First Nano (micro?) shallow reef

fib

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I joined R2R a year ago and finally decided to build my first reef tank.

Here is my idea. I saw a lot of videos about people installing a (relatively) small and shallow tank, without sump or skimmer. The idea is mainly to host soft corals, invertebrates and two clowfishes.

I ordered a shallow aquarium and will add the following material :
  • UNS 75s aquarium (75 cm long, 45 cm large and 30 cm high, 100 liters)
  • Two Red Sea ReefLed90 leds (second hand)
  • Two Tunze turbelle 6040 hub edition pumps
  • A Seachem x Sicce Tidal 35 filter (used as a surface skimmer and filled with Seachem matrix carbon and purigen)
  • A Tunze Osmolator 3 nano
  • Chihiros dosing pumps (had it already from a freshwater tank, 4 pumps version)
  • Eheim Thermopreset 50w
The rocks will be from Arka (MyReef Rocks) and the sand from CaribSea (Aragalive Fiji pink).

I'll post a picture when it's ready. Whats do you think of the idea?
 
Last edited:
Following along!
 
I’m a sucker for soft coral and clownfish! Looking forward to seeing the first photos!
 
Everything is in place. Here are some updates.
  1. The Seachem Tidal 35 is a bit small, you can't put a lot of media in it. But for carbon and purigen, it's enough. The pump is a bit noisy, but it will settle with time.
  2. The Tunze 6040 is a beast. I finally ordered a single one to push water through the tank. At half it's power it already does an excellent job! The interface is a bit clumsy, but the control from a web browser works well.
  3. The Tunze 3 nano osmolator works just fine. The pump is nearly silent and the whole system is really plug and play.
The rocks where glued together using superglue and padding. I like the Fiji pink sand from CaribSea. It's fine grade but not enough to create sand storms (but what a mess at the beginning, see picture).

The lights aren't in place since I plan to cycle the tank without them. I dose Seachem Stability and now let's wait!
 

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Everything is in place. Here are some updates.
  1. The Seachem Tidal 35 is a bit small, you can't put a lot of media in it. But for carbon and purigen, it's enough. The pump is a bit noisy, but it will settle with time.
  2. The Tunze 6040 is a beast. I finally ordered a single one to push water through the tank. At half it's power it already does an excellent job! The interface is a bit clumsy, but the control from a web browser works well.
  3. The Tunze 3 nano osmolator works just fine. The pump is nearly silent and the whole system is really plug and play.
The rocks where glued together using superglue and padding. I like the Fiji pink sand from CaribSea. It's fine grade but not enough to create sand storms (but what a mess at the beginning, see picture).

The lights aren't in place since I plan to cycle the tank without them. I dose Seachem Stability and now let's wait!
Aquascape looks great in there!
 
Small update. The leds (2x Red Sea Reefled90) arrived and are clearly overkill, I won't really need them at 100% ;)
 

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Small update. The leds (2x Red Sea Reefled90) arrived and are clearly overkill, I won't really need them at 100% ;)
Looks great, so clean and sparkly.

It's always better to have the potential over kill lighting.
 
It has been almost two months, and it has been a fun journey. The CUC arrived (two herbivorous snails and a Nassarius), two clownfish arrived (they are really fun fishes, I can watch them for hours), so did the first corals (a Sarcopython leather, a clove polyps colony, a Collospongia). My Palythoa hitchhikers are doing fine. I got almost rid of my Bryopsis without doing much and my red planaria are almost in check. I got rid of a nudibranch, even if it was a nice guy (my daughter almost cried). I have a lot of microscopic amphipods running like crazy on rocks at night. My beautiful Atserina is still alone...

I don't really got yet through an ugly phase, maybe thank to live rock, live sand and some magic (BEA aquaculutre bio boost).
 

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I know this is an older thread, but curious your thoughts on the 6040. Would a single unit be sufficient?
 

ARE YOU READY TO CONFESS TO CRAZIEST, DUMBEST, FUNNIEST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE IN REEFING?

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