Tank Journal Archive

[Buddy]

Introduction:​

Hi Reefuge! After starting my first freshwater tank in early 2011 and having it cruising along nicely I decided to start a marine tank. After a lot of researching and a few changes of plans I now have a nano that has started off very well. The tank has been wet for four months as I write this.​

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Reefing Since: November 2011​

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System Objectives: Colourful softy/LPS reef and maybe some SPS down the track. ​

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Type of reef: Mixed reef​

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Display System:​

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Initial Fill Date: 12th November 2011​

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Display Tank Dimensions: 2ft wide, 1.5ft high, 1ft deep​

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Display Lighting: Eco-Lamps KR-91 LED​

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Stand: DIY stand made from 25mm square steel tube​

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Hood or Rimless: Mesh top to stop fish jumping​

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Sump Design: 2ft wide, 1ft high, 1ft deep. Three sections skimmer/refuge/return​

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Filtration: Live rock in main tank and sump, filter sock in the sump.​

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Support systems:​

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NSW or ASW: NSW​

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Display Water circulation: Koralia 1600 LP/H x2​

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Return Pump: Eheim Compact 2000+​

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Skimmer: Tunze 9002​

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Evaporation Top Up: 4 stage RO/DI with booster pump and top up with Tunze Osmolator.​

Chemical additions:​

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Calcium Addition: randys recipe #1​

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Alkilinity Addition: randys recipe #1​

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Magnesium Addition: randys recipe​

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Coral Food Addition: Reef Roids, Cyclopeeze, Amino Acids​

 

[Buddy]

So the original plan was to have a very basic 2x1x1 tank with just a heater, powerhead and live rock but after some research and advice I decided to do it properly with a sump and skimmer.

This is what it first looked like when it was just the 2x1x1 tank. Live rock, sand, powerhead and a heater was all put in on the first day and this is how it stayed until I built my display tank. The 2x1x1 tank was then turned into a sump.

 

[MTG]

:welcome show us more pics of the new setup :)

 

[Buddy]

Here is the build of the display tank. I bought a standard 2ft x 1.5ft x 1ft tank and went from there.
I decided on a Beananimal overflow system and I had the overflow and weir cut and drilled by a local glass company.

This is the tank before I built the weir onto it. You can see where they cut out the overflow and rounded the edges.

This is the tank after I siliconed the weir togerther and then siliconed it to the tank.

After the silicone dried for about a week I prepared the tank to be painted.

This is the end result after all the paint was dried.

 

[Buddy]

Next was to build the stand. I wanted three levels and when I get around to it there will be doors on the top and bottom level.
First I cut all the 25m steel tube to length.

Welded it together.

Added heavy duty casters and the skeleton of the frame was complete.

Painted it, dropped in some 25mm wood shelves and then started setting up the wiring and equipment on the stand.

 

[MTG]

Interesting design on the stand. makes it simple to hang your light and hide cords

 

[Buddy]

After I had the stand built I started to work on the plumbing. I don't have any pics of the sump but I just cut some glass and siliconed some baffles to make three sections.
After looking in the shed and a trip to the big green building here is what I had to play with.

Which turned into this.

I have slightly modified the open air pipe since this picture to stop the echo of the water going down the pipe (changed the PVC for a clear vinyl pipe after the T piece) I also removed the brass fitting for a plastic one.

 

[Buddy]

All that was left was to put the tanks into place, set up the plumbing, add the equipment into the sump and get it wet!

Equipement going into the Sump (heater not shown but is a Eheim 100w)

Did a water test and everything was fine so then transfered the live rock to the display tank and here is the result.

 

[Buddy]

:welcome show us more pics of the new setup :)

Interesting design on the stand. makes it simple to hang your light and hide cords

Thanks Matt. I tried to get all my first posts together but you ruined it :p The light is hanging on stainless steel hooks mounted to the underside of the shelf so it is very easy to unhook the light if I need more access. The stand is also very stable as most of the weight is below the half way point. I also recessed the casters into the bottom of the stand to make it even more stable. I am actually surprised how easy it is to wheel the stand around on the carpet with the tanks full and running!

 

[Buddy]

This was my first attempt at aquascaping (excuse the algae!)
It sat like this while it cycled and I just let the algae do its thing without cleaning it at all.

After a month or so I added a few more kg of live rock and re did the aquascape, I had a small ammonia spike but nothing serious. The tank had a lot of diatoms and then started to grow a lot of hair algae over the glass and rocks. I just left this without cleaning it until everything settled down and then added a small clean up crew to clean up the algea for me. I first added four Cerith snails and this guy, a Strombus snail.

I left it alone for a while and then added two Peppermint shrimps to eat up a few Aptasia that started growing. Left it all alone again for a month or so and all the Aptasia and algae was pretty much gone.

Over the next few weeks I started slowly adding a few corals.
Hammer coral a few hours after being put in the tank.

Trachy.

I don't have individual pics of the other corals yet but here is how the tank looks about half way through February.

About 95% of the rock is supported about 15-20mm above the sand on some PVC stands that I cut out of some pipe. I have been interstate for work since I took this picture so I haven't been home for around a month so. Hopefully all is well when I return in about a week. I have the other half keeping an eye on the tank and everything sounds fine except for my skimmer pump making a weird noise, so the pump has been switched off until I can have a look at it.

The To-Do list!
- Set up the RO/DI and Tunze osmolator
- Attach the doors and sides to finish the stand
- Clean up the wiring
- Start calcium and alk dosing
- Get some fish finally! It has been a long time but I think having a stable and healthy tank is worth it the wait :D

 

[MTG]

I like this setup will look great packed with corals. whats the plan to hide the black cable tie?

 

[Buddy]

I like this setup will look great packed with corals. whats the plan to hide the black cable tie?

I am hoping it will eventually get covered in coraline but I will most likely put some sort of coral over it. I am trying to find a coral that will grow under the pillar where the cable ties are, the problem is that its not in direct light. Do you know of any corals that will do well in a semi-shaded area and will possibly grow up the pillar?

 

[Dean]

This is a great setup. stand on wheels sounds like the go!
Pretty jealous of your shed, got all the gear to make a top notch setup yourself!
will be following this to see how it all turns out.
cool looking aqua scape too.

 

[Dean]

What fish are you looking at adding?

 

[MTG]

try covering the cable ties with putty will look alot neater and more natural. maybe cover it in sponge?

 

[Buddy]

What fish are you looking at adding?

I am going to add a pair of occy or perc clowns and I want a red spot blenny but I am having trouble sourcing one. May add one more smaller fish if it all goes well.

 

[Buddy]

try covering the cable ties with putty will look alot neater and more natural. maybe cover it in sponge?

Thanks. I may also just have a small piece of rock infront of it. I have seen the orange sponges in the LFS and I like the look of them but I am unsure of their needs. Have you kept any sort of sponge that you could recommend?

 

[MagicJ]

:welcome

Love the tank design/overflow - very nice:worshipGreat scape too - the right hand pillar would look great covered in Matt 's hammers :p

 

[MTG]

i have allways had forms of sponges in my tank mainly pink, but these came on liverock and have just spread across rock. untill recently i had very little sponge on my rock , i started dosing KZ sponge supplement and they seem to be growing at an increased rate just from dosing it for a week or so. will be interesting to see how it go's after a few months of continual dosing!

 

[Buddy]

Thanks MagicJ!

i have allways had forms of sponges in my tank mainly pink, but these came on liverock and have just spread across rock. untill recently i had very little sponge on my rock , i started dosing KZ sponge supplement and they seem to be growing at an increased rate just from dosing it for a week or so. will be interesting to see how it go's after a few months of continual dosing!

I haven't noticed any sponge in my tank so I will do some more research on what will grow/spread in the shaded area.