# my little ocean - nano reef



## smartie2000 (Mar 2, 2008)

I started a 10 gallon reef oct 2007 and its been running quite smoothly so far. I've spent quite some time reading up about them last year since I always wanted one. I took some photos today. Some snails decided to lay eggs and I have tons of babies on the glass now. Sorry I've loaded many photos





my clown goes into its torch coral host as soon as I get close for a picture. He's very attached to it now. I used the torch coral to substitute for an anemone, since anemones require larger systems




This is my fav. zooanthid colony. I love its colour




One of my two blue legged hermit crabs decided to get up close for a photo too.




My skunk cleaner shrimp gets really hyper when it comes to feeding. It even tries to clean my hands when I need to put them in there. Its quite sensory system is quite developed. I also have a Echinaster starfish that is hidden in a corner. Luckly it takes flakefood or it would starve slowly in such a small system.




I recently bought this Acanthastrea (a fragment from the great barrier reef). They are closing collection from the reef again in Australia according to the coral vendor and I noticed all vendors have imported from Australia currently. Hopefully it will colour up in the weeks to come b/c some are quite beautiful and become valuable




I also set up a 2.5 gallon pico reef for my desk recently. Sorry about the glare, it got sunny in my room and of course I keep orchids there too. My firefish goby is quite shy but I managed to get a photo of him. Its a newer tank so its not filled in yet.




...now time for my weekly water changes


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## KyushuCalanthe (Mar 2, 2008)

That is too awesome Fren! I am very impressed you are keeping them in such small set ups. What a delight they are! What temperature do you have to keep them at? That zooanthid colony really is gorgeous...thanks for the pics.


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## smartie2000 (Mar 2, 2008)

My temp is 80-82oF I'm trying to keep it high so when it get to summer I don't have to worry as much about over heating


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## Elena (Mar 2, 2008)

Fren, that looks fantastic! We'd love a marine set up one day but can't really commit to it at this point. Love looking at other people's pictures though.


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## goldenrose (Mar 2, 2008)

:clap:AWESOME!!!! :drool::drool: It's my understanding the smaller the tank, the harder the upkeep! Isn't it amazing how we are addicted to other expensive hobbies? Your photos are great!


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Mar 2, 2008)

Gorgeous! What kind of lighting do you use on those tanks? I have PC's over mine. That acan looks great! I've seen some gorgeous ones, but they cost way more than I can afford (paphs and reefs are a dangerous combination....) Take care, Eric


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## smartie2000 (Mar 2, 2008)

I use coralife with is PC. I think it seems corals are more expensive in Canada but I may be wrong. I didn't get any new orchids during the setting up of the tank nor did I visit orchid forums, or I would be corupt.

My acan was $35 and it was a frag from an originally large piece. I thought it would have been more. The LSF imported two colonies of them and the first red one sold for $600, far beyond my price!

I'm not sure if upkeep is harder with small systems b/c I never had a large saltwater tank. I think religous waterchanges are a must though. I only do 10% water change on the 10 gal and 25% on the 2.5 gallon with a turkey baster. Other than that I have to add calcium too and the occasional iodine,strontium

The protein skimmer helps a lot with waste removal. I wish I could use one with a freshwater tank.


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## Jorch (Mar 2, 2008)

Nice tanks you got there Fren! The corals and the sea creatures are so pretty :clap:


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## Park Bear (Mar 3, 2008)

Very nice...another expensive hobby


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## NYEric (Mar 3, 2008)

I had a 55g mini-reef and the heat-reduction/maint. was high so I'm in awe of these micro set-ups!


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## Candace (Mar 3, 2008)

I miss my 200 gal. salt tank, but I don't miss the work! I had a small tank set-up also, very similar to yours where I had seahorses. Very cool. I sold the tank after I had my daughter. I couldn't keep up with the work. My favorite was a cowfish that would eat out of my hand and nibble my fingertips.


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Mar 3, 2008)

Fren- that was a great price on the Acan! Cheaper than any I've seen in NYC. Don't bother with any supplements other than calcium...they're a waste of money and you don't need them at all. your water changes take care of everything, and your skimmer won't remove them. If you use a calcium supplement like B-ionic (is it available in Canada?), you will be getting trace elements along with the Ca and carbonates. As for protein skimmers...you can use them in freshwater...if you have a pH above 8! Take care, Eric


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## Yoyo_Jo (Mar 3, 2008)

Wonderful set up; thanks for sharing Fren! :clap:


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## rdlsreno (Mar 4, 2008)

Nice!! I like to have one but I don't have the patience to maintain it. Also, here in Reno Sea water is expensive!

Ramon


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## smartie2000 (Mar 4, 2008)

I use calcium chloride because it is fast (I read somewhere it causes excess Cl ions but the ocean water is around half Cl ions anyway right?). I also have calcium hydroxide too. 

hmmmm I have a 80 gallon cichlid tank which can have a pH of 8. It was my pretend saltwater tank with fake coral decor.


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## NYEric (Mar 4, 2008)

rdlsreno said:


> Also, here in Reno Sea water is expensive!
> Ramon


:rollhappy: Oh you kidder you!


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Mar 4, 2008)

The skimmer may work on your cichlid tank. As for the calcium chloride...no good by itself. The calcium can only be used if there is an equivalent amount of carbonate ions. A 2 part solution like B-ionic (Kent also makes one) provides appropriate doses of both carbonates ("alkalinity") along with CaCl. Calcium hydroxide ("kalkwasser") does provide both ions...but unless you have a tremendous amount of evaporation, you will not be able to add enough (its used as the top off water...usually through a slow drip to prevent huge pH increases). I'd look into getting the 2 part solutions...a tank as small as yours will not need much...I currently dose my 55 gal tank with 25 mL of each part, my 30 gal tank gets 15 mL of each part. Get an alkalinity test kit...Salifert makes a good one, and test for carbonates, which can fluctuate rapidly. The Ca will be very high, and remain there, so Ca testing is almost unnecessary. take care, Eric


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## Ron-NY (Mar 4, 2008)

Very cool Fren!!! 
I have always wanted a salt water set up...some day but not now


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## smartie2000 (Mar 4, 2008)

You're right about how carbonate fluctates. I have also added small amounts of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to add carbonate, though never at the same time with CaCl (was thinking calcium could precipitate as calcium carbonate, if NaHCO3 and CaCl were put together,so I never tried. i might be wrong I haven't studied chemistry for a while). I hope that baking soda is not bad...


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## toddybear (Mar 5, 2008)

Incredible Fren! I never would have thought a marine tank could be set up in only 10 gallons. All the ones I've seen have been 30 or more. Makes me consider changing my 10 gallon freshwater! I can go to the ocean to get water!


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## swamprad (Mar 5, 2008)

Cool!!


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Mar 5, 2008)

Baking soda is OK...the only problem is balancing the carbonates with CaCl, making sure you have the right amount of each. There is info online about how to make your own 2 part supplements, and in fact there is a company that sells "make your own" 2 part kits, with Na bicarbonate, carbonate, and CaCl, and instructions on how much to use of each...sorry, I forget the name. However, its worth it for me to buy B-ionic gallons 3 times a year, for the simplicity alone. and for you, 2 gal (1 of each) would probably last well over a year. Meanwhile, you can add the CaCl shortly after adding the baking soda...once it has fully dissolved into the tank. A few minutes should be fine. Take care, Eric


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## smartie2000 (Mar 5, 2008)

Thanks


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## streetmorrisart (Mar 6, 2008)

Amazing. I'm familiar with the Nano concept, but such a small saltwater tank is still blowing my mind. With close water quality monitoring, anything is possible though. Very lovely.


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## smartie2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

Yes this nano concept blew my mind too when I first saw it on the internet.
Then I saw one at the fish shop and I had to try it myself, having longing to do saltwater for so long. Hopefully it stays up for years to come. The one at the shop has been up for years


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## Elena (Mar 6, 2008)

Candace said:


> I miss my 200 gal. salt tank, but I don't miss the work! I had a small tank set-up also, very similar to yours where I had seahorses.



Oooh, I was just telling OH this evening how I'd love to keep seahorses one day. They are just so cool.


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Mar 6, 2008)

I would love to keep seahorses too, and my kids have begged me to set up a seahorse tank....they have even bred seahorses that will eat frozen mysis shrimp (normally they only eat something alive and moving)...but they still need to be fed several...yes, several...times a day. Too much commitment for me...


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## smartie2000 (Jun 7, 2008)

*tank moved*

I decided I had to do a tank move because it was getting close to 86oF, which was the maximum I was willing to go. The 94W lighting really is the culprit for the high temps. Its freaky moving the tank but it was successful, (other than the acan that got brown rot later, but it is growing back). It also gave me an idea of how much water I actually have with all the livestock, rock and sand in there, I have suprisingly very little water. Hopefully it will not get too hot in July. For temp, ideally it should be in the basement but no one would admire it down there, so I chose the front of the house that remains cool b/c of the lack of windows.
Here's what it looked like this morning after feeding. (ok I need to clean the glass )





I corals grew quite a lot and soon I will have to frag and list them online for locals who wants a head of torch or frogspawn corals. Hopefully I can get more coraline algae, or soft coral to grow on the glass of the backgrounds. The tiny brittle star population has gone up very high now too.

My 2.5 gallon desktop pico-tank is also doing great running on 9W and whatever sunlight it gets in the orchid filled room. The pulsing xenia soft coral is taking over! Also my firefish goby is less shy now. I notice all my fish are more active, perhaps because of increased metabolism because of higher temps.


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## Yoyo_Jo (Jun 7, 2008)

Fren, it's so beautiful. Like another world. :clap:

Joanne


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## Jorch (Jun 7, 2008)

Very beautiful and serene! Love it!


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## cwt (Jun 8, 2008)

It is amazing. Wish I could do something like that. But I will enjoy yours!


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## smartie2000 (Jun 8, 2008)

thanks guys


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## Marco (Jun 10, 2008)

that looks awesome


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## Jon in SW Ohio (Jul 31, 2008)

Cool a fellow nano-reefer 

I've kept a 12g AquaPod for a couple years now, and have it modded with a 150w Metal Halide and big skimmer. I've gotten into expensive Limited Edition corals and so it kinda took funds away from the orchid collecting the last year or two.

I've got an old thread on here about it, I'll update it in a few minutes for ya (and anyone else who's interested)

Jon


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## Corbin (Aug 3, 2008)

:drool::drool::drool: I wish I wish I wish I had one. All my life I have admired the salt water set ups but when you move around in construction it is not the thing to have. So I just drool a lot.:drool:


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## fbrem (Aug 3, 2008)

wow, unfrickin'believable, so much life in such a small space.


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## smartie2000 (Sep 6, 2008)

update:

Its been exactly 11 months now and I bought nemo a new buddy.  As soon as I opened the door the new clown darted at the front of the glass. Now that Nemo has a new buddy they are way more active. Sorry about the poor video quality, my camera takes good orchid photos but poor videos. I tried taking photos but he is just too hyper.

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKpNFWTgPpE

He was sold as a 'black percula' but after some reseach at home I think it is rather a _A. ocellaris_. (my need to name things correctly) _Percula_ do not exist in full black but its darkest morphs still have red fins. As well my new black ocellaris clown is way more curious than my older percula(Nemo), since this is the character of ocellaris clowns. My percula rather stays inside of its host more often. Black ocellaris clowns are not often seen at the shops here. Its a colour morph naturally found in Northern Australia only. Its regular morph is orange similiar to Nemo. Both of my fish are captive raised increasing lifespan and conserving wild populations. So now I have both species and I wonder if they will hybridize when they are more mature.

I think my bioload is as high as it can be now. no more fishes


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## JeanLux (Sep 6, 2008)

nice active pair Fren!!! Jean


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## Hera (Sep 6, 2008)

Nice setup. The video was cool to watch. They seem happy together. We have a freshwater tank and I can't imagine the work involved in keeping a saltwater tank going. Good job and thanks for the look.


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## Heather (Sep 6, 2008)

They're so cute! I love clownfish. Nemo looks like she's dancing around your black one - all excited-like. She reminds me of our puppy!


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## SlipperFan (Sep 6, 2008)

Very happy to have a buddy!


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Sep 6, 2008)

Love the video! Most clowns sold as "percula's" are really ocellaris. Supposedly, the difference is that percula's have a more prominent black line around the whit areas...but many ocellaris, like mine, have very prominent black borders. Have you seen the new Picasso clowns? They are spectacular! Take care, Eric


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## swamprad (Sep 6, 2008)

I enjoyed the video. The fish (and your tank) are wonderful.


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## Kevin (Sep 7, 2008)

Nice video! I never knew there were black clown fish! You have a very fascinating hobby. The corals are amazing!


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## andalusianluv (Sep 7, 2008)

nice tank! i have a biocube 29 with a 150w sunpod and a 70g in the works. your clowns will produce viable offspring but i think they will all be the "orange" variety. F2 matings should yield both phenotypes. good luck!!!


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