Holla's 40L Nano
INTRODUCTION
Hello everyone, I am from Sydney.
This tank journal is long overdue. The setup has been running for almost two years now, and I have been keeping a journal in another forum. So what i am going to do now is post the stages that this tank has been through, from the very start, through to its current state. So these first few posts will all be in retrospect. I hope you enjoy the ride! Please feel free to comment or criticize whenever you see fit, don't be shy!
In the beginning....
Strike up Date: probably about mid January 2010
Display Tank:Boyu Orca RA-03 approx. 25L (cheap version of the NanoCubes) --> CHANGED to 30cm bevelled edge cube --> CHANGED AGAIN to 35cm cube
Display Lighting:Stock 18W 10000k/actinic power compact --> UPGRADED to 2x24W power compacts (1x 17000K/actinic and 1x 10000K/marine blue) --> UPDRADED to 70W shopfitter metal halide with 20,000K bulb --> UPGRADED to 24 x 3W DIY Bridgelux LEDs
Stand:Study desk --> has been moved to other side of bedroom...sitting on a modular cabinet designed for tank --> Now sitting on IKEA vanity cabinet
Hood:Stock hood --> REMOVED! now hoodless --> now has custom made hood --> now hoodless again with suspended light unit
Sump:Back compartment - 3 chambers.
1st chamber: 75W Jager heater + purigen
2nd chamber: LR rubble and macro algae
3rd chamber: 1200L/h aqua one return pump.
CHANGED to Eheim Liberty HOB filter with macro and carbon
Refugium: Macro algae (caulerpa sp.)
Refugium Lighting:13W 6400K triphosphor compact fluorescent bulb Changed to DIY LED fixture
System Water: Natural salt water from LFS
Display Water circulation:900L/hr Hydor Koralia Nano --> UPGRADED to Hydor Koralia Nano 1600L/hr --> UPGRADED to Vortech MP10es
Return Pump: Eheim Liberty 2042 HOB Filter (approx. 700L/hr)
Skimmer:DIY driven by limewood airstone --> NONE
Evaporation Top Up: DIY gravity fed ATO --> UPGRADED to DIY air-driven ATO with float switch
anyway so heres the tank during the cycle:
decided to add some legs to the original hood and light to try and help with keeping temps down. Also added two cpu fans to either side to promote evaporative cooling. original hood has 2 small fans to keep down hood temps..but didn't do much IMO.
more live rock:
after about a 3 week cycle, decided that my lights were crap...and after looking all over the world for a decent lighting unit within my price range for such a small tank, found a 2x24W power compact unit from guppys. also added the two cpu fans from the old hood...cable tied them to the back of the light unit to blow air onto and across the water surface. works a treat!
as you can see, also added some softies to the tank.
you might also notice that the rocky background is no more. its actually still siliconed onto the tank, i just cut a piece of 2mm black plastic and slotted it into the back of the tank in front of the rocky background. i figured the black brings out the colours in the corals and fish alot better. The rocky background was from my shameful freshwater days...
another shot of the tank with new light on my study desk:
Green zoas:
fluffy morph:
purple morphs...with two small xenia colonies growing:
orange/red zoas and orange fungia:
re-aquascaped coz i felt the old scape was too crowded...and a premnas from my four footer.
re-aquascaped again!...i think its much better this time..more open space. used cable ties to secure some bits of live rock together to create a couple of 'shelves':
also added a parazoanthus...have been told they are hard to keep but will try my best!
and just a top down shot of my zoas:
Hello everyone, I am from Sydney.
This tank journal is long overdue. The setup has been running for almost two years now, and I have been keeping a journal in another forum. So what i am going to do now is post the stages that this tank has been through, from the very start, through to its current state. So these first few posts will all be in retrospect. I hope you enjoy the ride! Please feel free to comment or criticize whenever you see fit, don't be shy!
In the beginning....
Strike up Date: probably about mid January 2010
Display Tank:
Display Lighting:
Stand:
Hood:
Sump:
1st chamber: 75W Jager heater + purigen
2nd chamber: LR rubble and macro algae
3rd chamber: 1200L/h aqua one return pump.
CHANGED to Eheim Liberty HOB filter with macro and carbon
Refugium: Macro algae (caulerpa sp.)
Refugium Lighting:
System Water: Natural salt water from LFS
Display Water circulation:
Return Pump: Eheim Liberty 2042 HOB Filter (approx. 700L/hr)
Skimmer:
Evaporation Top Up:
anyway so heres the tank during the cycle:
decided to add some legs to the original hood and light to try and help with keeping temps down. Also added two cpu fans to either side to promote evaporative cooling. original hood has 2 small fans to keep down hood temps..but didn't do much IMO.
more live rock:
after about a 3 week cycle, decided that my lights were crap...and after looking all over the world for a decent lighting unit within my price range for such a small tank, found a 2x24W power compact unit from guppys. also added the two cpu fans from the old hood...cable tied them to the back of the light unit to blow air onto and across the water surface. works a treat!
as you can see, also added some softies to the tank.
you might also notice that the rocky background is no more. its actually still siliconed onto the tank, i just cut a piece of 2mm black plastic and slotted it into the back of the tank in front of the rocky background. i figured the black brings out the colours in the corals and fish alot better. The rocky background was from my shameful freshwater days...
another shot of the tank with new light on my study desk:
Green zoas:
fluffy morph:
purple morphs...with two small xenia colonies growing:
orange/red zoas and orange fungia:
re-aquascaped coz i felt the old scape was too crowded...and a premnas from my four footer.
re-aquascaped again!...i think its much better this time..more open space. used cable ties to secure some bits of live rock together to create a couple of 'shelves':
also added a parazoanthus...have been told they are hard to keep but will try my best!
and just a top down shot of my zoas: