Setting up another nano?
 

Hi guys, i haven't posted in a while but i'm in the mood to setup another nano. I have a 7gal bow now, going with a 10 gal this time. Just want some opinions on the light. I was going to use the same setup as my 7gal, 2 overdriven fluorescent bulbs. But i would like to use more power this time. Say a Workhorse 5, which would give me around 120 watts. Any other opinions or better choices? Thanks for any input. :)

Clinton

I had a hood built for me with a F32T8 ballast firing 3 x 18" tubes. They work well and look great - a daylight, 50/50 and actinic.

Alan

Yep, that's what i have on my 7gal right now. Everything has done very well for almost a year. My clam has grown an 1" or so finger leathers ect.. are growning very fast. Just thought a little more light on the 10gal would be even better. Besides the workhorse ballasts are ony $15 more than the 2x32watt ballast.

Clinton

How about a 20 gal nano with a Workhorse 5 driving 2 x 55W PC bulbs? That would rock, and you could keep corals better (grow them to a decent size before having to move or frag them).

Just a thought - 20s are appealing... :D

Yeah i thought about a 20gal high, but a friend of mine had a 10gal with the canopy said take it. Free is always a good deal, so a 10 it is. I will be putting on a 100 watt Compact Fluorescent 6400k for the lighting. Should be lots of light for anything i can sqeeze in there. :wink: It's all ste up and running with 12lbs of fully cured LR and 20lbs Aragonite oolitic sand seeded with a few handfuls from my 7gal. For light right now i just have a 43watt compact fluorescent, oh and a Aquaclear 500 for refugium and water movement. Now the only thing i was thinking of adding was a skimmer, what's the opinion on running a skimmer on a nano?

Clinton

I read the Nano forums at RC and nano-reef.com, but they can get a little nutty - I guess if you put a Radium 400w 20K over a nano, you'll probably spring for a skimmer as well... :shock:

One of the attractions of a tiny tank is the ability to export nutrients with water changes - even a big change takes only one bucket. People seem to use the smaller skimmers, if at all, like a Prism or Seaclone.

(an aquaclear 500 is your refugium?? how does that work?)

Hey that is great. I always thought a 20 gallon high was called a Mini Reef. I am in the process of turning my 50 into a FOWLR, and am concentrating my reef activities to my new 20 high. If we decide that a 20 is a nano, I will do my posts in here. BTW the 20 has 2x32W CSL Smartlamps and 2x13 lamps (one is a 10000K smartlamp, and the other is actinic), that gives lots of light. BTW in another post I have mentioned that those F32 ballasts you are using to overdrive your lamps are not really electronic ballasts. They are at best hybrid. From what I have seen you are not getting as much intensity from them as you think. I have a feeling it would be far better to go to Compact Fluorescent, and get the light you are paying for. Anyway my tank has 90W of CF lighting. At twice the lumens per watt than NO you can see that in reality I am getting about 9.5W per gallon. It seems to be lots, it looks really good. :D :D

Works very well for my 7gal, that's what made me go with another for the 10. I have a few different macro's and a small amount of LR na LS. I light it with a 15watt compact fluorescent (just the 4100k). I don't dose anything ever, and the clam and corals have been growing very fast for such a small tank. I guess i'll leave the skimmer out, just can't get my head around no skimmer after having one on my 75gal from the beginning.

Clinton

Here is the lighting that i will be using on both my Nanos as of next week. http://www.yfsinternational.com/category.asp?id=PL-H/5U They will be the 6400k type. :wink:

Clinton

That sounds interesting, I admit I have not seen that lighting. What does it use for a ballast? Does the lamp just screw into a normal socket?

Uses a mogul base, and from what i could understand from the guy on the phone it uses a fulham workhorse5. I'm going to try one first, i'll let post the results.

Clinton

Looks similar to what Sam mentions in his "Cheap 95W Lighting" thread in the main forum. He refences this site: http://www.specialty-lights.com/430255.html, although the bulbs there look self-ballasted.

Looks almost the same, but i can get the one i posted for $75 CND. 8)

Clinton

Yes, the one I posted was self ballasted and therefore expensive. This one uses a remote ballast so replacement bulbs will be cheaper. Good option and good find.

They say it is self ballasted. BTW Pisces have similar lights above their Plant tanks. They sell it with the great big reflector for $149.95. I would prefer the separately ballasted lamps, as it would be less expensive at replacement time.

BTW, has anyone decided if I can call my 20H a nano?

In the grand scheme of things all our tanks are nano's compared to a real reef. IMHO you can keep a 20 and call it a nano, your the boss of your tank no one else. I've got a 20 standard nano and its a nice tank, no complaints, I plan on a 1 gallon nano in the near future (some call em micro's). Good luck with the 20 its got alot of potential.

I agree, the 20 does look great and you have so many more lighting choices, and less crowding as things grow in. My 10 was just too tiny, and the 15 tall is barely enough - IMO.

Saw the 20 today and it looks MAHvellous.

Hi,

I prefer a 15 gallon wide over a 20 gallon tall. The extra height does hurt you and it really isn't required in a nano. 15 gallon wide has the same footprint as a 20 gallon wide but it is about 4 to 5 inches shorter.

- Victor.

Victor:
Could you elaborate? How does it hurt? Are you referring to lighting and aquascaping concerns?

personaly I would be going for a taller tank.. I also don't understand your statment that the extra high will hurt you.. in fact it will open up for more posibilities for rock arangment.. and give more room for Corals to grow.

I like my 25 gal (20 gal but taller) and I think this is a wonderfull size for a nano.

Steve

This does not happen often, but I tend to agree. A 15 is nice if you want to concentrate your light, but the taller tanks look a whole lot better, and are easier to aquascape. Fish that like to hang around in the water column like Damsels like it too.
I am assuming a 25 is 18 inches tall. :?: :?: