Gearing up a New way to Nano - advice plz

[Sprattoo]

I have a 75G tank behind me so if this project starts going belly up.. nothing will die.

My purpose for this 10G Nano is really to breed copepods, glass shrimp, snails, and keep some macro algae and grow out soft coral frags.
I am going to plexi-glass off a little less than 1/3 of the tank for heaters etc... I'm even considering running a fluval 204 on it (hopefully using this in-tank sump setup to keep little critters out)

I have nice little work studio with a window that gets direct sun light about 80% of the day. Heres my question.... and you know what it is.

Can this little nano be kept without artificial light? I have a coralife PC hood I could dismantle and build a hood with a 65W PC... but I'm thinking I might be able to avoid the whole lighting issue and just go with all natural sunlight.

In the summer, all I would have to do is pull the shade to cool it off. (I'll have AC running anyway for my 75G.)

Has anyone done this before with success?

 

[Anonymous]

Can it be done ? Sure can.
A few years back I experimented with 3- 2.5gl tanks. #1 had a 75W MH, #2 had 65W PCs and #3 had natural sunlight. All three did extremely well. The natural sunlight tank was exposed to a northern window and actually had to be heated in the winter time. As far as running a Fluval I don't see why not though consider running it empty and only use it for circulation as your live rock and sand bed will be sufficient filtration. The other option is running with a skimmer or skimmerless if you feel comfortable enough with it.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[Sprattoo]

hrrmm..

Skimmerless eh?
I was considering getting a powerhead for circulation anyway, Incase I ever let go of the fluval idea. The thing is I would like the mechanical filtration.. to get the big ol' chunks.... maybe I should just not worry so much about them.

I have been facing this same dilemma on my 75G. To skim or not to skim.
I don't really know that I HAVE to. I have a sand bed, live rock, a refugium with Macro, and a nice little sock thing on my outlet.

The tank is only a couple months old... (although much of the water and life is over 2 years)

I have a cool RO/DI.... I often wonder if I am skimming out stuff I might want in there to support my copepods, mysis, and macro Algae.
I am wondering the same of the 10 Gallon. 10 gallons of water would be quite easy to overskim.......

wouldn't it?

I don't like that the skimmer sucks up little shrimp either.

What should I do... on both systems.. The nano will be primarily for raising copepods and shrimp... I'm afraid of skimmming them off with the green goo.

 

[Anonymous]

Skimmerless eh?
I was considering getting a powerhead for circulation anyway, Incase I ever let go of the fluval idea. The thing is I would like the mechanical filtration.. to get the big ol' chunks....

I have been facing this same dilemma on my 75G. To skim or not to skim.
I don't really know that I HAVE to. I have a sand bed, live rock, a refugium with Macro, and a nice little sock thing on my outlet.


I have a cool RO/DI.... I often wonder if I am skimming out stuff I might want in there to support my copepods, mysis, and macro Algae.
I am wondering the same of the 10 Gallon. 10 gallons of water would be quite easy to overskim.......

wouldn't it?

I don't like that the skimmer sucks up little shrimp either.

What should I do... on both systems.. The nano will be primarily for raising copepods and shrimp... I'm afraid of skimmming them off with the green goo.

Whoa, hold it I never said anything about not having powerheads. Definitely you need circulation and on a 10gl I'd recommend having 2 probably something like Maxi-Jet 900's.
Since you're relatively new in the hobby I would not recommend going skimmerless on your 75gl though on a 10gl with live rock and live sand, weekly small water changes is really all you need and a skimmer is just taking up valuable space. Will a skimmer over-skim a 10gl tank? Yes it could especially if it's a too big for that size tank. Most of the skimmers I've seen or recommend for that size tank will not, even though Mfrs claim they're for larger size tanks.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[Sprattoo]

oh no no no...
I would never go without power heads or circulation. I'm foolish not outright ign'ant. hehe.

I meant that I was picking up some extras incase I decided to not use the fluval.