Budget minimalist clown/nem tank

ClownWrangler

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I have been playing around with small budget setups (under 30g) for a couple years now but don't really have any build thread because none are "display tanks" per say. After various methods, I have finally come up with the simplest. cost effective setup for a basic clown/nem tank that works well. The reason I am taking the budget tank approach is because I love clowns and nems and found they do best in separate tanks as some varieties don't mix well.

This isn't the most impressive build thread, but I thought I would share for those who are after a budget tank that works. I have a similar setup that has been running for over a year without issue, the only difference is that there is Chaeto in the HOB (Aquaclear 70 for a 20 gallon with 6 BTA and 4 clowns) instead of gracilaria. I may do that with this tank if the gracilaria cant keep up, or just add more garacaria, maybe some palm caulerpa. Its doing well so far at one month. I have some dwarf ceriths I will throw in in a month or so when there is algae for them to feed on. They are in QT.

Standard 10 gallon tank (Petco $ per gallon sale) $10
NICREW ClassicLED Marine Aquarium light $42
Aquaclear 30 HOB $33
50 watt heater $15
AQUANEAT sponge filter $8

CaribSea Arag-Alive Hawaiian Black Aquarium Gravel, 20Lb (used 10 lb) $18
Live rock $100

Stock
Premium nem pack from LA $385
-Watermelon BTA
-Ultra color tip green BTA
-Ultra white tip BTA
-Ocellaris clown
Additional snowflake clown $60
2 portions "flame" gracilaria algae from LFS $40



Total:
Equipment and supplies $226
Livestock $485
Total $711


Notice that bulk of cost is premium livestock, you can easily have an OK nem/clown tank for under $350

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The lighting is a mix of natural day light, ambient light from nearby T5s and the generic light bar. I run the 20Watt light bar for 12 hours with white channel on at 70% from 10am to 4PM and the blue channel at 80% from 2PM to midnight. Note that Red macro needs white light, otherwise it will not grow well. I also found that too much light makes it turn orange (which can look cool). You need to find a balance of white for the macro, with enough additional blue for the nems.

Tank 2:
Snowflake pair and Arizona Sunburst BTA
Similar setup but with Nicrew SkyLED Plus feshwater tank light. (Blue is run at 100% and white at 20% as 100% was too much for gracilria and nem)

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Tank 3:
Cinnamon pair and Black Widow BTAs

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ClownWrangler

ClownWrangler

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Tank #4:

20 gallon long
Aquaclear 70 with chaeto
Aquaknight V2 light and Asta S20
small 6 watt grow light for chaeto

This tank is over a year old. Clarkii pair recently introduced, black Ocellaris pair has bean in there for several months. There were others in the tank 8 months ago that got wiped out by velvet. The SLF crab and emerald crab ate all the macro algae I think. This is a "learning tank" that is doing quite well and established with a lot of coraline growth. No skimmer, just sponge filter and Chaeto for filtration. I cant remember the last time I did a water change. I just throw in some seachem marine buffer now and again when the pH starts to drop to give the coraline calcium and carbonate for growth.

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A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 63 36.6%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 34.3%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 24 14.0%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 15.1%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
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