Ok so i want to create a 10G nano (pico?)

[Xirxes23]

I have a 90G display tank with 150 total system. I was thinking that for a surprise late Christmas gift to my GF (and me) i would take an old 10G and use scraps from the big tank to make a nano.

I have an old 10G empty from freshwater, complete with heater and a nifty little HOB filter. I figured if i cleaned her out, possibly ditched the little hang on back filter, used existing tank stuff i could build a nano/pico for her!

things i have from old freshwater:
1: tank
2: heater
3: crappy hob filter for carbon

things i will use from existing saltwater:
1: Live rock
2: saltwater
3: Xenia, Zooanthids, pods/mysids galore (also some aptasia)
4: 2 rio 50gph pumps for circulation

things i will buy new:
1: lighting, probably 90Watts PC
2: joes juice

i want to keep it bare bottom for cleanliness and to keep costs down. Any reason why this wouldn't work? if i only plan to put in a few seahorses and LPS shouldn't this be good enough? I cant imagine they will need any additives on this scale. I will do 10-20% water changes weekly with vacuum.

Let me know what you think. Thanks for input.

[DrHank]

I'd skip the seahorses and the joes juice and add a single peppermint shrimp. Then add one appropriately sized fish (maybe a small goby).

Other than that it sounds like a good plan. Good luck and I hope she (you both) likes it!

[Xirxes23]

seahorse in a 2 gallon pico, i think i can keep 2 in a 10

Melev's 2 gallon pico (http://www.melevsreef.com/pico.html)

[Illuminati]

What kind of LPS? Some LPS can sting seahorses. I agree you can get a couple for that size tank.

[InvaderJim]

Seahorses get tall...I'm not sure what kind of seahorse Casper is but I'm assuming some kind of dwarf or smaller species. Before you get any seahorses I'd do some serious research on them. I've heard they can be tricky to keep because they are extremely fragile and are picky eaters.

[Xirxes23]

ok seahorses are out... but i have a very small HOB filter, should i just stick a sack of carbon in there, surrounded by blue foam for physical/chemical filtration? the actual packet of carbon that is a replacement is a joke.

Also the tank is barebottom, think my python water vac will work for getting the detritus?

[danfrith]

I'm not familiar with the HOB filter but I would recommend getting an aquaclear, there are some pretty neat mods that some people have done to these. Good chioce not to do seahorses, the only speceis possible in your tank would be dwarfs and I dont think you want to feed live baby brine every day. Also, you can go with about half that lighting for just zoas and xenia.

[Xirxes23]

thats all for start, ill be doing full sps under a 96 PC

[Monkeyfish]

I've been running a 10 gallon nano for about 3 years. Here's a list of my equipment, etc.

Aquaclear 150 (150 gph) with chemipure
50 watt submersible heater
mini powerhead (about 20 gph)
72 watt compact fluorescent light (36 watt actinic & 36 watt 10,000K)


12lbs live rock
20 lbs live sand

various snails
coral banded shrimp

Trachyphyllia geoffroy (1 red and 1 green)
fungia sp?
zoanthids (3 types on one rock)
sarcophyton
actinodiscus (mushrooms - blue and green pimple)
protopalythoa
an unidentified leather/tree coral
monitpora digitata
porites

Not the best mix in the world, but everything grows so it's working for me.

I change 2 gallons/wk and top off with RODI daily.