New Set Up: 18g Office Nano

[Jgoal55]

I decided to take an old hand-me-down tank that I've had for a couple of years and turn it into an office nano. It was barely used and still in good shape so with a quick clean I got it looking almost like new.

I also decided that this would be my first bare bottom tank, so we'll see how this goes.

Many thanks to the one and only Rogger Castells for answering an endless number of questions in getting this thing set up as well.

Equipment:

18g Curved Glass Tank (10g net volume)
Tunze Comline Filter 3162 (filled with ceramic media, GFO, Carbon, & Purigen each in its own media bag)
Tunze DOC Skimmer 9004
Tunze Osmolator
AI Prime Light
ACIII (yup, that's right. An oldie but goody)
Jebao WP-40
100W Aqueon Heater (actually fits inside Tunze Filter)


Set-Up:

- I had a client of mine build me an acrylic frame for the bottom of the tank.
- I siliconed a piece of black starboard to the bottom glass.
- I painted the back glass black
- I used all base rock and no live rock except for a single piece of coraline encrusted rock that I QTd for a few weeks in a new batch of SW.
- I chiseled all the rock so that each of the bottom rocks is only touching the starboard on three points. This will help blow detritus out to siphon out when doing water changes.
- After about 10 days of it running with the purple rock and nothing else, I used Fritz Zyme 9 to "cycle" the tank. I swear by this stuff. Works better than any live bacteria IMHO.
- In a low-flow area behind all the rock work, I also placed two small Marine Pure Ceramic Rocks to help with the biological filtration.


Pics:

Starboard piece:

Tank sitting in acrylic frame:

Filter and Skimmer magnet mounted to back glass. I thought they would be more obtrusive but really like the way they blended in. Tunze also thinks of everything. These things have a place for the osmolator sensor so the water level is always where it needs to be for maximum operating efficiency with skimmer filter.

Tank Today:

Livestock so far:
2 Bonded Snowflake Clowns
The rest TBD

Snowflakes:

As always, feedback/advice appreciated. Also, wondering what other fish to put in with the snowflakes. Thinking I'll put just one or two more small fish, max. No jumpers because it's open top. No sand burrowing fish since well, there's no sand.

 

[knukles55]

Congrats tank looks good

 

[Jgoal55]

Thanks. Algae bloom is on its way so about to add more CUC.

 

[G_Sanab922]

Very nice. Love the rock work.
A fish I have that you might enjoy for this nano is a Mated pair of Neon Gobies. They would be all in the rock going through hole to hole.
I think maybe one of those pygmy possum wrasse would look nice in here.

 

[rovster]

I'm totally jealous. I would LOVE one of those behind my desk, LOL! Looks slick!

 

[Jgoal55]

Very nice. Love the rock work.
A fish I have that you might enjoy for this nano is a Mated pair of Neon Gobies. They would be all in the rock going through hole to hole.
I think maybe one of those pygmy possum wrasse would look nice in here.

It's open top so scared wrasses would jump; eventually.

Like the gobies idea. Easy, fun fish.

Was also thinking maybe a swissguard. Not sure if they are jumpers?

I'm totally jealous. I would LOVE one of those behind my desk, LOL! Looks slick!

Do it! Tell the boss he can pick the corals!

 

[Karp]

that rhino is not too happy about sharing the space. he turned around and is looking directly at the tank.

 

[rovster]

It's open top so scared wrasses would jump; eventually.

Like the gobies idea. Easy, fun fish.

Was also thinking maybe a swissguard. Not sure if they are jumpers?





Do it! Tell the boss he can pick the corals!

Lol the boss is a stickhead so that build would get out of control quick!


As far as swissguards, I've had mine for a couple of years. I don't think they are the jumping type although any fish can jump. I've had clowns, anthias, watchman gobies, chromis, hawks all jump.

 

[G_Sanab922]

As far as swissguards, I've had mine for a couple of years. I don't think they are the jumping type although any fish can jump. I've had clowns, anthias, watchman gobies, chromis, hawks all jump.

I learned this recently....

My hawk mysteriously disappeared one day, no trace of him anywhere. Checked my sump, floor and everywhere... After 2-3 weeks I was doing maintenance in my sump and found him there... Can't believe he survived that long lol

 

[G_Sanab922]

Was also thinking maybe a swissguard. Not sure if they are jumpers

Swissguard is a nice choice. KP Aquatics has them regularly down here in Tavernier.

 

[Jgoal55]

that rhino is not too happy about sharing the space. he turned around and is looking directly at the tank.

:lolspin:

Lol the boss is a stickhead so that build would get out of control quick!


As far as swissguards, I've had mine for a couple of years. I don't think they are the jumping type although any fish can jump. I've had clowns, anthias, watchman gobies, chromis, hawks all jump.

Yeah, very true. Enough spook and they will all jump. Maybe I'll add a little screen, but I know eventually I'll get tired of the look

Swissguard is a nice choice. KP Aquatics has them regularly down here in Tavernier.

Really? That's cool. I'll be down in Key Largo tomorrow. Maybe I can swing by. Thanks for the heads up. Didn't even know there was a good LFS in the upper keys. Keys critters isn't exactly all that. lol (at least not for SW)

 

[G_Sanab922]

Really? That's cool. I'll be down in Key Largo tomorrow. Maybe I can swing by. Thanks for the heads up. Didn't even know there was a good LFS in the upper keys. Keys critters isn't exactly all that. lol (at least not for SW)

Yea keys kritters is,,, decent.. lol. Since it's a local business I try to pass by and get food or water there. But yea I wouldn't recommend it to anyone coming down.
I would recommend KP Aquatics, Great people and great livestock. They are primarily online, so if you want to pass by or pick up your order then you have to call them first.
Same goes for Divertom.com , he is also in Tavernier. By Harry Harris park.

 

[Jgoal55]

Yea keys kritters is,,, decent.. lol. Since it's a local business I try to pass by and get food or water there. But yea I wouldn't recommend it to anyone coming down.
I would recommend KP Aquatics, Great people and great livestock. They are primarily online, so if you want to pass by or pick up your order then you have to call them first.
Same goes for Divertom.com , he is also in Tavernier. By Harry Harris park.

That's great info. Thanks so much. Only went down for day Saturday so didn't have much time, but on the next weekend trip I will definitely check them out.

As for Keys Critters, it's a great pet store, just SW aquariums is definitely not their main focus. I grew up buying rats at Keys Critters for a ball python I used to keep at my parents place in Key Largo. And no, I did not let it go in the keys!! I actually gave it to Metro Zoo.

 

[Jgoal55]

So, after considering I have no lid and no sand, i think I've narrowed down my options for nano fish to the following:

Court Jester Goby
Six Line Wrasse (Added last if ever added)
Royal Gramma
Yellow Clown Goby
Blue Neon Goby (would get a pair)
Catalina Goby (tank runs colder about at about 74-76, but not sure if still too warm)
Tailspot Blenny
Swissguard Basslet

So, knowing I already have the two clowns, which would you guys recommend? I'm thinking I'll put 2-3 more fish depending on which I go with.

Personally, I'm leaning towards a Swissguard and a tailspot blenny and calling it a day. But not sure that will be enough color. Of course, what is coral for?!? lol

 

[PinkPunisher]

Any updates on this set up? Long term thoughts on the Comline 3162 filter?

 

[roninmagik1]

Man i'd love a tank at work!! But, how do you feed the fish over the weekend or when you're on vacation? auto-feeder? =)

 

[Jgoal55]

Wow, yeah...thanks for reminder, guess I haven't updated since it went up.

As for the filter, it's a great little filter and does an excellent job keeping the water clean. That said, you have to be careful how much stuff you put in it as it needs to have good water flow through the filter or it'll start blowing air bubbles. I originally loaded a media bag with ceramic spheres to leave inside the filter as biological filtration, but I had to remove most of them to allow for flow. I kept a few spheres, a bag with carbon, and a bag with GFO. Works great that way, but the last thing is that you do need to clean it every week or so to remove detritus. Not that you asked, but just in case, the skimmer is incredible.

To answer the second question, I don't feed my fish on the weekends; just everyday, or every other day during the week. If I'm on vacation or out of the office, which is often since I work on the road, I have people at the office take turns to feed the fish - they love it! It raises employee morale. lol

As for the tank update, believe it or not, I haven't done much with the tank. I actually added a swissguard basslet and it did really well for about 6-7 months, but I don't think I was able to feed it enough and it passed away (this was before I implemented the office "feed my fish" policy! )

As of now, there are the clowns and a royal gramma and I think I am going to stay with that. I haven't added much coral because the one thing I simply have not been able to do with regularity is water changes. I tried a few test sticks early on and that didn't go well because I just couldn't maintain the water quality. Right now I only have some clove polyps, a couple of mushrooms, and a green leather which are all doing well.

The Coraline is growing like crazy and it's covered almost the entire bottom which I think looks really cool. It's also covered most of the skimmer and filter.

I'll post pics if I can tomorrow or when I get back from my trip.