jgraz's 20h nano build

[jgraz]

Well here we go. Filled and leak checked. Everything good.

Gonna work on scape tomorrow then salt and seeded sand/rock.
Got some ideas to run by you guys about what to do in the fuge. I have a pretty small area to use and was wondering what way to go. The area is only 7"x7.5"x9.5". I was thinking to do one of the following.
1st) DSB only. How deep?
2nd) Macro only
3rd) use the area for reactors. GFO/GAC. Or Bio-Pellets?
Any thoughts?
Anyway thanks for looking.
John

 

[TjwBlake]

I do believe a DSB is useless at that size. I think that to be effective they need to have a fair amount of surface area.
If anything i'd probably use it for macro

 

[jgraz]

Well cycle underway. I added some live rock and the filter pad from my frag tank and the sand im using is also from my frag tank. Only going with a thin covering for the substrate. basically just enough to cover. So much for all that rock work I did eariler, as soon as I took it apart I could not figure it out again, even with pics. Anyway this is what me and my wife came up with. Lots of place to put things.

Question: Since im using well seeded items from my other tank should I still add an ammonia source?
Well tanks for looking.
John

 

[ange062]

If it's established LR from another tank no need for ammonia addition, IMO. You may not get much of a cycle. Sweet looking setup! And from your previous suggestion, I say go with the reactor for GFO. Biopellets shouldn't be needed on this small of a setup, that skimmer will easily keep your nitrates at 0, but phosphate control will always be an issue from feeding.

 

[jgraz]

Well its been a bit since I updated, so here we go. The tank is up and going. Mostly stocked, though I may get 2 more fish not sure what though one will be a clown to replace the one I lost. The other is up for debate, so im taking any and all suggestions, so fire away. Anyway the inhabitants are a Snocasso, Yellow Clown Goby, Blood Shrimp, Sexy Shrimp, and the usual CUC. I added a couple of Snocasso's a couple of weeks ago and right away one was not doing so well. He hung in there for about a week or so, then gone. Not sure what was happening. I saw him eat and he seemed very happy at the store, but I guess these things happen. So im on the hunt for a mate for my other one. Coral has been getting added often. I need more(please someone have a sale). Sump is running good, though I need to find a way to keep stray cheato out of the display. Skimmer is awesome. I just added a CPR Nano Reactor that I am running a bag of Chemi-Pure in, but I may just change that to GFO/GAC when needed. I was also tinkering with the idea of running pellets in it, but I may not be able to get output to the skimmer and have read that, that is a must. Anyway enough rambling. Here are the pics. Thanks for looking
Also don't forget the ideas for my last inhabitant

 

[Mongo77]

Hello, beautiful set up. I would add a canary wrasse, the yellow color would stand out in there and they'll help keep down unwanted pest that may get into your system. Your clown is very nice looking, looks almost exactly like mine which is black ice.

 

[jgraz]

Nice fish. Got yellow with the clown goby. Also hoping to keep topless, so a jumper might be a problem

 

[jgraz]

Well I just wanted to do a quick review of the CPR Nano Reactor that I decided to run. I was looking for something small that I could run GFO/GAC if needed. I came across this
http://************.com/2011/09/09/nano-mini-reactors-cpr/
It the on on the left. It is currently housed in my fuge section and running with bag of Chemi-Pure Elite. The contents of the bag have remain fluidized at least for the last few days. Not sure if it will remain that way as the bag becomes clogged, so that remains to be seen. It came with a RIO 90 pump and seems to be powered perfectly for this unit. It has the ability like most pumps to adjust flow. The water flows out of the top of unit and falls back into the fuge. I was concerned that that would be a bit noisy, but I really can't hear it even with the stand door open. I may change to GFO in the future and possibly GAC if/when I need it. I was considering pellets, but have read that flow should be diverted to skimmer and that is gonna be tough in my setup. All in all it seems well made and takes up little room. Unfortunatly I can't get a good pic because of it location in my sump. I'll see what i can do later for that. I think it is perfect for those with small spaces and wanting to run a reactor. It can also be put in the DT, but that would probably be an eyesore even with the black cover the sell for it. Here is a pic of it in pieces If anyone has any questions about it let me know. There are also some vid on you tube of it running. Thanks for looking
John

 

[jgraz]

The last week or so I have spent pretty much all extra money on some new coral. I just wanted to update my new finds. My pic skills suck. Part of it is that im working with only an iPhone, the other part is....well its me, I just can't take a pic. Here goes.
Jason Fox Setosa

ATL Limeaid Acro

Cali Tort

And a few others that I aquired over the last week
Superman Digi

Superman Monti and a Unknown Acro

Here is a purple bonsia that bleaced under my previous lighting starting to make a turn around

Got a few other new things, but like I said my skills with a camera are lacking and those are actually worse then the one I posted. Well thanks for looking.
John

 

[trigs]

Good looking tank, how is the overflow? noticed you just went right to a 90 and not a T fitting.

 

[dorkymk3]

Beautiful 20g build you got there........

 

[jgraz]

Good looking tank, how is the overflow? noticed you just went right to a 90 and not a T fitting.

Thank you. Yeah the just went 90* down to sump. Gotta say I can't hear a thing. Quite as a mouse.

Beautiful 20g build you got there........

Thanks for the compliment

Really wanted that 75Gal, didn't happen. But this has been a fun and so far rewarding experience

 

[jgraz]

Just wanted to give a little update. Things were going well for a bit, then some problems struck.
First: I decided to add a bag of PhosGuard. Boy was that a mistake. I guess it pulled too much, too quick and I lost a few acros to RTN. There one night gone the next. Pulled the bag and since that has been fine.
Second: I started to notice that a frag of ORA Jeremys Monti that was doing very well did not have any PE. Afew days go by and I wake up one morning and find that it was completly eaten away. Upon closer inspection I find that there was Monti Eating Nudi's on it. Well I tossed that and inthe process I also lost a small Frag of Superman Monti, and Grinch monti. All gone. I pulled all the montis not glued down and dipped for a few days in a row and upon inspection I only noticed one more nudi on a purple cap. I have not seen any in the past couple of weeks so hopefully that was taken care of. I also did not find any eggs. My J.F. Setosa which usually has good PE has not shown any for the last week or so, and my Superman Digi is in the same boat. Both are epoxyed to the rocks they get inspected 2-3 times a day and with the exception of no PE they seem healthy with great color.
Third: I just noticed this.....Algae?(see pics) Showing up only on one side of my tank and more or less near the bottom. Yesterday I also noticed that the sun was shining through my skylights right onto the area. It is smooth to the touch, not slimey, and does not come off the rock easily when brushed or blown off. Definatly not diatoms or Dino's. Though I have not yet ruled out Cyano. And it does not have any flow to if that makes sense. The flow in that area of the tank is good, as it should be, I have a MP-10 in a 20H, set to reef-crest. The pump maxes out almost all the way during its high point. Any help on the ID would be great. Someone in another forum mentioned the possbility of it being sponges.
My Parameters are: Ammonia/Nitrites/Nitrates=0
Phosphates=.04 Hanna checker- I expect this is masked by the algea
Calcium=440
Alkalinity=8(at lights out)
PH=8.2(at lights out)
Here are the pics

 

[JAustin]

Have you chosen a calcium reactor yet? I've got a BC29 with a 20g sump and I'm up in the air on what cr to get. The octopus cr70 is looking like one I'll be getting along
With a plantedtank . Com co2 regulator. It's a $300 regulator but it's got a killer warrantee and it's said to be the best.

Cheers

 

[jgraz]

I have decided to just dose 2-part. IMO easier and certinly cheaper.

 

[secrest]

Great looking tank.