show me your nano!
- Thread starter ACTNUP
- Start date
CoralFiend
New member
Thanks! This started out as a project to help pass my time before starting to set up my 140 gallon. I had a lot of left over equipment and junk from past systems, so this was an opportunity to use some of the stuff I had laying around. My username on another forum is "PiratesReef," so the chest theme just kind of evolved. I wanted a unique looking canopy and this gave me the opportunity to do something different. Actually came out better than I had planned. Spent very little money on it, other than the components I already had. Hope I can keep stuff alive in it.
HartfordWhalers
New member
hot
minethief
New member
CoralFiend, is that a DSB to skimmer to refugium to ??? to return? Give us the low down on what's going on under there. Love the light rack made from egg crate. If that is a DSB, could you give us the dimensions of the sand, and what the flow is across it? Feel free to throw in the answers to the next few questions I'm gonna ask, I'm sure I'm not the first one....
PRESTO2345
New member
That nano setup kicks butt....Outstanding planning on your part.
ACTNUP - that ammonia is due to stuff dieing inside your rocks (peanut/bristle/spaghetti worms, sponges, pods and the like) that died during shipping.
Waiting a month before putting a single thing in the tank will pay-off in spades down the line - I've helped friends set up more than a few nanos and the ones that waited a month to put in livestock have 1/10th of the problems of those who are anxious and add fish and corals from the start - they also spend less money replacing all the fish and corals that die from putting them in too early
Waiting a month before putting a single thing in the tank will pay-off in spades down the line - I've helped friends set up more than a few nanos and the ones that waited a month to put in livestock have 1/10th of the problems of those who are anxious and add fish and corals from the start - they also spend less money replacing all the fish and corals that die from putting them in too early
CoralFiend
New member
I have some black iron handles for the sides coming. I was contmplating two lock hasps on either side of the display window, but thought it might make it look too cluttered up. See below for equipment description...
Thanks. I was just showing pics of my new nano. Surprised there is so much interest. I figured I would most likely get flamed for having so much stuff on such a small tank. I pretty much just did it for fun and to find a use for some of this stuff I had laying around.
From the left side of the pic -
Remote DSB in a bucket inspired by a post by Anthony Calfo. The black sand has no buffering properties, so the goal for the DSB was for nitrate reduction and buffering. Dimensions are 9"x5"x15" tall. Actually holds about 3 gallons, but I only have about 2 gallons of sand in it. It is fed from a branch off of the main tank overflow and has a fairly slow stream of water running across the top of the sand. There is only about 2" of water above the sand. I topped off the sand bed with live sand from two different mature systems.
Skimmer tub - That's a EuroReef CS6-2 (of which I had two not being used). Too big for the sump, so I just stuck it into the tub. It is fed "slowly" from the DSB overflow and a separate feed branch from the tank overflow. This is definitely overkill - but it cost me nothing additional to add a quality skimmer to the project. Seems to work pretty well in the tub also.
Sump / Refugium - I built this out of 1/4" glass. Cost me like $18 for the glass. (The tank is also homemade for about $35 worth of glass). The sump is divided up into separate compartments -
1-A bubble tower to catch most of the bubbles from the tank overflow.
2-A bubble trap to catch even more and a media tray with a place for filter pad or PolyFilter.
3-A lighted refugium for nutrient export and pod refuge. Also a place to start off some very small soft coral frags. The light is a CoralLife 18 watt fixture, which has daylight & true actinic bulbs - about $30.
4-Two pumps in the sump return section. Mag 3's. One for return and one for the closed loop which has a SCWD installed behind the tank.
Also a float switch for top off.
The 20 gallon long on the bottom has a partition glued in the center and is for water storage. Left side for fresh salt water and the right side for fresh RO/DI water for top off.
Tank is lighted by a CoralLife 96 watt fixture.
The tank (20"x9"x10") is drilled - 6 holes in all. 1" overflow drain, 2 1/2" bulkheads for main returns in the back of the tank. 2 1/2" bulkheads for closed loop returns on either side of the tank - one high, one low. 1/2" bulkhead for closed loop feed on the bottom side of the back glass.
2 3.15" 110v 5 watt fans keep the canopy cooled down. Also have a 4" fan mounted in the side wall of the cabinet blowing cool fresh air from the outside across the top of the sump and into the cabinet area. (Cabinet used to be the stand for my 45 and was already built).
I thought temperature would probably be a concern with a Sedra pump and two Mag 3's, plus an enclosed 96watt light fixture and another enclosed 18 watt fixture inside of the stand. But, with the carefull placement of fans, I am happy to say that the temp is running between 76 - 79 - and that is with the A/C set on 75. So, I have been very happy with that.
Thanks. It wasn't my first rodeo - but defintely my most unique.
Hopefully that will answer most of your questions. I don't want to hog Actnup's thread more than I already have. Sorry about that Actnup.:wavehand:
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CoralFiend
New member
Since there was a little interest in the tank, I started a new tank diary thread:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=844976
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=844976
I don't want to hog Actnup's thread more than I already have. Sorry about that Actnup
I don't want to hog Actnup's thread more than I already have. Sorry about that Actnup
get out of here....There is a lot to learn off of your setup! keep posting! there is more than enough room!
I don't want to hog Actnup's thread more than I already have. Sorry about that Actnup
get out of here....There is a lot to learn off of your setup! keep posting! there is more than enough room!
fishbabies
New member
i had the same experience with my 96w 50/50 pc. temperatures shot way up without a fan blowing on the tank. and my shrooms and and zoos lost color, xenia went from white to brownish pink, and doughnut coral went from irridescent to dull. i thought after a couple weeks they would adjust but no. my 32w 50/50 works better for the corals i have
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minethief
New member
I know ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œRules of Thumbââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ arenââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t always right, but I believe 5 watts per gallon is the standard rule for light wattage for corals that need a lot of light. Unless you have a particularly deep tank, the 10 watts per gallon you have seems a bit excessive. Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ve got a 29 gallon sitting here doing nothing, are you interested in parting with the light?
You could increase the distance between your light and the waters surface, reducing the amount of light that makes it to the zoos. Might not work with your current mounting option, but it might be time to get creative.
You could increase the distance between your light and the waters surface, reducing the amount of light that makes it to the zoos. Might not work with your current mounting option, but it might be time to get creative.
rockindacheeks
New member
ive got 15 watts per gallon and my zoos are growing like crazy. their colors have improved dramatically.
rockindacheeks
New member
standard 10 galon tank with a 150W HQI on an electronic ballast. about 6 inches above the water.
EDIT: its a 150W 20,000k XM lamp
EDIT: its a 150W 20,000k XM lamp
CoralFiend
New member
These posts had me wondering about something that was already nagging me a bit. When I ordered my 18 watt CL fixture from HelloLights, they had a link to replacement bulbs and the actinic bulbs were listed as "True 03 Actinic" bulbs. While realizing that they were not going to say anything derogatory about CL (since they handle their products), I wrote to HelloLights and asked if the their bulbs were superior to the bulbs in the CL fixture. Their response was only that they assured me that their bulbs used true 03 Actinic phospours. I am wondering if this would make a difference in color retention. Any light experts out there?
http://www.hellolights.com/96watquad100.html
rockindacheeks
New member
<b>Coralfiend:</b>I have the hellolights actinic lamps my 50 and the colors of my corals look a lot better with those lamps than the coralife ones.
<b>minethief:</b>lmao ive never gotten that comment about my handle before... thats the best one yet!
<b>minethief:</b>lmao ive never gotten that comment about my handle before... thats the best one yet!
CoralFiend
New member
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