My 5 month old (bedside) 10 gallon nano

[jillyd.713]

I just want to share my tank, I'm pretty proud of it so far. I started this tank last August after finding out on this site that nano tanks were possible, I always thought a giant tank was mandatory. I wanted to start a salt tank for the challenge, and for the beauty of the colour and texture variations you get with salt water. I've been keeping fish since adolescence, and I could spend hours just checking out my tank. I also just last week moved it from the basement up onto my nightstand so I get to see it even better!

It can be a bit of a challenge getting livestock and supplies to where I live in BC's west Kootenays, especially since I want to see what exactly I am getting, and not pay through the nose for shipping. I had to wait a whole 5 weeks before my lfs could even get their hands on some live rock for me! Out of town trips are always fun though, because I get to check out new fish stores!

My colt coral and mushrooms especially are growing like weeds! I think my next challenge will be to try fragging them and see how it goes. After, that is, I manage to get rid of the aiptasia I accidentally picked up with my last purchase I'm torn between trading my much loved skunk cleaner shrimp for a peppermint shrimp to eat them, because they don't sound like they are compatible, or just lethally injecting the ones I can see as they become big enough. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Anyways I hope you enjoy my pics! The gsp's, green mushrooms, and misc polyps are new in the last few days, I'm still trying to decide where to put them!

Pics are taken from my iPhone, so not the greatest quality.

[Beengirl]

It looks really nice, especially considering you have a difficult time getting things!!

[Convict2161]

Good job! I like it. I love having my saltwater tank in the bedroom... Good thing my pistol shrimp appears to be unarmed. From why I hear they can get trigger happy

[landshark]

Nice setup...makes me want to buy a Nano tank in the future....

[okapizebra]

Looks great!!

[ForZiE]

Looks really good. Nice wake up in the mornings

[Scottyhorse]

Wow, super cool! What kind of light do you use?

[jillyd.713]

Thank you all, I love my nano set-up! I think my room-mate thinks Im a bit wonky, because she will walk past my door and Ill just be sitting watching the tank haha.

Its addictive though, Landshark! I need to stop getting additions for my credit card's sake!

Scottyhorse, I have a 72 watt Odyssea T5. (Santa came through for me this Christmas)

[Chrayis]

Looks nice! How do you have that tank set up? ( equipment and what not )

[Ausfish]

Looks really nice!!

[Mrs.h2012]

Awesome! Just one question... How do you sleep at night with that by your bed?! I would never stop staring at it!

[jillyd.713]

Lets see...for set-up, I've got a 10 Gallon tank (clearly :P).
-I use a marineland powerhead which gives me about 110 gph of movement.
-No protein skimmer (easier to omit when the tank is as small as it is.
-Odyssea 72 watt full spectrum and actinic lighting setup (found online somewhere for i think about $70.
-Heater (50 watt?)
-Im also using a spare Marineland Penguin 150gph biowheel filter i had laying around with carbon filters
-I started with about 8-9 lbs live rock, but it is likely more than that now, since every time i get more coral, it comes attached to rock

And it is awesome to sleep next to! I have some polyps, GSP, and neon green mushrooms that all light up under my moonlights as though they were under a black light. I also have the timer for the light set up so that its lights on for fishies right around when my alarm goes off so that I can wake up with a little light to get me going.

Also for top-ups, penguin filters are finicky about the water level, and will splash into the tank when the water is not sitting at the perfect level... annoying perhaps, but it is perfect for knowing when and how much to do top-ups, every day or so you just add distilled water until the noise stops

[Mrs.h2012]

Originally Posted by jillyd.713

Lets see...for set-up, I've got a 10 Gallon tank (clearly :P).
-I use a marineland powerhead which gives me about 110 gph of movement.
-No protein skimmer (easier to omit when the tank is as small as it is.
-Odyssea 72 watt full spectrum and actinic lighting setup (found online somewhere for i think about $70.
-Heater (50 watt?)
-Im also using a spare Marineland Penguin 150gph biowheel filter i had laying around with carbon filters
-I started with about 8-9 lbs live rock, but it is likely more than that now, since every time i get more coral, it comes attached to rock

And it is awesome to sleep next to! I have some polyps, GSP, and neon green mushrooms that all light up under my moonlights as though they were under a black light. I also have the timer for the light set up so that its lights on for fishies right around when my alarm goes off so that I can wake up with a little light to get me going.

Also for top-ups, penguin filters are finicky about the water level, and will splash into the tank when the water is not sitting at the perfect level... annoying perhaps, but it is perfect for knowing when and how much to do top-ups, every day or so you just add distilled water until the noise stops

That is a cool idea to have your lights come on when you wake up! I still wouldn't be able to sleep with that by my bed!