Jasen's 10g nano

[Anonymous]

Most of the equipment is nothing special.
Standard 10gal,
100gph powerhead,
50w heater,
small hang-on filter/pump,
96w "quad" power compact hood,
20# live sand,
will have just about 25# live rock this week.

A lot of rock, I know. But I don't think I'll really be keeping any fish in it. I'm thinking more along the lines of an invert only tank. Maybe I'll add a gobie, or other small fish that doesn't need swimming room.

Challenges so far... keeping the damn thing from overheating! I have to keep the heater off in the daytime or the temps get over 82. But then at night it'll drop to the ambient room temp of about 69. I'm going to try putting the heater on a timer opposite the lights.

 

[fras]

Sounds like a good setup, post some pics when you get time!

About the heater - it should be thermostatically controlled, as in you don't need to put it on a timer because it should automatically switch off when the temp gets above whatever you set it to.

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you have a broken heater!!!

It should not swing that much...

You do have an adjustable heater, or is it a pre-programed?

Either way it should shut off when the tank gets warm.

Also FWIW 82 is not too bad as long as it does not get too much warmer than that. Stability it temp is much more important.

 

[Anonymous]

The heater does make a strange sound when it kicks on. It must be broken, but now that I have it set to about 75, the tank's temp stays right around 78. I'll look at replacing it soon.
I have some inhabitants now as well. An emerald crab, 3 turbo snails, blue-legged hermits, and a baby percula clown. Think I may have to pull one of the snails out, they keep the algae levels so low I think they may start to be underfed soon. Maybe I could supplement their diet with some of those algae pellets?


Here's a current pic, at about 4 weeks. The glass is dirty, because I'm purposely not scraping algae for the benefit of the snails.

 

[Anonymous]

For those interested, turbo snails have no problem munching on those algae pellets they sell for plecos and the like. Two of them played tug-of-war with a pellet for a while, almost ate the entire thing, until the emerald crab ran out and stole it from them.

 

[Anonymous]

Here's my 55g with the evil red devil. Using a 20-high as a homemade sump filter.

 

[Anonymous]

Updated pic, and closeups of the new starbust/green star polyps:

 

[Clarkii3]

what water are you using?

 

[Anonymous]

Still tapwater atm. I don't mind encouraging the algal growth for now, as I have an overabundance of snails to eat it.

Updated pic, again. I think I'm getting better at adjusting this camera to these bright lights: