Zooman's 5 home nanos...update

[zooman72]

Posted these a few months back, but I have made a few changes, so here they are. I apologize for the poor pictures - really need to either get a better camera (using 6+ year old point and shoot digital) or learn how to take better pics! They really do look so much better in person.

The gorgonian tank is a 29g (upgraded from 20H) and I love it. The 20L was "reset" due to an out-of-control gorilla crab and my dissatisfaction with the old layout. The 15XH column tank was changed slightly with coral species and layout, but the big change was replacing the PC lighting with a PAR30 20K LED from BoostLED - I think it kicks serious butt! Both the 29G and the 20L have 30" Sundial T5's for lighting, and the 10g with the Kenya tree corals and zooanthids has an 18" T5 fixture.

The 3g picotope now has a Current 12" 36W PC fixture - I think I may have "shocked" the corals with the increased light as it only had 18W of PC light over it previously. I am going to hang a small Aquaclear refugium on this and try a really small fish in it (goby?) or a cleaner shrimp, or both.

Only the 15XH tank has rock touching the back wall, and I like flow in the others much better now. The 15XH does have a small powerhead hidden at the bottom behing the rockwork to obtain better flow near the bottom.

Aaron

 

[Johnsy85]

Very Nice!

 

[zooman72]

More layout photos...

More layout photos...

I went to "relatively" large sumps (20L's on the 29g and 20g, 5g on the 15XH and 10g) for greater water volume and to clear up the back side on each. I needed the volume because I really like having numerous reef fish in each, but do not have time for frequent water changes. The returns are all Rio 6HF's - cheap but quite powerful, and the overflows are all Eshopps nano-size. Skimmers are used on all but 3g: Tunze 9002's on the 29g and 20L, AquaticLife 115's on the 15XH and 10g. Water changes of 10-20% are done once a month, and chaeto grows alot - throw out clumps every month too.

The 29g Carribean biotope has 9 different sp. of gorgonians, 3 rock anemones, and 4 fish: chalk bass, orangeback bass, royal gramma, and cherub angel - I think I may have mentioned this previously, but I really love this tank! This has 2 Korallia pumps (1 and Nano) and the return for flow - might upgrade to a Vortech MP10 when the tax return comes in...

The 20L Indo-Pacific reefcrest/ lagoon biotope has 4 fish also: A. ocellaris clownfish, blue devil damsel (though it was a P. pavo when smaller...), 6-line wrasse, and P. diadema dottyback. As one would imagine, there is a lot of fish movement in this tank, and water movement comes via the Vortech MP10 and the return...

The 15XH deep reef biotope has 3 fish, all cardinalfish: an orange-stripe, pajama, and banggai. This tank also has one very large (2") peppermint shrimp. The only movement comes from the return and the MiniJet 606 hidden in the rockwork at the bottom...

The 10g "bommie" biotope also has 3 fish: 2 yellowtail damsels and a yellow watchman goby. The goby is very secretive, but they are one of my favorite fish. The Kenya trees are always dropping "branchlets", and removing them keeps the "bommie" look I think. Water movement comes from the return and a Korallia nano...

Age of tanks: 29g - 2 months since moved from 20H, which was 2 years old; 20L - setup since 2004 with 2 scape changes since inception, but used same rock throughout; 15XH - 2 1/2 years old, was former gecko setup; 10g - 1 year old, Kenya trees and rock came from friend's tank which was several years old; 3g Picotope has been set up for 1 1/2 years, served as frag tank for first several months.

 

[aquadonkey]

Cool! Tanks look great!
I love nanos
Can you post more info about the gorg tank? Feeding, skimming, etc - any plans for large polyp NPS in there?

 

[zooman72]

Thanks Lizz!

The gorg tank has a Tunze 9002 nano skimmer in the sump. I use the return from the RIO 6HF (350 gph) and 2 Korallias for flow (size 1 and Nano). The gorgs are all photosynthetic, but I do feed Cyclopeeze and Microvert once or twice a week, and the fish are fed New Life Spectrum and Formula One small pellets daily, plus brine and mysis shrimp 1-2 times per week. The anemones are fed sparingly, but I probably need to up their ration as they are not growing. There are 9 different sp. from 5 genera of gorgs in the tank I believe: spiny sea rods (4 Muricea sp.), split-pore sea rod (1 Plexaurella sp.), knobby sea rod (1 Eunicea sp.), sea plumes (1 Pseudoterogorgia sp.), and sea blades (2 Pterogorgia sp.). The spiny sea reods grow the fastest, and I have fragged them repeatedly.

I do not have any plans for any NPS gorgs or other corals in this setup - too hard to keep up with my schedule. I already have to be careful with excess nutrients - I have battled hair algae and bryopsis previously, and I still have a little red hair algae here and there - hoping the Mexican turbo I just grabbed from SWP will eat it because nothing else does. I do appreciate those who have or do keep NPS corals successfully however! I have somewhat patterned this after a shallow Caribbean gorgonian biotope I vaguely remember from diving in the Florida keys years ago.

 

[block head]

15 tanks? my wife would kill me in my sleep. that par 30 looks slick. getting any growth?

 

[zooman72]

Yes, I am fortunate to have a very understanding wife!

I have to admit, I was skeptical about getting the PAR30, but decided to try it out after researching its use by those on nanoreef and here in the nano forum, plus I talked to the owner of the company at length before ordering it from BoostLED - he is a very nice guy by the way!

Anyway, I am impressed with the LED bulb, and the toughest part was trying to figure out a way to suspend it over the tank as it simply uses a standard light socket but the fxture cannot have a shroud because it will overheat the bulb. My corals have actually done quite well under it and I have noticed some growth - plus a reduction in algae, which is a great bonus! There are those out there using a few over larger tanks too, so they are really not just for nanos. With 3 blue and 2 white 2W LEDs, the color is approximately 20,000K to my eyes, even though BoostLED states they are closer to 15,000K, but I was going for a bluer look so it is fine with me. If one wanted less blue I would suggest trying 3 white and 2 blue, which is supposed to be closer to 12,000K. I do like the florescence with this bulb as it is not "over the top" so to speak.

 

[chuckawd]

Fantastic collection of nanos there!! I really like the 20l!! Quick question on the 20l sump if I may. How do you like your sump set up with the inlet and skimmer in chamber 1, refugium in the middle, and return on the left? That's exactly how I want to set up my sump but people are asking me why I would want freshly skimmed water going through the refugium. Your tanks look awesome so I don't see why I wouldn't set up my sump like yours.

 

[zooman72]

Thanks Chuck!

I do like my sump set-ups, as they are simple and yet functional - much easier to only silicone in 2 pieces of glass instead of 4-6. I am not sure why skimmed water should not go to the refugium section, but with my flow rate through the sump, alot of water is probably making it past my skimmer anyways - I have noticed alot of things settle out in the refugium section and have already cleaned it for excess debris once in 2 months. I have seen many others set-up a sump like this too, so I guess I am not the only one doing it this way.

Also notice, I am using "bubble extractors/ eliminators" (search RC for "Prugs bubble extractor) for the drain inlet into the sump to eliminate noise (so-so) and spray/ salt creep. Still get some drain noise, but absolutely no salt creep from spray. I keep both my displays and sumps covered with custom-cut 1/4" glass (Niagara-Orleans Glass in Lockport, great guy...) to cut down on evaporation - makes a big difference!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

great tanks

great tanks

you're obssessed! :lmao:

 

[zooman72]

Thanks Gary!

Maybe I will post some pics of the freshwater tanks when I get a chance...I know most people here may have moved on from those, but I still love a well planted freshwater tank.

 

[ryan_]

very nice! I really like the look of the extra high tank.

The tank in photo #5 in the 1st post is very similar to my 26g nano. Same glass edge around the bottom and curved glass. Is that the 3g. Do you know what brand it is?

You mentioned that you run sumps due to time issues; are you only skimming on the gorg tank?

 

[zooman72]

Thanks Ryan - the 15XH was hard to get "right", but I am torn between that and the 29g gorg tank as my favorite!

The small rounded glass tank in the 5th photo is a 3g JBJ Picotope - pretty common "pico" setup for nano-reefers, and I cut a piece of Lexan for the top to cut down on evaporation. As for skimmers, I run them on all but the 3g pico.

 

[Flanders]

they're all great tanks but that gorg tank is really incredible. did you order most of those gorgs online?

 

[zooman72]

Thanks Flanders (D'oh!)...sorry, couldn't resist...

As for the gorgs, they came mostly from Salt Water Paradise, with a couple from Pets Plus here in Lockport. I did not get any online, but came real close to ordering from Sea Life Inc. as they offer some real nice ones.