge, fed by two 3/4" bulkheads (outside elbows/strainers). I drilled the tank myself with a Roto Zip tile bit, amazingly got it on my first try. Return is a Mag Drive 2, plumbed through 1/2" PVC and vinyl tubing to two directional outflows (inside elbows). Flow is supplemented in tank w/ MJ 900.

Inside Plumbing

Outside Plumbing - got a little happy w/ the PVC primer!

The fuge is smaller than what I really wanted to build, but 5.5G fits in the stand very nicely. Flow is right to left in the picture, only real bubble trap is where the water enters in the chamber on the right. Center compartment for a couple pounds of mud and some macro. I didn't want to baffle it up to much to keep plenty of water on that Mag 2. The light is a Walmart special, 20 W CF claiming a 6500K temp. Any one have experience with this light?

Now for the questions. I am wondering if for the soft corals, weekly water changes alone will provide enough calcium / alk. for their needs, or if I'll need to supplement. I'm sure everyone has an opinion on this, and I probably end up getting the Salifert test kits and doing a little research of my own.

I've tried to do my research, but at some point I realize you've got to make some decisions and get started! TIA for any advice.

Mark

 

[Poorcollegereef]

waterchanges are fine for softies in my opinion, sometimes a small, and I mean small ammount of iodine might be useful. Just make sure you test for it. I would suggest higher grade salts if you are only doing waterchanges. If you want to have some supplements just to balance things out when you have poor readings from the tests, the use a two part or make Randy's two part from the chemistry forum. The ingrediants might be more diffcult to find in Georgia I think because hardware stores normally dont stock alot of deicer, atleast in upstate SC. Anyways, your tank looks nice, engineering looks like it paid off!

(sorry always have to rag on engineers, spend my entire day with them and I am the only planner, sad world)

 

[mwoneal]

PCR,

No worries, college profs. always said we would be disliked 'because we only want to pave the world!' Actually work in geospatial though, producing orthophotography and other mapping products.

I had already thought about a two part supplement, have you had any experience with Warner Marine Research CalMAX? Seems pretty sound. Good luck on planning, sure could have used a few back in the day before the engineers started hacking up the Glades.

 

[Poorcollegereef]

I "only want to zone the world" ok, not really, I am on the transit side of the paving issue. Widening roads is like buying bigger pants to loose weight. And yea GIS, combines the evils of both worlds through raster. Back to reefs: I have never used Warner Marine, I used B-ionic bu now does with home made stuff and it works better actually with keeping the Ca and Alk up but I am more of a SPS guy. As far as the 6700k bulb, I have used a single 6500k PC for zoas with good results but that also had some natural sunlight