# Mini mini tank



## livai (Nov 28, 2011)

Hi everyone,

Ok, with my bad english, let me introduce my super mini tank. It's a dymax IQ3 (around 2 gallons). I had many reasons to start a reef aquarium on that size (place, cost, etc...). Because it's to small for a fish, I plan to have only corals which I prefer.

It's now +15 days since I started.

- I use 2 powerheads. The stock powerhead and a Mini jet 404. 
- I still use the stock light, but I normaly will receive leeds to make my personnal light. More power and add blue/UV leeds which I dont have now. I will add an Arduino controller too, but that's not urgent.
- My salt is a Kent reef salt Mix.
- Live rock from Irian java (If I remember). They were a little bit acclimatised even if I buyed them from a store.
- No sand of course (will see for that, I will have some question for sure).
- Salinity 1025.
- A small heather to maintain 26C.

I don't do a lot of tests. I just started with a Nitrite test (Nutrafin test, don't know if that's good) and the result is around zero for now.

I recently remove the mecanic filter and use only Cheato in the back chamber.

To follow...


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Very cute.:bigsmile:


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## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

nice start!


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Very pretty tank! I used to have one of those, but I planted it as a freshwater tank. I had the heater in the back chamber but the water would evaporate quickly. It's really good that you have a lid. I'll be interested to follow your journal.


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## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

SeaHorse_Fanatic said:


> Very cute.:bigsmile:


I agree


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Also, I believe at that size they may refer to them as pico (rather than nano) reefs, although I am not 100% certain of the size threshold for these size-related nomenclature.


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## tang daddy (Apr 21, 2010)

Cool tank and great start!


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## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

I think anthony is right! 1.5-5g is pico, than 6-20 are considered nanos. But it seems thateveryone is different. Some call a 2 gallon a nano... Others call a 30 gal a nano


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## Jasonator (Jul 12, 2011)

Just awesome!! 
There mat be a saltwater in my future..... hhmmm...



.


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

How's your tank doing? Tang Daddy has almost talked me into trying a nano saltwater. I'm interested in seeing how your little tank is coming along.


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## Acipenser (Apr 21, 2010)

tagging along


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## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

I can't wait to work on this 25g project. . Im glad I made tbe 10 gal jump to a 25, I mean these tiny nanos are cool but I want fish. I too am watching this thread for Ideas, progress and updates.


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## livai (Nov 28, 2011)

Hi everyone,

Till now, my tank is going well. Nothing special to say, I let him to stabilize.
I recently build my own super light (115 Leds 5mm). The other from Dymax is too small and not so good.
Here's 2 pictures (in real, it looks much much better) One is the day light, and the other one in blue for the night. I made a special light too for cheato. Keep in mind it's still not easthetic.

















I still change every week 25% with new water.

I saw somes new animals coming "from nowhere". An Amphinomidae, a snail, an somes really small friends.

I will maybe wait one month more before adding something.

To follow...


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

I had a Dymax for awhile (when they were new) and agree that the light is not powerful. Looks like you did an amazing job building your own. 

Your tank is quite delightful to look at already. I'm really interested to see how this develops! Are you using the original sponge in the filter?


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## livai (Nov 28, 2011)

Hi Morainy, thanks.

About your question, no, I removed all those sponges from the back chamber. For now, I only have Cheato. For future, I plan to add carbon too, but normaly not all the time.

Bye


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## livai (Nov 28, 2011)

Hello Everyone,

Ok, I'm now a little bit more than 6 weeks with my tank.

First, I stopped to change the water each weeks. I read, it's finally not that good to cycle a tank. It's not bad, but that make your tank going to cycle again and again a little bit, wich is a waste of time. It was for me logical to change my water. But I was going wrong because I didn't understand to do this if you use live sand and live rock from an other tank wich is alreay cycled...was not my case.

By the way, I added live sand (ocean direct from caribsea). It was a little bit cloudy during 24h. I really like it, the color and the grain size. After few days, all algea stop to grow. I really really think that help me a lot to cycle my tank (and for the future)... that's a subjective appreciation, but I'm like that sometime 

The Cheato in the back chamber is going well and stop to grow to much too.

I decide to add some animals, 2 Astrea and 1 Cerith. They going well.

I decide to make a box for my tank and light. Look at the picture below.

What next ? Well I'm almost 2 weeks early from my prevision. The parameter are ok now (I'm not talking about those test like Ca and Mg but about nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, salinity, temperature, etc...). As I said, my sand helped me a lot!

I will wait 2 or 3 weeks now and see if all my setup is going well. Going to do some more test to see if it will be good for corals. And I really want to see the coraline growing a little bit more.

I think my first coral addition will be a zoanthus (or something like that)...will see.

Thanks for reading.


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## tang daddy (Apr 21, 2010)

Wow its really nice to see this tank come together, its a good thing you have patience as that is what everyone in the hobby needs.:lol:

I remember long ago when I started my first nano, there was so much excitement looking at all the tiny creatures that roam at night. Just wait till you add some colourful corals then you will be even more amused by the colours under the blue led!


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## livai (Nov 28, 2011)

Hi everyone,

Small update about my tank.
As expected, I finally add my first coral this weekend. Some Zoanthids with super nice color. Love them!!!









That's true Tang Daddy


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## livai (Nov 28, 2011)

Hi Everyone,

Here's some news about my tank.
First, everything is going well. I'm pretty happy with my setup even if that could be alway better...but I'm a beginner 

As I said, I'm happy with the setup. The light is good, particularly the blue/uv who give those super electric color during night. I like the flow in my tank and the 2 powerhead do the job pretty well. The cheato in the back chamber are healty but not growing so much now. I think that's ok (phosphate are low). 
I buyed a Two Little Fishies NanoMag wich is perfect for the size of my tank.
I change regularly (1/week) around 10% of the water.
I buyed more test kit and the result are super good (Ca, phosphate, nitrite, etc...).

About the live stock.
I decided to put only easy beginner live stock. 
- Zoanthids of course who going well. 
- 3 Ricordea florida (blue, orange/bleu, green/yellow). I really love them and I think I'm going to do a garden with those super nice animals.
- Green polyps. An other master piece for my taste. That make my tank not to much static too.
- 2 mushrooms (1 small red and one wonderfull blue)
- Palm tree polyps. Nice particularly during night!!!

A little bit more tricky.
- Rainbow montipora. Is a little bit brown during day but as a rainbow during night. I think is not doing bad but will see in the next 2 or 3 weeks
- Plate montipora. Same as the rainbow expect he's still really green. But will in the future. (I know, he's suppose to be too big for my tank but I plan to start an other tank in the summer maybe).

- Hermit crab and snail are going well. A lot of copecods and some worms.

No algea (or very few). On the picture you can see 2 or 3 bubble but those died a long time ago and still doesn't took them out.

What else, oh yeah... I have a small rock with some zoanthids who didn't open for few days. I was not worry to much because they growing. I finally took to piece out and discover a worm in the rock eating them. Hope my zoanthids will reopen soon.

Till some other news, thanks for reading.


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## Morainy (Apr 21, 2010)

Hi, Livai
Your tank is spectacular! A work of art and science. 

What's Cheato?


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## lotus (Apr 22, 2010)

I like how simple it looks and it doesn't look like a 2 gallon!


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## yvr75 (May 21, 2010)

Hey Phil,

Your tank is coming along nicely. Keep up the good work.


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## livai (Nov 28, 2011)

Thanks Morainy but even if I really like my tank, I know a lot more beautifull reef than mine....oh yeah  (Cheato is an algea).

Thanks Lotus and yes I try to keep my tank as simple as I can. Maybe (even if I spend some x00$) that will be an incentive for people who want to start a reef for "cheap". I'm really happy with the choice of my live stock, a lot of nice color even if those "corals" are for beginner.

Thanks yvr75, I'll keep an eye on your tank too. Your setup is exactly where I would like to go, simple and sooooooo beautifull.

For people who want to see what is possible to do with those tiny tank, look at this Andrewkw - Featured Reef Profiles - Nano-Reef.com
I think it's too much stock for me and mix lps, sps etc... it's a little bit crazy for a picoreef but for sure you can do a lot.


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## livai (Nov 28, 2011)

Hello all,

Some news about my pico reef.

Everything is going well.

Ricordea florida grow, not that much, but they grow. I decide to cut one who was big with two mouth. Both are fine and it looks I did my first fragging pretty well 

Zoanthids are going well too. They are some who grow fast and others who don't seems to want expand. I don't care so much because I have a lot of time and they still looks beautifull. Oh yeah, and those who didn't wants to open for few days (I talked about them on my last post) are now ok too.

Green star polyps grow like weed. Almost one more polyp per 1 or 2 days. I really love them.

More hardy. My rainbow montipora are still not looking good but still alive. I tryed different place in my tank but it looks it's not for me or not for a pico tank like mine. Will see.

I have a lot of coraline who totally "explode" in my tank. Good sign and nice more color...and more work to take them out of my glass.

But the best for the end. What I'm really proud... my plate montipora. The color is still super green and all polyps are fully extended. He's growing well too...will see where 

To follow...

PS: sorry, no picture this time, my camera is with a friend of me in Patagonia


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## mcrocker (May 29, 2010)

What do you feed the crab and snail, and do you dose anything else to provide nutrients for the coral?


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## livai (Nov 28, 2011)

I don't feed crab and snail, I let them doing their job in the tank and they looks healthy. But there is a story about snail. When I started my tank, I buyed to much live rock. I didn't want to loose them so I decided to put these rock in an other 2G (in case) with a small powerhead. I moved the cerith an the small astrea to this tank before to much competition start between all my scavenger. Everyone looks fine. So now, I have 1 astrea and 1 blue legs in the main tank.

I don't provide nutrients for the coral. First, I'm really happy with my salt who doing the job. Second, my tank is very small an adding something is alway more tricky than a bigger one. Third, my coral are still small so they don't require addition. But will see in the future, maybe a super tiny dose of phytoplankton will make them more happy when they will be more bigger.


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