Building a nano

[donpollo]

Hi All,

I am going to put up a nano with the clown anemome theam.

I want a pair of maroons and a bubbe tip.

There is almost no room for plumbing so what can be done will take all the space.

I have never set up a salt tank under 80glns so I need serious input.

I believe I can put in a decent sump say 20 or 30glns and this would be about the size of the tank as well.


Any ideas???

[tendar]

Going with a pair of maroon clowns will require a larger tank than a nano. I would be looking at 30+ gall tank as Maroon's get fairly large for a clown fish. One of those Oceanic 30 gall cubes might work decent with a anemone light by a single halilde.
The bigger sump the better just for more water volume than eny thing else.

[BLUESMAN]

I agree, the female maroon can get 6" plus. Maybe a different clown pair?? You mentioned "anemone theme"? A good BTA will get 6" plus(and that's small). What size "nano" are you thinking...20-20g? Maybe a pair of Perculas(true or false) or Orange Skunks? Lots of room in an 20-29g tank for plumbing. Blue

[donpollo]

I was thinking 20 to 30 gln tank. It will be on a tile counter. I have room for inch pipe to go to the sump below the counter top. This will have to be ran down the wall inbetween the rock and the block.

[tendar]

I would definetly go with the 30 then since it is recomended a 55 gall for a pair of maroon's as minimum for adults well large female anyways.

[BLUESMAN]

If you are set on getting Maroons, I'd lean towards an 29g long(30" long). That would give the clowns more swimming area. a single 175w or even an 250w MH would be good for the BTA. Just be sure and feed the Anemone if the female does'nt. That's still a very big clownfish in an 29g tank,IMO. Blue

[donpollo]

Aye it is a biggie. My wife wants a maroon I mught have to talk her out of it.

What kind of equipment am I looking at to make this tank work?

As I said I have never done a nano anything. Even my fresh water tanks were 55s or bigger.

[tendar]

Equipment.
If just the 2 clowns will be in there you can probably go skimmerless if you keep up with biweekly waterchanges 15-25%.
Good light for anemomne prefferably a halide would be best.
Heater
and decent waterflow say 15+ turnover a hour
should about cover it.
If you use power heads you will want foam screens over them or the anemone could start wandering the tank and get sucked in and be killed.

[BLUESMAN]

Equipment?? Most 20-55g tanks are non drillable( you could try an dremal) so i'd say an overflow and plumbing. A return pump(large powerhead), heater, lighting. It's pretty open. just be sure to light it up enough since you/she wants an BTA. Same as your 80g tank, just downsized. Def on the sump...the larger the better! I just completed the wife's seahorse tank(30g tall with an 20g sump) and I still fell unsure about the amount of water in them. BTW you know that getting two Maroons to pair up is difficult unless you get a mated pair,right? They are the most difficult clowns to pair up. The females do get quite large....my brother's was a good 6" and look cramped in his 160g cube tank.

[tendar]

YOu can probably get some captive raised clowns from Hardman sooner or later if your not in a big hurry.

[donpollo]

There is a shop in LA that sells them paired, but if there gonna be to big then I will talk her into percs or somthing.

LOL....no hurry here I don't even have the tank yet

[BLUESMAN]

You can also get them from PetCo, believe or not. They are from ORA and are tank bred. They can order a pair for you, but there is still no sure thing as an a mated pair. Blue

[BLUESMAN]

If you want rare clowns, then AquaTouch or ORA(where AT gets them) can get you Orange Skunk Clowns. Very peaceful fish, might put a pair in the wife's seahorse tank. Blue

[donpollo]

I wwould like to see those. Got the location of any pics. I never could stand albino fish of any kind so normal skunks are out.

[BLUESMAN]

Try www.orafarm.com notice they don't have the usual white stripe up their body. AquaTouch Had an pair a couple weeks ago. Blue

[tendar]

All Aquatics carries ORA also and can order what ever you want.

[donpollo]

Those orange clowns are prolly cool but unless I saw 1 swimmin I don't think they are what I want.

I like the deep orange red of the normal clown types.

This whole project is gonna bogle my mind until it clicks.

I want all but 1 corner viewable. May have to go with a custom plexi tank but that rubs me wrong. Plexi scratches to easy.

Anyone know a Glazzer?

[auracleofdesign]

if you get a refugium for a nano it makes mantainance alot easier and the show tank look cleaner. look on ebay some guy is selling hang on the back refugiums for cheap prices ~$30! petsmart has 20l real cheep (24.99)
hth,
reed

[cecilturtle]

Since your looking for app. 30gal. why not do the Oceanic cube? One halide and a hangon skimmer like the Bak Pak. If you want to do the refugium thing I would go for the rectangular one...I think it's 36gal. but you could hang on the small Aquafuge and the Bak Pak...no sump needed.