Nano Tank Suggestions

[Seagars]

My son (6yrs old) is building his own tank for a contest.
using a 29g biocube as the base tank.
but i am looking for suggestions on what we should do to try and win this contest.
$500 spending max and livestock/coral can not be entered till July 1st.
start cycling in the next week or so.
Thanks in advance for all of your help and advice!!!

 

[aguila88psi]

Find a way to use a different light fixture will probably yield better results with regards to colors and fluorescence of corals.

 

[Egkid]

I'd try to get a clown pair with an anemone, and maybe a pistol shrimp and goby pair. Kids love to see stuff interact.

What is it a science project?

 

[shibby1]

Can people give you stuff for your tank without it going towards the $500 limit? Say a few of us on RC give you some nice zoas or something.

 

[lkc]

You may want to try and find out who the judges are. Kids or adults? Most non coral people don't understand SPS at all and their eyes glaze over & they go into a coma. Non reef people don't always notice the small stuff like us geeks do. You'll want lots of movement and bright colors. Nems are a good idea with clowns. A patch of green star polyps and maybe some Pink pulsing Xenia along with a touch of anthelia may help with that. Brightly colored shrimps are always cool to watch.
Don't forget aquascape. Use the purple stuff they got out now (Reef Rock). Takashi Amano has some good recipe's for general balance etc.
Just my $.02

 

[CrazyEyes]

You may want to try and find out who the judges are. Kids or adults? Most non coral people don't understand SPS at all and their eyes glaze over & they go into a coma. Non reef people don't always notice the small stuff like us geeks do. You'll want lots of movement and bright colors. Nems are a good idea with clowns. A patch of green star polyps and maybe some Pink pulsing Xenia along with a touch of anthelia may help with that. Brightly colored shrimps are always cool to watch.
Don't forget aquascape. Use the purple stuff they got out now (Reef Rock). Takashi Amano has some good recipe's for general balance etc.
Just my $.02

That's solid advice right there. In our little nano alot of people get focused on the bgg frogspawn in the middle of tank and basically skip over the the chalice, SPS and zoas.

 

[sirrealism]

The contest is on another site. Its called nano in 90. Meaning 90 days. The judges are other members on the forum I think. Its not just for kids. The idea is you can have a nano tank cycled and have a clean up crew in but no fish or coral until june 1st. Your limit is 500$ worth of fish and coral. If you take something from one of your other tanks you have to give it a fare market price. Also gifts from others have to have a fare market value.