Alfie and Tristan's Nano

[Alfie]

My 10 year old is always looking over my shoulder wanting to know everything I do. So after reading Kryo's thread we have decided to enter as well. I like Kanga's idea and would like to see how cheaaply I can do it yet giving the best conditions under the ciscumstances to the livestock.

I will be using an AquaH2O 60X40X35 tank. It has 2 X 24W floresencts. I will not be using a sump but will make a thick sandbed to create as much life as possible. LR will be suspended on eggcrate to give as much as possible waterflow over the sand bed. Should get a good couple of critters living in there. Have not yet decided on the powerheads. For water filtration I am considering Carbon, Purigen, phosguard and try to modify so I can fit one of those Berlin air skimmers into the tank.

Well there goes another weekend.

 

[viper357]

Sounds like it will be another great tank. Good luck.

 

[HenkHugo]

sounds like a fantastic project...

 

[Hill]

Sounds cool. Keep us posted.

 

[Tridan]

Cool sounds nice keep us posted, like your sons name , my boy is 8 and has the same name.

 

[Alan]

Sounds good, keep us updated.

 

[Alfie]

Will do guys. The work will start this weekend

 

[Alfie]

Ok. Sandbed will be Carribsea Aragonite with PVC tubing cut to suspend the Eggcrate with LR ontop. Water will be pumped via a 80 L/H pump through filter floss then Carbon, Phosgaurd and purigen to return to the Display tank. As far as skimming is concerned we are going to use the cheap berlin air skimmer but ging to modify so we dont use the wooden air stones which block and have to be replaced regularly bur rather a small pwerhead, about 300 l/h. For circulation we are going to use a Boyu wavemaker. That should give sufficient flow internally. Everything in place other than the LR which we will get once done and set up.

Work will start tomorrow and I will post photos as we go along.

 

[viper357]

Sounds really great, I love watching new tanks develop.

 

[Alfie]

This is the Tank we are going to be using for the Nano

This is the only fltration other than DSB in display and LR. Filter wool/Carbon and Purigen(Later for phosphates)

This is the little Berlin Air Skimmer starting to work

Thats all for now.

 

[viper357]

That little skimmer seems to be making some nice foam there Alfie. Are you running a small needlewheel venturi on it?

 

[Alfie]

No Viper plain little wooden airstone

 

[Mekaeel]

this is gonna be interesting....watching closely

 

[Alfie]

OK just put in the substate to the tank, about 6cm thick throughout the tank. Cut eggcrate and PVC tubing and raised the eggcrate about 1cm above the substrate so substate can act as DSB. LR placed on the eggcrate except the front and one side so as to hide the eggcrate from the Front and side viewing panel. Here I placed small pieces of LR. Water mercy now will look at taking photos tomorrow. I will keep the lights as they are, 2 X 24w T8's. One Blue and one white.

 

[viper357]

No Viper plain little wooden airstone

I tell you what, those wooden airstones work like a dream for skimmers, I had 4 of them in my DIY skimmer and they made great foam, just a pity the maintenance on them is so high

 

[viper357]

OK just put in the substate to the tank, about 6cm thick throughout the tank. Cut eggcrate and PVC tubing and raised the eggcrate about 1cm above the substrate so substate can act as DSB. LR placed on the eggcrate except the front and one side so as to hide the eggcrate from the Front and side viewing panel. Here I placed small pieces of LR. Water mercy now will look at taking photos tomorrow. I will keep the lights as they are, 2 X 24w T8's. One Blue and one white.

Sounds good

 

[Alan]

Looking very nice keep em pics rolling.

 

[Alfie]

I tell you what, those wooden airstones work like a dream for skimmers, I had 4 of them in my DIY skimmer and they made great foam, just a pity the maintenance on them is so high

I will in all likelyhood get a proper skimmer/Modify later but for the purpose of this competition I am going to keep as is.

 

[Alfie]

Alan, thanks will do.

 

[Alfie]

The water still a bit mercy this morning. Put some LR in.