*Updated* 7-04-2013 38L Nano Worklog

C-BuZz · 13th January 2009, 5:11 PM

Hi,

Well I finally bit the bullet & decided to buy myself a small aquarium, after thinking about doing it for the last 4 years.

Yes it's extremely small (23L), but I dont have a lot of space on my desk. I've owned/maintained a small one previously for 5+ years (before the internet even existed), so I'm fairly confident.

Really only a very small clown will be added, possibly second & some live rock.

I chose the Jebo R331 for its size & built in wet/dry trickle filter. I will probably be modifying the light later on & adding a second actinic flouro. May also add a second filtration system somehow, but i'll see how we go with this first

Click to view full size!

Click to view full size!

Any suggestions good or bad I'm happy to listen

C-BuZz

smackus · 13th January 2009, 5:15 PM

this should be interesting.

I'd to see how you go, might do the same for my daughter.

C-BuZz · 13th January 2009, 5:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smackus

this should be interesting.

I'd to see how you go, might do the same for my daughter.

Do it! You wont regret it. I had a small setup many years ago, I can tell you it really is a great to just sit there & stare at for hours (very relaxing).

Also small tanks dont leave a big hole in your wallet

This whole setup so far has cost me around $70.

C-BuZz

C-BuZz · 14th January 2009, 7:08 PM

Setup ready for 4 week cycle. Added 2 small pieces of live rock & some crushed coral.

Click to view full size!

Click to view full size!

C-BuZz

SuiCid3 · 14th January 2009, 10:54 PM

Damn... now you've got me thinking...
Should I start off small and with 1 or 2 fish or should I get the larger 130L tank I've been eyeing....

Hmmmmm

C-BuZz · 14th January 2009, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuiCid3

Damn... now you've got me thinking...
Should I start off small and with 1 or 2 fish or should I get the larger 130L tank I've been eyeing....

Hmmmmm

Really up to you. What size area will it go into, your budget ect. The larger you go, they can really start getting very expensive.

C-BuZz

tgf · 15th January 2009, 9:44 AM

Just adding my subscription to this thread and also I reckon this might get me into setting up a small marine setup just like this one. Might be good as practice for when I might get a much bigger marine setup. Always good to learn more.

Shall watch this thread with keen interest.

Sir Ghallahad · 15th January 2009, 9:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuiCid3

Damn... now you've got me thinking...
Should I start off small and with 1 or 2 fish or should I get the larger 130L tank I've been eyeing....

Hmmmmm

Marine tanks very very very quickly get exponentially more expensive!

Up to about 3 foot you can keep it within a respectable budget (im still talking like $1k or so), but when you start hitting 4 foot then you are into special lighting, shitloads of rock, more fish, more filtering etc etc.

Deltoid · 15th January 2009, 9:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C-BuZz

Also small tanks dont leave a big hole in your wallet

This whole setup so far has cost me around $70.

Remember to factor in cooling for summer if you intend to keep any kind of coral/invertebrates. I had a little 2ft nano with some corals and clowns in it. Was good fun except cooling it was a bit of a problem.

SuiCid3 · 15th January 2009, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir Ghallahad

Marine tanks very very very quickly get exponentially more expensive!

Up to about 3 foot you can keep it within a respectable budget (im still talking like $1k or so), but when you start hitting 4 foot then you are into special lighting, shitloads of rock, more fish, more filtering etc etc.

Yeah, I've been planning on getting some second hand stuff for well under $300 (tank, stand, filters etc), probably another $500-$600 for any extra equipment required.
It will stretch the budget a little bit as I've got some pretty big events coming up over the next few months, but I think it's something I can make work.

The small tank would be good budget wise, but I've never been content with small things!

I've also heard that the smaller the tank, the harder it will be to maintain...

C-BuZz · 15th January 2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuiCid3

I've also heard that the smaller the tank, the harder it will be to maintain...

That's just not true. 20% water change every 2weeks, bit of a glass clean, 5min cleaning out the filter & that's pretty much it.

They almost maintain themselves once the filter is established

C-BuZz

SuiCid3 · 15th January 2009, 11:57 AM

Really?

I was told by one of the staff at St George's that due to the smaller volume of water, fluctuations are more frequent and more care needs to be taken than something of with a larger capacity (150L+).

Doofus · 15th January 2009, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuiCid3

Really?

I was told by one of the staff at St George's that due to the smaller volume of water, fluctuations are more frequent and more care needs to be taken than something of with a larger capacity (150L+).

This is true, the smaller the ecosystem, the more fragile it is. Small changes can precipitate into large problems a lot quicker.

Deltoid · 15th January 2009, 1:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doofus

This is true, the smaller the ecosystem, the more fragile it is. Small changes can precipitate into large problems a lot quicker.

Yep, in a smaller system it is more fragile. I had my 2ft nano and my brother had his 3foot cube with a sump tank. His was a lot easier to maintain then mine. I was doing water changes every other week in addition to running a protein skimmer and filter. Whereas he'd do a water change every few months.

C-BuZz · 15th January 2009, 2:47 PM

Yes it is true. But really, we arent going to see anything catastrophic happen overnight. If there is anything wrong with the tank/water you will have plenty of time to idenify & correct things if necessary.

I dont recall ever having any kind of problem with my previous nano tank, which I ran for 5yrs+ until I moved states. Maintenance was cake compared to the tank I had before that which was a 6ft marine.

C-BuZz

13th January 2009, 5:11 PM	#1
C-BuZz Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Melb, East Posts: 3,889	Updated 7-04-2013 38L Nano Worklog Hi, Well I finally bit the bullet & decided to buy myself a small aquarium, after thinking about doing it for the last 4 years. Yes it's extremely small (23L), but I dont have a lot of space on my desk. I've owned/maintained a small one previously for 5+ years (before the internet even existed), so I'm fairly confident. Really only a very small clown will be added, possibly second & some live rock. I chose the Jebo R331 for its size & built in wet/dry trickle filter. I will probably be modifying the light later on & adding a second actinic flouro. May also add a second filtration system somehow, but i'll see how we go with this first Click to view full size! Click to view full size! Click to view full size! Any suggestions good or bad I'm happy to listen C-BuZz

13th January 2009, 5:15 PM	#2
smackus Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Gold Coast Posts: 598	this should be interesting. I'd to see how you go, might do the same for my daughter. __________________ into collecting African cichlids. Cameras. Watches. RC Truggies. Torches. PCs. Laptops. Ties.

14th January 2009, 7:08 PM	#4
C-BuZz Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Melb, East Posts: 3,889	Setup ready for 4 week cycle. Added 2 small pieces of live rock & some crushed coral. Click to view full size! Click to view full size! Click to view full size! Click to view full size! C-BuZz

14th January 2009, 10:54 PM	#5
SuiCid3 Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 2007 Posts: 2,799	Damn... now you've got me thinking... Should I start off small and with 1 or 2 fish or should I get the larger 130L tank I've been eyeing.... Hmmmmm __________________ 'To be pleased with one's limits is a wretched state' - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

15th January 2009, 9:44 AM	#7
tgf Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Oakden, SA Posts: 378	Just adding my subscription to this thread and also I reckon this might get me into setting up a small marine setup just like this one. Might be good as practice for when I might get a much bigger marine setup. Always good to learn more. Shall watch this thread with keen interest. __________________ Adelaide/SA IT Professionals Fish swap thread Aquarium plant swap thread

15th January 2009, 11:57 AM	#12
SuiCid3 Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 2007 Posts: 2,799	Really? I was told by one of the staff at St George's that due to the smaller volume of water, fluctuations are more frequent and more care needs to be taken than something of with a larger capacity (150L+). __________________ 'To be pleased with one's limits is a wretched state' - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

15th January 2009, 2:47 PM	#15
C-BuZz Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Melb, East Posts: 3,889	Yes it is true. But really, we arent going to see anything catastrophic happen overnight. If there is anything wrong with the tank/water you will have plenty of time to idenify & correct things if necessary. I dont recall ever having any kind of problem with my previous nano tank, which I ran for 5yrs+ until I moved states. Maintenance was cake compared to the tank I had before that which was a 6ft marine. C-BuZz