Of total water volume around 50L. I want to retrofit my Aqua One AR380 with a Sump + LED Lighting + cooling.

What are the Dymax nano skimmers like? Anyone used them?

I want to have a nano reef filled to the brim with corals, a shrimp and maybe even a fish if space allows.

this interests me, I want to convert my ar620t into a reef, but don't know where to start, I reckon I could fit a sump, and a canister filter into the cabinet below, but still unsure.

I don't think itll be THAT difficult. The hardest thing about doing it will be sorting out the lighting. And getting rid of that crappy trickle filter in the back and possibly throwing some more lights in there.

The drilling for sump shouldn't be that hard - just empty it and drill a hole in the back of it

I could fit a 20-30L tank (Sump) underneath to increase total volume up to about 50-60L. Then throw a skimmer etc in the sump and we're done. Trick for me will be to find a skimmer that'll fit into the mix while still allowing space for the return pump, heater, etc.

Another annoying thing would be the water changes, but with a system that only has 60L of total water it'll be easy enough to buy those 10L containers from the supermarket or whatever.

I'm planning to do the same with my 380, but my main issue is the lighting. Are you buying a readymade LED unit or are you going to DIY?

I'm giong to DIY it into the existing hood so it looks all stock standard. I've already hacked some fans in there there.

Another thing I forgot to mention is auto-top off - this is pretty essential for avoiding having to top off the tank every now and then. In such a small closed loop system, even a little evaporation will have a impact on the salinity.

With that little water I wouldn't bother with a skimmer, you don't have room for big messy fish anyway and by the time you add rock a 20liter container of water is going to do you a 50% water change

But aren't skimmers essential for healthy corals?

No but very clean water is. Usually a skimmer is the easiest way to do this, but when you can change all your water with two buckets.....

Why run a sump? just run an FX5 (on a ar380 or 620) with the flow turned down somewhat, or thinner tubing.

or throw an Aquaclear 110 or 70 (google AC110 Refugium,, modify the impellor to reduce flow, and grow nitrate munching algae and stuff in the 'fuge.

Flow isn't an issue, cannister filters with normal media turn your waste into nitrate which is a big no no for marine tanks. A sump in marine tanks is used to hold equipment rather than filter media.

A sump in marine tanks is used to hold equipment rather than filter media.

So where does the media go? Is there any media? :-?

I wanted to run a sump for two reasons - 1 being increased total water volume, and secondly because it keeps all the equipment out of the main tank. Makes for a much 'cleaner' look without hang on back fuges and stuff.

So where does the media go? Is there any media? :-?

Your media is usually your live rock, it houses the bacteria, or the controversial sand bed or DSB.

Some people run filters but put phosphate or nitrate removers in them rather than sponges and ceramics.

As breakaway says, the sump is used to increase the overall literage of your setup and hide the ugly stuff, like the skimmer and heater.

If this guy can keep corals in a 1.5G cookie jar, I can sure as hell do it in a 38L aquarium!

Came across this thread http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/sho ... p?t=226934 while browsing nano reef. Some real powerful LEDs. Three of the 800 Lumen LEDs should light up the AR380 nicely. Two warm white and one cool white should do the trick.

If this guy can keep corals in a 1.5G cookie jar, I can sure as hell do it in a 38L aquarium!

Most of these people have had years of experience. A novice fishkeeper wouldn't start out with a jar, the corals have probably come from his main tank(s).

Good luck none the less

Tunze nano 9002

Small compact , and has some good reviews,

or if you want the skimmer outside you can get a DEltec mce300 hang on,

Flow isn't an issue, cannister filters with normal media turn your waste into nitrate which is a big no no for marine tanks. A sump in marine tanks is used to hold equipment rather than filter media.

Hence the aquaclear refugium! and they look cool with a some inverts living in them too!

and surely it can be done using a Deep Sand Bed, anaerobic bacteria chews nitrates...

and is there still too many nitrates?

Most of these people have had years of experience. A novice fishkeeper wouldn't start out with a jar, the corals have probably come from his main tank(s).

Good luck none the less

Your spot on there, larger volumes make marine keeping so much easier. The key to success in marine is stablity, most water parameters actually have quite a wide acceptable range the trick is keep that level constant. This gets very hard to do in a small volume of water.

Hence the aquaclear refugium! and they look cool with a some inverts living in them too!

and surely it can be done using a Deep Sand Bed, anaerobic bacteria chews nitrates...

and is there still too many nitrates?

Yes you can do lots of things with canister filters besides what the are designed for, but they are a not substitute for a sump, it's very hard to get a heater, auto topup, or skimmer into a canister filter.

Yes you can do lots of things with canister filters besides what the are designed for, but they are a not substitute for a sump, it's very hard to get a heater, auto topup, or skimmer into a canister filter.

That is true!

Well for a nano, auto top up and skimmer arent really required. and the aquaclear 110 refugium type filter setup can house a 25w aquaone filter in it no worries!