22 Gallon Finnex M-Tank....PIC INTENSE

[golf4lyfe]

Over this past weekend I purchased a new tank to set my first nano reef. Ive been doing freshwater for about the past 6 months and I decided it was time to switch. The tank I purchased is the 22-gallon Finnex M-tank, its the older model, the one before the one that is out now.

When I purchased the tank he gave me some old live rock, so I laid that for a base to put the new live rock on.

I then added the sand and saltwater.

When adding the salt to the tank i put a pump in the back chamber were the skimmer goes and dumped all the salt in there so that hopefully it wouldnt all settle in the salt.

I plan on doing some mods to the tank. First thing i will be doing is increasing the flow of the tank. what im thinking of doing is taking a pvc pipe the length of the tank and laying this just under the water. I will then cut holes into the pvc for water to go out and then ill add a pump to it. My goal is that this will move water over everything in the tank to create less dead spots.

Other mods planned:
Take out trickle filters and install refugium
Buy a new skimmer
Build light for refugium
Install fans in light, ones in are broken

Money spent so far:
$100 for tank(skimmer,light,pump), sand, and dead live rock
$24 for culligan water jugs, 3.90 to fill up to get 20 gallon
$74 for heater, 160 gallon mix salt, Hydromter

Also I need a new actinic light, its a 36 watt power compact, anyone know some good online stores to get lights

 

[tmfreak]

looks good so far, needs aloooootttt more rock! i go to ebay and search for lights, some of them are really cheap theres also a site.. i think its www.drsfostersmith.com

 

[golf4lyfe]

If I have time tommorow afternoon I plan on going to get my live rock, right now I threw a shrimp in to help the cycle start. What kind of live rock would you recommend.

 

[JasonLL]

I'd go with tried and true Fiji. Good shape for stacking and plenty of life. Plus you can usually find good prices on-line.

 

[golf4lyfe]

Okay, If I have time later tonight I might run and get the rock. Should I make a mound of rock in the middle, or 2 stacks on the left and right sides

 

[Mr.First]

Jason, you say that you can find good prices on line. Are there sites that sell small amounts for Nanos ?

 

[Kahuna]

Try Tampa Bay Saltwater on the sponsors forum. They have a great product and after seeing their product firsthand in a friends' tank, looks better than Fiji or Tonga IMO. You can get a complete pkg for your nano from them.

Cheers

Kev

 

[Chaotic Reefer4u]

sweet...

 

[golf4lyfe]

Later today I will be building custom spray bar in the back, itlll be pushing out 620gph will that be too much for the tank?

 

[golf4lyfe]

Instead of building the spray bar I decided to get my live rock, bought way too much. 27 pounds but the guy cut me a deal, 115 for all. If I have time this evening I will build the spraybar.

Full Tank.....

MY fine coraline.....

What do you think?

The guy at the fish store said that I could probably buy fish withing the next couple of weeks, I dont have a test kit yet so I cant check levels. Will there be an algae boom?

 

[golf4lyfe]

I havent updated in about a week now, and there has been lot of changes. I finally finished my spray bar but I think that I will be changing the bar just a little because its pointing out a little too much.
Heres a couple of pics were I had the spray bar but I moved them to the other side of the tank now.

Behind the tank....

Different angle.....

Frontview....

On 10/27 my water parameters were....
PH-8.2
Ammonia-0
Nitrie-0
Nitrate-20
Salinty-1.23

I went ahead purchased two blue leg hermit crabs and a yellow tail damsel fish. If everything goes good with these Ill be buying 2 clownfish next week.

 

[All Delight]

I hope that damsel doesn't put the beat down on the clowns

 

[hgbarwick]

sweet tank. I am looking to set up the same 22 gallon finex. What kind of lighting did you go with PC, or MH?

 

[golf4lyfe]

I bought the tank used from a buddy of mine, He went with the pc's. Only problem with pc's is that the only store that sells them is nano tuners, so I must order them online. I might buy new lights though, Ill post a pic later of what im looking at.

 

[golf4lyfe]

Today I got my coralife super skimmer, and a scraper to remvoe algae from glass. Im looking into some corals in the next few weeks, I have a 36 watt pc and 36 watt actinic pc, will this be enough light for most corals, Im looking at some sps anyone have some ideas of easy sps's. Also will I be alright with an anemome and coral in my tank?

 

[hgbarwick]

the lights wiill be good for any softies, and a few sps. Anenomes need Metal Hailides in IMO.

 

[golf4lyfe]

Would youu say that in a 20 gallon tank, 15 gallon dispaly that it would be bad to to mix anomes and coral?

 

[rbp 4 135]

they shoud be allright provided that there is ample room and they cant reach eachother to sting. but you may have to watch out because nems sometimes have a habit of wandering, also they grow big and quickly

 

[golf4lyfe]

i think im going to stay away from the anemone just because id be worried about them stining the coral, whats a good coral to start with, im interested in something with alot of color?

 

[jewtball]

you should try to get smaller pieces of rock, that way you can make more caves and tunnels. i used Tonga and some small pieces of fiji in my Cadlights 22G and it looks pretty good.

get some metallic mushrooms, they have great color and is not too hard to keep.