My 2nd Mini Tank

[Kilo]

I have been a member of this forum for couple of months reading build thread, looking at beautiful tanks and asking questions. I can only say... great wealth of knowledge and very supportive members.

Was hesitant in doing this build thread but decided to go ahead.

Something about myself:
I'm from Singapore. Had a 15G back in 2004 but gave up the hobby after i got married and moved to a new house.
It all started again 12 years later when I brought my son to a local fish shop. Memories came back and in March 2016, I started a 15G. This is the FTS of My Mini Tank in July 2016

As I progressed, was battling with high nutrient. HOB filter was not good enough, high evaporation due to cooling by fan, added a media reactor for Rowaphos, also an airstone skimmer.
The top of the tank looked like this...

I was not happy...not satisfied. That was when I knew, I needed a sump, a clean look and a bigger tank.

With permission from CFO, started my search for Version 2 but a mixed reef this time. When i moved into my current house 18 months ago, i had no clue of going back to reefing so did not plan the space for a tank so for my V2 , i have to work around the space that i have.

So with that i decided to go with a 36" x 16.5" x 18", 10mm crystal front glass rimless tank with a side overflow down (overflow take 4" of the length) to a 12" x 12" x 15" sump. Effectively i only have 2 viewing panels

Tank was delivered on 18 November

Equipment details:

Light:
Orphek Atlantik Compact V3+

Wavemaker:
Tunze 6095 with 7097.050 photoelectric cell & Jebao RW-4

Skimmer:
Bubble Magus Curve 5

Return Pump:
Aquabee 2000/1

Chiller:
Hailea 66A (1/4hp)

Media reactor:
TLF with Rowaphos

Biological media:
Sera Siporax

Bacteria:
Brightwell Microbacter 7 and Fauna Marin Bacto Reef Balls

Rockscape:
Korellenwelt Ceramic rock

Epoxy:
Fauna Marin AquaScape Fix

Sand:
Caribsea Fiji Pink

Salt:
Aquacraft Marine Environment Dual Phase Formula

Pictures of some equipments

Orphek Atlantik Compact V3+

Chanel 1

Chanel 2

Chanel 3

Chanel 4

All Chanels

Tunze 6095

Skimmer Bubble Magus Curve 5

Tank and sump pictures

Rockscape

 

[helen ann]

WOW ... Amazing build!
In Love with that Rockscape!!!

Following along!!!

 

[Kilo]

WOW ... Amazing build!
In Love with that Rockscape!!!

Following along!!!

Thank you!!!

 

[Kilo]

As I did nit have enough space to mix the salt water separately, had to mix it in tank

Put in 20lb of Fiji Pink and it clouded my water but it settled down after 48hrs

Positioned my rocks

Added 3 Fauna Marin Bacto Reef Balls

Since i could not get pure ammonia in Singapore, ended up with table shrimp

Tank shot with channel 2 & 3.
Channel 2 : 16 LEDs of 460 nm
Channel 3: 5 LEDs of 410nm & 1 LED of 420nm

 

[helen ann]

Absolutely LOVE this ...

 

[Kilo]

Cycling underway

25 November:NH3: 0.25ppm; NO2: 0ppm; NO3: 0ppm

28 November: NH3: 1ppm; NO2: 0ppm

30 November: NH3: 1ppm; NO2: 0.25ppm

1 December: NH3: 1ppm; NO2: 0.5ppm

2 December: NH3: 1ppm; NO2: 1ppm; NO3: 5-12ppm

3 December: NH3: 0.5ppm; NO2: 1ppm; NO3: 12ppm

5 December: NH3: 0ppm; NO2: 0.25ppm; NO3: 12ppm

I think cycling going to finish soon

 

[Kilo]

Phosphate at 0 since i am running Rowaphos
SG at 1.023
pH at 7.6-8

Tested KH, calcium and Magnesium and was shocked
kH: 5.25
Calcium: 336
Magnesium: 995

Hope they will go up after i do water change when my Nitrite is 0

 

[Kilo]

Fishes and corals that i will be transferring from my existing tank:

Fishes:
3 x blue green chromis
1 x percula clownfish
1 x banggai cardinal
1 x royal gramma
1 x juvenile emperor angelfish

Corals:
2 x ricordea yuma
1 x hairy mushroom
2 x green mushrooms
1 x green bubble coral
1 x purple tip frogspawn
Green star polyps
Clove polyps

 

[helen ann]

Ohhhhhhh that emperor angelfish going to be beautiful in there!

 

[Kilo]

Ohhhhhhh that emperor angelfish going to be beautiful in there!

Is there any specific corals i need to avoid because of emperor angelfish? So far i had no problem with my existing list of coral

 

[helen ann]

It says ... Reef Compatible: With Caution.
Let me get some eyes in here that will be better at answering that for you!

#reefsquad

 

[Diesel]

Angels are always a risk, get them as a juvi and after QT keep him in the sump for a week so he get used to the food you feed your other fish, keep him well fed and you will like him or her.
They will start nipping on SPS but won't kill it.

 

[tomtom2245]

Looks awesome! Was that tank custom built or did you find one like that?

 

[melypr1985]

Is there any specific corals i need to avoid because of emperor angelfish? So far i had no problem with my existing list of coral

Pretty much anything coral. Not all of them will nip at corals, and if they do they may not nip at every type of coral, but it's a gamble. I also wouldn't put an emperor in a tank that size....not even a juvi. Just my 2 cents Tank is looking great by the way.

 

[jsker]

Very nice setup, minimum tank size for an emperor is 220 gallons, or 830 liters.

 

[Kilo]

Angels are always a risk, get them as a juvi and after QT keep him in the sump for a week so he get used to the food you feed your other fish, keep him well fed and you will like him or her.
They will start nipping on SPS but won't kill it.

I had him or her for 3 months now. eating well. loves "playing" with chromis.

 

[Kilo]

Looks awesome! Was that tank custom built or did you find one like that?

Its a custom build tank. had it sized to fit my existing cabinet.

 

[Kilo]

Pretty much anything coral. Not all of them will nip at corals, and if they do they may not nip at every type of coral, but it's a gamble. I also wouldn't put an emperor in a tank that size....not even a juvi. Just my 2 cents Tank is looking great by the way.

Very nice setup, minimum tank size for an emperor is 220 gallons, or 830 liters.

i know, but could not resist the beauty when i got it 3 months ago. it was only an inch when i got it. its about 1.5" now.

 

[Kilo]

Cycling complete

Gonna change water and then add my 3 chromis first

 

[Diesel]

I would do a test and ghost cycle it as you add a few drops of ammonia in the tank, test after 10 min or so and test 24hrs later to see if it dropped to you acceptable level of being save to add livestock.