Casper's Low Tide Tank (20 gallon long lagoon)

[awcasper]

FTS 2/16/11

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Reposted from Norcal Reef Club:

I started with a 29 gallon tank four years ago and have since switched to my 65 gallonTruvu, Casper's Land End Tank.

But a man cannot reef alone. He needs a good lady, education, some money to afford said lady and education. I've decided to downsize to a 20 gallon long. I want something I can clean in two minutes without getting my elbows wet. Everyone knows salty elbows are the number one cause of unsuccessful scratcher tickets..... I have the intertidal mud flats of Singapore as my inspiration. I'm a sea grass, favia, zoanthid, and invert kind of nerd, and Singapore has the stuff to charge up my raging nerd fantasies.

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(Images ninja'ed from a Singapore nature blog)

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After jacking an unused 20 gallon long from my buddy, Adolfo, I began to scheme... er... dream up some ideas. I found a nice overflow box at Will's place (Sustainable Reefs). He wasn't using it, either. A visit to Lowe's hardware store and a sloppy paint job later: Resized to 94% (was 1024 x 768) - Click image to enlarge

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I ordered a Reef-Smart LED fixture from Planet Aquaria. It's the 90 watt model; the lowest they had. It was rated for a nano tank. I'm making a nano tank. I didn't know this thing could light up my 65 gallon 36"x 18"x 20"). Color me impressed.

Ah, yes. Some more pics. Blue light:

 

[awcasper]

Finally got around to moving the tank. Kept the same stand and fuge, but switched the 60 gallon for a 20 long. Thanks to Jimmy from Neptune's for helping me move the tank.

Contents of the 60 in a 40. Thanks to Pat (Patsquatch) from Watsonville for the tank.

It took me two days to get everything moved. The sand was sitting dry overnight, so I have to recycle it.

Overflow

Plumbing (still need to clean up the cables).

DIY light shield

During the move, I lost one of my pistol shrimps. Very sad.....

 

[awcasper]

Changed out my sump for another 20 gallon long. Did the baffles myself.

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Disconnect the wiring


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Pulled out the equipment


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Drained the water


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Out


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[awcasper]

DIY 20 gal long sump


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Now I have room from my two part


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Tossed in two bags of carbon, just in case


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Celebrated by harvesting the rest of my bok choy


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[awcasper]

Goniastreas

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Favids


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Beets


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Brocolli side sprouts


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Shroom area


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FTS 1/27/11

 

[awcasper]

FTS 2/3/11


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Shroomy


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Zoanthids I'm trying to sell


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[awcasper]

Quick status report:

Swapped out the Feedneedit T5 in the sump for a 24" Reef Brite. What a difference! Now the sand bed is cleaned up a bit.

I got a package today. What do you call a plate coral that frags itself? Diaseris fragilis! I was told these particular guys came from Indonesia in 60-70 feet of water on the reef floor. Checking with Corals of the World, it says they are widespread, from Japan, the Phillipines, Australia, Malaysia, and even Western Central America.


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FTS 2/16/11


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[awcasper]

Inspiration pics

 

[skinz78]

Nice looking tank! I love the inspiration pic's too!

 

[awcasper]

Update: 3/20/11

FTS

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Firefish jumped a few days ago. When I found it, it looked like jerky.

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Goodies on the fragarack

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[awcasper]

Got some more diaseris plates:

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Mushroom beats diaseris plate

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[awcasper]

FTS 4/24/11

 

[Macropora]

Very inspiring and a great story. Makes me want to go back to my 20 gallon long reef I had over 15 years ago.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Nice, looks like a small mesh screen may be in order if you wish to keep firefish.

 

[awcasper]

Thanks, Macropora!

Wy: I have a mesh screen, but may need a smaller one. I didn't want to ruin the top down view too much.

 

[xmetalfan99]

Very nice looking tank. 20L and 30G tanks make great reef tanks that can look much larger than they are when well planned. You did an excellent job at maximizing space while keeping the tank from looking tiny.

 

[Reefer831]

Looking Good!!!!

 

[lps1212]

Great documention of your nano loved lookin at your pics everything seems nice how big is that sand bed looks like 3 or 4"

 

[awcasper]

Thanks all!

Andy: I got that pastel war and peace for you, man.

lps1212: The sand bed is 3"-4". The pistol shrimp loves it and I have some small nassarius snails reproducing in there.

 

[johnanddawn]

cool theme tank - i really like your inspiration pics and the way you tried to mimic the environment