5g Build/Questions

[dstipple]

I'm finally going to start a 5 gallon nano after being convinced by many of your awesome looking tanks. I have a 46 gallon now, but I am a college student and don't have the money to make it into what I had first imagined, so that will be hitting craigslist soon. So now I'm turning my 5 gallon tank I used as a QT into a bedside nano. I plan on taking a few of my live rocks out of the 46 before I sell it and am going to use the Caribsea fiji pink live sand. I'm not impatient but I do want to get this started soon so how long of a cycle (if any) do you think I would have. I have all the test kits from my 46 and am not going to do anything before my numbers are all right. As for lighting my LFS has had a "floor model" marineland reef capable LED system that I am going to purchase. I'm most likely going to make a custom hanger for it because the stock legs are too long for the aquarium, but the overall length of the unit (legs not included) is the same length as the tank so i should get good coverage. For filtration I am going to buy an AquaClear 50. I know it has the 3 stage filtration but I have heard of people removing the 3 parts and customizing it. If anybody has done this or knows a good way to mod them please let me know. I came across this in another thread and thought it could work pretty well in my system. It's a Current USA Subcurrent Internal Filter. It looks like it would keep the surface water clear and add some extra flow. If anyone has experience with this please let me know. I ultimately want to do mostly corals (very new to corals as my 46 was a FOWLR) but don't know what types would do best in this system, suggestions please! And as far as livestock I want either a coral banded shrimp or peppermint, and 1 or 2 small fish, again suggestions please! Almost forgot, I had a Marineland 150 heater that broke on the 46, so since it has the lifetime warranty I sent it out and got a brand new one shipped to me today (great customer service by Marineland). So should I try and exchange it at my LFS for a smaller one or should I not even worry about a heater and get a store credit? Sorry for all the questions, but I know from other threads you all are really helpful and for the most part love helping out a fellow reefer! Pics to follow

 

[dstipple]

So I made a decent amount of progress yesterday and got most of the tank set up so now its just a waiting game.

Decided to put the tank right on my nightstand in my room. I couldn't hear the filter run at all last night. But here are some progress shots as the tank starts to clear up a bit.

I used the CaribSea fiji pink and used the bio-magnet that it comes with and it really seemed to help clear the tank fairly quick. I haven't read anything bad about it so I went ahead and used it.

This is the aquascape i came up with, all rock that I transferred from my other tank. Before I put the rock in the new tank I scrubbed it off because there was a little bit of algae growth and what not and rinsed it in RO water. Did I screw up because I checked my levels today and I'm at are Ammonia-0, Nitrite-0, pH-7.8, salinity-1.023, and my nitrates are 160! When I set up my first tank I never had my nitrates that high. Is this normal or is something going on?

 

[zombiesniper308]

Im assuming you used new water? I would dose up on some pure ammonia and watch it.

nice tank, i love nanos

 

[dstipple]

Thanks! I'm already liking it more than my 46 and I don't even have anything in it! And I used water from my other tank but those parameters are normal, only thing new was the sand.

 

[dstipple]

Got a few updates as I finally got my light and float switch in the mail. I bought a par38 bulb from rapidled.com and set it up hanging over the tank.

Its probably 14" from the tank so let me know if thats a good height.

Right now I'm just waiting on my nitrates to come down to add some fish first then corals later. My nitrates are at 40 ppm so maybe Monday of Tuesday the tank will see its first life.

Im also adding a ATO system to this tank and have the system all set up except the bracket to put the float switch on. If anyone has any suggestions as far as what to use I'd greatly appreciate it. My game plan now is to go to Home Depot and see what I can come up with.

Hopefully me next update will include fish, but well see!