- Joined
- Jan 16, 2017
- Messages
- 154
- Reaction score
- 235
Established: October 2017
Disclaimer: It's a long one! (that's what she said?)
Hello everyone!
My name is André, and I'm from the Azores (a somewhat hidden piece of paradise).
This is my second saltwater tank, but the first built on actual experience and purpose.
The goal of this tank (yet to be achieved) was to house a small species of Mantis Shrimp. Sadly, Capitan Hook died prematurely during a shipping misstep. Sad times.
Anyway, the tank is now an actual reef, and the mantis shrimp idea is on hold.
One main idea with this tank (coming from a 50g) was to reduce the equipment and maintenance needed and increase the overall enjoyment of the actual tank. In my case because I collect my own NSW that meant that reducing the total volume of the tank would have a pretty significant impact on the time put into my weekly routine.
Also, I wanted it to have a clean, minimalistic look and feel. Especially in a small tank that meant hiding the equipment, so an AIO became an obvious solution.
Finally, it had to be cheap. Unhappy wife would mean soon-to-be-dismantled tank xD. Bought some glass, aquarium safe silicone and some acrylic sheets. As I had access to a laser cutter from a jewelry store, all the pieces were custom made to fit the tank.
That being said, on to the original setup:
Equipment
Tank: DIY 11g AIO
Lighting: Chinese Par 38 LED Bulb
Circulation: Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5
Filtration: Filter floss, sponge and purigen
Temp Control: Small 50w heater
ATO: Tunze Nano Osmolator
Skimmer: Air stone diy water bottle skimmer
Corals
Utterchaos Zoas
Scrambled egg Zoas
Gorilla nipples Zoas
Playboybunny Zoas
Sunny D Zoas
Rastas Zoas
Orange Bam Bams Zoas
Ring of Fire Zoas
Blue Hornet Zoas
Purple Bee Zoas
Keds Reds Zoas
Red Hornet Zoas
Green Mushroom
————————–—————————————
Below, a visual time-line of some of the phases the tank went through until reaching its current state:
October 2017
Order from chaos...
Back of the AIO
Custom media basket
Finished!!
Acrilic top helped cut down evaporation and paved the way for the removal of the ATO.
November / December 2017
Used some friends rock to seed new one, but it started getting some bad air algae. Had no snails to counter it at the time.
Ricordea Florida
January - June 2018 - New rock structure made using reef glue added for a hair algae free start. This structure (or rather, part of it) would make it to present day!
One of the "legs" broke and the structure had to be adapted.
Tailspot Blenny, who sadly died a few days after coming in.
Counter to an aiptasia infestion I had to deal with. Sadly, he started eating my zoas and had to be moved :/
Tank born little trochus snail.
New additions! Couple clownfish, torch, montipora, digitata and hydnophora corals.
Top view
Side view
Simple "refugium" with some chaeto strands added to the back of the tank.
July 2018 - changes to lighting and circulation
AI Prime HD added!
Spin Stream arrived!
dang hitchhikers...
After light and flow adjustments
August 18
Tank shot
Close ups
Current Equipment
Tank: DIY 11g AIO
Lighting: Ai Prime HD
Circulation: Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5 + IM Spin Stream
Filtration: Filter floss, sponge and purigen
Temp Control: Small 50w heater
Skimmer: Tunze 9001
Current stock
- Occelaris Clownfish x 2
- Trochus Snails x 4
- Zoas (same as above)
- Blue, orange and green ricordeas
- Green and blue mushrooms
- Torch Euphyllia
- Red Montipora
- Pink Digitata
- Green Hydnophora
- Purple and green Clavularia
_____________________________________________
After a lot of changes and my fair share of challenges, I finally feel like this thing is on the right track.
Feel free to offer insight or ask questions.
Abraço, ffoott
Disclaimer: It's a long one! (that's what she said?)
Hello everyone!
My name is André, and I'm from the Azores (a somewhat hidden piece of paradise).
This is my second saltwater tank, but the first built on actual experience and purpose.
The goal of this tank (yet to be achieved) was to house a small species of Mantis Shrimp. Sadly, Capitan Hook died prematurely during a shipping misstep. Sad times.
Anyway, the tank is now an actual reef, and the mantis shrimp idea is on hold.
One main idea with this tank (coming from a 50g) was to reduce the equipment and maintenance needed and increase the overall enjoyment of the actual tank. In my case because I collect my own NSW that meant that reducing the total volume of the tank would have a pretty significant impact on the time put into my weekly routine.
Also, I wanted it to have a clean, minimalistic look and feel. Especially in a small tank that meant hiding the equipment, so an AIO became an obvious solution.
Finally, it had to be cheap. Unhappy wife would mean soon-to-be-dismantled tank xD. Bought some glass, aquarium safe silicone and some acrylic sheets. As I had access to a laser cutter from a jewelry store, all the pieces were custom made to fit the tank.
That being said, on to the original setup:
Equipment
Tank: DIY 11g AIO
Lighting: Chinese Par 38 LED Bulb
Circulation: Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5
Filtration: Filter floss, sponge and purigen
Temp Control: Small 50w heater
ATO: Tunze Nano Osmolator
Skimmer: Air stone diy water bottle skimmer
Corals
Utterchaos Zoas
Scrambled egg Zoas
Gorilla nipples Zoas
Playboybunny Zoas
Sunny D Zoas
Rastas Zoas
Orange Bam Bams Zoas
Ring of Fire Zoas
Blue Hornet Zoas
Purple Bee Zoas
Keds Reds Zoas
Red Hornet Zoas
Green Mushroom
————————–—————————————
Below, a visual time-line of some of the phases the tank went through until reaching its current state:
October 2017
Order from chaos...
Back of the AIO
Custom media basket
Finished!!
Acrilic top helped cut down evaporation and paved the way for the removal of the ATO.
November / December 2017
Used some friends rock to seed new one, but it started getting some bad air algae. Had no snails to counter it at the time.
Ricordea Florida
January - June 2018 - New rock structure made using reef glue added for a hair algae free start. This structure (or rather, part of it) would make it to present day!
One of the "legs" broke and the structure had to be adapted.
Tailspot Blenny, who sadly died a few days after coming in.
Counter to an aiptasia infestion I had to deal with. Sadly, he started eating my zoas and had to be moved :/
Tank born little trochus snail.
New additions! Couple clownfish, torch, montipora, digitata and hydnophora corals.
Top view
Side view
Simple "refugium" with some chaeto strands added to the back of the tank.
July 2018 - changes to lighting and circulation
AI Prime HD added!
Spin Stream arrived!
dang hitchhikers...
After light and flow adjustments
August 18
Tank shot
Close ups
Current Equipment
Tank: DIY 11g AIO
Lighting: Ai Prime HD
Circulation: Sicce Syncra Silent 1.5 + IM Spin Stream
Filtration: Filter floss, sponge and purigen
Temp Control: Small 50w heater
Skimmer: Tunze 9001
Current stock
- Occelaris Clownfish x 2
- Trochus Snails x 4
- Zoas (same as above)
- Blue, orange and green ricordeas
- Green and blue mushrooms
- Torch Euphyllia
- Red Montipora
- Pink Digitata
- Green Hydnophora
- Purple and green Clavularia
_____________________________________________
After a lot of changes and my fair share of challenges, I finally feel like this thing is on the right track.
Feel free to offer insight or ask questions.
Abraço, ffoott