Jstan's nano build

[jstan]

Starting my thread for the contest, just have to pick the tank now.

[jstan]

So I've got the wife on board, but I still haven't been able to decide on a tank yet. Anyone care to offer some opinions.

I'm stuck between using a 15 gallon rectangle, 10 gallon rectangle, 20 gallon square, 24 gallon long, or 30 cube for the main tank.

I'm partial to either 15gl or the 24gl for the display tank. I just can't decide. Anyone any help ?

[tcp316]

I absolutely am in love with my cube! From your choices, I would choose the 30 Cube. I love the depth and just the look of it. I went from a 90L to a 70C and have not regretted it.

Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk HD

[MizTanks]

I second the 30 cube. If for no other reason it's the biggest :) You won't regret the room!

[jstan]

The bigger cube was my first choice... However that does leave me with a small, small sump, then.

I think I'll be going with the 15gallon tank 24x12x12
With a 20 gallon sump 24x20x12(if I remember right).

The bigger sump will allow me
a) better filtration
b) I can use an old mag 7 for the return( old pump my brother in law used on his pond = free :) ), so I can have tons of flow in the small display without a couple of powerheads taking up space inside.
c) no equipment in display tank, heater, powerheads( as mentioned) ect ect
D) I'll have a total of 35gallons to work with, more than the 30 alone would have given me. And I couldn't really use any of my existing tanks as a sump on the 30. I'd have to buy another tank, and well this is going to be a budget build.

90% of all my tank funds are going into my 60gallon at the moment. So while I've been wanting to try my hand in this contest for a couple of years now, my main tank is priority number one.
And I can't justify buying tanks/equip for a contest, when I'll be taking the tank down at the end. Pockets just aren't that deep :( And no I can't have another permanent tank, that is part of the deal with the wife. After she finally helped me get over my MTS( multiple tank syndrome), it would just lead me down the wrong path. I had 9'ish something tanks running a few years back. Man that was overwhelming, but I didn't have a clue how much time I was loosing to those tanks without actually enjoying them. Until I took them down, now I actually enjoy my hobby again.

So back to my nano. I have the stand, tank, sump, return pump, heater, rock, and most coral will come from my main tank. I plan on adding a few small nice frags as well from a couple of the sponsors on here. Now I just need a light and bag of live sand. As for light, I'm stuck on that. I could go with T5's, but I do love me those LEDs. This is the only area I'm willing to spend "money" on, mostly cause I need a new light for my swap/propagation tank.

The goal of this tank will be minimalistic. I want to make a reef version of the freshwater planted tanks I love so much, especially the Iwugami themed styles( google iwugami, there breath taking and beautiful) There so simple yet complex, without adding and cramming stuff into the tank just to fill it up. Sometimes less is indeed in fact, more.

I plan on using mostly favia and acans(echinatas mostly, maybe a lord or two). No softies, if I can help my self, and no sticks either.

As for fish... I dunno. Any fish I buy has to go into my main tank afterwards, but I've got some bully's in that tank. So I just don't know. My first thought was fairy wrasses. But they've never faired well in my bigger system. My clowns are rather nasty to new tank mates. So I'd have find fish that do well in a nano tank, but could still hold there own in a bigger tank with some aggressive clowns down the road. So far my tang has been the only fish to hold there own against my clowns... And I can't put my tang in a small 15 gallon tank. So I just don't know if there will be any fish.

Inverts/clean up crew, red leg hermits, zombie snails( the ones with a trunk, they always remind me of zombies coming out of the sand bed when I feed the tank) and cerith snails should do the trick. Maybe a Halloween crab for some fun.

Well that's it for now, pics coming of the empty tanks later today. Then the fun can really start.

[jstan]

http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/48D0A37D-8A17-4BFE-9A4E-84ECD4AE1002-1799-000003602DD0A876.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/E7E4F96D-73A6-45F4-A924-7325401D4AF9-1799-000003603BD2602E.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/F3315C5B-E72B-4C8B-84BF-F38AD65C1A95-1799-00000360455E6B80.jpg
So here's the tank's and stand.

[jstan]

Not much to report, bought one of the bulkheads today, though they didn't have the size I needed for the return.

Tomorrow I should have some new pics to post. Taking the stand to my buddies, he's gonna help me get it skinned and make a door for the front. Then I'll be spending the evening staining it.

After that I have to get the tank drilled, plumbed and filled. Then the real fun can start, figuring out how the rock work will get set up. One of my favorite parts to setting up a new tank :).

[jstan]

Here's some quick pics of the stand, still needs a few more coats. But all in all it's coming along nicely.
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/C5159990-0BE0-4DDE-B7F2-5B3BE14CDDAD-3521-0000062DB24886CF.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/B3393118-E739-4FB9-A475-B45941235997-3521-0000062DBA6FD984.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/2E25CC8A-D137-4D6F-B1DD-7DC480DB6E00-3521-0000062DC0CD1880.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/A980280C-021B-45C3-BAF5-D5B8E5724979-3521-0000062DD2C8759E.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/9238E18E-2B8C-4610-8DF8-6465117D415C-3521-0000062DD91D7202.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/2633F278-B3D6-4A85-B781-14FE02BFFD59-3521-000006454D7B90AB.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/166DFF73-AF93-47B9-967B-36417A57ECFE-3521-0000064545A33490.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/62493482-AB38-4055-8A5B-5F61A412A948-3521-000006452816F6F0.jpg
Will post more when it's done.

[tcp316]

Here's some quick pics of the stand, still needs a few more coats. But all in all it's coming along nicely.
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/C5159990-0BE0-4DDE-B7F2-5B3BE14CDDAD-3521-0000062DB24886CF.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/B3393118-E739-4FB9-A475-B45941235997-3521-0000062DBA6FD984.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/2E25CC8A-D137-4D6F-B1DD-7DC480DB6E00-3521-0000062DC0CD1880.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/A980280C-021B-45C3-BAF5-D5B8E5724979-3521-0000062DD2C8759E.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/9238E18E-2B8C-4610-8DF8-6465117D415C-3521-0000062DD91D7202.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/2633F278-B3D6-4A85-B781-14FE02BFFD59-3521-000006454D7B90AB.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/166DFF73-AF93-47B9-967B-36417A57ECFE-3521-0000064545A33490.jpg
http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc466/jasonstan3/62493482-AB38-4055-8A5B-5F61A412A948-3521-000006452816F6F0.jpg
Will post more when it's done.
Very nice. Well done


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[jstan]

Thnx, I'm really trying to take my time and make this look good, my stands are usually black painted 2x4's.
I think the biggest compliment I've gotten so far is from my wife. Not only does she like it, she wants it upstairs in the living room. Now that's impressive, considering the initial resistance to adding another tank. It just needs a few more coats, and I'm debating if I should cost the inside black as well.

Any suggestions? I know once the doors are closed you won't see it. But when there open I will, and I'm a stickler for details like that.

[tcp316]

I'm debating if I should cost the inside black as well.

Any suggestions? I know once the doors are closed you won't see it. But when there open I will, and I'm a stickler for details like that.

If it were me I would paint the inside not just to match as it would bother me when I opened it but to protect the wood

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

[jstan]

So the project hit a wall. And not much has gotten done. Life kinda jumped up and got in the way. Hope to have more done soon. The stand is finished at least. Just waiting on getting the tank drilled.