my new/first nano(FINALY!)

[amazonlover]

hey everyone i just wanted to tell you about my very soon comming 5.5 gallon nano.(i n 2 days or so) it will have a custom internal surface skimmer(a DIY pvc pipe with slots) that will have my filter pipe in it (just like the DIY forums one) its a 20gallon rated filter(big enough?) it will have 5lbs of normal sand substraight and 2.5lbs of LR with 26watts of fluro lightng over it(5watts per gal) and it will be heated by a 50 watt acura 100 heater(submersible). it will be an open lid glass tank.

tell me if you think i should change anything or if i should add more LR or wattage.

thanks from amazonlover

[sundevil_brian]

i would put 5 lbs of live rock instead of just 2.5 and i would use the filter just to run carbon instead of using the floss filters because the create too much nitrate unless you are religious about cleaning out the floss about everyother day. besides that your set up sounds good.

[amazonlover]

ok thanks il add the extra 2.5lbs then and how do i just run a filter with carbon..?? im not sure what your talkign about i have bio bags in it(witch hold carbon) but yes there inside a mish miteral... thank for the reply

[sundevil_brian]

just get a media bag and fill it with carbon and put that in the filter instead of the floss pad.

think of the live rock as your filter (wich it is) not your hob filter. this is because live rock has all the bacteria to break down amonia all the way to nitrogen (and other "bugs" that help out too)

i don't know how much flow you are getting from the hob filter but you might also want to look into getting a mini-jet power head for some more circulation

[amazonlover]

yea its only 105GPH il either get a bigger HOB filter or a power head. and thanks for that info on the carbon

[sundevil_brian]

i'd just go with a power head, it will give you more controle on where the water movement will go.

[amazonlover]

ok so the LR will be the filter that sounds good

[joedirt54]

I'll second the carbon bag idea...one of those DIY hob aqua clear fuges would be nice too.

I have a 5.5 AGA that I was thinking of using. I was going to partion one side for the filter...overflow in the back right side, carbon/rawphos chamber, and a MJ 900 with locline fitings for return/output. Probably a 70w JBL halide to light it.

[sundevil_brian]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7841969#post7841969 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by joedirt54
one of those DIY hob aqua clear fuges would be nice too.


yea i second that. im running a ac110 fuge with carbon in the "first chamber" (before the bafle)

i think the ac110 is too big for a 5.5g but i think an ac70 would work. you can also put live rock in the filter to add to the amount of live rock in the system without taking away from swim space.