Rbacchiega

Setup was yesterday (see post in nano-reef subforum). Today or tomorrow adding 15 lbs of live rock, two filters (one to be switched into fuge) and powerhead.

Pics to follow as well as daily readings!

Rbacchiega

After talking with some people, this is the current setup

- 10 gallon tank (bare bottom)
- 2 Corallife 50/50 20watt compact flourescent bulbs
- 50 watt heater
- 15 lbs live rock
- 2 Koralia nano powerheads (240 gph each, 480 total)

with that lighting I'm pretty much limited to softies, which I'm totaly fine with considering I'm going to be going with LPS in the 90. Also, I'm not going to use a filter unless it's deemed necessary in the long run. A buddy I absolutely trust has a 10 gallon nano with only the powerheads and live rock, no other filtration and it's doing fine...just regular waterchanges (what's another few gallons a week to change out??)

Stocking list, well for now anyways:
1 Firefish
1 Court Jester Goby
2 hermit crabs
5 snails
1 cleaner shrimp

Mike

Hi RB - I think you'll be ok running w/out a filter as long as you stay on top of the water changes. I don't know if I'm brave enough to run without a skimmer though. But frequent partial water changes should keep your params in line.

Rbacchiega

My thoughts too, so I'm looking for a skimmer small enough to sit on my desk in my bedroom (that's where the tank is) If I can't find one, I"m sure that there's a diy thread somewhere on the internet

Rbacchiega

believe it or not, the tank is cycled....believe me, just as shocked as you.

So, rather than add fish etc right away, I've got me my first corals...ever!

Wicked amazing green star polyps. Once they are out and happy I'll get a pic

Coryd55

Awesome! I can't wait to see how yours is set up and your GSP's

My tank is only going to have 2 100GPH and yours has 2 240s....dang lol.

Hope it keeps on going good for you.

Rbacchiega

I've read that for alot of softies you'd want to aim for the 35-40X tank volume. I'm looking at them thinking there is NO WAY detritus will stay lodged in the rock...NONE!

The GSP are out and swaying, looking good. Now, if I could only find my USB everything would be dandy

Rbacchiega

Today I'll pick up either some zoas or some mushrooms for the nano, as well as some hermit crabs and snails, everything is going along nicely and thursday I'll start the conversion of the aquaclear to make a hob fuge.

Mike, from what I've read, the extra water movement and surface disruption, along with regular weekly water changes, should prevent any sort of surface skum from developing, so I"m hoping that I can get away without a skimmer....my bioload in this tank wont be astronomical either, two fish, some crabs and snails, possibly a shrimp or starfish...so we'll see.

Rbacchiega

got the zoas in the tank, they're happy and all out, looking good with the GSPs and the half a mushroom LOL.

Also picked up two blue legged hermit crabs (tiiiiiiiiiiiny) and will grab some snails when they next get them in (they fly out of the tank it seems)

Fish within a few weeks hopefully!

Rbacchiega

converted an old aquaclear 300 into a hob (well, in this case, side) into a media holder. Today I'll pick up a small thing of chemipure and possibly some cheto and a little light for the fuge. Also need some snails and maybe pick up my frogspawn coral. Also, took out one of the nanos so the tank wasn't too crowded, and with this ac300...there's 300gph coming out of that thing...so 540 gph total...54X the tank volume! wooooo!

Rbacchiega

Picked up 3 trochus snails, frogspawn coral and enough cheato that if given enough time, will fill this hob fuge and the fuge in the 90.

Coryd55

Nice. Glad to see its coming along well.

What exactly is chaeto. I havent figured that out quite yet...

Rbacchiega

The best way to describe it is a big ball of green...stuff.

It's a type of plant that, when used in a fuge, will help combat algae in the display tank, as well as add benificial nutrients to the water. In the long run I will also be using it to give to the tangs every now and then

Rbacchiega

The Green Star Polyps:


Torch Coral happy happy!

Coryd55

My two favorite corals! You are so lucky lol.

Rbacchiega

Current Setup as of March 10, 2008:
Dry Goods
10 Gallon AGA
96W Corallife Compact Florescent (50/50)
1 Koralia Nano Powerhead (240 gph)
1 50 watt Heater
1 Aquaclear 300 -converted to fuge - - - lr rubble, chaeto, 5oz chemipure, also houses heater (300 gph)

Filtration
17 lbs Indonesian Live Rock
guess you can put the fuge info here too

Corals
1 colony of red/brown/blue zoanthids (button polyps)
1 colony of Green Star Polyps (metalic green)
1 Torch Coral
1 Electric green Trumpet Coral

Live Stock
3 Trochus Snails
2 Hermit Crabs

Current Readings:
SG 1.025
temp: 78-80
pH: 8.3
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate:0-5
Nitrite: 0
Calcium: 420 ppm
alkalinity: 4.3

Really havn't had to add too much because of the regular water changes keeping the levels where they need to be, but do have calcium suppliments on standby. Also, will start dosing once a week with trace elements

Coryd55

Any FTS?

Rbacchiega

ask and ye shall recieve...not the greatest pics, I can't figure out how to set the camera for this light...guess I'll have to read the manual (gasp!) Also not too much to look at right now, an empty tank with some corals...once they start to grow in and I can figure out the camera, then there might be some ooooo inspiring pics LOL

Le Tank:


Spider crab, spider crab, does whatever a spider crab does (if you watched the simpson movie, you know...oh you know):