# New Nano reef coming soon...



## Guest (Apr 4, 2010)

This is currently in developmental stages, and I'm still drawing up plans for the plumbing...

Sometime in September/Early November, I will be returning to marine fishkeeping. After weighing up my options and thinking from a practicality point of view, I need something that isn't too big, or too small to be sustained as a reef system.

Anyway, enough of that crap, down to the nitty gritty...

Tank size - 46 x 38 x 38cm Opti White custom Seabray main tank, 40mm bulkhead with 32mm drain to sump.

Cabinet - Either to be built by myself, Seabray or AC aquatics. Going by my DIY skills, I'll probably flub the whole thing up... 

Sump - 40 x 32 x 46cm custom-built sump (also made my Seabray), three compartments.

Lighting - Either a single 70w 14000K halide or a TMC AquaRay tile with additional LEDs. For the sump macro-algae, a single 11w Arcadia Arc pod.

Water movement - Sump return will consist of a single Eheim universal return pump, supplemented with an EcoTech marine VorTech MP10 on a controllable driver.

Heating - No idea, depends on what the lighting does.

Cooling - 1x modified PC fan.

Main Biological filtration - Live rock plus sand bed.

A few details on the sump plans I've scribbled down, I have two options:

1) Go with the standard Berlin method, utilising a protein skimmer and the usual chemical media.

2) Use the Leng Sy Ecosystem method using Miracle mud and Caulerpa/Chaetomorpha, I am leaning more towards this, as less equipment in the sump would mean a lower water temperature, and the electricity consumption would be lower, in my aim to keep this project as 'green' as possible.

Livestock:

2x Pink Skunk Clownfish (_Amphiprion perideraion_)
1x Clown Goby (_Gobiodon citrinellus_) or a small Basslet of some type.

Corals:

Yet to list my choices, standby for this. Certain SPS species (if I can get the system stable enough) and/or Rics would be the most obvious choices due to their sizes. LPS and Soft corals would be the last of my choices, as they would end up stinging each-other to death as they grow.

Mobile invertebrates:

The usual CNC (crabs, snails etc)
1x Peppermint shrimp to deal with Aiptasia anenomes, should they appear.

If I go down the metal halide route with the lighting, I could easily take on a small Tridacnid clam as the tank matures. The extra amount of micro-organisms provided by the Ecosystem filtration would in turn provide more food for filter feeders.

Other stuff I need to get my sticky digits on...

Refractometer
A new RO unit with a built-in Deionization pod
TDS meter
Test kits
Food
Algae scrapers
Substrate
Silicon sealant
Fish-safe plumbing
Egg crate
Quarantine equipment
Additives
Salt
Media bags (I found huge holes in the last ones I had)

I'll start getting hold of some equipment within the next couple of months.


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## Guest (Apr 4, 2010)

Also, a reason as to why I've decided on a fairly deep sump. This is not only to increase the system volume (and hence making it more stable), but to give the sump the capacity to take on excess water in the event of a pump or power failure.


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

What chemical media are you going to use in the sump and to remove what?
What lighting cycle are you going to use on your tank and sump?


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## Guest (Apr 5, 2010)

hawksport said:


> What chemical media are you going to use in the sump and to remove what?
> What lighting cycle are you going to use on your tank and sump?


Chemical media - A bag of Rowaphos and another small bag of carbon, if I go down the Berlin route. This would be changed every 2-3 weeks. I could also invest in a media reactor. If I use choose the Ecosystem method, no chemical media would be used on a regular basis.

Light cycle - This is a little bit more detailed, there are two ways of doing this.

1) If I choose the metal halide, the light will be run from 10am until 5pm, and four moonlight LEDs on between 4:30pm and 10:30am.

2) If I choose the LED tile, this will be on between 9am until 4:45pm, with the additional moonlight LEDs on between 4:30pm and 9:30am.

The metal halide photoperiod is shorter to reduce heat build-up.


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

Have you considered lighting the sump when the tank lights are off and vice versa. If you do this you will reduce heat and if you get the balance of light and macro algae in the sump and tank right you can prevent any ph changes due to photosyntheseis over a 24hr period. I started doing this about 15yrs ago and had an article published.


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## Inca's Mum (Apr 9, 2009)

Looks very technical to me, I'll just wait for pictures :001_cool:


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## Guest (Apr 5, 2010)

hawksport said:


> Have you considered lighting the sump when the tank lights are off and vice versa. If you do this you will reduce heat and if you get the balance of light and macro algae in the sump and tank right you can prevent any ph changes due to photosyntheseis over a 24hr period. I started doing this about 15yrs ago and had an article published.


With an Ecosystem-run tank, the sump is normally lit 24/7, however certain species of Caulerpa simply can't tolerate this and as a result, the algae starts to reproduce sexually. The single T5 compact over the sump shouldn't produce too much heat, unlike a halide bulb which would be right above the main tank. A simple ventilation grill and a fan in the cabinet will keep the temperature and humidity from evaporating water down.


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

Been thinking of doing a nano for a while now, might just do it after summer.
Nice and simple, live rock and a deep sand bed on a plenum got an old berlin skimmer and a 1060 to run it and an old 10k metal halide just need the tank and a heater.


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## Guest (Apr 5, 2010)

I've also just sent off an e-mail to ND aquatics for a quote on an 18" cube with a Beech cabinet.

This ought to be interesting...


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

I have a friend who is a glass merchant so I can build my own for free, just got to find the patience to drill the base for the sump


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