Apollo's Nano chronicles

Apollo

Apollo

Joined
25 Sep 2008
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Location
Prague, Czech Republic
Hello to all,

Since I have quite a few threads dealing with various aspects of my Nano setup sofar , I thought I'd create a single thread dealing with my Nano from startup to where it is now.

So here goes :

I bought a Boyu TL450 nano in November 2008.
For substrate I decided initially to go with playsand as I quite like the look of it. I have subsequently changed part of the substrate to aragonite , since the playsand keeps on being blown around by the flow and the corals are not crazy about this.

Nano : Just received - Nov 2008

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I removed all bio balls and ceramic rings and replaced this with filter floss on an eggcrate platform in the 1st compartment. Sealed up all watergates at the back of the Boyu (except the topmost one and also sealed off the slots in the 3rd compartment which houses the heater. Also sealed off the 2nd spout (next to spraybar in 4th compartment)

Modification done to spraybar. Moved the spraybar up and installed a 700lph return pump in the 4th compartment. Built an eggcrate platform and put in Chemi-Pure elite in the 4th compartment under the return pump.
Used a Resun SP1200 (1100lph) powerhead in the display for flow . This was upgraded in Week 3 to a Seio M620 (2400lph) which gives a much wider dispersed flow as opposed to the direct stream from the powerhead.

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Moved the spraybar back to it's original position and angled it at approx 5 deg to the watersurface, as I was getting MEGA salt creep on the lights and canopy.:(

Liverock was bought on 8 Dec 2008 and promptly placed in the tank. No real aquascaping done. Pretty much just dumped the rock in.
I got 7.5 kg of Kenyan LR . Very good stuff though :thumbup:

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The cycle started on 10 Dec 2008 and from the very first day , there was already amazing life popping up everywhere.

Jewel Anemone - Corynactis Viridis

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Clove polyps - Clavularia sp.

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Pencil urchin - Eucidaris Metularia

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This is what the tank looked like by Week 4:

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Didn't really like the initial aquascaping, so I decided to change it.
The aquascaping is still the same at present


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Week 5 - The first signs of Bryopsis and GHA start appearing :(

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Week 6 - And then the GHA started getting worse. Diatoms , Cyano blooms , dinoflagellates etc. I got them all at once ! :p

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Fortunately the diatom blooms and cyano passed quickly and the first inmates were introduced by end of Week 6 . CUC - 2 x hermits , 5 local snails . Also added first coral - some green mushrooms.

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Week 9,10 - GSP , Green button polyps and Mycedium added. Bicolour blenny added.



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Nice bro, you got some nice hitch hikers there!
 
Week 11,12 - The GHA had not subsided , despite numerous efforts so I decided to take out all rocks and scrub them properly.
A very clean tank , which almost reminded me of when the tank had just been setup.

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Week 13 - This is pretty much where the tank is today . Added some Zoas and re-organised the coral layout a bit.

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And that's the story thusfar.

Water parameter wise , all parameters are stable :

KH = 12
pH = 8.4
Ammonia = 0
Nitrate = 2
Nitrite = 0
PO4 = 0
Ca = 420
Mg = 1400
SG = 1.025

It's been an incredible learning experience thusfar and I have had great fun with my little Nano. :thumbup:
 
wicked, awesome setup :)

pics dont do it justice
 
Looks great Apollo, well done! You sure learned a lot during this time. You nano looks very nice - I like :thumbup:
 
Thanks Guys,

Yip, it's been a great learning experience and it's still continuing.

A BIG thank you to all of you for your input and assistance thusfar.:thumbup:

My success thusfar certainly wouldn't have been as great without your input.

I still look forward to seeing my tank when I get home. In fact most days I can't wait to get home and head straight for the tank , even if it's just to see how things are going.

I wish I could convey the same clarity in the pictures , as what one would see when looking at the tank in real life. I think I need to brush up a bit though on my camera skills :p
 
Look really nice, with careful stock it could turn out to be a REALLY beautiful tank. Just a humble suggestion is to move that front rock on the sand as you could have more of a cave look without it, IMO. Are you using GAC or Phos media at all and what are you dosing chemical wise?
 
Ocean said:
Look really nice, with careful stock it could turn out to be a REALLY beautiful tank. Just a humble suggestion is to move that front rock on the sand as you could have more of a cave look without it, IMO. Are you using GAC or Phos media at all and what are you dosing chemical wise?
Click to expand...


Thanks Ocean,

Yeah that front rock needs to move somewhere. Been thinking about that for a while.:p

Currently running Chemi-pure elite to control PO4. Problem is nutrients in the rock and not the water.
Besides for that I'm not dosing anything at present. My weekly waterchange of 15-20% appears to take care of the calcium , magnesium , iodine and other trace elements.
 
Nice chronicle, with the commitment you have to this nano, you really have to start thinking of the BIG tank, you have the natural skill :D
 
Thanks Warr,

Appreciate the compliment.
I am indeed making plans for the BIG tank , but it is going to be some time before I am able to actually do the build.

I'm considering selling the house at present, so no point in doing the big tank now.
Probably in the next 3-4 months I'll be in a position to go all out on the HUGE tank :thumbup:
 
Apollo thats great, shout when u need manual labour :)
 
and have plenty of LS for your dsb
 
Apollo said:
I'm considering selling the house at present, so no point in doing the big tank now.
Probably in the next 3-4 months I'll be in a position to go all out on the HUGE tank :thumbup:
Click to expand...

That is perfect you can really plan and design what you really want.
 
and then plumb your nano into your main system, like Warr, and get a peacock Mantis :)
 
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