Draco's Nano Reef Journal

Draco

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Before I moved out of my parents house, I had a 10 gallon saltwater reef tank. I loved that tank, especially my clownfish and shrimps (the shrimps!!)

I've been dying to restart it for a long time.. and today, I decided to take the plunge with the extra cash from my second job! WHOO!!! I bought a Eheim Aquastyle 9 gallon tank! I think it looks modern for my apartment!

I've set it up tonight.. the water is very cloudy, so I can't take pics of my tank in progress. I really wish I took step by step photos, I forgot! But.. this is the tank (Website photo). 

I can't wait till the water clears so I can arrange my live rocks! And I can't wait a few weeks to add corals and shrimps!!

 
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peaches08

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I'm so jealous! I'll just have to live through you... :D
 
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Draco

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OK, here's some photos! I like the way I set up the rocks to form a bridge like with lots of holes big enough for fish and shrimp to swim through and hide.

Water's still cloudy, especially after I rearrange.. but at least you can see it now!

Front view:

Left side view:

Right side view:

And my point of view from the front (angled down a bit)
 
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natalie_ca

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Very nice!!!  I love it!  Your fishies will too! 


I did a Google search to see what is involved in setting up and maintaining a salt water aquarium. It's quite the chore!  I love aquariums but I'm not dedicated enough to spend the amount of time needed to clean an aquarium, or even a fish bowl.  It's all I can do to keep the litter boxes scooped and clean, water fountain washed and filled, and bowls/plates washed and filled x 3 cats.

If you haven't already, check out YouTube. There are some really gorgeous tank set ups.
 
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Draco

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One of those gorgeous set ups will be mine soon!
 

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It's already looking pretty spectacular! 

One of the videos I saw talked about "living rock" and "living coral", something about bacteria and things growing or hatching from the coral.  Do you have any of that stuff?

Here is a site where you can post pictures of your finished aquarium

http://www.nano-reef.com/featured
 
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julianne

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I have always wanted a marine tank (that what we call them over here :) ) - can't wait to see the progress.
 
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Draco

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It's already looking pretty spectacular! 

One of the videos I saw talked about "living rock" and "living coral", something about bacteria and things growing or hatching from the coral.  Do you have any of that stuff?

Here is a site where you can post pictures of your finished aquarium

http://www.nano-reef.com/featured
I signed up this morning on that site! and trying out a few tank sites.. I used to be on one 5 years ago, but I can't remember which one it was. I want to find the one forum I feel at home in..(probably none as good as TCS!)
 

denice

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My ex was into marine tanks, at one time he had a 150 gallon tank and a 75 gallon tank.  We also had a small fresh water tank for the guppies that we fed to the lion fish.  The lion fish were my favorite.  I also wanted a batfish but we never got one.  I had read that sometimes batfish will get so tame that they can be handfed.
 

peaches08

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Batfish have the cutest faces! We would pick them up and pass them around in Belize.

Those pictures of tanks on that site is incredible. I miss snorkeling!
 
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Draco

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batfish are awesome!!

I just did some rearranging.. again. I realized the rocks were touchinh the glass, which would make it difficult for me to clean the glass. Will post pics when water settles again :D
 

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Geez, now I want an aquarium!!!  LOL  But I'll live vicariously through others. I just don't have the energy or commitment to care for fish, other than to feed them.

When I worked at the hospital, a patient gave a fish bowl and a gold fish to the staff on one of the wards I floated to. A couple people took responsibility for the fish for feeding it and cleaning the bowl.  But there were several times when I went there and the water was so murky you could hardly see the poor fishy!  So I would clean out his fishy bowl for him and make sure everything was washed and rinsed well, and that he was all tucked in before I left at the end of shift.  Based on that little task, I know I wouldn't be able to keep up with it regularly. Now if I had the money to have someone come in and do it for me, that would be a different story.  Maybe I'll look into that and see how much it would cost to have someone come in weekly to clean the tank.

I do love aquariums. My dentists office used to have one and it was so peaceful sitting there listening to the soft sound of the water through the filter and watching the fish swim.
 
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Draco

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They are really peaceful. I love fish and aquariums!

I uses to breed betta fish, then that got to be too much work. I used to have almost 100 Bettas at one point!

I also had a beautiful planted 20 gal tank. I needed the space in my apartment so I regrettably tore it down and gave it to a friends son.

My coworker was showing me pics of his 125 gal saltwater reef, and it reminded me of my 10 gal I had at my parents. Then I went snorkling in Jamaica and that's when I really wanted to start up again!!

Once you get the saltwater tank established it is really easy to care for. Less water changes than you think!
 

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I remember there was really very little work involved, they just kind of took care of themselves.  We had this two piece cleaning thing for the glass that had a magnet in each piece.  Actually the living coral don't do well at all with complete water changes.  They recommend changing no more than 20 percent of the water at one time.
 
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Draco

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the real work is in the beginning with the cycling and such.. but after that, its easy :)

I did some rearranging..its hard to see but it forms a semi 'C' shape
 


 I am loving this piece of rock.. I hope it makes a nice cozy home for a shrimp or two! It also reminds me of a stingray

 

peaches08

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"I was just looking, mom! I promise!" :lol3:
 
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