Who else besides me keeps a reef-aquarium?

[wax32]

I'm sure a few of you do. Here are some pics from mine I took today. Handheld, no tripod, with onboard flash so they aren't the greatest but you get the idea. I took them all sitting on my couch and just cropped in close with photoshop for the fish....

The tank is a 15 gallon oceanic. 24" x 12" x 12".

Equipment:
Lights: 24" Nova Extreme 4x 24w T5's
Water Movement: VorTech MP10, Tunze Nano Wavebox 6206
Filtration: BRS GFO/Carbon Reactor, Warner Marine H1 Skimmer
Temp control: 50w Stealth heater

More or less full tank shot:

Domino Damsel

Black-Ass Clown Blenny

Randall's Shrimp Goby


Corals are various zoanthids, mushrooms, cloves, star polyps, and a nice leather.

Inverts: a few kinds of hermits (mostly Orange Claws), 2 peppermint shrimp, a bullseye pistol shrimp, a few kinds of snails and a pencil urchin.



So, anyone else? Share some pics!

 

[vetusvates]

Hey Dave. I don't, but I know they are beautiful. (I have about 4 aquariums on my iPod Touch.)

I could sit in front of a reef aquarium and watch the little fish village for hours.

 

[Cattsy]

I had no idea that you could do a reef aquarium in such a small tank! THe ones I've seen have all been gigantic monsters!

I loooove the look of fishtanks, but absolutely detest the maintenance.

 

[wax32]

Hey Dave. I don't, but I know they are beautiful. (I have about 4 aquariums on my iPod Touch.)

I could sit in front of a reef aquarium and watch the little fish village for hours.

It's for sure relaxing!

I had no idea that you could do a reef aquarium in such a small tank! THe ones I've seen have all been gigantic monsters!

I loooove the look of fishtanks, but absolutely detest the maintenance.

Meh, once a week I change 2 gallons of water out. (I should probably do a little more.) Really it isn't bad, larger tanks require bigger water changes so this little one is nice. I used to have a 70 gallon and it was a little more of a pain.

 

[windowswisher]

Oh, wow. I am a HUGE fan of aquaria; also wanted to start up my own. It's very encouraging to me that you were able to achieve that level of display in just a 15g. How hard is it to move, if even possible?

 

[wax32]

The initial expense of buying all the equipment is the major pain... just equipment, not including any of the rock or corals/fish this little tank is over $1000.

 

[wax32]

Oh, wow. I am a HUGE fan of aquaria; also wanted to start up my own. It's very encouraging to me that you were able to achieve that level of display in just a 15g. How hard is it to move, if even possible?

You mean like if you wanted to put the tank somewhere else?

You'd need to empty it... not fun, I've done it before though.

 

[Gronk]

Dave....

My Wife keeps a 45 "cube" semi-nano set up and also a Phinnix <sp?> 29 gallon. She has a ton of corals and a few smaller fish in each.

 

[wax32]

One thing I should mention 3 fish in a tank this size is serious overkill. I am super limited to what corals I can keep because the water is dirtier than they like. YOu can see that dead coral in the middle, kinda looks like a bunch of skinny green twigs? That started as a 1" frag and grew to the size you see, but as my fish have gotten bigger that make more pee/poo and the coral slowly died, now algae is growing on it. All my other ones are doing well though.

 

[wax32]

Dave....

My Wife keeps a 45 "cube" semi-nano set up and also a Phinnix <sp?> 29 gallon. She has a ton of corals and a few smaller fish in each.

Cool. Got pics?

 

[sinisterserpents1]

I had no idea that you could do a reef aquarium in such a small tank! THe ones I've seen have all been gigantic monsters!

I loooove the look of fishtanks, but absolutely detest the maintenance.

I was thinking the same exact thing. I'd love to have a small salt water set up like that. I don't know the first thing about the chemicals or plants or salt water fish though lol:nope:

 

[wax32]

Here is a better picture of that clown blenny from a while back.

 

[wax32]

Top down shot of some of the coral:

I like how the water twists things up.

 

[wax32]

I was thinking the same exact thing. I'd love to have a small salt water set up like that. I don't know the first thing about the chemicals or plants or salt water fish though lol:nope:

You'd be surprised how fast you learn. When I had my bigger tank I even had to learn about plumbing and electrical wiring. Hehe.

 

[JNugent]

I used to have a 55 gal saltwater set-up but for the amount of free time I had to deal with it, I found it to be too much work. It was also a bit tricky to things to live in it initially also. I ended up ditching and going back to a tropical set up. But I definitely enjoy looking at a well done reef aquarium.. Your's is defininitely cool for a 15g.

 

[wax32]

Thanks Jason.

 

[Blue Apple Herps]

Looks great! After I graduate next year and move somewhere to postdoc, I'd like to set up a nano reef tank similar to what you have. I think they're soo cool!

 

[wax32]

Looks great! After I graduate next year and move somewhere to postdoc, I'd like to set up a nano reef tank similar to what you have. I think they're soo cool!

Thanks! They are a lot of fun.

 

[Bartholomew]

Not me, but its a life dream to have a huge tank with so many fish in there and its gonna look all awesome. But I dont know the first thing about salt water fish. I saw some 'how-to' videos, and it looks pretty complicated....

 

[wax32]

It is really not that bad. Start with a fish only tank, with live rock. Get your feet wet so to speak, while learning to keep the tank stable (this is the biggest thing to learn) KEEP it slow. Then when you can keep a few fish living, get the good lights and go for coral.