kileysmama's 17 gal rimless nano

[kileysmama]

It's been a crazy year here at our house. My husband is off work on medical disability, and we finally made the difficult decision to take down our big reef. With a 205 gallon display, and around 600 gallons total volume at one time, I had a hard time even imagining a nano at that point. I didn't plan on keeping any salt at all, initially.

We sold off livestock piece by piece, and fragged out all the colonies for the Lansing swap. I planned to take everything leftover to the lfs and break down the 205 at that point. Jon also ended up building some glass frag tanks to sell at the swap. I had offered to house Brandee's black & white clowns at the swap so she didn't have to worry about them not being in a tank. She and her dad, Hugh, overheard me joking to Jon, "Well, if the frag tanks don't sell, I guess I can set up a nano!" At the end of the swap, they gave me the last four clowns and told me to put them in my new nano. LOL, at that point, how was I supposed to argue?

So I saved one of each of the favorite corals I had left, and brought the rest to the lfs as planned. The first two nights, everything went back into the 205. I had it running with just the closed loop though, and was a bit concerned about water quality with fish in there since all the rock was down in the sump no longer connected to that tank. Thus, my nano build began.

I'm glad I had the presence of mind to do this part after a few adult beverages!
http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr307/amywiers/IMG_20110203_202030.jpg

This is the tank that Jon built. It's 17 gallons, dimensions are 28x12x12.
http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr307/amywiers/008-5.jpg

I used rock, sand and water from the 205. Right now, the tank is only running with a 15 watt heater, a small no name power head, and an old pc fixture that we used two tanks ago for frags. It's woefully small for this application, but better than nothing!
http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr307/amywiers/004-2.jpg

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr307/amywiers/014-1.jpg

Plans for equipment on this tank include a Tunze Nano Skimmer 9002, a Tunze 6015 powerhead, and an as yet undetermined light. Jon's thinking LED's. We are also considering turning this into a nonphotosynthetic tank. As of right now, the current coral stock is as follows.

thick purple gorgonian frag
pink gorgonian frag
blue chalice frag
green eyed chalice frag
yellow rim zoa frag
orange rim zoa frag
purple death paly frag
small maze brain frag
tiny purple rhodactis mushroom
tiny green rhodactis mushroom
tiny green with orange spots mushroom
rust metallic mushroom
purple birdsnest frag
orange monti digi frag
green pavona frag
faded out flower petal cap frag
green sinularia frag
toadstool leather frag
half dead green fungia plate that is sprouting babies

The only fish right now are the four clowns. I'm helping a co-worker set up her first sw tank, and she's taking two of the clowns in a week or so. I'm still pretty up in the air about a final stocking plan. Right now I'm just appreciating the fact that I still have a tank. :)

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr307/amywiers/016-1.jpg


EDIT - Adding livestock list/costs

Acro frag $5
Acro frag $5
Milli frag $5
thick purple gorgonian frag $20
frogspawn (1 head) $19.99
scroll coral $12.99
blasto merletti $14.99
neon caulastrea (1 tiny bailout polyp) $9.99
Acan echinata frag $5
Acan Echinata frag $5
Acan lord frag $5
Acan lord frag $5
Favia frag $5
Favia frag $5
Favia frag $5
Bubble coral bailout polyp $10
orange rim zoa frag $3
purple death paly frag $15
yellow center zoas $18
radioactive dragon eye zoas $15
Palythoa grandis $14.99
clove polyp frag $5
small maze brain frag $12.50
tiny purple rhodactis mushroom $10
tiny green rhodactis mushroom $10
tiny green with orange spots mushroom $10 (mia right now, let loose of it's rock)
rust metallic mushroom $10
tiny pink mushroom $10
red/blue spots mushroom $5
purple birdsnest frag $20
orange monti digi frag $10
green pavona frag $40
faded out flower petal cap frag $30
green sinularia frag $25
half dead green fungia plate that is sprouting babies $40
feather duster $14.99
tiny yellow cucumber with macro algae $16.99

Everything listed in pink is definitely going to the lfs or be listed for sale

Current total $ 433.33 (not including items listed in pink)

Guess I'm over. :(

[brandeewyne]

-muahaha- .. it is with great honor that i play even a small role in the creation of this nano!! i can't wait to watch it grow, amy .. it's going to be gorgeous!

i know how difficult the past few months have been on you and Jon and think this little corner of ocean is going to bring you both vast amounts of joy and comfort. your reef is far from gone .. rather, it's been gifted to tanks across the state to continue growing (as well as right there with you!)

in my eyes, my friend, this tank is already a winner for you and yours .. no matter how you frag it!

[HappyCoral]

Are you going automatic with the feeding, if NPS? I think some really nice Scleronepthyias are in order. Maybe some Dendronepthyias also.

[BK's Reef]

nice tank it looks kinda like mine lol

[Sir Patrick]

I am so glad you are keeping a salt tank running!!

That 17 gallon is pretty sweet!

[kileysmama]

Thanks, all. The reefing community is always so supportive. :)

Jon and I did some surfing and chatting tonight, and although I'd dearly love to pursue a full nps (azooxanthellate) reef, it's just not in the cards for us. The monetary investment in feeds alone are staggering. Add in equipment and automation needed to feed the corals and inverts correctly and we're way beyond our comfort zone. It's a bummer. So, no dendronepthia or scleronepthia for us, Christian!

I'm envisioning a mixed reef that features some nps lps corals, such as sun corals, dendros, etc. I can do so much that will make a serious impact with so little in this tank, it's super encouraging. It's been a while since I aquascaped a nano, but I'm up to the challenge!

The other thing we've been discussing is possibly having Jon build another tank this size, but adding a partition to one of the short ends. That would effectively make this tank an all in one with an overflow to help deal with surface scum. We could also position most of the equipment in that area as well.

[Hindered]

I really like this tank's shape and how clean it looks! The clowns look really nice too! Good luck with all the NPS, I'll follow this one [:

[kileysmama]

A bit of shopping today at the lfs (read: work, lol), and a lucky snag from another reefer brings me to this update.

I added:
3 head red/green blasto merletti frag
green pinwheel palys
Scroll coral frag
frogspawn frag
palthyoa grandis frag
feather duster
brittle star

AND!!!!

vortech mp10

I'll have to go through and assign values, take pics of my receipt later this week to see where I stand as far as $ go. I'm thinking that although I am a manager at an lfs, I should use the normal retail amt, not my discounted amt in the totals.

New pic or three, still being rearranged daily at this point!

Jon getting the vortech situated
http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr307/amywiers/007-2.jpg

Left side
http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr307/amywiers/020-2.jpg

Right side
http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr307/amywiers/021-1.jpg

[mhowe9]

Looks good Amy! I am glad that you are keeping a tank.

[kileysmama]

A few more pictures and one more tiny addition. I have plans to remove a few things, and hopefully replace them with others. I'm over my livestock $ limit here already. Amazing how that happens so fast! Too bad my store isn't a sponsor, I'd have a much better bottom line, lol!

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr307/amywiers/003-3.jpg

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr307/amywiers/002-1.jpg

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr307/amywiers/004-3.jpg

[Chelle's Ocean]

:) Looks great

[kileysmama]

I spent alot of time tonight looking into the tank and made some decisions about what corals are staying and which ones are getting the boot. The pink gorgonian, toadstool, and the largest zoa frag are definitely out, as well as the half dead plate. That was always going to the lfs for broodstock since it's budding babies.

I also hit the $10 frag section at Mr. Coral. I have some goodies coming my way! I'm going to have to give some serious consideration to what I've got in the tank once all those new corals show up. Even though Mr. Coral only counts for 1/2 of the price, it'll still put me well over the limit.

[kileysmama]

A huge week of ups & downs over here. Jon was cleared to go back to work, if he feels able. It was completely unexpected but wonderful news. A quick scramble on my end to find child care and adjust my work hours since Jon wouldn't be available any more. I *think* we got everything covered!

As for the tank.... Well, the kitten knocked the glass top askew and the light fixture fel into the tank Friday morning. Luckily, the gfci outlet performed the way it was supposed to, and all tank inhabitants seem fine. The temporary light is toasted, though. Jon's out in the garage working on a permanent fixture for me as we speak. I also added the Tunze 9002 nano skimmer. Quite happy with it so far.

I removed a bundle of my old corals and have some new ones in there. I went with mostly teeny frags, both for affordability, and also because I enjoy growing my corals out. I ended up with mostly lps. I also have some non photo critters in the tank as well.

Current stock list is as follows:
2 - Acro frags
1 - Milli frag
1 - Monti cap frag (flower petal)
1 - Monti digi frag (orange)
1 - Birdsnest frag (purple)
1 - Pavona frag (green)
2 - Acan echinata frags
2 - Acan lord frags
3 - Favia frags
1 - Brain frag
1 - Turbinaria frag (scroll coral)
1 - tiny Caulastrea bailout polyp (neon green trumpet)
1 - head Euphyllia frag (frogspawn)
1 - polyp yellow Tubastrea (sun coral)
1 - bailout polyp Bubble coral
1 - 3 polyp Blasto merletti frag (red/green)
3 - polyp orange rim zoas
9 - polyp yellow center zoas
1 - frag clove polyps
8 - polyp radioactive dragon eye zoas
3 - polyp purple death palys
1 - polyp Palythoa grandis
1 - rhodactis mushroom (green)
1 - rhodactis mushroom (purple)
1 - pink mushroom
1 - rust mushroom
1 - red/blue spots mushroom
1 - green/orange spots mushroom (mia)
1 - green Sinularia
1 - thick purple gorgonian
1 - feather duster
1 - filter feeding tiny yellow cucumber
1 - porcelain crab
6 - astrea snails
6 - nassarius snails
? - stomatella snails
? - small chitons
1 - small bunch decorative macro algae
2 - black & white clownfish

I'll update the first post with current stock & totals soon. I also have a black sun coral colony to be added yet this week, as well as an orange sun coral colony if it's still there when I get to work on monday. :)

[BK's Reef]

dang it must be the 17 gallon curse to have our lights fall in the tank. Mine was still running when i came in well 2 of the 4 lights and i had some sparks come from the bad ballast lol. No casualties though. We both got lucky

[kileysmama]

So I just updated my stock list, and I'm over limit. I'm pretty happy with the contents of the tank right now, and will only add more at this point. (sun corals later this week) Guess I'm out. :(

[MizTanks]

Wow! If you can do all that with a 17g, now I'm really dreaming what all I'm gonna put into my new 26g. Yahooo!!!

[kileysmama]

That orange sun coral colony was still there at the lfs when I got there this morning. It came home with me. :love3: I love me some tubastrea!!!! This gives me an orange colony, a yellow frag, and a black colony coming my way later this week. I am a happy camper. :big_grin:

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr307/amywiers/IMG_20110221_202920.jpg

[steve&mari]

Amy ya need to help me talk Ben n Jeff into jumpin onto the cr bandwagon lol. Think they may like how interactive it is. Get the name out there for them as they grow as a store. Tanks looking great and if ya need any frags let us know we will help ya all we can n so will steven.
Your reefin buds
Big Steve n family