Smith62's 25g build

[Smith62]

OK so I'm 17 and still in highschool and I decided last spring to start a SW side project to occupy me while I save for a car. So pretty much, this nano was put together with extra money I was willing to give up.

I bought a fairly new 25g rimless tank(32"L x 12"D x 15"H) with one of those enclosed plastic canopies with a single 20w t8 strip built in and a simple black stand (unfortunatly theres no place for a sump ). Filled it up with SW, threw in a bit of LR and 20lbs aragonite sand, got a heater, and AC50 filter (for floss and carbon), then a month later added 5 hermits, 3 margarita snails and 2 nassarius snails along with a purple/green colored mushroom. Over time I added a bit of LR and base rock as often as I could. Bought a Gold/Black striped Damsel but it died after I added a powerhead 2 months later (?) and a Sebae clown that died of Ich after that. Nothing really exciting happened, just took it slow. This project sat on the back burner buget wise.

Recently, I ditched the canopy and bought a 36" t5 HO double strip light fixture with 10000k daylight and Actinic bulbs, 39w each. Added a yellowtail Damsel after having an empty tank for a while to make sure the ich was gone, and picked up a GSP frag. Its nothing special but I just didn't want to throw money away if something changed when adding the new lights. My CUC has been reduced to 2 nass snails and 2 red legged hermits over time. Just reaquascaped not too long ago too.

Trying to get my tank back on the go, my plans for the new year are:

1. More LR to finish my aquascaping and a bigger CUC

2. Buy an anemone and let it find a spot where it is content (BTA or Condy)

3. More corals!
-zoanthids
-monti
-bird nest
-xenia
-yellow polyps
-finger leather
-colt
-ric mushroom
-kenya
-toadstool or hammer?
-frogspawn?

4. Fish!
-existing yellowtail damsel
-pair of clowns ( might add with nem )(Clarkii or Percs)
-reef safe Flame angel
-red scooter blenny and/or yellow watchman goby

I'm going to start supplementing after xmas for the added corals and test my water more. Params are currently fine but there isn't a whole lot in my tank so it doesn't change much.

Please input on anything you see wrong or that you like . Heres a few pictures..


Old aquascape, needed to make more room for corals and future rock. I liked the pillar look but I wanted a full, mysterious looking tank with lots of rock and tunnels.


Love that blue colour!


Oh hey there.


New aquascape. GSP is just to the right of the damsel, its fully closed. Behind that and in front of the heater is where I plan to build up LR into another arc type structure. Under the damsel I want to put a rock to form a sort of island. The GSP will be moved soon to another spot so it can't take over and I'm thinking the anemone will take its spot, hopefully it will stay there. I might leave the left side open, but put some kind of bushy coral there like a colt to overhang the rock and make a more shaded area. The rest of the corals will go where ever I feel like putting them when I get them.


Couple hours after last picture, GSP started to come out!

I'll keep you updated, but for tonight I'm done! It's Christmas, time to get off this computer and go party!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

[sue711]

Looking great, awesome job! Sounds good that you are taking it slow, better off in the long run. Happy holidays to you too! It makes me very happy to hear of a 17 yo that is as responsible as you are... gives me hope for the future!

[NanoReefWanabe]

looks good....you are gonna hate that blue colour soon enough...damsels notoriously get very aggressive especially in a small tank, once he establishes that the tank is his, he will try to dismember any future additions....and to top it all off they are painfully hard to get back out of the tank too.....i think i liked the pillar look of the first scape a little more then the pile of the new...keep us posted on your new successes.....





LOL...saving for a car, and using spare money for the tank....ahh so young, so innocent...LOL just kidding man, not bashing in any way, this hobby is painfully addictive, i would skip groceries to go to the fish store...

[Lance M.]

You have a 20 watt t8? You're gonna want to upgrade the lighting some time.

Originally Posted by NanoReefWanabe

this hobby is painfully addictive, i would skip groceries to go to the fish store...

Unfortunately this has happened before.... WW

[Smith62]

Thanks Sue!

NRWanabe, my plan to save was working up until a couple weeks ago, you should have seen my tank before lol, now I'm getting sucked back in . BTW, you mountain bike? what do you ride?

Lance, a 20w t8 was what came with the tank when I bought it, recently got a 78w t5HO fixture to replace it.

[NanoReefWanabe]

Originally Posted by Smith62

Thanks Sue!

NRWanabe, my plan to save was working up until a couple weeks ago, you should have seen my tank before lol, now I'm getting sucked back in . BTW, you mountain bike? what do you ride?

Lance, a 20w t8 was what came with the tank when I bought it, recently got a 78w t5HO fixture to replace it.

older bike bought in 2002 i think, Giant NRS XTC2 is the bike though...absolutely love the geometry of the bike...i am thinking of selling to buy a hardtail though...

[Smith62]

Alright so its been a while since I could post or even do much with my tank..
Not much has changed, moved a few rocks and such is about it. Christmas was very very busy and then back to school was crazy with work piled on before exams so I didn't have much time for anything else. It's exam week now and I'm stuck inside looking at the snow fall outside, and my snowboard waiting for me in the porch; such a distraction. Cramming is at a maximum and since my tank is next to my desk, it is my main source of procrastination...so, I thought I might as well get something new for it since I'm stuck in here with it this week. I dropped out to the LFS and picked up an amazing pair of percs! I am a bit worried though because the YT damsel is bullying them, so I might trade him in for something less agressive or put it towards an anemone. Thats about the extent of the excitement my tank has seen, I'm waiting on local corals to be fragged is all.

I'll try to get a few pictures of the new fish within the next couple days. Probably after I figure out what I'm doing with the damsel so my percs aren't so stressed out.

Anyways, back to the books! D:

[cherubfish pair]

Your percs probably haven't formed a pair yet. All clownfish start out male. When there's two males in a tank, (or two at a nem in the ocean) they will vie for dominance. The winner will change sex into a female and get a lot bigger than the full grown male. The damsel won't stand a chance against a female perc.

[Smith62]

Originally Posted by cherubfish pair

When there's two males in a tank, (or two at a nem in the ocean) they will vie for dominance. The winner will change sex into a female and get a lot bigger than the full grown male. The damsel won't stand a chance against a female perc.

I heard that before, I just don't want my percs to get roughed up while they're pairing and all that stuff. Do you think if I got a nem, and convinced them to take to it, they would stand a better chance from the damsel by having their own territory and protection?

EDIT: The damsel also digs/fans in the sand, especially under rocks and in the corner of my tank and that is another reason I'd take back the damsel haha.. It bugged me at first, but now that hes picking on the clowns I can't stand him! ahha

[mltnguyen]

Clowns are truly a spectacular to watch when they are pairing up and make the transformation in there gender. You will see lots of nipping and lip biting. I was freaked out about it at first then did some more reading and found out it was completely normal process.

BTW love your aquascaping.

[boodlefish]

nice tank if that damn~sel picks on the clowns too much it could lead to FISH OUT OF WATER it happens a lot.

[cherubfish pair]

Originally Posted by cherubfish pair

The damsel won't stand a chance against a female perc.

This is just my opinion. You will have to research that.

If there is a lot of fighting, I'd probably get rid of one perc. Less fighting and it's possible to get a third fish in there with a total of three species. With a spawning pair of clownfish, I would think that's max for a nano tank.

[Smith62]

I can't find my camera right now so I took my parent's point and shoot, not the best pictures because I don't know how to work the settings so they came out with poor resolution haha.. but here are the percs and a sketchy FTS.





*from last scape: moved the piece on the far right to the middle and a piece from the top left to mid right. Looking to maybe add more to the right; I need more to hide the heater and throw off the square shape of my scape :P



No word on the new corals yet. Not in a hurry, spent too much money this week anyways between fish, food and...'finishing exams' .
I'll get better pictures of the percs and whatnot with the next update!

[BigRedSpecial]

Looks like you've got a good starting point there. A few things I'd look out for though;

-as others said, the damsel will be aggressive towards most new fish

-be sure not to overstock - small marine tanks really can't handle many fish

-flow - depending on what corals you plan to keep, you may need more flow. What size is that maxijet? my 20g has two Aquaclear 70's, a Koralia 1 and a MJ900 and I still feel my flow is inadequate.

-You may want to place the GSP somewhere where it can't spread to other rocks... once the stuff takes off, it goes absolutely nuts. I've had GSP grow over(literally) Halimeda algae - not the fastest growing macro, but it should grow a hell of a lot faster than coral!

[Smith62]

Originally Posted by BigRedSpecial

Looks like you've got a good starting point there. A few things I'd look out for though;

-as others said, the damsel will be aggressive towards most new fish

-be sure not to overstock - small marine tanks really can't handle many fish

-flow - depending on what corals you plan to keep, you may need more flow. What size is that maxijet? my 20g has two Aquaclear 70's, a Koralia 1 and a MJ900 and I still feel my flow is inadequate.

-You may want to place the GSP somewhere where it can't spread to other rocks... once the stuff takes off, it goes absolutely nuts. I've had GSP grow over(literally) Halimeda algae - not the fastest growing macro, but it should grow a hell of a lot faster than coral!

Thanks! I'm seeing some pairing between the clowns now and they're starting to be a bit more aggressive towards the damsel and aren't getting picked on as much but I'm still keeping an eye on him. If the option to trade him is there, I'll do it. As you said, my tank is small and since I can only keep so many fish I'd like something other than a damsel! ahah.. The GSP is on an island.. got that under control! And as for flow, I have a MJ400 and an AC50 but I plan on getting another power head.

[Smith62]

Little update..
I picked up a car recently so I have that expense almost out of the way for right now. I decided to buy a bubble tip anemone yesterday afternoon, and only a few hours after, my clowns were hosting it! Heres a few pictures, I'm really busy with grad and rushed school work as the year end gets closer but I'll keep you posted with any new stuff!

Little while after I put it in it found a good spot


After the clowns figured it out haha..






And someone's jealous...

[sue711]

Your clowns look very happy! Wow, it didn't take them very long to host your anemone.

[tbar]

Great photo's I want to have a yellow tail in the 33L I am setting up. I already have a Blue damsel not sure how that would work out.

[Beblebe]

Originally Posted by tbar

Great photo's I want to have a yellow tail in the 33L I am setting up. I already have a Blue damsel not sure how that would work out.

My recomendation: Bad idea. I had a blue damsel, it was evil. It killed 2 other fish and beat up a third. Finally took it back to LFS. One of the ones killed was a yellowtail damsel and the one he beat up was one too.

[Smith62]

Originally Posted by tbar

Great photo's I want to have a yellow tail in the 33L I am setting up. I already have a Blue damsel not sure how that would work out.

Thanks! That's awesome, I love 33L tanks. My yellow tail is enough as it is, can't imagine another damsel in with it.

[tbar]

Okay, I thought that might be a bad idea. I have had the Damsel for at least 3 years and he is ugly, all discolored. I am cycling rock for 2.5 weeks now hope it will be ready soon.