10 gallon nano reef build ...and I guess pics of the first tank

El_Guapo13

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I guess first off, if you haven't seen me around....what, you been living under a rock?

Jokes aside, my name is Rudy (insert obligatory "Hi Rudy!!" like this is some introductory AA meeting). I have been keeping aquariums since, well, since my parents first got me one when I was 3 years old, so about 29 years. However, up until November 2018 it had always been fresh water tanks. But in November 2018, a LFS O frequented was going out of business, so they were selling all their stock on clearance. So I purchased a Corallife16 Gallon Biocube and stand. And thus started my first Saltwater Reef Tank. Here is a pic as it currently is.

15781840290205270594709121421129.jpg

Unfortunately, as you can plainly see from the picture...I am out of room for corals. Luckily (now comes the main reason for this build thread), I remembered that I have an unused 10 gallon in my closet. Seen here
20191230_164158.jpg


Ooh. Ahhh. So shiny...and old.

So I decided to make this into another nano reef, only instead of being in my living room, it will be in my bedroom. By my bed. Sure I won't regret that later on.

So first, I of course bought some equipment. I was trying to stay under or around $200 total, so I made sure to save where I could... the lights of course. I am only planning to grow some softies, and maybe some LPS, so don't be all "That light isn't gonna work for that tank" or "You need a stronger light, buy a Kessil 360". No, no no. Stop right there. Lole I said I was folowing a budget on equipment, so if I upgrade it will be later down the road, maybe after a raise or promotion (my boss says I am due for one this year, so fingers crossed). So the equipment I bought is:

1. Fiji Cube 10 Gallon AIO kit 2nd Gen (I asked them if they still had ant as I wanted the media basket, so they sent me one)
2. Fiji Cube 115gph Pump (I can always switch it out for something stronger later)
3. USA Current Marine light - like I said, it works for what I want, and I can always upgrade it later
4. 100 watt adjustable heater

And since I keep accidentally hitting "Post" or "Save". Let me end this here and continue in a second post om this thread before I royally screw something up.
 
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Auquanut

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Well. If you don't mind a little constructive criticism, that tank looks a little... AWESOME! It's not easy maintaining the smaller tanks. Gonna need some details.

Oh. On a side note, when do you start working on the 300+ gallon tank? :)
 

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I guess first off, if you haven't seen me around....what, you been living under a rock?

Jokes aside, my name is Rudy (insert obligatory "Hi Rudy!!" like this is some introductory AA meeting). I have been keeping aquariums since, well, since my parents first got me one when I was 3 years old, so about 29 years. However, up until November 2018 it had always been fresh water tanks. But in November 2018, a LFS O frequented was going out of business, so they were selling all their stock on clearance. So I purchased a Corallife16 Gallon Biocube and stand. And thus started my first Saltwater Reef Tank. Here is a pic as it currently is.

15781840290205270594709121421129.jpg

Unfortunately, as you can plainly see from the picture...I am out of room for corals. Luckily (now comes the main reason for this build thread), I remembered that I have an unused 10 gallon in my closet. Seen here
I hope that 10 is a typo and you meant 100 ;) Looking nice.
 
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El_Guapo13

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Speaking of royally screwing things up... I may e sorta kinda accidentally broke the two brackets that came with the AIO kit. Luckily. They broke in a way that I could rig them up temporarily while I wait for another bracket thatvI ordered to come in. I also made sure to weigh the AIO box down with rocks, and there is a magnet holding it in place too.

So crisis temporarily avoided lol

Now the main issue for the moment....I can't decide how to aquascape my rocks.

Here is what I am trying to decide between right now:
A)
20200104_170754.jpg

B)
20200104_175426.jpg

C) (really just B but with 2 more rocks on top)
20200104_175503.jpg


Any opinions on these would be nice, especially since I am indecisive as heck.
 
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El_Guapo13

El_Guapo13

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Well. If you don't mind a little constructive criticism, that tank looks a little... AWESOME! It's not easy maintaining the smaller tanks. Gonna need some details.

Oh. On a side note, when do you start working on the 300+ gallon tank? :)
As soon as I win the jackpot at a casino. :p
 
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El_Guapo13

El_Guapo13

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I personally like option A. I think that it gives you plenty of room for coral and for fish to feel same.
Yeah I should probably see how B and C look in the tank. But I am eating right now, so maybe in 10 to 20 minutes I will repost those 2 with in tank shots.
 
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El_Guapo13

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Sand and rocks are in now. Just need to decide on one thing before I add water. Here is how it looks.
20200105_193600.jpg


But, I have two more rocks that are not attached to this glorious masterpiece (if you disagree that it is glorious, I reject your reality and substitute my own). I can put them on as they fit snuggly in place without me needing to worry about them following. If I do, the scape looks like this
20200105_193640.jpg

So it just adds a few more inches up top and more flat space. Opinions before I add water and turn this baby on?
 

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I like number two. And by that I mean picture number two, not the gastronomical number two. :D Looks great. Get it wet!
 
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El_Guapo13

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And the cycling begins, with cloudy water lol. I will mount the light tomorrow, right now I am waiting on the bracket I had ordered to come in, so my makeshift temporary one is taking up too much space for me to mount the light. Also I need to see if I have drill bits and a drill so I can mount my contoller and manifold for the light. If not, then at least it isnt the first time I have had to brute force screws into the wall.
15782793319608443974230277556533.jpg
 
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El_Guapo13

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Should also mention that the pump is super silent. Thank god. Last thing I need is something else that is noisy as heck in my room at night in addition to my brother's dog.

Yes, my brother's dog sleeps with me and my dogs in my room instead of sleeping with my brother. Granted since my brother broke up with his girlfriend he now spends only half his time here, and the other half at our parent's house when it is his turn to look after their kid (they take turns, him on Monday and Wednesday, her on Tuesday and Thursday, and switch off weekends). But even when my brother is here, his dog sleeps with me. And snores. And fluffs his bed, or my carpet. And bumps his head on my box spring when he sleeps under my bed. And &!%@# slaps me with his giant paws when he wants to go outside. Maybe I will post pictures of the goofball later. The dog. Not my brother.
 
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El_Guapo13

El_Guapo13

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Got the new bracket in, mounted the light manifold and control unit, and put light on tank. Since I am just cycling right now, I will leave the light off and I will mess with the settings once cycling ends. Some pics with the light on.
Daytime setting
20200106_201327.jpg

Dusk setting
20200106_201356.jpg

Lunar setting
20200106_201336.jpg


Next update probably won't be until cycling is finished sometime 4 to 8 weeks from now. So I will see you all elsewhwere in the forums until then.
 
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El_Guapo13

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I guess I lied about not updating until next month. I was thinking originally that my first corals would be mushrooms of some sort. Well, I was wrong. Instead my first 8 frags will be an assortment of Zoas, courtesy of @The Aquatic Arsenal that I just won in their most recent raffle. So thanks @The Aquatic Arsenal and thank you good luck (for once)!!
 
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El_Guapo13

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Quick update. The zoas I won from the raffle held by @The Aquatic Arsenal came in this morning and are sitting in my 16 gallon on a frag rack until I finish cycling my 10 gallon. At which point I will move at least 6 of the 8 into it. I might keep 1 or 2 in my 16 gallon. Just gotta decide where to put them. Will post pics once they've opened up. Btw, one of the frags came with some peacful hitchhikers... baby feather dusters.
 
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El_Guapo13

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Quick update. The zoas I won from the raffle held by @The Aquatic Arsenal came in this morning and are sitting in my 16 gallon on a frag rack until I finish cycling my 10 gallon. At which point I will move at least 6 of the 8 into it. I might keep 1 or 2 in my 16 gallon. Just gotta decide where to put them. Will post pics once they've opened up. Btw, one of the frags came with some peacful hitchhikers... baby feather dusters.
Also I think one of the larger frags came with 2 additional polyps, which seeing as how they are colored differently and are considerably larger than the rest of the polyps on the frags...I think they might be Palys of some sort.
15793018927057216608140034456366.jpg
 

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