new 12g nano!

[cerino]

Hi All,
well first off i want to say thank you to anyone on these forums who has been helping me maintain my newfound hobby and i must see its been a great 2-3 months! I want to share my tank (more pics to come) with you guys, and would LOVE some feedback, advice, ideas, thoughts, love or hate on this tank. Here are the specs

12g 36" long nano
Aquaclear 20 - floss, foam, chemi-pure, purigen
live rock
inhabitants -
CUC - turbo snail, astraea turbos, red and blue legged hermits, blood shrimp, skunk shrimp
other inverts - Tridacna crocea, flame scallop 2 starfish (fromia)
fish - six line wrasse & small yellow watchmen goby
coral - candy canes (not doing so great) acan lords, pagodas, hammerhead, , zoas, polyps

future inhabitants
small pistol 1 percula clown

for a large image:
http://www.doncerino.com/upload/fishtank/large.JPG

hope you guys enjoy! please let me know what you think - is the purigen okay like that in the filter? do you think by adding those last 2 that is 2 much mass? my params are as follows (as of yesterday)

1.025
8.3 ph
.15 ammonia
.20 nitrates
phosphates .03
calcium 460

everything seems happy at this point.

 

[cerino]

i also plan on redoing my background and lowering the lighting a step or two. daily top off, weekly water changes. temperature 77-80 range

 

[cerino]

 

[dixiedog]

Very cool!! Did you build that tank yourself?

Couple things come to mind ... three fish in a sumpless, skimmerless 12 may prove to be a bit much in the long run. Also, it looks like your clam would get a lot more light if you moved him toward the middle.

Oh, and, you're still showing ammonia?? How long has the tank been running?

 

[cerino]

i THINK im showing ammonia - im REALLY not crazy about the API test, do you have a better option? nitrates are definately showing from a few tests - ammonia i am unsure of.

i plan on moving the lighting down you think i should move him to the middle still?

i wish i can take credit for the tank but im not DIY yet! - when i purchased it there were 4 fish - 2 jumpers and 1 that got bullyed to death! i have a rio nano skimmer that i havent put up yet - you think if i get a third fish i should throw it on? let me know. i fought algae for a while but i do my weekly vacuums/water changes but things are running great -i even purchased the clam/liverock etc with algae on it and got rid of it in a day - everything seems happy as well.

 

[lisafoster]

It looks good. I would suggest removeing the crushed coral it traps nitrates big time. Go with a finer sand. What kind of lights are you using. If your nitrates and ammonia are creeping up do a water change. Ammonia can wipe out your tank I had that happen in my 125. I like elos tests they are easy to use and accurate

 

[cerino]

i vacuum during my water changes, wouldnt it be a pain transfering everything to put sand? im not even sure how id do that!

 

[reefbat]

Thats a really cool looking tank, I like the dimensions :thumbsup:

 

[MPevine11]

wow love the tank, what are the dimensions?

 

[dixiedog]

i THINK im showing ammonia - im REALLY not crazy about the API test, do you have a better option? nitrates are definately showing from a few tests - ammonia i am unsure of.

i plan on moving the lighting down you think i should move him to the middle still?

i wish i can take credit for the tank but im not DIY yet! - when i purchased it there were 4 fish - 2 jumpers and 1 that got bullyed to death! i have a rio nano skimmer that i havent put up yet - you think if i get a third fish i should throw it on? let me know. i fought algae for a while but i do my weekly vacuums/water changes but things are running great -i even purchased the clam/liverock etc with algae on it and got rid of it in a day - everything seems happy as well.

Excellent! Skimmers are not absolutely necessary if you keep up with the WC's, but they're absolutely helpful, especially if you're maxing out the bioload. I'd throw it on, personally.

Try testing a sample of brand-new salt water for ammonia, when you do your next WC - see if it's different from the tank sample. Also you LFS can test a sample. I don't think you said exactly how old the tank was? - but it looks too old to have ammonia.

I am not a clam expert. I would post your pic and lighting info on the clam forum and ask about it there. But I think the answer will be to give that bad boy all the light you can under that fixture. Is it a 2x39? I can say for sure that, out toward the end like that, you have much lower PAR than, say, 6" further toward the middle.

Personally, I would not undergo the PITA of changing out the sand, but just continue with the vacuuming and WC's unless nitrates become a problem. JMHO though.

 

[lisafoster]

I am pretty sure as your sand bed matures and you vacuum it you will stir up spme problems. On my 125 a year ago I moved around my live rock and disturbed the sandbed I had a spike in ammonia because of this and melted half my tank. If you search around you will find out how bad crushed coral traps nitrates.Also by vacuuming you are removed good things from your sand bed also .Also ammonia can be present regardless of the age of the tank moving the sand bed increases the risk of raising your ammonia level.

 

[koraliaO_o]

Everything is looking good. i love the clam

 

[cerino]

some new pics, black background and different clam position
not sure if im keeping the live rock he came attached on on the left side. i think with the rio nano skimmer ill have space for the clown - anyone else have problems w/ the crushed coral?

 

[dixiedog]

I've been running crushed coral substrate for a year and a half, vacuuming it regularly. I use a little less than you do, just the minimum amount needed to cover the bottom for aesthetics, which helps keep trapped detritus to a minimum between vacuumings.

Huge improvement on the background. I think that clam will be happier now too. :thumbsup:

Did you find out for sure about that ammonia yet? I'm gonna go out on a limb and say I'll bet you don't really have any. Hopefully I'm right!

 

[jdareef]

Thats a really cool looking tank, I like the dimensions :thumbsup:

+1 very nice!

 

[cerino]

ill take a picture of the API test - i dont know if i want to go out and spend 30 on an EPOS test - i mean when it comes to these color tests its so hard to tell - it was closest to 0 but i was skeptical - i bet youre right as well. and thank you all, much appreciated , i will add the skimmer before adding the clown if i decide to get him. got a few frags i want to swap out and will most likely remove that new live rock on the left.

 

[fatrip]

Tank is looking good. I would keep the LR and just put something on it or move it to the back due to it being a larger rock than what is behind it. The crushed coral will only be a problem if it isn't cared for. As Dixiedog stated it needs to be vacuumed regularly or it does turn into a giant nitrate trap which is the reason some people that use cc for a substrate have crashes.
The Rio looks interesting, I like how minimally viewable it is in tank. I hate the look of the HOB skimmers with the pump hanging in the tank. This has a much cleaner look. Please keep us updated on it once you get it.

 

[robot2222]

sweet tank i love it ....................the black back makes the corals pop. very unique keep up good work.....

 

[cerino]

my scallop moved for the first time in 3 months this morning. i would move the LR but it seems my goby has found a little home in there. i will keep you updated wtih the skimmer - i would feel more comfortable having it before adding another fish.

 

[MPevine11]

what lighting fixture is that?

i'm trying to plan out prices, your pictures make me want to order this tank! just not sure if i can afford it