Started a 23g...

[Zoo Zoo]

Hello everyone!

I live in the tropics and there is no significant support for this hobby except that we have easy access to natural reefs. No LFS or HD to get equipment. Web retailers hesitate to ship internationally from the US with good reason with the exception of MarineDepot but shipping rates are very expensive to my location.

SO, here is my best local attempt at a nano:

23g Glass Aquarium
DIY Stand and Hood
175w OVRNO lighting using 2 foot NO tubes and electronic ballasts
Computer fan cooling
Lee protein skimmer with airpump
Penguin 330 HOB Filter
2 Maxijet MP600 PHs
Lots of live rock I had drying in the sun for about six months
Sand I got from a river in the Amazon (silica based)
Local sand is too brown for my taste.
Natural Sea Water
Building a solar still for top off

I have soft corals, nudis, crabs, anemones, macro algae, eels, octupi, fish and other reef creatures at my disposal. I am awaiting the completion of the tank's initial cycle to decide what I will put in. I really like zoos and we have a range of colors available. I will update the pics with any changes...

Thanks Reef Central for the great advice and encouragement!

I will gladly appreciate your input and suggestions! :D

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/507/72019DSC00013.jpg

[KING OF THE REEF]

well your on a roll. try www.drfostersmith.com for you orders they ship ne where. well good luck and where in the tropics do you live?

[weimluv1]

i'ver read on here sand w/ silica can be a nuisance. I think it feeds nuisance algae, i believe.

[weimluv1]

Also, the penguin filter should be pretty much useless, unless all your running in it is carbon. However, for now since you have dead base rock, you will need the filtration pads for nitrogen cycle, until your live rock becomes "seeded" with the bacteria, which could take a while since it is dead rock.

you should get some small pieces of live rock, to seed your base rock w/ corraline algae and beneficial bacteria, among other things. just get some small pieces and hope that it does not have nuisance algae on it. :D

eels and octupi are really out of the question, since your tank is so small.

other than that, i am putting this thread on my subscribe list! i can't wait to see how it turns out 6 months from now!

[Zoo Zoo]

Hey weimluv1,

Thanks for your post. I would have to go barebottom if the sand is a problem, I read about it leaching silica which feeds diatoms but some folks don't have the problem blaming the silica input from tap water. Most sand around where I live is silica based and shipping from the US or anywhere is too expensive.

I took the biowheels out of the Penguin and am just running carbon for now. I plan to run the HOB periodically especially when I bring in water from the ocean.

I know a friend who keeps an octupus in a 3g jar sealed with a UGF who is very friendly and comes out to get his daily shrimp, he is more than eight years old. Amazing!
Maybe its just his luck! I plan to have a softie tank anyway.

Talk to you soon my friend!

[Zoo Zoo]

I added a Royal Gramma, some zoos, some lettuce nudis, some turbo snails, some macro algae and some sort of anemone creature on the lower left of the pic...

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/507/72019DSC00049.JPG

[impur]

Originally posted by weimluv1
i'ver read on here sand w/ silica can be a nuisance. I think it feeds nuisance algae, i believe.

I think this is more of a myth that has been blown out of proportion here on RC. There are many reefkeepers that have successfully kept a reef using silca sand for the long term. Also Dr. Ron had a class that used all sorts of sand to see what kind would provide the best environment for bacteria and other critters. The sand with the most life was......you guessed it silica. And Randy over at the chemistry forum actually doses silica into his reef. I would not hesitate to use it.


Tank looks great!! You are off to a good start, i love the stand and hood, good job!

[Seifer]

Originally posted by Zoo Zoo
I added a Royal Gramma, some zoos, some lettuce nudis, some turbo snails, some macro algae and some sort of anemone creature on the lower left of the pic...

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/507/72019DSC00049.JPG put on your flame suit, because people are going to be coming out of the woodwork to flame you about adding livestock to such a newly founded tank.

[Super]

Tank looks great zoo man. Thanx for that red frag, it opened up nicely, you gotta take me to that reef where u got the anemone on the lower right of your tank, maybe we can pick up a few this weekend and a few blennies...i dont really fancy the nudis..
You need a clown in there dude....!!

[Zoo Zoo]

impur,
thanks so much for your words of encouragement. I would love to see a recent shot of your tank.

Seifer,
Due to easy access to NSW along with extremely frequent water changes and also some elements of the system coming from an established system, I hope I'll be okay, thanks for your comment, cool ghetto sump!

Super,
I have your back bro! Glad to hear about the red zoos. I think will limit the tank to the current fish population. I plan to carpet with zoos and mushrooms. Glad to hear about your great copepod population. A mandarin's dream house!

[weimluv1]

if i were you, i would wait to add mushrooms AFTER your zoanthids have grown quite a lot more.

those mushrooms i've seen take over tanks like crazy.


How about a closeup of the anemone!?

[Zoo Zoo]

That's good advice weimluv1, checkout my photo gallery for closeups...thanks again!

[KING OF THE REEF]

hey zoo zoo when are you located in the tropics? i want to tak a trip to somewhere, but i dont know where to go let me know how the tourism industry is where you live. Id love to go diving for stuff out there

[russ49merc]

man you don't need a LFS you have some amazing zoos. those rainbow ones are crazy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

[banditfl]

What ballast type of ballst did you use to overdrive your lamps

[Zoo Zoo]

russ49merc

Thanks alot. My zoos are reacting very well to frequent NSW changes and the OVRNO lighting with DIY LED moonlights.


banditfl

I am using ADVANCE REL_SP32_SC ballasts with 6500k and actinic t8 2ft bulbs.

[Zoo Zoo]

The tank seems to be at the peak of its NTS diatom bloom. Copepod population is on the increase since I removed the blennies. Blennies were a pain to remove but got them out eventually with different DIY fish traps with shrimp. Will post water specs soon. I found a couple feather dusters on a zoo frag.

[Zoo Zoo]

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=526067

Check out what happened...

Good bye nano friends!

[Zoo Zoo]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/72019new-1.jpg

[sellout007]

Why would you do that?!?!?!? AHHHHH

haha

[Bill3H]

I am so confused

[MBDUDE1]

WOW. Love that planted tank. I think you made a wise decision, contrary to what others may believe. A 280 gallon tank will give you tons of room to make a beautiful reef :)

[Jimsmowen]

Update photos pls!!!

[Zoo Zoo]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/720191mnth.jpg
Folks have been asking me to post an update on the planted nano...I'm still planning the 280g reeftank... thanks!;)

[Sugar Magnolia]

That is one heck of a gorgeous planted tank! Best of luck witht he 280!

[Carl_in_Florida]

Thats nice. The bottom line is, that you are going to take better care of a tank that you enjoy (ask my cichlids. They always give me the evil eye as i take care of the nano).

Best of luck with the big tank.