25 Gallon, Nano? Really?!,,ok fine!-Tank Log

[Leviathan]

Hi everyone, been a while since I posted any pictures at all, much less of a brand new system. Many of you may already know, but for thoses of you who don't:

After being hit by two power outtages lasting upwards of 4+ days and then literally within a week of the last one falling VERY ill, my former 90 gallon system is no more. Being out of work since last May from my illness, and having no income other than my wife's I could not maintain my 90 gallon tank any longer.

I made a hard decission, to tear it down and sell it off so I could start up a smaller system that I would be able to take care of with the current situation. In my mind I felt I would much rather have a small tank with stuff in it and that I could take care of as needed, then have a large system that I could hardly even do regular w/c's on.

After selling off my 90, I literally that day drove up to get a 20 gallon long too take its place. I quickly decided that a 20L would not work for what I wanted and ended up getting a 25 gallon AGA, and a stand. I kept enough LR and sand from my 90 to be able to aquascape this smaller tank, and in the sale of my dual 250watt ARO's I ended up trading the buyer for his 175watt ARO pro series ballast/mogul/ and reflector.

From the start I decided to go back to some basics I had imployed on my earlier 75 gallon system. No sump/refugium, and the use of powerheads for water flow.

So I came home and started the process of putting my new tank together.

Current equipment list consists of:

25 gallon AGA
25Lbs LR mix- Kaleni & Carib
2" SSB-Pink Flamingo
3 MaxiJet1200's run on a Natural Wave Wavemaker
175watt ARO Pro series M57 ballast
175watt 10KXM
And just recently in the last couple days a CCS65gallon skimmer

It took me a couple days to get used to seeing such a large pump in the tank for the skimmer, and the powerheads in each corner. I must say, it really is not as much of an eyesore as I had fearded.

After all of the above disasters all I had left in the tank was my Yellow Watchman that I have had for aprox 4 years, a very few small-med coral colonies and that was about it!

So last week, I went to get a few more inhabitants to get this system going. I got 6 Turbo snails ( to go with the 2 Ceriths snails left over from my 90 ) a sand sifting'ish star, then a few days later I also bought a Firefish and a couple corals.

I am honestly VERY happy with the decission to go small at this time, and though the tank still has A LOT of growing and stocking to do, to me it already looks 100% better than the barren 90 gallon whos spot it now occupies.

Here are a few pictures of the very start of my 25 gallon tank with I intend to become a full mixed reef eventually.

I hope you will enjoy watching it grow as I add things from time to time, and let them grow in as they want.

I have to admit, until getting this system I never really came to the Nano forum. In all honesty I didnt personally consider a 25 a Nano, but OK! I will play along

So to all that stop by, and to thoses that will be linked here from my old 90 gallon thread thanks for looking and please feel free to ask any questions, or make comments as you like. This thread is intended to be a discussion, not just a picture gallery for my tank.

Thanks
Chris

 

[Leviathan]

Full Tank

Full Tank

Here is a full shot, I just hate when people dont post a full shot of everything. Macros are great, and individual shots of corals and fish etc are fine, but you HAVE to start with a full shot.

 

[Leviathan]

Two Little Fish-Not to be confused with the company!

Two Little Fish-Not to be confused with the company!

Here is my Watchman I have had for a fairly long time, and my newest addition a really nice little FireFish.

 

[Leviathan]

A few Corals Slavaged From My 90 Gallon

A few Corals Slavaged From My 90 Gallon

A nice little colony of Blue/green rics I have had since they were 1 single polyp, in just a little over 5 years they have grown to what you see here, plus about a dozen I have fragged off for friends.

Some light blue centered zoos, not many but was able to save a few

A med size GSP colony, I have completely cut off from everything so I can keep it in check ( learned my lesson about putting them on the main aquascape years ago )

 

[Leviathan]

Two New Pieces I Just Got

Two New Pieces I Just Got

Theses zoos are actually really nice. I got them for the green centered one in the front, but once they got in my tank I noticed the rust colored ones have a really nice baby blue center.

Only thing is yesterday I noticed a small Aptasia in the dead center of them, which I will have to contend with soon!

http://www.freewebs.com/reeflection/3-1-06%20green%20rust%20zoos.JPG

Lastly, here is a piece I have been looking for for years. I have wante3d a nice Yellow Fiji for so long, but never have I seen one in a LFS that looked healthy at all. I stumbled across this one and fell in love with it. This photo was taken the day I put it in, and since the polyps have fully extended and it has a incredible coloration too it, a welcomed addition for me. I will update its picture soon so you can see how it has settled in.

 

[Leviathan]

There is a few more things to take photos of, but I had a few good shots and thought it was time to start my thread, I will update often, so please check back!

Thanks
Chris

 

[melev]

Chris, go back and edit your second to last post to fix that one image of those pretty zoos. It is an IMG, not PHP.

Congrats on your new setup. I hope this tank runs better for you.

 

[jasutton]

Chris...sorry to hear about our run of bad luck but it appears that you pulled through.

great pix and nice tank. wanna frag the ric one more time i love that coral

jamie

 

[MaryBebo]

Hi Chris,

It is looking really very NICE !!!

I hope you are feeling better. I wish you well, I loved your pics

Also ; Thank you for your kind words on my Nano too. I really like the Nano's. They can be very enjoyable also.

 

[Leviathan]

Chris, go back and edit your second to last post to fix that one image of those pretty zoos. It is an IMG, not PHP.

Thanks for spotting that Marc, I must have hit the wrong tab when I posted it. Just let me do a few things and I will re-post that picture in a little while. Also thanks for the support, It is already looking so much better than that 90 gallon disaster.

Chris...sorry to hear about our run of bad luck but it appears that you pulled through.

wanna frag the ric one more time

Thanks, and eventually I will im sure. At the moment I just want to let everything settle in and start to grow again, after that though I dont see why not. Never shipped a frag before, but I think I could manage.

I hope you are feeling better. I wish you well, I loved your pics

Thank you! its up in the air as to how far I have come with healing. But I am hanging in there.

Also ; Thank you for your kind words on my Nano too. I really like the Nano's. They can be very enjoyable also.

No problem, your small system looks great!

Yes they can be, I kind of feel rejuvinated-sp? by this 25 gallon. I had not burnt out from the last 6 years, but needed a change. This was just what I needed. I will eventually go big again, but for now I am really enjoying this "Nano"

 

[Leviathan]

Here, fixed the picture!

Here, fixed the picture!

Here is a repost of the above posted rust baby blue centered/green zoos

 

[ellio]

Just out of curiosity, why did you go with the 25 instead of the 20L? Also do you have a plan in place in case your power goes out again?

 

[Leviathan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6887407#post6887407 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ellio
Just out of curiosity, why did you go with the 25 instead of the 20L? Also do you have a plan in place in case your power goes out again?

Once i finally looked at the LR I had kept and knowing I would have a 2"SSB, I quickly realized that the 20L would not have enough height for me too work with. Plus I was a little concerned that the single 175 would not cover from end to end as well due to its increased length.

I am happy with the decission, and am very glad I changed my mind when I did. I dont think I would have liked a 20L now that I have this tank setup and see its layout.

Yes,
I have since bought a generator ( really needed one anyways living where we do ). The outtages were caused by the two big hurricanes last year as they came up from the gulf over our area here in Central Alabama it did a lot of line damage. We live in a VERY rural area so typically we are last on the list of reconnects.

 

[maxxII]

Chris,
Good to see you back in the game! New tank looks good.

Just out of curiousity, what size generator did you purchase?

Nick

 

[Leviathan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6890524#post6890524 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by maxxII
Chris,
Good to see you back in the game! New tank looks good.

Just out of curiousity, what size generator did you purchase?

Nick

Thanks, feels good to be back in it.
Its not a real big one, 5000watt 6500watt startup.
Plenty to power the tank and a few odds and ends around the house.

 

[maxxII]

A generator is also on the list of things to buy for us too.....
Who makes yours?

Nick

 

[Leviathan]

Coleman, and I apologize its 6250 startup watts.

It really does give you piece of mind.

 

[Clarkii3]

its gonna be a nice tank, im currently in the process of ripping down my 25g and getting a smaller, or larger tank.

 

[Leviathan]

Heres a couple more pictures

Heres a couple more pictures

Finally got a decent shot of the star mentioned above. This little guy can vanish without a trace under the sand. Hes really fast moving also, and a nice addition to the clean up crew and inhabitants in general.

 

[Leviathan]

Green Frills

Green Frills

This is a small colony of green frilly shrooms I saved from the 90 also. I keep them away from the main structure like the GSP due to their fast growth. Still I have always liked theses shrooms.