OneDummHikk's 12G Nano Reef

[OneDummHikk]

This thread was started in the GRD area and got moved for me by Whiskey (Thank you). After finding and reading the rules, I came back to edit this post to list what my plans are for contents.

It is a 12G Nano tank kit from Instant Ocean.

Initial livestock:

A Blue Damsel (Because I think they are cool as all get out).
A False Percula Clownfish. My daughter will kill me if I don't have a nemo in my first tank.

Brown featherdusters.
Bluish white featherdusters (I think that is what they are, hope they aren't aptasia).
Two green things that look like a half a ball on the rock.

The fish I chose because I want them. The rest I chose because they are on a piece of rock I bought before I had a tank (They don't call me OneDummHikk for no reason). I hope to get some pictures in the next day or two of what is on the rock so that I can update this thread and actually know what I am getting.

With that said, this is the original post that started the thread:


Well, here we go. I hope this works out for me but time will tell. It is my first tank, of any size, that is SW.

The kit:



The contents of the kit. Not sure why they put fake plants in a SW tank kit.



The tank itself, before being unpacked:


The empty tank in its new home:


It is on a nightstand that I had that would hold it. The towel is a result of my fears of spilling water. The tank on the right in that picture is my 90G tank that is FW waiting on the transformation to SW after I move this month.

[OneDummHikk]

Now, it is ready for the Sand and that leads to my first question. Has anybody ever used Swift Creek sand or Ultra Reef brand sand? I have enough of either to do the bottom of the tank but not sure if either is bad sand to use.

[dobejazz]

I used estes brand ultra reef black sand on the 2007 version of violets nano It was kinda hard to clean since it was so fine and I got bored with the black really fast.

I'm not familar with the Swift Creek brand do you have a link to it?

[OneDummHikk]

Originally Posted by dobejazz

I used estes brand ultra reef black sand on the 2007 version of violets nano It was kinda hard to clean since it was so fine and I got bored with the black really fast.

I'm not familar with the Swift Creek brand do you have a link to it?

http://www.mniguide.com/info.asp?CID=1410382

It isn't very informative though. It is a sand/gravel company in Alabama. I got the sand when an LFS closed. That is where I got both from.

Estes brand is what I have. I have white, green, orange and blue.

What happens if I don't put the sand in tonight and want to add it tomorrow or the next day? Is that a disaster waiting to happen?

[dobejazz]

Originally Posted by OneDummHikk

http://www.mniguide.com/info.asp?CID=1410382

It isn't very informative though. It is a sand/gravel company in Alabama. I got the sand when an LFS closed. That is where I got both from.

Estes brand is what I have. I have white, green, orange and blue.

What happens if I don't put the sand in tonight and want to add it tomorrow or the next day? Is that a disaster waiting to happen?

You can add the sand anytime - with the estes make sure you soak it in water and don't use anything other than the white for a reef tank


I didn't rinse mine well enough and had black scum for a while

[dobejazz]

I still haven't put sand back in the 95 after the Thanksgiving weekend tank switch I'll get around to it sometime

[OneDummHikk]

OK, here is the tank, full of water, running. I have the heater running to get the temperature where I want it. Right now, the water is at 66 degrees, heater is set on 79 degrees.

[OneDummHikk]

One thing I changed was I didn't use the sand. I had some crushed coral that I used instead. After trying to rinse that sand, I will never ever ever have sand like that in a tank. Talk about a nightmare.

[motorslave]

You think thats a nightmare, wait till that CC starts to collect detritus in its nooks and crannys and it doesnt come out. Well, it will come out, in the form o algae. CC really isnt a good choice of substrate.

[OneDummHikk]

Originally Posted by motorslave

You think thats a nightmare, wait till that CC starts to collect detritus in its nooks and crannys and it doesnt come out. Well, it will come out, in the form o algae. CC really isnt a good choice of substrate.

Then what is? I don't want bare-bottom.

[motorslave]

sand! Just gotta rinse it and rinse it....

[OneDummHikk]

Originally Posted by motorslave

sand! Just gotta rinse it and rinse it....

What size sand are we talking here? The sand I have is Estes Ultra Reef and a search on Google turns this up as the first hit:

http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/mod...e=print&sid=16

It is a very fine grained sand and almost packs in the bottom of the bucket I was rinsing it in. I don't understand how that can be good?

[dobejazz]

Originally Posted by OneDummHikk

What size sand are we talking here? The sand I have is Estes Ultra Reef and a search on Google turns this up as the first hit:

http://www.crabstreetjournal.com/mod...e=print&sid=16

It is a very fine grained sand and almost packs in the bottom of the bucket I was rinsing it in. I don't understand how that can be good?

I just soaked it like the package said then skimmed off the yuckys at the top -

[dobejazz]

Look Good Randy -

If you clean the crushed coral well during waterchages it won't be to bad

[aquawolf]

That sand would not have been very good for your tank anyway if you were going for a reef. According to the review you linked to, it is silica sand and would not have any real buffering capability to it. You just need to find some aragonite sand that you like. This is the type of sand that will bubble and fizz when it comes into contact with white vinegar.

I am getting close to switching out my sand bed and will be looking for the new sand once I can build the rock lifts.

I hope that helps and am sorry that you already have the crushed coral in there. In the end it is up to you if you want to remove it or not, so good luck with whatever you decide.