2.5 gal Nano

[Beverly]

Geez, all this talk about small tanks got me off my chair and out to the lfs this morning. Came home with all the fixings to get my Little Lagoon up and running:

http://www.all-glass.com/products/aq..._minibow5.html

I discarded everything except the tank, and the "Neptune Blue" bottom and lid. I replaced the 15 watt incandescent with a 15 watt envirolite and replaced the huge Whisper filter with an AquaClear 100 powerhead. That little powerhead sure pushes water in a 2.5! Yikes!! To minimize the water flow and to remove some of the fine dust and other floating debris I elasticked an AC Mini foam to the powerhead intake. Also added a Hagen 50 watt heater.

Now if only the tank would clear, we'd be able to see the 2.5 lbs of Tonga branch rock ;-) To stabilize the rock, I poured the 4" sandbed around and over the base of the rock. Plus I bought a small bunch of large-leafed halimeda to help with the cycling. I just hope the powerhead isn't blowing away the halimeda.

Take care all.

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by Beverly

Came home with all the fixings to get my Little Lagoon up and running:

http://www.all-glass.com/products/aq..._minibow5.html

The correct page for the 2.5 is:

http://www.all-glass.com/products/aq...minibow2_5.asp

Originally Posted by Beverly

Now if only the tank would clear, we'd be able to see the 2.5 lbs of Tonga branch rock ;-) To stabilize the rock, I poured the 4" sandbed around and over the base of the rock.

Actually, had a closer look at the sandbed. While it looks like it's 4" in that tiny tank, it's really more like 2". FWIW, the look on that kid's face in the photo looks just like me waiting for the tank to clear :-))))

[EmilyB]

Well, that didn't take long.... 8)

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by EmilyB

Well, that didn't take long.... 8)

No, heck, that didn't take long at all, though I didn't eat lunch until 2:45 pm. :-D

In new materials, the whole thing only cost $150. So far, that is. The tank's not cycled, so once it cycles, I hope to get a few frags from local reefers, and buy a few crawly guys and maybe one fish from the lfs.

If any Edmonton reefers have any extra pulsing xenia, I'd sure appreciate some. Other suggestions of frags are welcome :-)

[Canadian Man]

you only have 1lb per gallon of live rock! Is that going to be enough. :P

Maybe you should have gotten 5lb's.

Cool little setup!

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by Canadian Man

you only have 1lb per gallon of live rock! Is that going to be enough. :P

You know, I bought various items at three different stores and ended up at the live rock store (AI) with the tank. The staff all know me there, and they let me have the ladder and the long armed grabber thing, and let me fish out my own rock. I tried several different versions of rock in the tank before deciding on the two pieces I finally bought. It just so happened that they weighed 2.5 lbs.

How strange it was having the tank right there to fill just the way I wanted :-)
With this configuration of rock, at least I'll have room for corals. Will it be enough? I can only hope ;-)

[BCOrchidGuy]

Thats really cool, I've been considering one of the Mini bow 5s, If I get it I want to drill the back and put a 5 to 10 gallon sump on the floor with an auto top off for water etc..Once they are up and decorated they look real nice.

[Bob I]

If any Edmonton reefers have any extra pulsing xenia, I'd sure appreciate some. Other suggestions of frags are welcome :-)

There was a fellow in Edmonton who was selling Xenia, but you may wish to reconsider. You have decent lighting, and Xenia gets quite weedy under good light. I have tried to confine mine to my 10G nano, but I am still finding bits growing in my other tanks.

I have Tubipora musica, it is very colorful, but also weedy. Green Star Polyps are nice, but also weedy, as are some Blue Mushrooms I have. It seems any softies exhibit those problems.

Just to avoid problems with rampant growth you may want to stick to Stony Corals, at least they grow much slower. JMTCW.

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by rcipema

Just to avoid problems with rampant growth you may want to stick to Stony Corals, at least they grow much slower. JMTCW.

Good points, Bob. Maybe I'll do a mono-culture of some type of something or other. I've got time yet to decide since the tank's going to take awhile to cycle.

Take care.

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by BCOrchidGuy

Thats really cool, I've been considering one of the Mini bow 5s, If I get it I want to drill the back and put a 5 to 10 gallon sump on the floor with an auto top off for water etc..Once they are up and decorated they look real nice.

Aren't you defeating the purpose of having a nano reef if your going to add a sump twice the size of the nano?? Is this just a guy thing?