Hello! I figured I'd create an account and share my first nano tank. In the year of our Lord 2022 it's probably all been done before, but this is my attempt at originality. I call it "The Cascade Reef". I designed this in hopes it would be a very low maintenance system. No filter media or socks. Just chaeto and a skimmer.
Current photo:
Slightly older pic but more of a side shot of whats goin on:
I arrived here with this design after having issues with a leaky 15g tank, then cracking the glass on a biocube. I had built this cool stand for the biocube with a concrete countertop and wanted to still use the stand. I had basically ran out of money as well so I reused a sump for the rear tank and bought a new 10g for the display.
The stand:
In this picture you can see how the plumbing is basically setup. I did a durso style drain and its whisper quiet.
I built a canopy and put two 14w T5 bulbs in it that I robbed from an old MH/t5 unit.
Originally this was going to be primarily a softy tank with a few lps. However now I have a montipora and a new little birdsnest frag as well.
In the rear sump/fuge I have the chaetomorpha, sand, rubble and rocks. Lit by a 100w led grow bulb on an opposite light cycle from display.
Livestock: 1 clownfish, 1 bangai cardinal, 1 nassarius snail, some hermits and a few other snails.
I don't have an ATO so I top off every few days. I started out doing a 1gal water change a week, then summer came around and that changed to 1gal a month or so. Lately I am back to weekly changes. I have never tested for any parameters. Coral growth is slow but steady. It hasn't quite been running for a year yet but I feel like I accomplished what I set out to in regards to a low maintenance nano. I'm contemplating adding more flow for the birdsnest as its growing kind of thin, and also considering adding a DIY led light under the hood. Or maybe just upgrading to an led fixture. That's it for now!
If you'd like to see more photos my instagram is @HeartlandReef
If you'd like to see my build/vlog on the tank I'd reccomend starting here:
I'm glad I can start lurking the site and commenting on threads now. Ok, now to find the new 60 breeder build threads... (because I want one)
-HR
Current photo:
Slightly older pic but more of a side shot of whats goin on:
I arrived here with this design after having issues with a leaky 15g tank, then cracking the glass on a biocube. I had built this cool stand for the biocube with a concrete countertop and wanted to still use the stand. I had basically ran out of money as well so I reused a sump for the rear tank and bought a new 10g for the display.
The stand:
In this picture you can see how the plumbing is basically setup. I did a durso style drain and its whisper quiet.
I built a canopy and put two 14w T5 bulbs in it that I robbed from an old MH/t5 unit.
Originally this was going to be primarily a softy tank with a few lps. However now I have a montipora and a new little birdsnest frag as well.
In the rear sump/fuge I have the chaetomorpha, sand, rubble and rocks. Lit by a 100w led grow bulb on an opposite light cycle from display.
Livestock: 1 clownfish, 1 bangai cardinal, 1 nassarius snail, some hermits and a few other snails.
I don't have an ATO so I top off every few days. I started out doing a 1gal water change a week, then summer came around and that changed to 1gal a month or so. Lately I am back to weekly changes. I have never tested for any parameters. Coral growth is slow but steady. It hasn't quite been running for a year yet but I feel like I accomplished what I set out to in regards to a low maintenance nano. I'm contemplating adding more flow for the birdsnest as its growing kind of thin, and also considering adding a DIY led light under the hood. Or maybe just upgrading to an led fixture. That's it for now!
If you'd like to see more photos my instagram is @HeartlandReef
If you'd like to see my build/vlog on the tank I'd reccomend starting here:
I'm glad I can start lurking the site and commenting on threads now. Ok, now to find the new 60 breeder build threads... (because I want one)
-HR