D's Reef Spooky Low Boy

[D'sreef]

Welcome to my tank #2, It's a used lowboy that a LFS was using at trade shows. Roughly 17 gallon capacity. Originally wasn't planning on starting this tank now, but a fish rescue required other wise. Current equipment for this extremely cheap budget build is as follows: Hygger mini controllable wave maker HG172-6W, imaginarum in aquarium filter for up to 10 gallon aquariums, as Hitauing 300w heater the same as on my other tank, mifos ATO, and 2 nicrew clipon lights. Current occupants is 1 sick Damsel and by some magic, some "mini tronchus" snails that manage to hitchhike from my other aquarium.

 

[P-Dub]

Nice! Thanks for rescuing the little guy. It's amazing how some of these unintended builds end up being something spectacular despite our best efforts.

 

[D'sreef]

Nice! Thanks for rescuing the little guy. It's amazing how some of these unintended builds end up being something spectacular despite our best efforts.

I hope it does well, it has shown improvements. It's not breathing heavy or lethargic anymore.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along!

 

[D'sreef]

Weekly update:
Tank cycled and showed steady nitrates at around 10 (salifert), and my handy dandy ammonia test strips (cheaper than using regent when cycling) is showing undetectable. Our little fish buddy is eating and getting use to the aquarium finally. He is currently eating from a turkey baster as I slowly lure him out of his preferred hiding place directly under the heater or the rock beside it. He is beginning to come out a little as I approach the tank, so improvement, and he is very fast. As small as this tank is, I hope its not an issue for this damsel, though for a small capacity tank the foot print is as large as a 29 gallon, ehhh. Temp is a steady 77 degrees, I transferred all the frags I had from my main tank to this one, and almost immediately the zoas began to look better, the 2 GSP looks very happy, 1 tiny mushroom, bambam zoas, 2 kenya trees, and a misc zoa that was having trouble in the other tank. I'll probably move the purple people eaters over here as well if they don't show improvement. Next week will probably do a complete parameter check, but right now if it looks good don't mess with it right. I will load a photo or two from my phone in a minute (3 days later).

 

[D'sreef]

Yay they worked

 

[D'sreef]

Weekly update, so due to some technical issues I moved all my Pandoras, my devil hand, my purple people eater to this tank. The rescued fish looks 100 times better and is now at least recognized be as the food human and will come out to see me. I also threw the Kenya tree frags in the low boy. All the transfered corals look better than they did after all the stressful events of the other aquarium. I would like to add another fish to this aquarium to increase the waste output, but don't know what would do good with the Damsel and a shallow topless tank. I believe this tank will become a fun softies grow out tank. I am excited for this little tank

 

[D'sreef]

Weekly update, not much here for this aquarium. The Damsel is doing fantastic. Some of the zoas I was having issues with are improving, maybe. I also think I found part of the issues with some starfish. I did get with @tbrown to help me with an ATO issue. He designed me a hang on box to reduce the water movement hopefully ending in more stable salinty. Now just got to find the time to fix my 3d printer, and print it. Got rid of the Kenya frags and the devil hand leather, and in return picked up a Sunkiss mushroom and a monti for the other tank. Have a great week everyone.

 

[D'sreef]

It's been a hot minute since I updated this, so here we go. I attempted to put my poor rescue in my main tank with the unfortunate outcome of my clowns bullying the poor thing almost instantly. Took three days to catch and put him back in this tank. So it is now his forever home. All the zoas and palys that had issues pretty much died off at this point. So, I decided I am going to try to make this shallow tank an sps tank and I made a 29 gallon sump to use as a macro algae grow out for this little 17 gallon tank. I used an existing pump I had and moved the wave maker over to my main tank. I built a 3/4" pvc over the edge syphon, and plumbed the return with 1/2" PVC getting me around 300 or so gallons an hour flow. I also stabbed myself and earned a trip to the ER during the build process with a pocket knife. I used PVC sheeting and silicone for the sump baffles. I upgraded the light to a smart light that allows me to control all the spectrums individually, monitor temps, and set a lighting schedule. I am planning on using the little nicrews I was using to grow the macro. I want to do two different types, suggestions are welcome. Thanks D

 

[D'sreef]

He has chose violence, and will not let the thermometer stay on the glass

 

[D'sreef]

So update almost a month later. So it's been very busy, crashed the tank killed all the inverts and barely save the damsel by placing him for a couple of days in a piece of drilled Tupperware in my other tank. Unknown cause. Did a massive water change. A few weeks later and said damsel is attacking me every chance it gets. Bought some corals for this tank 5 frags for $100 at my lfs. I got a candy cane, Duncan, 2 hammers, and some sps that I am clueless about. Removed the hammers from this tank bc they did not seem happy. I also added a mushroom frag from my other tank. So far so good. I do need to replace my cuc in this tank now that I am sure all of them died.

 

[D'sreef]

So the hammers and Duncan have been relocated to my 40 gallon, they did not seem to like the low boy at all. The Candy cane, sps and some GSP seem to love it though. Mr damsel is 100% back, to the point he chooses violence with anything I put in the tank, turkey baster, my hand, the thermometer, and ect. I am probably going to my LFS to "investigate" this $15 frag sale he has going on. I am sure I won't find anything . The chaeto is not growing at all in the sump I made for this tank, but all the other algae does great. So it is still effective? Watch out for two new build threads coming up as well. I'll have them attached to my signature as well. My fish room/ office is now maxed out at four tanks.

 

[D'sreef]

Today's LFS buys $15 each, great additions to this little tank.

 

[D'sreef]

Photo update, and something completely demolished my chalice the other night.

 

[Airedale Reef]

The dimensions of this tank caught my eye - out of the four that you have set up, this one is my personal fave.

 

[D'sreef]

The dimensions of this tank caught my eye - out of the four that you have set up, this one is my personal fave.

Thank you it's definitely been fun so far.

 

[D'sreef]

Me and this damsel are not getting along. He has recently began to dig in the substrate and cover everything coral and all in sand. When I go to use anything to clean the sand off, he begins to attack it/me.

 

[D'sreef]

Update removed most of the corals other than some GSP from the tank. There is definitely something that's irritating them on this tank. I rediped them and transferred them to the 40 gallon and the larger fluval. Hopefully I will see some improvement. I am assuming some of the hydroids were irritating them as well as some clear ish worms that are in the substrate. I definitely got stung by something when I moved them. I also imagine the damselfish constantly throwing sand on them didn't help either.