MechEng99
aka Reef'd Up
Over the past 2+ years, my 10 gallon quarantine tank turned into a rescue-coral tank to my only tank (after a main-tank crash)...to a coral bank...so I decided it needed its own profile. This tank has beaten all odds...and was done on the cheap (hence the name). It is now finally reverting back to a quarantine tank as my 55g tank is becoming the frag tank/grow-out/coral bank tank. I also have a 150g main aquarium and an 8g tank at work that I am converting to a non-photosynthetic tank.
I know this setup isn't pretty, and I break a lot of rules with this setup (like eBay bulbs), but it works. It's function over form in this case.
This photo was taken of the tank in its most SPS-dominant phase. There were about 20+ SPS mini-colonies in it. There is still a ton of SPS in the tank, but most of the mini-colonies have been moved to my 55g waiting to go into my 150g. Color of the corals wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either. I will say, eBay bulbs are cheap, but the Kelvin rating isn't what was advertised I'm sure!!
Cost and Equipment:
10g drilled tank: $5
10g sump (used acrylic baffles): $10 (including the acrylic and silicone)
Mini 404 pump: Free at frag swap (is used as a return pump)
Plumbing: $10
HOB filter: $5 (on clearance...used as a carbon/phosphate reactor)
Sand: Free
Live Rock: Free with purchase at a LFS
Metal Stand: $5
Koralia 1: I had a gift certificate...so I think I only paid a couple of bucks
Tunze 9002 skimmer: $65
2x70W MH: $75 for both plus $20 eBay bulbs
Controllable Heater: Had a gift certificate
Flood Lamp: $15
Mag-Float: $5
Auto-topoff system: Free...won in a raffle
So, for a little over $200, I have a pretty awesome (IMO) "QT-Rescue-All in One Tank.
Here's the very sad setup. But hey, it works!
Here are the PAR values:
And here are just a few cool corals that I'm keeping in there. I like to "rescue" corals that have been damaged or are dying and bring them back to life...so I'll show some of those too in later posts.
Water changes are 20-30% weekly. I also dose 2-part solution daily.
So, my point is, it is possible to have an inexpensive stable nano with SPS and...oh yeah, forgot to mention...keep over 150 corals in it.
I know this setup isn't pretty, and I break a lot of rules with this setup (like eBay bulbs), but it works. It's function over form in this case.
This photo was taken of the tank in its most SPS-dominant phase. There were about 20+ SPS mini-colonies in it. There is still a ton of SPS in the tank, but most of the mini-colonies have been moved to my 55g waiting to go into my 150g. Color of the corals wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either. I will say, eBay bulbs are cheap, but the Kelvin rating isn't what was advertised I'm sure!!
Cost and Equipment:
10g drilled tank: $5
10g sump (used acrylic baffles): $10 (including the acrylic and silicone)
Mini 404 pump: Free at frag swap (is used as a return pump)
Plumbing: $10
HOB filter: $5 (on clearance...used as a carbon/phosphate reactor)
Sand: Free
Live Rock: Free with purchase at a LFS
Metal Stand: $5
Koralia 1: I had a gift certificate...so I think I only paid a couple of bucks
Tunze 9002 skimmer: $65
2x70W MH: $75 for both plus $20 eBay bulbs
Controllable Heater: Had a gift certificate
Flood Lamp: $15
Mag-Float: $5
Auto-topoff system: Free...won in a raffle
So, for a little over $200, I have a pretty awesome (IMO) "QT-Rescue-All in One Tank.
Here's the very sad setup. But hey, it works!
Here are the PAR values:
And here are just a few cool corals that I'm keeping in there. I like to "rescue" corals that have been damaged or are dying and bring them back to life...so I'll show some of those too in later posts.
Water changes are 20-30% weekly. I also dose 2-part solution daily.
So, my point is, it is possible to have an inexpensive stable nano with SPS and...oh yeah, forgot to mention...keep over 150 corals in it.
