Scruffy's 12 Gallon Nano

[ScruffyRubicon]

In the 125g I had 3 True Perculas. All three were from the same spawn and the day after I got them two went to one side of the tank and left the other one to himself. This has been about 18 months. All was good.

Fast forward to March of this year. I had been looking for the perfect mate for the lonely perc. I found it at Inland Aquatics in Terre Haute, Indiana. It was a very small Black Onyx True Percula Clownfish. I brought him home and within 24 hours the now much larger female from my pair now wants their anemone. So I had decided that a new tank was needed to house the new black onyx and his true perc wife.

Picked up a 12g nano today. I have it leak testing now and will begin the build tomorrow evening.

Still deciding on whether or not to add sand or just leave it BB. I have some LR from the 125 that will be moved over.

More to come.

Suggestions are welcome!

[dobejazz]

Congrats on the new tank Eric !

[ScruffyRubicon]

Thanks Kelli! I had been hoping that the fish would not have issues. Was trying to keep my addiction to one tank, but that obviously didn't work.

What are others using for a substrate in their nano tanks? I am either going BB or a very shallow sand at this point.

[dobejazz]

Originally Posted by ScruffyRubicon

Thanks Kelli! I had been hoping that the fish would not have issues. Was trying to keep my addiction to one tank, but that obviously didn't work.

What are others using for a substrate in their nano tanks? I am either going BB or a very shallow sand at this point.

I have a very shallow sand bed in my 24g it started out at about 1" but I tend to loose some when I siphon it. pretty soon I'll probably siphon it all out and replace it since it's a small tank thats not a huge deal

[ScruffyRubicon]

I have the indo pacific in my 125. I may go with just a white sand in this one if I don't go BB.

[JY13131]

Originally Posted by ScruffyRubicon

Thanks Kelli! I had been hoping that the fish would not have issues. Was trying to keep my addiction to one tank, but that obviously didn't work.

If you could keep it at one tank, it wouldn't be an called an addiction

[ScruffyRubicon]

Originally Posted by JY13131

If you could keep it at one tank, it wouldn't be an called an addiction

Very True!

[ScruffyRubicon]

So what does everyone do for protein skimming on a all-in-one nano? It is not possible to cut the lid to install one.

[ScruffyRubicon]

More questions

The nano has three chambers:

1st chamber: full of sponges (I have them out)
2nd chamber: bioballs, ceramic media and charcoal (took them all out)
3rd chamber: return pump

What did you put in your chambers? I'm not a big media fan unless it is needed.

[ScruffyRubicon]

Just found the nano forum. What a great idea to have one of those. Forget my questionabout the skimmer. Going skimmerless after reading a bit. Still interested in what others are doing in each chamber.

[mantisfreak]

Eric,

If you go SSB, don't buy the sand. I have a small amount of Fiji Pink you can have.

I tossed the carbon that came with my tank. Most people don't know this but pelletized carbon is vapor phase carbon (obviously you need LIQUID phase carbon).

If you don't have a lot of LR, leave the ceramic media in. If you have a good amount of LR, it's just useless.

I do skim my nano's but only a day or so a week. (With that said, mantis are messy eaters and you won't necessarily need to follow what I have to do).

Edit, look at this chart.....all of the vapor phase carbons didn't even compare CLICK FOR BIGGER PICTURE

[VWD]

When it comes to skimming, I don't I just do more in the way of water changes

[ScruffyRubicon]

Originally Posted by mantisfreak

Eric,

If you go SSB, don't buy the sand. I have a small amount of Fiji Pink you can have.

I tossed the carbon that came with my tank. Most people don't know this but pelletized carbon is vapor phase carbon (obviously you need LIQUID phase carbon).

If you don't have a lot of LR, leave the ceramic media in. If you have a good amount of LR, it's just useless.

That would be great for the sand. Shoot me a PM on it. If possible, I would like to get it in the next couple of days.

I usually only run carbon if I need it anyway. As far as the other media, I'm just going to leave it out and use the chamber for my heater since I will have plenty of LR in the tank.

I left the pump running last night and it is amazing how quiet the tank is. I could hear my 125g, in the farthest room away from the bedroom, over the nano.

Since I am using existing LR from my 125, do you think this will minimize my cycle?

[know-it-all]

where are the pics

and I thought you were putting 10 tangs in that thing

[ScruffyRubicon]

I don't recall 10 tangs. I think it was more like as many as I could fit and a large eel. Pics to come tonight. Right now it is a nano with the lid propped up and about 1/2 gallon too much water.