Synergy's 12 gal nano

[Synergy]

Hey everybody,

Have been meaning to create a thread for my nano build for months and figured I better do it now before classes get started or else it will never get done. I'll start from the beginning.

12 gal jbj
70W Viper MH (20K ebay bulb)
9W blue LED supplement
12-15lbs? liverock
10lbs? White playsand

Chamber 1:
Filter floss, chemi-pure, phosphate sponge

Chamber 2:
50W Heater, ATO

Chamber 3:
AquaC Remora, Maxi-jet 900 return pump

Here is the tank when it was first set-up in April 2010
http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0010-1.jpg

Switched the aquascape early on
http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0030-1.jpg

Side view of the ledge
http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0025-1.jpg

It went through a quick cycle, and I added a CUC and some frags a few weeks later.

[Sir Patrick]

Tank looks great! Cant wait to see the pics of it full of coral!

[Synergy]

Some frags I added on early, I lost most due to a bacterial bloom early on. Tank was cloudy for a week, and I let the O2 get too low. Moved the thermometer to the back chamber, and switched the return since the 90 degree was cutting off the flow too much
http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0091.jpg

View of how the skimmer fits in, removed one of the heaters from chamber 2. Can also see the new return nozzle I am using.
http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0134.jpg

Side view, the skimmer makes the tank look small, lowered the light since this picture
http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0140.jpg

Overall shot, The little side lamp now houses a 9W blue LED to give me some more pop in my corals.
http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0043-1.jpg

[Synergy]

More recent shot, no A/C in the house at school so had to run the fan at full blast 24/7 to keep the temp under 86.
http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0234.jpg

Some corals
http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0242.jpg

More
http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0226.jpg

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0219.jpg

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0258.jpg

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0255.jpg

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0254.jpg

[Sir Patrick]

Nice Corallimorph colection!! That yellow fuji leather is pretty sweet too!

Those 2 shrooms are lookin great! Seem to be lovin your tank!

[Synergy]

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0249.jpg

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0190.jpg

Most recent full tank shot, about a week ago, but its has changed again. Had to move out of my old house and into a new, glued most of the stuff that was in the sand on the rocks. Looks much better now. I'll try to get some pics asap. But it will be moved again next week so might just wait until then.
http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af34/cmrae/PICT0241.jpg

[ReeferRob]

Killer little tank ya got there!

[bigbill]

very nice tank i have the same and hope mine looks that good when it grows out
mines is only 5 months old

[Synergy]

Double post.

[Synergy]

Thanks for the comments! Still looking to add a few more corals, any ideas on what would look nice?

Added some candy cane coral recently, got a freebie head from Sir Patrick (Thanks). I really liked the look so I picked up a few individual heads and glued them all together so it looks like a mini colony.

Looking to stay with softies, for ease of care. Have a few sps in there now but might trade them in.

[Sir Patrick]

How them little LED's working for you? How high above the tank ya running them, and how big an area they lighting up?

[cg5071]

Is that a pavona up on the very top? If you ever want to make a trade I have a few mushrooms/rhodactis and palys/zoas that I dont see in your tank. I would love a little piece of the fiji leather and maybe the pavona? and/or some different zoas.
lmk

[igot2gats]

Not too many LPS dominated tanks around these days. Can't wait to see your tank grow out some more...

Nice pics!

[Synergy]

How them little LED's working for you? How high above the tank ya running them, and how big an area they lighting up?

They are working really well actually, definitely worth the $25. It definitely helps mask the white/yellowish hue from the bulb and leaves a nice crisp color. And the corals, especially green really pop.

They light up the entire nano, so approximately 14" x 14". I don't have them running now since the tank is in a temporary location, but I believe they were like 8-10" above the water. I'll get a measurement next week.

With the way my rocks are arranged there are some areas not heavily hit by the MH, in these areas the blue is VERY apparent and creates a cool contrast. Once I get the tank settled in its new home next week I'll take a pic with and without the LED on, and one with just the LEDS.

[Synergy]

Is that a pavona up on the very top? If you ever want to make a trade I have a few mushrooms/rhodactis and palys/zoas that I dont see in your tank. I would love a little piece of the fiji leather and maybe the pavona? and/or some different zoas.
lmk

The yellow coral in the upper right? That's another yellow fiji leather. Slightly different color than the other one, cant decide which one I like more. Always looking to trade, especially for some new mushrooms. The fiji's are growing really well and I am going to need to frag it soon, so I'll let you know when I have some frags ready.


Not too many LPS dominated tanks around these days. Can't wait to see your tank grow out some more...

Nice pics!

Thanks! I am really busy with classes so I wanted a relatively easy to maintain tank (i.e missing a water change wont result in a disaster), but something that still looked interesting. I'll try to post a new pic every week or so to track the growth.

[cg5071]

Thanks. Now I look I guess it is another leather. Looked brown to me though. It is blocking the powerhead in one of the shots.

I have a couple purple bullseye mushrooms and green tonga shrooms that I can think of right now. Maybe more if they split soon enough, and some zoas or palys that are doing well. Keep me in mind when you do frag it :)

[Sir Patrick]

This tank growing out???

[Synergy]

This tank growing out???

Yup, made a few changes since the last pics though. Gave away a bunch of frags that were crowding the tank to allow some things to grow and added a few other pieces. Thinking about taking a few pieces from this tank to add to my nano contest tank too. I'll try to get some updated pics up later this week!