- Joined
- Aug 30, 2019
- Messages
- 250
- Reaction score
- 367
Hi everyone
Time to start a new tank.
A bit of background first.
I started reefing about 13 or 14 years ago during my Bachelor degree. The wife and I liked it so much that we decided to open a company to produce ornamental fish. While great things came out of that, unfortunately the economic crises would last for longer than we anticipated so we had to close the company and leave our home country. However, the experience and knowledge gained during those 2/3 years was invaluable and would guide a lot (if not all) of my professional life up to this point. I spent the next years working in the aquaculture and research sector, as a technician, research assistant and plenty of other adventures, all connected to fish breeding, systems and aquaculture. Unfortunately during most of this time I was unable to keep a tank.
Two years ago the wife and I bought a house, so we were finally able to start a tank (IM SR80, photo below) which has been a mixed adventures (plenty of self-inflicted lows including almost a year of fighting dinos. Some post about that in the forum).
At the end of last year I got my own office at work and start to think about adding a small nano to it. A lot of the inspiration for the research I do still comes from reef tanks, so it made good sense. However, due to the ongoing on and off due to covid I decided to wait.
Earlier this year we added a CBB to our home tank. Didn’t eat for 2 days, at the 3th was eating frozen fine, at the 4th all acans were closed….. Yep, he likes acans….
The acans went in to protective custody
So, prefect timing (and excuse ) to start the tank in the office and transfer the acans
The tank in question will be a Waterbox peninsula 15 mini. It need to be small so I can take it home in case covid causes some more unforeseen issues at work. Plus, I always wanted to try my hand at a nano, so it was a perfect combo.
The tank will be stock with mostly corals from our tank at home (the above mentioned acans, plating monti, echinata lamelosa, seriatopora and maybe some zooas). The idea is to add them slowly and see how corals are reacting.
Other stock will probably include a pair of Ocellari clows (standard orange) and a cleaner shrimp, as well as some clean-up crew.
Now, as mentioned before I do research in aquaculture so I have easy access to natural seawater. Our home tank was started with natural sea water and during that time it grew all corals really well (mainly sps). However, after lots of issues caused by restarting the tank with dry rock, and in a bid to reduce potential sources of issues, we transitioned to artificial water (tropic marin pro).
This nano tank will be again with natural sea water. Alkalinity will have to be adjusted before water changes (normally its about 6.7) and calcium and magnesium also tend to be on the low side, but time (and corals) will tell if I adjust them or leave them be.
Overall, the objective with this tank is for it to be simple and based on water changes for maintenance and nutrient control. When on holidays I will probably have to ask a colleague to take care of it, so it should be simple. So no skimmers or ATS.
Feeding of the fish will be done with pellets once a day to keep nutrient load low.
A lot of the equipment will be DIY and I will probably do an individual post for each of the DIY pieces of equipment with some more explanation. I will also update the equipment list if something changes.
Currently waiting on the delivery of the aquarium (hopefully tomorrow or the day after) so I can get it wet, as all remaining equipment is ready to go.
Hopefully, this will be a smother jorney than the one at the home aquarium
Cheers
Equipment list
Waterbox peninsula 15 mini
DIY stand
Light – DIY 28 3w led
Return pump – Tunze Silence 1073.008
Eheim thermopreset 50w
InkBird ITC-308 wifi
DIY ATO using an Arduino as controller
Tunze care magnet nano
DIY screen top
Future Equipment list
If/when I need additional flow I will add either a Jebao SOW 4 that I already have, or potentially buy an Aqua Medic Smartdrift 3.1
Dosing will be conducted via an Aquamedic EVO (also have already from previous adventures).
Tropic Marin All for Reef will be dosed if/when needed.
Filtration
Filter floss
Activated carbon in a bag
Maintenance
Planning on doing 20 to 25% water changes weekly using natural sea water. This may be increase or decrease if needed.
Cleaning glass when needed.
Cleaning sand if needed.
Tank Progress
Currently stand, lights, ATO, Aquascape are all ready. Waiting on the tank to arrive. Probably tomorrow.
Livestock Plans
Pair of ocellaris
Cleaner shrimp
CUC – turbos, trochus and nassarius.
Acans
Maibe some montiporas (plating and branching)
Seriatoporas (mainly caliendrum)
Echinata lamelosa
Zooas
Time to start a new tank.
A bit of background first.
I started reefing about 13 or 14 years ago during my Bachelor degree. The wife and I liked it so much that we decided to open a company to produce ornamental fish. While great things came out of that, unfortunately the economic crises would last for longer than we anticipated so we had to close the company and leave our home country. However, the experience and knowledge gained during those 2/3 years was invaluable and would guide a lot (if not all) of my professional life up to this point. I spent the next years working in the aquaculture and research sector, as a technician, research assistant and plenty of other adventures, all connected to fish breeding, systems and aquaculture. Unfortunately during most of this time I was unable to keep a tank.
Two years ago the wife and I bought a house, so we were finally able to start a tank (IM SR80, photo below) which has been a mixed adventures (plenty of self-inflicted lows including almost a year of fighting dinos. Some post about that in the forum).
At the end of last year I got my own office at work and start to think about adding a small nano to it. A lot of the inspiration for the research I do still comes from reef tanks, so it made good sense. However, due to the ongoing on and off due to covid I decided to wait.
Earlier this year we added a CBB to our home tank. Didn’t eat for 2 days, at the 3th was eating frozen fine, at the 4th all acans were closed….. Yep, he likes acans….
The acans went in to protective custody
So, prefect timing (and excuse ) to start the tank in the office and transfer the acans
The tank in question will be a Waterbox peninsula 15 mini. It need to be small so I can take it home in case covid causes some more unforeseen issues at work. Plus, I always wanted to try my hand at a nano, so it was a perfect combo.
The tank will be stock with mostly corals from our tank at home (the above mentioned acans, plating monti, echinata lamelosa, seriatopora and maybe some zooas). The idea is to add them slowly and see how corals are reacting.
Other stock will probably include a pair of Ocellari clows (standard orange) and a cleaner shrimp, as well as some clean-up crew.
Now, as mentioned before I do research in aquaculture so I have easy access to natural seawater. Our home tank was started with natural sea water and during that time it grew all corals really well (mainly sps). However, after lots of issues caused by restarting the tank with dry rock, and in a bid to reduce potential sources of issues, we transitioned to artificial water (tropic marin pro).
This nano tank will be again with natural sea water. Alkalinity will have to be adjusted before water changes (normally its about 6.7) and calcium and magnesium also tend to be on the low side, but time (and corals) will tell if I adjust them or leave them be.
Overall, the objective with this tank is for it to be simple and based on water changes for maintenance and nutrient control. When on holidays I will probably have to ask a colleague to take care of it, so it should be simple. So no skimmers or ATS.
Feeding of the fish will be done with pellets once a day to keep nutrient load low.
A lot of the equipment will be DIY and I will probably do an individual post for each of the DIY pieces of equipment with some more explanation. I will also update the equipment list if something changes.
Currently waiting on the delivery of the aquarium (hopefully tomorrow or the day after) so I can get it wet, as all remaining equipment is ready to go.
Hopefully, this will be a smother jorney than the one at the home aquarium
Cheers
Equipment list
Waterbox peninsula 15 mini
DIY stand
Light – DIY 28 3w led
Return pump – Tunze Silence 1073.008
Eheim thermopreset 50w
InkBird ITC-308 wifi
DIY ATO using an Arduino as controller
Tunze care magnet nano
DIY screen top
Future Equipment list
If/when I need additional flow I will add either a Jebao SOW 4 that I already have, or potentially buy an Aqua Medic Smartdrift 3.1
Dosing will be conducted via an Aquamedic EVO (also have already from previous adventures).
Tropic Marin All for Reef will be dosed if/when needed.
Filtration
Filter floss
Activated carbon in a bag
Maintenance
Planning on doing 20 to 25% water changes weekly using natural sea water. This may be increase or decrease if needed.
Cleaning glass when needed.
Cleaning sand if needed.
Tank Progress
Currently stand, lights, ATO, Aquascape are all ready. Waiting on the tank to arrive. Probably tomorrow.
Livestock Plans
Pair of ocellaris
Cleaner shrimp
CUC – turbos, trochus and nassarius.
Acans
Maibe some montiporas (plating and branching)
Seriatoporas (mainly caliendrum)
Echinata lamelosa
Zooas