Thought I'd share my nano reef with the good folk on RC. I've set up a nano with minimal filtration based on live rock, water changes and a reactor with carbon and rowaphos, small amount of carbon dosing and no skimmer.
System Objectives: Keep a shallow nano reef with minimal equipment or carbon footprint.
- System Type: Mixed Reef
- Strike up Date: September 2014
- Display Tank: 600x600x250mm, rimless using super clear float. Built by Billy at Starfire aquatics.
- Water volume: 80 litres
- Display Lighting: Kessil A360WE = love the colour and shimmer! :-x
- Stand: Coffee table (French provisional styling)
- Hood: Hoodless.
- Sump: Nil
- Refugium: Nil
Support systems:
- System Water: ASW Red Sea pro mixed using RO water
- Water changes: manual 7.5% (6 litres) every second day
- Display Water circulation: 2 x Tunze nanostream 6020 (2500 ltr'hr each)
- Return Pump: Nil
- Skimmer: Nil
- Evaporation Top Up: Manual using RO
Chemical Support:
- Calcium Addition: Randy's recipe
- Alkilinity Addition: Randy's recipe
Additional Equipment:
- Phosban phosphate reactor
- Eheim skim 300 surface skimmer - supplies the phosphate reactor and skims the surface
- Aqua One 100W heater
Additives/Maintenance:
- Red Sea N03P04-X - 0.3ml/day (which is half dose given I have no skimmer)
- Seachem carbon changed monthly
- Rowaphos changed monthly
- Zeovit: coral vitaliser, Xtra, Stylo-Pocci Glow, Potassium iodide / fluoride
Current Water Chemistry:
- Nitrates: 0ppm (Red Sea Pro)
- Phosphates: 0.04ppm (Red Sea Pro)
- Alkalinity: 8.5dkh (Red Sea pro)
- Calcium: 450ppm (Red Sea Pro)
- Salinity / Specific Gravity: 1.026
- Magnesuim: 1350ppm (Red Sea Pro))
- Potassium: not measured
- Temp: 23-24 deg celcius
Livestock:
- 2 blue green chromis
- 2 blue damsels
- 5 yellow-legged hermit crabs
- 1 turbo snail
- 2 nassarius snails
- Assorted SPS and soft corals
The tank is located in my loungeroom between 2 single chairs, and is best viewed sitting down because it's on a coffee table. It's a great place to come, watch the sea and relax. The tank is viewable from 3 sides, as well as from above, which I really like.






System Objectives: Keep a shallow nano reef with minimal equipment or carbon footprint.
- System Type: Mixed Reef
- Strike up Date: September 2014
- Display Tank: 600x600x250mm, rimless using super clear float. Built by Billy at Starfire aquatics.
- Water volume: 80 litres
- Display Lighting: Kessil A360WE = love the colour and shimmer! :-x
- Stand: Coffee table (French provisional styling)
- Hood: Hoodless.
- Sump: Nil
- Refugium: Nil
Support systems:
- System Water: ASW Red Sea pro mixed using RO water
- Water changes: manual 7.5% (6 litres) every second day
- Display Water circulation: 2 x Tunze nanostream 6020 (2500 ltr'hr each)
- Return Pump: Nil
- Skimmer: Nil
- Evaporation Top Up: Manual using RO
Chemical Support:
- Calcium Addition: Randy's recipe
- Alkilinity Addition: Randy's recipe
Additional Equipment:
- Phosban phosphate reactor
- Eheim skim 300 surface skimmer - supplies the phosphate reactor and skims the surface
- Aqua One 100W heater
Additives/Maintenance:
- Red Sea N03P04-X - 0.3ml/day (which is half dose given I have no skimmer)
- Seachem carbon changed monthly
- Rowaphos changed monthly
- Zeovit: coral vitaliser, Xtra, Stylo-Pocci Glow, Potassium iodide / fluoride
Current Water Chemistry:
- Nitrates: 0ppm (Red Sea Pro)
- Phosphates: 0.04ppm (Red Sea Pro)
- Alkalinity: 8.5dkh (Red Sea pro)
- Calcium: 450ppm (Red Sea Pro)
- Salinity / Specific Gravity: 1.026
- Magnesuim: 1350ppm (Red Sea Pro))
- Potassium: not measured
- Temp: 23-24 deg celcius
Livestock:
- 2 blue green chromis
- 2 blue damsels
- 5 yellow-legged hermit crabs
- 1 turbo snail
- 2 nassarius snails
- Assorted SPS and soft corals
The tank is located in my loungeroom between 2 single chairs, and is best viewed sitting down because it's on a coffee table. It's a great place to come, watch the sea and relax. The tank is viewable from 3 sides, as well as from above, which I really like.





















