Dakar's - Nano Build - 10g SPS Nano project log

Well today ended the Ammo and NO2 cycle and NO3 dipped below 10ppm. Tommorrow I need to suspend the halide pendant from the shelf above it and do a little water change and she'll be ready for critters.

Equipment list so far;
-10g AGA display
-10g Perfecto Sump/Refuge (3-4" DSB)
-drilled with 3/4" bulkheads
-Bare Bottom w/Starboard for substrate
-Simple acryllic horizonal overflow
-Mag7 return pump pushing around 350-400gph though the sump display via open manifold (3/4" funny pipe with 4 3/4" outputs)
-75w heater
-Electronic thermometer.
-DIY airstone CC skimmer
-70w 14K HQI Metal Halide for lighting
-About 12lbs of LR

Left to do; (In no real order)
-upgrade the lighting to 150w HQI bulb/ballast, torn between the 6500K and 10K
-increase depth of the sandbed in the refuge
-minor plumbing adjustments
-another heater (150w) the 75w will become a backup
-more LR for the crash chamber and fuge
-Move the green star polyps and shrooms that hitchhiked in moved to the 180g tank.
-build an auto top off system.
-get some SPS frags to populate the tank!
-capture some more snails and critters to populate the refuge a bit more.

Still undecided if I want to run macros in the fuge or not yet....might just try to run pink xenia in there for my primary nutrient exporters.

Just a quick update, finally got around to hanging the halide pendant, though slightly off center for now (haven't set up the black acrylic over the overflow yet). The skimmer is now skimming organics instead of mud for a pleaeant change. Though still got a little bit of a microbubble issue on the returns, I'll get that worted out before too long... bubbles in the tank drive me crazy. Still need to do some tidying up of wires and hoses...

Ah, here are some updated pics just for fun, must have held the camera crooked or something, things really look the place is leaning to the left.

http://www.captivereefing.com/riched...e114466b5d.jpg

The tank itself....
http://www.captivereefing.com/riched...9c7e837308.jpg


Looks barren with just rocks in there now.... time to get locating some nice LPS/SPS frags to start populating the reef with now.

That will make a nice little SPS tank with some small frags it will look grate
in a few months

I look forward to the day when I have your knowledge and experience to create something so small that is so sophisticated!

You made a comment about it looking barren with just the rock... well, I think it looks very nice. This is my first time seeing the difference of pre-halide and post-halide, and what a difference it is! :D

Happened by an LFS today looking for DT's, and this little fella jumped out of the tank ran out tomy truck.... I've always liked the green slimers so much I couldn't find it in my heartto send him back...

http://www.captivereefing.com/riched...e7a8e70dcf.jpg


I'm hoping he'll settle in and show me some polyps after a good nights rest.

Actually a pretty big frag, when you look in comparison to the 12" high tank that he's holding center stage in.
http://www.captivereefing.com/riched...eae658cfe6.jpg

Also added a few zoanthid polyps (4 to be exact) to the top of a plug, I'd like to see if they will grow over the plug and onto (and hopefully across) the starboard bottom.

Dave,it is looking fantastic.Have you got the return outputs crimped/balanced yet?

now there ya go buddy, looking good!!!

Nice slimer for a frag looking good

Dakar anything new going on?

Dave,I'm sure you already now this but take some LR rubble from one of your displays/sumps and put them in the fuge/sb.The pods/starfish/worms in the rubble will really help with the algae/nutrient processing cycle thus maturing your tank alot faster.