20g Metal Halide nano cube.

[X-37B]

This is a reboot of my old 20g nano cube that inspired me to go leds on all my systems.
Prior to this I was all halides.

Hamilton 150watt de fixture
I will be running 14 Aquaticlife bulbs. I have many 150's but want to use a new 14k. Plus they were only $20.

I used some old tslot from my 120 bulid to hang it. I dont like the hangers but its what I had.

Fixture is 14" from the glass to the water surface.

I am going to set the rock on a 15x12x1.5" rack. I use these in my 80.

Tank will be bare bottom.

Rock will be from my 45's sump.

The 3 baskets in the sump that came from the nano. They are full of bacteria and sponge.

I dont expect any cycle.

I will run the halides for 9 hrs.

This will be a 90% acro tank.

2 gal water change once a month.

Esv 2 part.

DSR ez trace.

Rox carbon.

Phosphate media when needed.

No skimmer.

No heater as room runs 79-80 for the snakes.

Tunze ato in a 5g bucket

Tunze cooling fan.

Jebao ow-25 powerhead.

More to come as I get this going

 

[Fishrocker1]

Awesome setup! Not many people opt to use halides these days. Especially for such a small application.

 

[X-37B]

Awesome setup! Not many people opt to use halides these days. Especially for such a small application.

I am doing it to compair the results to the old nano led build.
Just showimg what the halides can do in a similar system that ran leds.

Corals will all be from my current systems so it will be an interesting run.

I expect similar results with the halide but faster growth.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Excited to see this happen!!

 

[Kfactor]

following

 

[CrunchyBananas]

Aggressive, I like it

 

[X-37B]

This is a pic with the 20k that I ran before. Its very white in color.

 

[Wasabiroot]

This is a perfect setup for halides. All the benefits and less cost with the smaller footprint. Following!

 

[Midrats]

Cool little tank, but you can't just say snakes, I wanna see!

 

[Smite]

Looking forward to the progression. It'll be cool to see if there is any difference at all. Would you say you run your LEDS about the same visual spectrum as the MH?


I second the snakes question, haha. I've got a couple myself.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Liking the tank so far!!

 

[BranchingHammer]

Excited to see the results!! Awesome build!

 

[X-37B]

Looking forward to the progression. It'll be cool to see if there is any difference at all. Would you say you run your LEDS about the same visual spectrum as the MH?


I second the snakes question, haha. I've got a couple myself.

The 16hds have a similar look to the halides. The xr15 blues are a different animal.
So far I like the look and growth im getting with both.

 

[X-37B]

Snakes are my wifes hobby.
She has a mexican black king snake, regular ball python, albino ball, and a columbian red tail boa morph.
She has had up to 16 snakes at one time.
Just took these.

 

[X-37B]

Here is a pic of the nano I took down after 8 months for reference.

 

[Paulandreti]

very nice project! I would say that heat would be a little challenge but seems like you have experience with it.

hope to see pictures of it as it progresses.

Paulandreti

 

[X-37B]

very nice project! I would say that heat would be a little challenge but seems like you have experience with it.

hope to see pictures of it as it progresses.

Paulandreti

Heat should not be an issue from the light. Never had an issue before. I will run the Tunze fan as the old nano was 80-82° with no issues. I got the Tunze fan late in the tanks life and it dropped the temp to 78°.
The room stays 79-80.

 

[X-37B]

Ok here we go.
Light is 12" from the surface now.
Will do 7 hrs to start.
14k bulb.

5 pieces of live rock from my 45's sump.
Rocks sitting on 15x12x1.5 rack.
I piece of branching coral.
3 baskets. 2 eheim substrate pro.
1 matrix.

Ow-25 for flow
Tunze return
Tunze ato
Tunze fan

Will run carbon in a bag.
Phosgaurd when needed.

May run A4R but not decided yet.
Esv strontium
DSR ez trace

2g WC once a month.

Added a few tester frags.

 

[X-37B]

I took the branching rock out.
Could not keep it steady as its pure cement and heavy.
Also took out the rock that had 7 purple shrooms. Scraped them off and back in.
Today I added 13 frags.
Several fresh cuts to thin out the 80.
Also added my jedi mind trick on its own rock and a orange monti also on its own rock.
Corals
Fresh cut
Green slimer
Blue stag
Army stag
Surf and Turf
ASD rainbow milli
All others are on plugs glued down.
Oregon Tort
Meller Yeller
2 green acros unknown
Purrple tip branching
Odd growth green
Palleta yellow tip BC
Acroberry BC

Oregon tort frag and slimeball on side rack.

Temp 77
SG 1.0265
Alk 7
Ca 440
Mag 1350
No3 <5
Po4 .05

Halide on for 9 hrs.

Lets see what this halide nano can do!

 

[Midrats]

Looking great! Packed with corals from the get go. That's the way to do it. I like the little shelf/rack, where did you get that?