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teddys 10gal nano reef build

13K views 88 replies 11 participants last post by  teddyzaper 
#1 ·
Ok, so after months or really wanting to start a tank i have finaly done it! im planning on takeing this as slow as it cna go mainly because of money.

i have already run into some problems but i think they will pass. the first problem was the skimmer. the skimmer i bought doesnt work when it came..... before i rush to conclusion and tell everyone not to buy it, i will say some good things about it. I think the taam rio nano skimmer wouldve been a great skimmer if it had worked. I think mine didnt work simply from motor malfunction.

Good things about it:
1. the collection cup is huge for the tank size its rated to, no overflowing!
2. it has a lot of nice open space to place whatever you want in there, i bet u could even get a small piece or LR in there :lol:
3. very simple to start (mine started then would stop)
4. simple directions.

Bad:
1. of course has to be the fact that mine wouldnt work!
2. the bubbles look like they would just flow right into the tank.

So my way to fix this problem is simply to buy a new one. the one they have at the store cost $150, but its a HOB (which i prefer) and its suposedly really nice. i will go and get the info on it when i go into town next time.

My second problem is my light failed on me. it worked for at least 3 yrs (with new bulbs) withought any problems. the second i turn it on over salt water it flickers then turns off. It isnt the bulb because i tried the other ones, so i took it apart and it looks like some wires were severed and the balast looked fried. i think its just because the light is very old (over 10yrs).

I am wanting to make a light. I would start off by getting the caseing which will be a clamp on, then i will use the reclector from my old light and stick it in there. after that i will take the balast from the old light (if it still works) and wire it to some conectors and buy some T5s and get it all connected. i will probably be taping the balast in the inside top of the stand and have the switch next to it. I need some suggestions on how to do this, it may seem like ive gotten it figured out but i dont


Ok so now on to the actual tank and what i have setup. The tank has a 2inch sand bed and the salinity is around 1.024 which is what the store recomended. I currently have 5.4lbs of LR and i personaly think they look AWSOME!


Aquarium decor Aquarium Freshwater aquarium Organism Rock


tell me what u think? this isnt actualy where the LR will be set up its just that i need to buy about 5 maybe 10lbs more of LR.

I think i have yet another problem, or at least my dad says so. im just happy im able to keep something alive. There is this coral in my tank that keeps moving around. it started on the very back of the rock and has now moved to the front. i really like it but if it has to go like my dad says it can easily, it looks like i could just pick it up with some tweezers or something.


Soil Organism


im just happy my tank can sustain life with just the light from my window and skylight.

This is just a different angle of my favorite piece


Mineral Rock Reef Coral reef Coral


im almost done typing i promise.

This is the second most exciting thing for me, i think this is an algea bloom. the white sand is turning slightly brown! this picture doesnt show much, but at least its another view to my LR :lol:



anyways thanks for reading!
please post comments and helpful details and answers below
 
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#4 ·
I am wanting to make a light. I would start off by getting the caseing which will be a clamp on, then i will use the reclector from my old light and stick it in there. after that i will take the balast from the old light (if it still works) and wire it to some conectors and buy some T5s and get it all connected. i will probably be taping the balast in the inside top of the stand and have the switch next to it. I need some suggestions on how to do this, it may seem like ive gotten it figured out but i dont
what kind of balast is your old light? the T5s wont fit a clamp on light as T5s are long tubes rather then screw in bulbs. the T stands for tubular and 5 the size of bulb. Your better off saving for a new balast, reflector, and bulb and having a metal halide setup or retrofit t5 setup if you want to build your own lights.

the moving "coral" you see is aptasia, but i dont suggest getting peppermint shrimp for the problem. im personally not a fan of getting a problem to fix a problem. i say this because not all peppers will touch it and some find corals more tasty. alittle 100% lemon juice in a squirter carefully shot into its "mouth" ( the center ) but be careful not to bump it with the squirter first because it will retract back into the rock. the lemon juice doesnt always work but it can be done practically for free. i wouldnt squirt to many in one day or to much at one time as it may effect pH. they also sell store products that kill these pest anemones.
 
#5 ·
ill definatly try the lemon juice. as for the lights, i think they are old T8s. i am planning on making a light lika a metal halide clamp on but put T5s inside. ill also probably get a fan because its only a 10gal tank so that wouldnt be good to get it to hot. the balast wont work now that i think bout it. i dont want a screw in light because those are imposible to find.
 
#6 ·
ok, so amazing news, i just got a lot of money, about unlimited amount.

give me the best of the best! ima get a submersible heater, water test kit, salinity test (better one), lighting, and skimmer.

for lighting i was looking at this, i really like the style of it and it sounds good.
http://www.aquaticlife.com/swingarm/index.html

u guys please help me on the skimmer, preferably under $200
 
#8 ·
10gal
 
#10 ·
#12 ·
the canister is for my FRESHWATER tank....... i just posted here as to not start yet another thread cause im pretty sure its a good one, but if one of u say no then i wont get it for my FRESHWATER tank.
 
#14 ·
ok np thanks for replying, im trying to have someone give me some decent info so i can get my order in before tonight so it will come next week. yay free shipping!
 
#15 · (Edited)
The watts per gallon rule is kind of archaic. There are a lot of determining factors when it comes to light. For example, 70 watts of Metal Halide is superior to 140 watts of Fluorescent. The gas burn bulbs give off far more UVs than Fluorescent bulbs.

If you want a 70 watt metal halide, just hang it high on the tank. That clamp light looks like it can be placed about 7" above the tank. This would be a good fit. You might want to add a fluorescent bulb to pick up more blue light, and I would say to leave that MH on for only 5 hours a day max. The Fluorescents can stay on for longer, maybe ten-eleven hours.

I have never tried 14,000k bulbs, but I think that Kells or Onefish have. I would probably go with a 10000k myself
 
#16 ·
well if i dont like the bulb i can change it out. are u saying i should get a small attinic aftermarket or something? i think im gonna go ahead and order them! exciting. i also got a nice test kit coming with the order!
 
#17 ·
Halides are very warm. You will need to be adding a fan to cool them. They can be responsible for a lot of evaporation over the course of a day. In a ten gallon tank, a half gallon of water is 5% of the total volume! That could throw off the salinity and create big temperature swings.

In this case, Power Compacts (PC) are a good alternative. Considering the tank size, keeping corals alive even with PC shouldn't be a problem...
 
#18 ·
I went ahead and got all the stuff. conisdering that it is high off the tank and my room is usualy cold, i dont think it will get to hot. if it does i will just end up getting a small fan, which is ok with me. Hopefully i can get some nicer corals that arent to hard to keep. how hard are hard corals to keep if i could keep them with a 70watt metal halide 14000k light?
 
#19 ·
The lights are just the beginning. Just a good piece in the puzzle that is reefkeeping. As important as strong lighting is for hard corals, oldtimers will tell you that they "kept Acro under two T8s!" How true this reaaally is is beyond me, but I understand the premise of the statement.

Water Quality is by far the most important method of keeping hard corals. If you have fluctuating Alkalinity and Calcium and high Nitrates, all the sunlight in the world won't help. Alkalinity 8-12 dKH. Calcium between 400-450 ppm. Nitrates need to be ~0ppm and temperature and salinity need to stay constant.

I would try my hand at keeping the water as stable as possible (you will find it challenging in a 10 nano) and make sure you know the tank's needs before adding any sensitive lifeforms.
 
#20 ·
i understand, i am taking it slow. i will probably start up with a fish and invert then move into adding corals. i really like gobys but i have no clue what i really want. i like fish that dont just hover around the tank, you know, ones with personalities. i like ones that hide, play peek-a-boo and stuff like gobys that walk around. any sugestions would be nice.

also could someone help me out with CUC. i know it stands up for clean up crew, but im still confused, does it stay in the tank forever, what should mine consist of, is there a way to have interesting snails and whatever else is in it? i am willing to pay a bit more if the CUC has some nice inverts in it.

im think im having some sort of bloom. my sand is turning brown on top and the LR is kind of purple. if someone could explain that would be awsome!
 
#21 ·
I understand to take it slowly and i dont plan on having hard coral for a VERY long time, if ever.

Could someone please explain CUC to me? I understand it cleans up after all the algea blooms, but does it stay in the tank forever. what can i do to have a good looking CUC not just an average snail that is just grey. i would like some colors or something interesting and different if this is posible. could somone also give me some suggestions as to what i should put in a CUC?

Could somone also give me some suggestions about what fish i could put in this tank? i only want 1 fish in the tankk, so i would like a unique fish, not nemo or dory please. and i prefer not to have an average joe goby either. thanks!
 
#22 ·
If money is not an issue you could try a Helfrichi Firefish, they are beautiful and active. And a Purple or Red Firefish can provide similar personalities. The Bicolor Blenny is also a great option as it jumps from rock to rock. If you can find the right Royal Gramma they are another great option. I am trying to find a tail spot blenny right now for my 12G.
 
#23 ·
Ok so ive been searching and from a quick search this is what i like. i will most likely get 1 fish and 1 crab or shrimp. From fav to least fav

Crabs:
1. teddy bear crab (fits my name :lol:)
2. arrow crab
3. pom pom crab
4. porcelain crab

are any of these possible?

Fish:
1. sand flounder???
2. clown goby
3. red spotted sand perch
4. longnose awkfish
5. scooter blenny
6. diamond goby
7. lawnmower blenny- orange spotted.

please tell me which ones are possible, iffy, and no-noes. Also i would like to know why not or why so so i have knowledge to pass on :-D
 
#24 ·
Fish:
1. sand flounder???
2. clown goby
3. red spotted sand perch
4. longnose awkfish
5. scooter blenny
6. diamond goby
7. lawnmower blenny- orange spotted.
I have never kept a flounder. I do not know their tank-size restrictions or care level. The Clown Goby is a good selection. The sand perch and lawnmower blenny are out as they need more live rock to have a good home than a 10 gallon can provide. For that same reason I would say no to the longnose hawk. The scooter blenny has a very similiar diet to the mandarinfish, and I would not suggest anything short of 100 lbs of Live Rock for these inhabitants with a good-sized fuge for backup pod populations. That leaves the diamond goby. That would probably be a good fit for your tank.

So the Clown Goby or Diamond Goby. I would say get a Pistol Shrimp and hopefully they will pair up (more likely than not in a tank so small...)
 
#25 ·
ok so my next question then, can the thrimp live with a crab? i just love the look of the crabs so much.
 
#26 ·
(stars mean i like lots)
more fish:
Cave Transparent Goby
Gold Neon Eviota Goby
Hi Fin Red Banded Goby
Red Striped Goby
Yasha White Ray Shrimp Goby
Yellow Stripe Clingfish **
Two Spot Goby
 
#27 ·
More lol:
Tiger Watchman Goby
Rainfordi Goby
Tiger Goby
Eyelash Lawnmower Blenny
Pinkbar Aurora Prawn Goby
they are blue and different sizes because i was to lazy to type so i copied and pasted.
 
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