ratone
Community Member
Hey all!!
Can't say whether or not I'll be super active on updates here for my build, but I figured why not share my experience when I manage to remember!
I started this tank around a month ago (March 2025). It's a UNS 45A dual AIO tank, roughly 9gal total. I've had a handful of different tanks in the past (a 30gal, 40gal, 75gal, and a 120gal), as well as experience with saltwater aquarium care professionally in private and public aquarium settings. This is, however, my first time running a sub-10gal tank.
Day one was me piecing together the equipment and figuring out how to make this work on my computer desk without it being in the way. After slapping in some sand and water, this is how things looked on the first evening.
Running this system I have the following equipment:
After getting the system running I had put on order some live rock and sand from Tampa Bay Saltwater. I had some time to wait around with a mostly empty tank since delivery of the rock wasn't scheduled until mid-April.
But, I got impatient... I dosed some Turbostart and added a chunk of dry rock to add a little bit of interest to the tank. Over the last few weeks I've been slowly adding some low maintenance corals and a pair of clowns that I got from Clownfish Corral (amazing breeder and seller if anyone is looking for some clowns!). I haven't taken too many pictures of the tank up until this week, so there's not much of a visual progression that I can share here :downcast-face-with-sweat:
However this is the current state of the little system! A bit uncommon with a lot of tanks now, but I'm sure someone will point out how deep of a sand bed I went with here. I layered up some different kinds of substrate, starting with fine grain aragonite, then TBS live sand, and finally some little ReBorn to finish the look.
If anyone has specific questions or suggestions for additions to the tank just let me know, hope to get this thing filled up with life soon :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:
Can't say whether or not I'll be super active on updates here for my build, but I figured why not share my experience when I manage to remember!
I started this tank around a month ago (March 2025). It's a UNS 45A dual AIO tank, roughly 9gal total. I've had a handful of different tanks in the past (a 30gal, 40gal, 75gal, and a 120gal), as well as experience with saltwater aquarium care professionally in private and public aquarium settings. This is, however, my first time running a sub-10gal tank.
Day one was me piecing together the equipment and figuring out how to make this work on my computer desk without it being in the way. After slapping in some sand and water, this is how things looked on the first evening.
Running this system I have the following equipment:
- UNS 45A dual AIO
- Apex A3 Pro (I know this is a bit ridiculous but I had it from a previous build lol)
- Sicce Jolly Preset heaters x2 (went with underpowered wattages to help with how varied my rooms temperature is)
- Generic return pump, I can link the product page if anyone is actually interested
- Generic ATO system, same deal as above, will link if interested
- VCA RFG return nozzles on a Y-splitter
- AI Hydra Edge 44HD with a Printed Reef light shade
- *I potentially will be adding an old MP10 I have if flow becomes an issue in the future, but I have to buy a new wetside and I've been putting that off
After getting the system running I had put on order some live rock and sand from Tampa Bay Saltwater. I had some time to wait around with a mostly empty tank since delivery of the rock wasn't scheduled until mid-April.
But, I got impatient... I dosed some Turbostart and added a chunk of dry rock to add a little bit of interest to the tank. Over the last few weeks I've been slowly adding some low maintenance corals and a pair of clowns that I got from Clownfish Corral (amazing breeder and seller if anyone is looking for some clowns!). I haven't taken too many pictures of the tank up until this week, so there's not much of a visual progression that I can share here :downcast-face-with-sweat:
However this is the current state of the little system! A bit uncommon with a lot of tanks now, but I'm sure someone will point out how deep of a sand bed I went with here. I layered up some different kinds of substrate, starting with fine grain aragonite, then TBS live sand, and finally some little ReBorn to finish the look.
If anyone has specific questions or suggestions for additions to the tank just let me know, hope to get this thing filled up with life soon :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:
