Setting Up A Nano

[cuticom]

So i used to have a nano and a few marine tanks but then the dreaded final year of high school hit and tanks were shut down livestock were sold off as I just ran out of time. I own all of one 34l planted tank with no fish LOL, my Mum has a 90l tropical tank, a 55g Oscar Tank and an empty tank that was a FO Saltwater. However all the equipment has been just sitting there. Mum cleaned out the fishroom today and was rather amazed about exactly how many tanks and equipment were there and is considering setting up a nano reef to 'prevent waste'. Mum owned a valentini puffer for quite a while, but he recently passed away, from what we could tell it seemed old age, he'd had quite a few owners before he came to us and had to have been at least ten years old.

Anyway so we have a 17g aquarium, with a 150w Metal Halide Clip on, A Skimmer for 55g tanks, HOB Filters and small powerheads, 10kg marine salt, hydrometers, test kits etc Basically all the equipment needed to run a tank. The idea would be to run a fairly low maintenance tank that Mum could do most of the care for. Stock would be predominately LPS corals such as frogspawn, torch, hammer, maybe some blastomussa and some softies like toadstools. The simple easy to care for corals. And a small fish, knowing Mum either a clown fish, or more likely a yellow tailed damsel.

So Just basically saying hi, and if Mum does decide to go ahead to brush up on knowledge and make sure I don't make any mistakes.

 

[Trod]

Hi and back to the salty side.

Sounds like you've got a good foothold into the hobby already, look forward to following what you do. and don't forget so we can see your progress too

 

[cuticom]

Well Mum decided that "we" will set up a reef tank in my room. Sigh, she just wants to look at pretty corals, or more accurately draw pretty corals (she's a natural history illustrator). I can fit the tank in my room, I'm just going to end up feeling surrounded by tanks (I have my fish less planted tank and also a four foot land hermit crab tank in there already).

I've gone and poked through the mounds of equipment left in the abandoned fishroom and some things are no longer usable, mainly cheap power heads whose impellers have jammed but there are three powerheads that are still good, as well as An Aqua Clear 50 HOB and an Aqua Clear rip off HOB that circulates 200l an hour. The skimmers there as well, but I'm not sure if I'll go with a skimmer/HOB. I'm not big on sleeping with the noise of running water, I can deal with the hum, but not so much trickling/bubbling. I might use the skimmer and set it to just run during daylight hours. There's also two hydrometers, the typical huge array of test kits, a high quality phosphate remover, thermometers and god knows what else, I'm not even through the first box, i;m kind of amazed I managed to afford all of this.

I'll start putting the tank together tomorrow and see what else I can salvage. The last time I used this tank as a nano reef I had a fairly bad crash caused by dinoflaggelates. Hopefully I'm more experienced this time and will be able to be more proactive. Keeping it very low stocked and using phosphate remover religiously should help alot, and I'll see if I can locate some macro as well. Also slow and steady and no large hungry corals.

So obviously plans change alot but I have $200 for liverock and livestock which should easily be enough for startup as I already have equipment. Since I'm choosing livestock the fish will be one or two Yellow Clown Gobies, probably one to keep stocking levels down. Then corals I would love to have a torch and a frogspawn but to keep the tank stable I might just go with a small frag of one or the other. Then keep to softies which don't require much feeding, maybe some blastomussa. I think I might spend most money on good quality liverock i can get 10kg for $130 at the LFS, or I might get seven kg of Base ($70) and 2kg of Liverock ($32).

I'm still not totally certain of going through with it, but I'm itching to start something new and have been for awhile so this may be perfect. Though I actually only have till March next year when I move out, though Mum would probably take the tank if I keep it going that long.

 

[BigC]

Hi,
Obviously you have knowledge of these things already, although things, especially on the equipment side have moved along as new technology became available.
A couple of questions really.
Do you plan to run a skimmer, Also you can make your own rock (maybe save yourself some $$$) and seed it with LR if you want to get creative.
Are you near the coast, if you are, you could use NSW. and keep it in the dark for a few weeks.

ATB
BigC

 

[cuticom]

I do actually ahve some home made rock hanging around, though Mum's been claiming it for her lizard tank, might swipe what's left back. I was never really fond of it though, it floated for one thing and the curing, it took 15 weeks to cure the stuff, it was like banging your head against a brick wall LOL.

I'm tossing up on using the skimmer, I do have one but I can't sleep with the noise, so I might set it up and just run it during the day like I do with the hermit crabs humidifier.

Unfortunately I'm not that close to the coast, not close enough to regularly collect NSW anyway, it's an hour drive,

I think I might set the tank up tomorrow with saltwater and equipment and see how much noise it makes and ensure I'm certain I do want to go through with this again.

 

[cuticom]

One question, although I've read about Barebottom tanks, I've never tried one, but could I run this as a barebottom tank? Coz I would actually really prefer that...

 

[Trod]

dinoflagellates Had to google that one Very interesting though.

 

[BigC]

A lot of reefkeeping aquarists actually prefer to run their tanks with no substrate. So I dont see why not. It will become colonised with soft corals over a period of time anyway.

Regards
C

 

[cuticom]

Oky dokes just thought I'd check I didn't see any reason why I couldn't skip the sand but you never know. I'm one of those people who goes for artistic over natural (yes typical female LOL) and I've always loved the mirror effect of barebottom, plus easier to clean, and remove uneaten food.

 

[cuticom]

Been spending some more time reading, the debates on bare bottom tanks are rather well amusing LOL. So after more reading the plan would be to set the tank up tomorrow and make sure all equipment is running. Modern Afternoon I can stop on the way home from school and pick up some Liverock to begin with, if I keep the stock low I may not need as much... Then get the tank through the cycle and once everything is settled and stable get a nice little yellow clown goby and then begin slowly adding corals...

Hmmm still not sure if I want to enter into this sort of commitment, I do remember how much time my tanks took up.

 

[Trod]

Hmmm still not sure if I want to enter into this sort of commitment, I do remember how much time my tanks took up.

But it is SOOOOOOOOO worth it

 

[bagu]

just do it!

its like a super duper HD 3D TV! haha its so worth it like Trod said

 

[cuticom]

LOl my problem being I had a [pretty reef for like 10 minutes before it crashed, so didn't get to the worthwhile stage. I think I will try it I've sold marine livestock off before and wasn't hard to find buyers so I think I might go ahead and if it gets too much work find homes for whatever I've acquired.

 

[cuticom]

So I've begun choosing what I need for this tank from the mounds of equipment etc I have, so far I have
1 x 150w DE HQI Metal Halide 14000K
1 x 65l Gutted Aqua One 500 Bowfront Aquarium
1 x 950l/ph filter
1 x 600l/ph Powerhead
1 x 150l/ph Powerhead
1 x 250l/ph Powerhead
1 x AquaClear 50 HOB 757l/ph
1 x 50w Heater
1 x Airdriven Skimmer
1 x 1000l/ph airpump
1 x API Saltwater Master Test Kit
1 x Carbonate Hardness test kit
1 x Calcium test kit
1 x Magnesium Test Kit
1 x Calcium additive
1 x additive for carbonate alkalinity
1 x Epsom Salts
1 x baking Soda
1 x Granular Phosphate remover
1 x Pad of phosphate Remover
3 x Floating Glass Hydrometers
1 x Glass thermometer
1 x 3ml pipette
1 x 45ml Turkey Baster
2 x Putty for coral
1 x Hikari Marine S fish food

LOL I think that's everything for now, though I may have forgotten something, if there's anything drastic missing please let me know!

 

[cuticom]

Hmmm I have everything set up, though doing a run with freshwater and the Aquaclear 50 is rattling, I thought it was air/dirt so cleaned the impeller and the impeller hole but it's still rattling. Might let it run for a while and see if anything changes, if not will stop and get an impeller on Monday.

I'll add salt later today and let it mix/heat for two days so then I can get liverock Monday afternoon.