Dawg's Low Rent 20 Nano Tank

[Anonymous]

Cripes, just got home after a 36 hr shift to a (minor) disaster. Dunno what happened, but the birdsnest ended up being knocked off the rock top first into the sand. It's heavy, so I don't have a clue how. There was one of my huge marg snails chewing merrily away at the ceramic frag base and the bottom two branches are bleached white where the snail shell appeared to be rubbing them :? Dunno if it got injured or the dang snail irritated it. It gets better. I only had a 3 inch gap between the eggcrate cover and the back of the tank and somehow my goby managed to jump out and was dead behind the tank

So, my pistol is commensal-less, and I don't know what's going to happen with that birdsnest. Wonder if the goby got spooked by the coral falling....sigh.

 

[Anonymous]

Better and better :lol: my harmless 'acro' crab turned into a snail eating monster-prolly behind the goby's demise as well. I caught him leaving his coral and snatching a snail before my very eyes. Ah well, he has gone to a better place (a container in the sump) until I can deal with him. The tissue was still receding from the birdsnest so I fragged it up in hopes of saving most of the colony.

And yes Norm, I made a frag for you if it makes it and you want it :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

Damn, that's a bad day! Still, at least you caught the crab red-clawed and were able to remove it. Many an hour I spent on my last tank trying to identify and then catch culprits like that. The benefits of a nano, I guess. Sorry to hear about the goby and hope the birds nest pulls through!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Tom. I'll update with pics later this week.

 

[Anonymous]

<taps toes impatiently> - ........ - Well??

 

[Anonymous]

:lol: well what?

 

[Anonymous]

Okay, I put the new sump in with a minimum of mess. I am sort of worried about the collection cup from that skimmer being washed off if we get a power out and the main drains down. But, at least I got the skimmer running, nice new partitions and a place for some chaeto in the sump once I get a glass top fitted and a light fixture. Will add some display tank photos later, the water is a bit cloudy from the upset.

 

[Anonymous]

Will add some display tank photos later...

Is Later now?

 

[Anonymous]

What time is now?

 

[Anonymous]

Will add some display tank photos later...

Is Later now?

:lol: yeah yeah paybacks are heck. Not much going on, just letting things spread out. Had a bit of trouble balancing the flow with the new pump (lots of gurgles) but am really happy with the Tunze skimmer. Glad I got it running. Just one pic to make you happy CjD

 

[Anonymous]

:lol: yeah yeah paybacks are heck. Not much going on, just letting things spread out. Had a bit of trouble balancing the flow with the new pump (lots of gurgles) but am really happy with the Tunze skimmer. Glad I got it running. Just one pic to make you happy CjD

Glad the tunze is working out for you. I loved mine, absolutely one of the best skimmers I ever used.

More pics, please

 

[Anonymous]

I will if you will

What is surprising to me is the biodiversity I have already. Bristleworms, a colony of some sort of tiny tubeworms in the sand in one corner, 'pods galore (less now with the new yellow watchman I put in for the pistol), stomatella snails and a cute tiny brittle star. Its black and white alternating banded arms are the diameter of dental floss, yet quite long (3+ in). Haven't seen the body, it's resident under the milli colony. Hope its a 'good' brittle, would hate to have to extricate him later :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Well, went to a Labor Day sale at the best LFS in the state and came home loaded with goodies. The prices were 20% off, and I took advantage of it. The prize of the day is a combo rock they put together, I had wanted one for that shelf in the middle of the tank. The one I picked has 2 blue/green rics, 2 acans polyps, 1 photosynthetic gorg, 1 orange ric, some clove polyps and some green palys for $40.00. I also picked up a nice toadstool leather, some xenia and a killer favia frag. Also a neato frag of mixed zoas. The watchman (Grumpy) didn't care for the arrangements as you'll see he disapproves of change. Yeah, I seldom name fish but the watchman is well, forever watching and looks exceedly grumpy so there you have it. Some updated pics. One of these days I'll have to learn how to properly use my camera :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

I should make Grumpy into an ava :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

<--- Looks like a turtle!

 

[Anonymous]

:lol: yeah, I should have one of the photoshop wizards in the Sump make it into a .gif and put on there "I'm Grumpy, and I Disapprove of this post!"

 

[Anonymous]

I was a baddawg...I was surfing EBay and found a used Hamliton Electric hood with 175w MH and 2-55w PC for a great price so I bought it. It's in perfect condition, but I need to order new bulbs for it and get the time to setup a timing system before I can add it to my system.

Heh...just think of the goodies I can keep now with that extra wattage!

 

[Anonymous]

Wow...I forgot how nice MH and Actinics look. Heh, so much so a low rent tank, I'm gonna be able to support some beauties with the new lights

 

[Anonymous]

Looking nice Tracy.

 

[Anonymous]

getting there. Heck, I think I can easily support a nice clam for the foreground now with the lights. Always wanted one...