Fluval Chi 6.6 Gallon. First SW tank.

[Fish Friend]

Great & thank you for the info..., do you know if some decorative macro will help prevent other algae, like the "hair" one?
And sorry for using your brain like a libary, I'm sure the answer is already somewhere on the forums, but! you know more then me; so why not ask is what I'm thinking
Idk how that compares, but perhaps I just like homely surroundings better than posh ones, anyway your "tank work" looks great, congratultions

 

[TurboCamaro]

Great & thank you for the info..., do you know if some decorative macro will help prevent other algae, like the "hair" one?
And sorry for using your brain like a libary, I'm sure the answer is already somewhere on the forums, but! you know more then me; so why not ask is what I'm thinking
Idk how that compares, but perhaps I just like homely surroundings better than posh ones, anyway your "tank work" looks great, congratultions

Funny thing. Im most definately not an expert, but yes the macro(good) algae competes with micro (bad) algae for the same nutrients so its a one or the other type of deal.

No such thing as a stupid question; how else will we learn?

Thanks for the compliment. Ive rearranged it a bit, but im still thinking about rearranging it again. Suppose ill hold off until I get the featherduster and a fire shrimp I want to get. The good news is the Yellow clown goby is finally eating flake and pellet and putting some weight on. He had me worried there cause he was looking pretty bad.

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[Fish Friend]

Sorry I did not respond right away, but! I got a shipment of copedites two days ago, and have been acting like a loon about it, also got the lightfixture today, soooo ...I just gotta wait for stable values now.
Thank you for clearing up the algae for me (I'll definately look more into that) and yeah, it's easier to learn when we are more about it, I agree

Well, you make good marine-settings, do your thing and show me pictures!

In small aquariums, I fear a sandworm might grow to fill too much (in the sandbed), but they look gorgeous and will compliment certain types of corals very well ofc. Will shrimp always eat the copepods etc. or are some herbivores, like emerald crabs?

And, congrats! I would have been terribly worried about it. So you can relax with this peaceful hobby now, knowing that your clown goby isn't starving itself :/
I'm very happy about that!
Are you still building on a sump?

 

[TurboCamaro]

Progress.

Got the ABS glued together, teeth cut, return cut, and the whole assembly is now in the tank curing.

The initial cure is to seal the chambers. After that fully cures + a few days, ill be laying the bead down that will seal the wall off from the front.

A few progress pics.

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[Fish Friend]

Wow, good job How on earth did you make the overflow-comb-thingy without breaking off the combs?

 

[TurboCamaro]

Wow, good job How on earth did you make the overflow-comb-thingy without breaking off the combs?

If you tape it, then measure and take a drill with the width you want the teeth and drill at the bottom of your teeth. The next part you can use multiple different cutting tools. I used an airsaw with a plastic blade and just went slow. Made two cuts per drilled hole. They certainly arent straight/perfect, but its also not the centerpiece for the tank so im not really worried about it.

Its now fully siliconed in. The tape trick works wonders cause it looks like a factory edge on the glass.

Got my light and light fixture holder ordered, that one ill keep on ice till I get it together as I think itll look pretty sweet.

Still gotta figure out the rock but im set on black sand.

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[TurboCamaro]

Found a little spot in the very bottom of the back that wasnt sealed, but I got it sealed with a brush on a long screwdriver.

Waiting until my next paycheck to go get some rock and sand then ill have water in the tank while I await my light and fixture.

Going to do a 3 gallon water change on the other tank and seed this tank with that, a few pieces of rock from the other tank, and the biobag (thats been in tank for 3 years).

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[Fish Friend]

Ooohhh, gotta shop for tools!
I'm kinda from the "Woman, do it yourself!" generation, so by now it annoy me that I can't.
But I am waiting for cash as well, I planned to buy the lights nxt month, but they tricked me! Claiming they only had 40 up for sale, I bought it when I noticed they only had one left...and they (ofc!) put up 40 more for sale the nxt day, silly me

Sounds good! I like the lights to look good, the finish of the aquarium is so important in making it either a "room with an aquarium" or "an aquarium-room"... if that makes any sense..

I read somewhere that black sand used to be metal & the other stuff is actually rather new?
I'm looking forward to seeing your plan unfold.
Honestly, reefs can look so conservative, it is so good to get fresh inspiration.
Keep it up!

(omg I'm envious that I don't have an old tank, ehm, I really should have started keeping aquariums earlier)

 

[TurboCamaro]

Man im getting itchy wanting to get this tank going lol. One week left.



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[TurboCamaro]

Stopping at the LPS after work today and my LED fixture will also be here.

Maybe ill have some water in the tank today.

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[TurboCamaro]

No water in the tank yet, looks like tomorrow night ill be putting water into it. Lighting doesnt look like itll be an issue. If anything I may have to raise it up, but I havent built the fixture yet.

Found a piece of flat cut dry rock and a few other small pieces at the LPS. Got some black sand and Reef Crystals while I was there.

Used the Superglue Gel/JB WaterWeld/Superglue Gel method to put the rock together and its superior.

Couple shots without water.

Light with lens

Light without lens

Thoughts on with/without lens?

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[TurboCamaro]

To me it looks as if the light without the lens casts a little less of a shadow on the very sides at the top. So ill probably leave the lens off.

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[TurboCamaro]

I now officially have 2 Nano Saltwater tanks. The flow seems good and I am very happy with the AIO design. The pump is dead silent.

I used 4 gallons of water from the other tank and the biobag is the only thing in the media basket besides a small piece of filter floss.

Now we wait.

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[TurboCamaro]

Nice and clear after shaking up the biobag.

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[TurboCamaro]

Im sure ill probably get some nay-sayers. But this tank is ready to go and is already cycled with NO additives.

Just 4 gallons of already cycled water, 2 gallons of fresh RO saltwater, and a 3 year old biobag.

BOOM. Done.

Been testing everyday since the start and no nitrite or ammonia. Already gone through a diatom bloom and have a Cerite and Nerite wreaking havoc on the algae.

Going to put a small livestock order in to BlueZooAquatics. Had good luck so far. Only getting small bioload stuff. Snails, maybe a crab or two and a whisker coral.

I think im going to capitalize on the flow in the tank and get mostly tentacled corals that will display the flow, and a few very brightly colored montiporas.

Stay tuned!

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[plecoco]

Very nice. Keep updating.

 

[Fish Friend]

Ohhhh...
Now that was a good use of rock and glue, what did you call it, "Superglue Gel/JB WaterWeld/Superglue Gel method", how does that work?

All my rocks are currently stacked together with nothing, but it has been the least of my problems...since I ran out of patience and put in livestock I got busy with problems - but at least I've been caring for the tank for hours each day, exactly as I wanted..

That sounds very nice indeed, I can't wait to see your tank grow

 

[TurboCamaro]

Its more specifically glue/epoxy/glue. The superglue gives you the hold, but the epoxy is better able to "grip" the rock. Same goes for sticking frags to rocks.

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[E572]

I'm really starting to come around to the black sand. Nice tank!!!

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[Fish Friend]

Ah, thanks Will, I will take a note of that.
And I totally agree the sand looks great.
I notice my clownfishes likes to be against dark background, so I guess they would've appreciated black sand bottom, I'll take a note of that as well

Got any awesome invertebrates or wiskercorals yet?
My phone takes pictures that looks like they are made with a potato, but at least I got the new tank syndrome under control...