My First Nano Reef -12g

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I found some threads over at nano-reef.com about a 96w retro fit, it's totally DIY but I think I can swing it. I made a cardboard template (will post pics later) to cut some acrylic because the mod leaves the lights open to the water which I feel is just a bad idea. If anyone wants/needs the template I can sketch it on a large piece of paper and mail it to you but it really wasn't that hard to make, just some masking tape, large flat cardboard, ruler, pen and some scissors. I'm going to go to the hardware store later and see if i can find a small sheet of acrylic. 12" by 24" should do the trick.

I was thinking about just ditching the hood but it's sortta the reason I bought the tank so everything can be nice and low, and closed in.

I will probably add a fan or two, I have a bunch to choose from at work as we are IT consultants and often have to create custom solutions for our clients.
 
I went to home depot and found a 24" by 12" sheet of acrylic, UV protectant and it's rated for up to 160 degrees F continual use which should be more than enough! I cut it down but boy what a pain that was. I've cut glass before (way easier) but it's done and it fits well! Now I just have to wait for the lights to arrive and I can continue the mod.
 
Will do, I just made some fans for the case. Total cost $0.00 :) These DIY fan kits you find online for $50 are nothing more than a 60x60mm case fan that costs all of $3.00 from any computer parts place (thus why I had access to loads of them for free) the power supply is just a AC to DC converter, 12v which I have a box full of. You know when you get a telephone or electronic device and it breaks, you toss it. Well I always keep the power cords ;)

Yesterday I added a cabbage leather, I can't wait till the lighting comes it should arrive on Monday. I ordered it three days ago but it looks like it was only just shipped out yesterday evening :(
 
Okay the lamp came today and I have it installed and working great, what a huge difference! It looks so much better now.
And the timing couldn't have been better because the 13watt that it came with stopped working this morning for no apparent reason. :mad:

FYI, Don't buy this tank ;) You have to spend a lot of money and time getting it up to snuff.

Check out the pics!
 

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Here's more pictures I took today.

My finger leather looks sick with those gray spots but I read that could be normal. I didn't take a picture of my little cabbage leather because it didn't come out good and im too lazy to setup another shoot at the moment, some other time perhaps.
 

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Looking good. I'm impressed with your custom hood. How's all your coral holding up?
 
It's doing well however my cabbage leather looks a little down and I am not sure why. Getting plenty of light and all. However since I added the extra lighting I am getting some green algae growing on the rocks, substrate and even the shell of one of my hermit crabs. I don't have a skimmer but I keep up with my water changes religiously. All water parameters are good. Every day I lower the lighting a little. I was at 12h on, 12h off. Now I'm running 10 hours on, 14 hours off. I have the fan setup on a timer to only run when the lights are on because I was losing 45 ounces of water per day. Now it's less than half that.
I did try and run the lights without the fan for a day and the temperature in the tank shot to almost 83! :S

I have an Idea for another mod to help with this however, I'll post some pics and details when it's done. I want to make a cover for the internal filter to evaporation from there which I suspect is the place it's escaping the most. The lucite cover I made closes in almost every thing else except this.
It's waiting on my next trip to the hardware store.

On another note I have decided I need to invest in a RO/DI unit. My LFS is about 10 miles from here. Price for RO with salt $1.66 per gallon, price for RO without is $1.00

I replace 2.2g per week in water changes, plus 0.15g or so of RO per day due to evaporation.

In 6 months that is 27 gallons of fresh RO water at $1.00 per gallon, plus 5 trips to the LFS.
Salt ro in 6 months is 53 gallons at $1.66 per gallon, 10 trips to the LFS (because I have 5 gallon containers.)

That's $114.98 for the water alone not counting the trips back and forth to the LFS.
A total of 15 trips at 20 miles round trip is 300 miles, I get about 30 miles per gallon in my Ford Focus so that's 10 gallons at a cost (ATM) of $4.00 per gallon is another $40.00

Or a total of 154.98, I can get an RO/DI unit for $100 or so plus shipping.
If anyone was thinking about investing in one, do the math! You might come out ahead.
 
Are you planning on getting any more fish or just sticking with the firefish?
 
I think just the Firefish, I dont want to overstock and I am not really %100 sure how much I could get away with in a 12g. Better safe than sorry
 
Yah your probobly right you should just stock the **** out of it with coral. And when did you start this tank again
 
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