steve-s Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 Well, I could only resist for so long. After breaking down all my tanks before leaving Australia back in April I initially swore I would not be setting up a tank over here, as I am only on a 3 year work contract I really didn’t want to re-live the heartbreak of getting rid of my much-loved livestock. This changed pretty quickly and not long after arriving I started making plans for a 50cm cube, I was going to get the tank custom built and make the stand myself, I ordered all the pumps, bulkhead fittings and other equipment I needed and stashed them in the garage until I had finalised my design. Time passed and I never managed to come up with a design I was happy with, the whole idea was shelved and I went back to my original plan of not setting up over here (I don’t think I’ve ever seen my wife so happy). Well, I just couldn’t help myself. I have opted for a small nano, all self contained in one tank (30L), no overflow, durso, sump or skimmer, just keeping it simple. I had already sourced a SCWD and a 1500lph pump so I was eager to utilise these for the project, just the other day I went out and got the tank, light and the usual assorted plumbing fittings associated with a tank setup and went to work. I painted the back of the tank (although not sure why as you don't see much of it) and I have set up the SCWD and the pump at the rear of the tank along with the heater. Because the tank is so small this takes up some valuable real estate (not to mention looks bloody ugly) but I have also put together a PVC pipe stand which is designed to support my reef formation, conceal all the nasties and at the same time keep the rock off the back wall of the tank leaving a little bit of room to allow me to remove the SCWD, pump and heater for cleaning/servicing. Filled the tank with NSW, tested and all was working well. Yesterday I was lucky enough to get some fantastic rock with coralline growth and some sand from Pies, there should be enough life in that rock to kick me into a cycle hopefully, I have now added the rock & sand to the tank and all is up & running. I will post some pics when the dust settles. I currently have a 24W Power Compact running over the tank and I have another identical unit on order so when that comes in I’ll have 48W running. In such a small tank it should be quite sufficient for the few softies I am interested in keeping. My flow rate is good, even assuming the SCWD strips me of 50% of my flow that still leaves me running at about 25x tank volume. My pump is adjustable so if I need to reduce flow at some stage I have the option but I would prefer to maintain the higher flow if I can. I plan on housing corallimorphs primarily but may add some other softies or even LPS depending on what’s available (and what will thrive under my conditions), I may or may not add a clown fish at some stage or even some shrimp instead, again, depends on what’s available and what the tank can comfortably accomodate. I would love to get my hands on some Ricordea as they are very rare in Oz due to import restrictions, not sure how hard they are to come by here but they can be found in some fantastic colour variations around the world from what I have seen. Tank Specs: 30L (45cm x 30cm x 30cm) 50W Jager Heater 1500lph Otto Pump SCWD 10kg Live rock (give or take) ½ Bucket of sand 1 x 24W Power Compact (1 more to come) So it’s test kits at the ready, lets get cycling. Pics to follow. Cheers, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 I've often thought about doing something very similar. My dream nano would have some very colourful zoos, maybe a highly coloured lps of some type, no fish, a cleaner shrimp or two, and a few other inverts maybe native. No skimmer but an HOB filter with carbon & phosphate resin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-s Posted September 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 My dream nano would have some very colourful zoos, maybe a highly coloured lps of some type, no fish, a cleaner shrimp or two, and a few other inverts maybe native. I think we are on a similar wavelength, I really want to be quite picky as to what goes in there as space is so valuable. Now I've got it all set up it is even more so because of the 'wall of rock' required to cover all the crap at the back. I probably could have looked at a closed loop without drilling (as per the closed loop on Melev's reef) and even used one of the inline hydor heaters (seen them in Aust, dont know if you can get them here), this would then make the Pump, SCWD and heater all external, this would have solved some of my space problem but the pump I have is not capable of running externally. Maybe something for the future - what would we do with our time if it wasnt for adjustments and modifications Cheers, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 A few years ago the hydor heaters stopped being sold here I was told it was because of a high number of problems there had been with them. Don't know if that is still the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-s Posted September 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 Well, pH 8.0, ammonia 0.5, nitrites 0...........waiting Here are the photos as promised: Tank with SCWD & pump set up PVC Reef stand First water test Rock & substrate added The wall of rock, I tried to give it some depth by setting back some rock creating the channel left of centre. Just enough room behind the rock to access equipment, OK so I may have to move one or two of the smaller surface rocks. Room to get to the heater Star polyps, I think this may be a type of encrusting gorgonian. Cheers, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 Well done!! Just a note if that is a piece of green calupera take it out!! It will take over your rocks and you will never get it out!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 you know it Fay!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 puittputt let me know when you are going to shift your tank and I will come and give you a hand to pick it all out I am good at it now got rid of my red calupera :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tel Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 awesome..the large rock look in the small tank looks really good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 WOW that is awesome. I to have started my nano but its the next tank size down from yours. Looks like the same tank but they come in two different sizes. Totaly different rock work than what I have but I might get another piece or two later down the track Neat work. I to hope to add some corals to mine shortly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bOi Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 nano seems to be the "in thing" now... tempting me to start one. have some spare tanks lying around.. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 nano seems to be the "in thing" now... tempting me to start one. have some spare tanks lying around.. :lol: I am just about to setup my 15 gallon nano :lol: :lol: Nice looking tank BTW steve, I like how you have used the SCWD, never would have thought of that, may be something i could use in my 60L nano......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 Looks great! you guys doing nano's might struggle with temp in summer tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Looks great! you guys doing nano's might struggle with temp in summer tho Unfortunately yes, but i have a computer fan i will use to blow the surface..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 yep that will help for sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WEKA Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Hi Steve-s Looking good How did you hold your SCWD and fittings onto the back wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-s Posted September 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Thanks guys for the comments. Coming from Western Australia I am well aware of the issues of heat in nano's - you try keeping any sized tank under 30deg after 3 weeks of constant temperatures of 38deg outside, my 4ft used to get up to 29 and need fans & ice applied quite regularly. My nano back in Perth had a pedalstool fan positioned in front of it and on a timer on the danger days, really increases your evap rate but does the job. The SCWD is supported at the bottom by it's join to the pump and at the top the outlet pipes are the exact length as the internal tank size so they fit snugly, securing the top. I was orginally going to support them via the pvc reef frame but when it came down to it, it just wasnt needed. Still no sign of a cycle yet, ammonia reads 0.5 but I'm not convinced it's not a false test read, it hasnt increased in the last few days. Cheers, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-s Posted September 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Well done!! Just a note if that is a piece of green calupera take it out!! It will take over your rocks and you will never get it out!! Fay, there is more of it in the middle of the tank. Can I get a positive ID if possible? Should I be getting rid of this? Cheers, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Razer calupera. Made the mistake of thinking the little piece looked good in my display, and have had to remove buckets of it. Get it out now Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Wow love the tank The best thing ive done this year was get a Scwd the corals love the random current (Thanks HelifaxNZ) Ive been reading alot lately on the nano tanks. looks like the next or current big thing. There are so many nice fish that fit in there what do you think you'll get? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 Looks great! you guys doing nano's might struggle with temp in summer tho Could you use a Peltier unit? There was a thread on it (p)ages ago. Since the tanks are so small, is it a viable option? A couple of years ago we bought a Peltier chilly bin for the car, it cost an arm and a leg, then a couple of months later we see them in Countdown, of all places, for something like $29.95.. grrr Anyway, could you just mount the fan and heatsink unit above the tank, or is this cooling of the surface not sufficent? Would it be better to run some sort of exchange system, say with pvc tubing threaded through the heatsink and pumped through the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-s Posted October 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Well, some 2 weeks on and something quite peculiar has happened. My ammonia read (0.25 not 0.5 in my prev post) appears to be a phantom read. After waiting for a cycle to start I added some raw chicken (pinched from dinner whilst my wife wasnt looking) to kick it along a bit. The chicken rotted, dissapeared, my ammonia read spiked at 1ppm the following day but the next day was back down to 0.25 (or zero). Zero nitrites, zero nitrates and some hair algae growth - no cycle. Since then I have removed the hair algae and done a water change too, to my suprise I now have a nitrate read. It would appear that because of the large quantity of rock in the tank (compared to water) and the fact that the rock came straight out of a stable tank that my tank has gone through a fairly undetectable cycle after the rock was added. My nitrate reads were being affected by the hair algae growth - remove the algae & nitrates return. I have now been feeding the tank a light daily feed of flake for a week and the current tank parameters are as follows: Temp 26.2 pH 8.1 Spec Grav 1.026 Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 10ppm Phosphate 0 Alkaliinity 2.9 meq/L I am probably going to be in a position to add a mushroom or 2 next week if nothing changes. I am also thinking about 2 small fish: Gobiodon okinawae - Yellow Coral goby and Pseudochromis porphyreus - Magenta dottyback I have posted on the commercial forum to see if any shops can supply me with these but haven't had any response as yet but then I'm in no rush. My next step is to source a cleanup crew, I would prefer small striped leg hermit crabs as I have had good results with them in the past but like the fish, I am not sure where to get them from (any suggestions appreciated). Cheers, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 Good to hear steve, updated pics are always good aswell :lol: I was just wondering... What kind of pipe is that black pipe that connects the pump to the SCWD etc. and also, where did you get it? Im wanting something similiar for my tank so i can put the pump down in behind rock where it wont be seen as easy, and then having the pipe connected to it to bring the water out to a better place..... Any ideas of what kind of pipe would be best?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stompa Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 just go to bunnings and go to the garden part there lots of different choices in different sizes there and you can cool little hose clips tht you just use a pair of pliers to tighten them ..... its called irragiation hosing..... hope this helps you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted October 6, 2006 Report Share Posted October 6, 2006 thanks for that man, might go there tomorrow sometime and get supplies 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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