Stasher's 20g Reef

[Stasher]

I wanted to build up a nice small tank for the upstairs for some mushrooms and softies. I decided a 20 would be a good size so I bought my brother's used 20. I wanted as little hanging in the tank or over it so I decided a drilled tanks would be perfect. I ordered some 3/4" diamond hole saws off Ebay for $10 including shipping. I wanted good lighting but not MH so I found a 24" Coralife aqualight 2x65w PC with legs for $60 including shipping on ReefCentral. I was going to go with a sump but figured it would be too much of a hassle on the 20 and have seen a trend on no protein skimmers or sumps on some smaller tanks in some Nano discussion groups, therefore I decided to go with a canister steup. I picked up a Rena XP3 off Ebay for $175 after shipping/duty. In the filter I will only be running Chemipure, Black Diamond carbon and Seachem phosguard. I picked up a stand at Petsmart that was perfect for it and was really cheap, not to mention it matches my entertainment stand and dining room set. I added 15lbs of Carib-Sea aragonite for my sandbed. I filled the tank with water entirely from my 120 as well as the old chemipure and carbon bags from my 120's sump for an "instant" cycle. I will move over about 10lbs LR from my 120 in a day or two.

Here is the tank that inspired my design....
http://haaga.aqua-web.org/Nano/index.htm
And here is a recent RC discussion that helped my change in plans...
http://http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=741959

[Stasher]

Here are some pics to get things rolling....I will keep things up to date as they progress.


http://users.accesscomm.ca/stasher/20reef1.jpg

http://users.accesscomm.ca/stasher/20reef2.jpg

http://users.accesscomm.ca/stasher/20reef3.jpg

http://users.accesscomm.ca/stasher/20reef4.jpg

[Stasher]

Tank shot, I filled the tank last night. This is at lunch today, 12 hours after the cloud storm :)


http://users.accesscomm.ca/stasher/20reef5.jpg

[Invigor]

ya know, I don't know what it is, but I keep my lights on when the tank's empty too..not sure why, it's not like it needs it lol

primo job on the drilling :D

[Stasher]

After practicing on my 10gallon for the first hole the ones on the 20 were a snap, took about 20 seconds each to do. The tuik tape was there as a water dam, I filled the area with water wo keep the bit drilling nicely. I taped the inside of the hole as well to keep the glass from falling after it was cut. I used my drill press which made the process easier than I thought.

[Quinster]

:spin: Great Job!! :spin:

[Fish Head]

Nice job. Cant wait to see something in there. Might do a order this week, days off start friday.

[I found Nemo]

Does that green sticker on the bottom say tempered glass?....now is that for only the bottom or the whole tank?

[Stasher]

This is now back from the dead, my 20gallon is now back up and running.

I have a Rena XP3 running on the tank for polishing, carbon and chemipure. I then am using the drilled holes for the drain and return to my 25 gallon sump which came off the 120g tank that I just shut down. In the sump I am running a Mag9 for my return pump and have a RemoraPro skimmer taking care of clean-up. The tank sits on a small stand and the hoses go through the wall to my furnace room where the sump is located.

I am after a simple tank that still appeals to me, SPS was soooo demanding and hopefully I don't get the bug to grow them again. I see zoos, rocordias and similar softies in my future.

So far I have just enough sand to cover the bottom. A large 10-15lb rock center piece, a few small pieces with corals attached. I have a few Kenya trees, toadstool leathers, small zoo colony, few star polyp colonies and some cabbage coral. In my sump I have some coral rumble for the little critters to feel at home.

I am currently robbing my brothers PC light until I get a new T5 fixture. I can't decide on the Sunlight Supply New Wave or Tek light fixture, don't know why one is double the price.

[dustin]

Do you have any pics of the current setup?

[Stasher]

I have done a few more mods....

I decided to remove the canister filter, don't want to risk me being lazy and neglecting to clean it....Nitrates me no like :)

I have 2 Hydor Koralia 1 powerheads for flow.
(1 from Pat's and 1 from Prairie Reef)

I have a Eco396 slightly dialed back for my return pump, probably about 160gph after head loss and approx restriction on valve.
(from Prairie Reef)

I currently have a nano skimmer box for my overflow drain coming from glass-holes.com

I am running a SunBlaze 4 bulb 24" T5HO fixture with 2 Geissman Aquablue Plus bulbs and 2 Geissman Actinic plus bulbs.
(from Prairie Reef)

I am running an AquaC Remora skimmer in the sump and have a Phosban Reactor running with Carbon. I have a small clump of cheato and some macroalgae in the sump as well.
(skimmer and reactor from JL)

I have roughly 30lbs Fiji and misc live rock.
(originally from JL)

I have a good assortment of cerith, astrea, nassarius and margarita snails. I have a few red scarlet hermits and of course the blue boys. I have a cleaner shrimp, 2 small damsels, emerald crab, cleaner wrasse and spotted goby demoted to the sump because he loves eating my snails!

The tank is becoming a zoo and paly tank. Things have been growing very well. I have a large order arriving thursday so I will put up some new shots this weekend.

[Stasher]

Still waiting on my nano-box overflow and last coral order but I figured I would share some pictures.

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l202/Stasher00/Saltwater%20Tank/DSC_0015.jpg

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l202/Stasher00/Saltwater%20Tank/DSC_0025.jpg

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l202/Stasher00/Saltwater%20Tank/DSC_0027.jpg

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l202/Stasher00/Saltwater%20Tank/DSC_0157.jpg

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l202/Stasher00/Saltwater%20Tank/DSC_0174.jpg

[Stasher]

Re-arranged and put my monster order of zoos from Fragalot in the tank.
Here is my favorite zoo.....they're call Magicians.
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l202/Stasher00/Saltwater%20Tank/DSC_0009_2.jpg
And a FTS....I noticed my Finger and toadstool are retracted from the hermits on them, otherwise it looks good.
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l202/Stasher00/Saltwater%20Tank/DSC_0018_2.jpg

[Dripline]

Gorgeous!

I'm glad the shipment from Burc made it - even with the cold. Looking forward to getting our order next week...

I'm ready for a little tropical colour about now...

[shroom]

Sweet tank in such a short time,very nice job.It's going to be a jungle,in no time.

[Fish Head]

looks good as usual. Im going to stop by and look some nite

[Fragalot]

Magicians looking good ;)

[Stasher]

Tank is rocking along nicely....Coraline is growing everywhere now and I am seeing terrific polyp extension on all my pieces.

I am having one typical issue.... a couple small patches of hair algae I can't beat.

I keep tank at 79' and salinity is 1.025. Lights on for 10hrs. 10g water change every week (total volume is only about 30g). Phosban reactor with carbon and phosguard changed weekly. Only 2 small damsels which get fed sparingly. Boatload of snails, crabs and an emerald crab. Skimmer on system as well.

The algae did come from my old system but figured the new setup would lead to its demise.

Any new tricks? Is the lights off for 2 days a viable stunt in algae battle?

[CrazyFish]

What I can see, you dont need to have your lights on for 10hours, I would slowly back the lighting off. Start by running for 9hours.

[TJSlayer]

Very nice looking....

[Stasher]

What I can see, you dont need to have your lights on for 10hours, I would slowly back the lighting off. Start by running for 9hours.

Step #1....Check