Help me biuld a primo nano

[tabwyo]

Now that the 29 is on it's feet I want somethin else to tinker on while it settles in. I have a perfect spot for a 10g nano and I wish to use it. I want an SPS only tank with no fish. Oh, and I'd prefer it to be a 10g AGA tank. The only goal is to keep the cost down as much as possible. Any takers?

[Justin Cabibi]

How about making a 10 gal frag tank so you can move the frags to your 29 gal or even sell them once they mature. Just an idea.

[tabwyo]

I want to keep the 29 a LPS/softie tank.

[Justin Cabibi]

You could also use the 10 gal as a refugium for the 29 gal. but, if you are fixed on the idea of a sps nano your check list should include quad PC lights and a hang on protine skimmer also a power head cause the sps like vigerous water flow. You also need to think about dripping kalkwasser to keep the calcium levels up. Realisticly SPS does not run cheap due to the fact that they are very demanding on water quality and light. To do it right it will probablu run you around $300 for everything. Good Luck. Keep us posted.

[tabwyo]

The PC quad was my first chioce in light just for the reduced heat issue and light output. A couple micro-jets are no problem I have a junk box full of old PHs. I was hoping to skip the simmer in favor of weekly 20% water changes and I'd drip kalk at night as make up between WC. I plan on running a Whisper 30-60 HOB for carbon and circulation. I think I can skip the skimmer due to the fact that I'll have no fishload.

[Justin Cabibi]

SPS also require a diet of phytoplankton which you will have to add to the tank. If not monitered carefully the added plankton could foul your tank if the exess isn't removed. You could remove it by water changes, but with a skimmer you would have less matinence. "If you couldn't tell I'm extremely lazy and like to cut matinence down to a minimum"

[tabwyo]

you got a point.

[darthteddy]

well you could always get one of those wet/dry filters with a protein skimmer built in. $229. Good water condition. Kindof expensive tho. Im hoping to get one for x-mas. Can you say mini-bow 5 with a 10gallon wet/dry.

[impur]

I have a SPS dominated 10 gal nano with the 96w PC. Well SPS are what i love and its slowing turning into SPS dominated. Anyway, I suggest you look into a 70w MH setup. My SPS keep decent color and grow fast, but color would be better under MH. My purple rimmed green monti cap has no purple rim :/

Chemistry is a problem too. I use oceanic salt and have to dose 2mL/day of b-ionic alk. Other than that i love the tank. I'm upgrading to a 29 for more SPS in a month or so.

[tabwyo]

That's a nice tank. I am lookin at low wattage MH's as well.

[impur]

Thanks! Keep an eye out for the 70w electronic MH ballasts. You can pick em up on ebay for 30-50 bucks. I haven't seen one for a month or so though.

[tabwyo]

I found a place on the net that sells em fo 35 or so but now I need to look for it again.

[impur]

If you find it please drop me a pm with the site. I'd love to pick a couple up.

Miles

[Loverotties]

I can't even think of a saltwater tank without skimmer!

[impur]

Not really needed when you change 20% of the water a week.