It may not be a 1/2 gal but I set up a 20 what do you think.

[Ben1]

I mainly set it up as a frag tank but know it will turn into a real reef tank. Is a 20 still considered a "NANO"?

Heres the set up details,

20 Long
175 10k MH
Turboflotor HOT T-1000
Hagen 802 blowing full force under the live rock

The tanks been set up for a few months now and has a pair of tiny Tomato clows who will move to my 150 when they are a little bigger and tougher. A couple of mangroves, grape calupra, and a few frags of some SPS, LPS and Softies.

What do you think about this tank long term (summer heat?) and what about the sand bed should have I gone with a full sandbed not just half or none at all(see pic)?

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah i believe a 20 is still considered a nano..mine is a 20..i love it..id like to do smaller say a nano cube or a 5 gal..looks like yours is sectioned off to create a sump so that cuts it down from 20 gal..

 

[Ben1]

Yeah I did this the other day to create more of a "clean" enviroment. I am considering removing the whole sandbed in this tank and really wonder if sandbends even make sence in a nano tank.

If they are mainly used for nitrate removal I think they are useless in a small tank where water changes can easily reduce any biut up nitrate. If they are in the tank for anohter purpose, then that changes my opinion.

I have two mangroves and in the psat have only had luck with them when the roots were at least partialy covored in sand. I left one area with high sand in the back right for the mangroves and some grape calupra. The left side is bare bottom and the front right is a partial sandbed where the pump is for the skimmer.

Thanks for the responce Nikon I was starting to think the "nano" forum was a little slow. :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

I have a 3" sandbed, i just think it looks more realistic...when it comes to sandbeds i think its more personal than anything..congrats on the photo contest i see you won for the b&w seadragon.. cool deal ..whats your skimmer.. i run a bak pak 2r

 

[Ben1]

congrats on the photo contest i see you won for the b&w seadragon.. cool deal

Thanks!

whats your skimmer.. i run a bak pak 2r

I am using a turboflotor multi 1000. IME a great skimmer. I bought it years ago and have used it on many systems through the years. It seems to top out at the 55-75 gal range though so on my 150 I use a PM bullet 3. In the end a skimmer might go the same way on a nano as my statements about sandbeds, I like the reassurance it gives tho.

 

[brandon4291]

Hey that is a great setup. One major setback to setting up picos (less than 1 g) is no fish---I want a 20 long eventually so I can have a clownfish (nemo for my child) and at least a few small gobies for myself. Sahin long ago posted a great 20 gallon nano that I have always remembered, and if you ever decided you didn't want yours I would gladly take it! L)

 

[investigator1]

That is very unique.

 

[skylsdale]

I am considering removing the whole sandbed in this tank and really wonder if sandbends even make sence in a nano tank.


Only for aesthetics, IMO.

 

[brandon4291]

Skylsdale, I feel the same now after a few experimentations. I too think they look nice, but the hassle of keeping them balanced in a nano seems not worth it to me now. Currently I just sprinkle a few cc chips and a little sand on the bottom so it won't be bare--but this gets thoroughly siphoned at each water change.

 

[hillbilly]

Cool little tank Ben. Yeah, the whole deep sandbed thing is getting very old with me. When we move into our new house, I'm tearing down tanks and getting rid of all that sand. I know I can keep the water much cleaner with BB tanks.