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si_sphinx's Tank Journal (ex AquaNano 40)


si_sphinx

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After selling all my fish stuff and moved to Nelson I decided I couldn't handle not having a tank (3 months without one)

So I have planned to put together an Aqua One Aquanano 40 51ltr tank. Not too nano and not too small.

A lot of people seem to be doing nanos now. I plan to make mine mainly SPS dominant. Hopefully I don't run into too many troubles with a small tank.

Here is a complete break down of what I will spend

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I already have most of the equipment. (the green tick is what I have)

I will be upgrading the stock return pump with an Eheim compact 1000. There isn't enough flow with stock pump.

I have made a media rack to go in the back compartment for zeolite, phosphate remover and filter wool.

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WP-10 wavemaker added for extra flow. This thing is so small and works well for this tank

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Tiny air-driven skimmer

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Here you can see the media rack and skimmer in. And on the nano air pump suction cupped to the back

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Some pics of the live rock and current mushrooms and sponges

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FTS - Tank was set up Monday night, 17th Feb

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Did you make the media rack?

I need one for the first chamber of my 40.

Hoping a fluval sea skimmer will fit in the middle compartment.

Any chance of a photo of how well the eheim 1000 pump fits?

It seems everyone gets one, is it really that necessary?

Yes I made the media rack.

I haven't put the Eheim in yet. It has to go in sideways to fit in the back so it will need a few elbow connectors and piping. If you put it on the bottom you only need one elbow at the top. :thup: Leaving room up top for the heater and more space in the second chamber for your skimmer.

You also might need to drill the return hole into the tank slightly bigger.

I think it is necessary if you don't use a wavemaker in there. The stock AquaOne pump doesn't create enough flow in the tank and detritus settles everywhere.

I don't want any dead spots and the SPS corals will thank me for the extra flow I'm sure.

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Hi Mate, nice setup. I am now following it your guide and buying the gear accordingly.

I am wondering why you choose to build your own skimmer rather than buy the factory Dymax IQ5 Mini Skimmer?

First time building a Marine tank, all excited!

and the wife doesn't know it yet~

I didn't build the skimmer. It is a RS-4003 protein skimmer, cheap Chinese thing.

I don't really need it just yet because I don't have anything in the tank producing waste (fish). But thought I would try it out. If it doesn't work then no harm done because it cost next to nothing. I might try use something more effective later on when I need it.

:thup:

It get very exciting

I am sure the wife will eventually figure out something is going on :sml1:

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Yeah I'll be running another power head and keep stock pump. Really digging the media baskets, I'll try and fashion something similar with eggcrate and use your measurements!

Took some measurements of the back chambers, the fluval sea skimmer won't fit. Only other one available locally that will fit is the dymax xp30 which is OK, had one before on a 60 cube, skim was weak but my bioload was tiny. Think that's what I'll go with. Interesting to see how the little air driven on performs.

Oh and able to do me a favour and measure the Tds on your puredew water? I just bought a ton of it as it says its ro.

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Got a two little fishes nano magnet cleaner today.

It is such a great little cleaner for getting around the curved front corners of the tank. The in-tank part is a little thin bit of foam that is flexible to bend around the corners. And only 2.5cm square.

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Also modified my skimmer to give the bubbles more contact time with the water. It doesn't have a very efficient flow of water flow through it so that could be my next mod on it. Just need to find a tiny pump.

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Nice. be interesting to see how well it works.

Hows the WP10 in there? too much flow or can it be tweaked down enough?

It works perfectly,at full power it isn't to much and can easily be turned down or put on different settings (wave mode) for different effects.

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Nice. be interesting to see how well it works.

I just recieved a resun sk300 (kent nano skimmer) and fits snugly in the middle chamber.

Hows the WP10 in there? too much flow or can it be tweaked down enough?

How are you finding the Resun Sk300? I've been considering it given it is only like $45 shipped from fish-street...

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How are you finding the Resun Sk300? I've been considering it given it is only like $45 shipped from fish-street...

Its okay once the level is set right. Ive still got no livestock but its still pulling some weak skim.

For the $$$ its worth it, better than no skimmer. I wouldnt put one in a display due to the microbubbles, behind a false wall is fine. Adjustment isnt great, venturi pretty much has to stay full open and the water level inside the skimmer set to minimum otherwise itll be doing water changes for you :)

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Loving how full it is.

But howcome youve gone BB?

2-3kg of aragonite sand is only a few bucks to just cover the bottom and looks great

Reasons I don't have sand:

1. This isn't a display tank. If it was then yes I would.

2. I don't have anything to turn the sand over (hermit crabs, snails etc).

3. Hard to clean with the amount of corals in there covering the bottom. Tank is to small to move around everything.

4. It would become a detritus trap.

5. Harder to keep the water low nutrient with a thin layer of sand.

I know it wouldn't cost much to do it but not worth it for what I'm doing here.

My parameters are looking good now. The algae on the back wall has died off indicating not enough nutrients for it to keep growing.

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I haven't even had this tank for 3 months and I'm already upgrading. I didn't realise I was going to have this many corals. But my plan has now changed. I am focusing on the corals so building a frag tank to grow them to their full potential. Including keeping all parameters in check ( Ca,Mg,kH,K) and will hopefully use the zeovit system.

Glass for the new tank + frag rack I built.

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I don't have room for a sump under my desk so I have built an overflow at one end of the tank where I will have a hang on skimmer and reactor. Will also have the heater, carbon and a little live rock. The back is painted black for better contrast against the coral colours and black doesn't seem to attract as much algae (or maybe algae is less noticeable on black). And the base is white to help reflect a little light to the underside of the corals.

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Will be transferring everything over in a few weeks when I have the tank set up how I want it.

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