Nano NPS Tank Do!Aqua 7.5: The Test

[DFason]

Do!Aqua 7.5g: The Test

The Story: This will be my test tank for my nano tank accessories. It will included the Ryujin Lighting, Chilled Food Cone Reactor, Media Box and LED's. With Weekly updates to show how the inhabitants and corals react to different scenarios. I will also take a picture a day and compile it after six months to show the growth of the corals. This will be my third tank on my new bookshelf stand idea. It will be connected to my shallow reef and new mangrove/seagrass tank. I think with the three of these tanks they should all work together and have there own roles.

Livestock : The focus will be NPS corals and inverts. With Uhuru's help I want to make this half as beautiful as his.

Corals : NPS

The Gear :
Chilled Food Reactor : Very Key
MP10
Ryujin Light Controller
LED


Aquascaping : Bonsai Tree's.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jm3eLgrlpvs/SoCk3UNi1hI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/7ZxQBl3Pl2E/s400/BonsaiTree.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XdP6Lp2ceqY/SsLZNdfHASI/AAAAAAAAApY/d4m018PM9JE/s1600/bonsai.jpg

Front
http://images56.fotki.com/v541/photos/2/269729/6860244/IMG_4941-vi.jpg
Side
http://images49.fotki.com/v1489/photos/2/269729/6860244/IMG_4943-vi.jpg
Top
http://images53.fotki.com/v546/photos/2/269729/6860244/IMG_4944-vi.jpg
Angle
http://images110.fotki.com/v560/photos/2/269729/6860244/IMG_4945-vi.jpg

The Bookshelf Stand
This tank will be on the very top. This will then drain to my mangrove.seagrass tank and then to my sump and shallow reef. I hope to have all three working together to create something totally different.

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss230/DFason/IMG_5095.jpg

Hope you enjoy! I cant tell you how excited I am about this.

-Dave

[dainiusiva]

nice choice for your beautifull nano,i am tempted to do something in this fashion.i guess i'll have to wait and see how you fare in this before i plunge in to this.

[owlbassboy]

what are the dimensions of this? i have a 12" cube im in the process of setting up for azoox corals. not sure whether to plumb a sump to it of how to go about it.

[flying_dutchman]

I'm a big fan of your 35g, but I'm sure this tank will turn out even more amazing.
Good luck.

BTW shouldn't the NPS tank be under the reef j/k :lol:

[DFason]

Thanks guys! The tank is a 12" cube.

Dutch - I am really excited to try two new tanks out on my new system. Something different and really cool to watch :) Hope I can please everyone.

-Dave

[owlbassboy]

how are you plumbing this? overflow box or drilling?

[DFason]

A little bit of both :)

-Dave

[DFason]

What do you guys think? Black sand or normal fiji pink?

-Dave

[uhuru]

I vote normal. Black will get dirty fast.

[Patriot54]

Normal

[oldreefer76]

i vote normal. Black will get dirty fast.

+1

[DFason]

The people have spoken!

-Dave

[Aquabacs]

Dave, as your theme is going to be visioned after a bonsai tree; will only the top of the rockwork be covered in corals? Say, Tubastrea, then leaving the bottom part of the rock work exposed like a tree trunk? or is the entire rockwork going to be covered in corals? Either way then leaving the space around the rockwork clear?

Good luck with your project.



Mike

[flying_dutchman]

This is a pretty neat bonsai inspired reef, might give you some ideas:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a295/ferrao11/contest%20tank/bonsai020410-1.jpg

I'm not sure if the link will work:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=214648&st=0&gopid=2513543&#entry2513543
if not just search on NR for "Pisces' 10g Bonsai reef"

[dainiusiva]

really looks like a bonsai tree ;)

[uhuru]

now thats an artsy reef!

[DFason]

Small update on the tank. I ordered a small Lily pipe for a return on the tank and a MP10. I just finished the small LED unit for lighting the tank too. I'm most excited about the chilled food reactor that I have been working on for Mike ( Uhuru ) and myself. Its So close and looks like it going to work great.

I am needing some help on choosing foods. I want to make sure to start out on the right track. I plan on starting with a few Sun Corals, Dendro, Blueberry Gorg and hopefully a Rhyzo.

As for fish I want to have something simple but want to make sure it will be healthy. As silly as this sounds I've thought about a basslet or something like it. Maybe even a tiny Royal Gramma! Any suggestions are welcome.

-Dave

[ashtree68]

Really cool design. A flaming prawn goby would be cool, but pricey and hard to find, neat fish though.

[Aquabacs]

Hello Dave. Stopping by to see how your project is coming along.









Mike

[DFason]

Mike,
Thanks for stopping by. I just received my MP10 this week and should be getting the tank wet this weekend. Should be a short cycle with the size. I hope to finish up with my new sump for the entire set up too...:)

-Dave

[uhuru]

Dave hows the food reactor coming along? I think I'm gonna have to DIY a mini-fridge system unless we can get something going within the next couple of weeks as I'm going out of town soon. Guess what I'm setting up a planted tank too! You gotta let us know how that tank is coming along as well. I've been spending most of my free time just researching planted tanks it's a whole other world. Gotta worry about lighting all over again!

[DFason]

Mike - I am determined to get it finished this week! I know you are heading out and want something for you to try. I have just been swamped at work 11-12 hours days...

Yea macro stuff is wild! I am thinking of adding 6500K LED's in strips for the macro tank. Who knows! Are you going to be using any type of mud under the sandbed?

-Dave

[uhuru]

I know how it is there is so much I need to do before I go I'm getting pretty stressed out. Not to mention my budget is really tight.

Yeah I got 3 buckets of Fiji Mud and 120 lbs of Aragasnow for a DSB. Super expensive but I want to be able to start planting the seagrasses and mangroves ASAP.

I'm also thinking of DIY'ing my own LED. I was going to use 18 Cree XPG's cool white with tight optics and mount the pendant 3-4' above the tank. I priced it out to about $270 which is cheaper than an MH setup. This would be for a ~ 18x18 area. I might go with the 3-up discs so I can use a smaller, lighter heatsink. What do you think?

[DFason]

Mike - Sounds like you have the same stuff I am needing. I am going to build a PVC bottom tank to ensure no cracking years down the road.

As for the LED's you should be good to go with that. The XP's are VERY bright and you maybe able to go with XR's to save a few dollars. 3ups are nice and you can use a much smaller heatsink. I am going to use 10mm circles for my personal stuff to make them as small as possible.

Side note I am picking up a Rhizo and Dendro for the tank :) I will have them in the 35g for now. Should be getting those in two weeks.

-Dave

[DFason]

Here's a few shots of the glass I ordered for my seagrass tank.

Flat Polish Starphire
http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss230/DFason/IMG_5255.jpg
Lily Pipe
http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss230/DFason/IMG_5253.jpg
Baby LED
http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss230/DFason/IMG_5258.jpg
SPS 35g ( this will be one of the tanks working with the entire system )
http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss230/DFason/IMG_5267.jpg
MP10 :D For the seagrass tank and another for the NPS
http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss230/DFason/IMG_5271.jpg

Enjoy!

-Dave

[flying_dutchman]

I love the lily pipe, crazy price tag though.

I priced it out to about $270 which is cheaper than an MH setup.
fishneedit dot com sells MH for way cheap.

[DFason]

Fly - Lily pipe from ebay... 22 shipped :D

-Dave

[flying_dutchman]

Fly - Lily pipe from ebay... 22 shipped
OMG! :eek1: My local ADA retailer sells them for $82-$95...

[dainiusiva]

nice to see that you are moving along.i guess that next comes the food reactor.side note - lily pipes for $22 is a great find

[the_rider]

Hii Dave,

So how is your tank going ?? Do you have new picture ? :P

Thanks
Alex B

[DFason]

Working on it! I've been having to save some cash ( I just moved ) and have been working a ton.

I hope to have everything going by the end of August. I'll try and get some updated photo's for you. I am picking up a Rhizo and Dendro next week. :)

-Dave