# My tank!



## AQUAMARINE (Nov 24, 2006)

About 3 years ago i set out on a quest to set up a nano marine tank. I had about 1 year freshwater experience under my belt. I went out and got a tank 24x12x12 and it started. Firstly i got some sand a heater and a fuval 3 pump (185 gallons ph). The tank came with a hood and light. I filled it up with tap water (i know its frowned upon) and treated it with nutrafin aqua plus and added some KENTS salt i used the hydrometer and got it to the approiate level. I turned everything on and left it for 3 days. Then i orderd 5KG (cured) of fuji LR. I put it in and left the tank for a week. Then i started testing the water and the levels were high. I left it because i thought it would fix itself. The 2nd week not much change. The week after that i tested it the ammonia had dropped to 0 and the nitrate was 5ppm. I was like is that it. Then ammonia went up for a while then everything stayed at 0 for 2 weeks (have no idea how) so i added a cleaner shrimp, those big ones. A while after that i added 1 clownfish and a few monts another as a friend. I do 30% water changes a week (with tap water/ dont use RO) and treat with aquaplus. I give them live and flake foods. 
3 years on and i still have 2 clowns and a cleaner shrimp (are they supposed to live this long????) and a few hermets. This is the most basic nano i have ever heard. 
If anyone had any comments then please share. 
Thank you vey much for reading


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## atnixon (Nov 13, 2006)

AQUAMARINE said:


> 3 years on and i still have 2 clowns and a cleaner shrimp (are they supposed to live this long????) and a few hermets. This is the most basic nano i have ever heard.
> If anyone had any comments then please share.
> Thank you vey much for reading



I dont see why not mate, it just proves that you have really look after your tank well..Am really chuffed for you...

Niko


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## AQUAMARINE (Nov 24, 2006)

Thank you, i tell my story alot and thats one of the only positive replys i have got. I try so set aside like 30 mins a day to go over the tank and do any maintinance needed. Thanks again its nice to hear positive.


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## atnixon (Nov 13, 2006)

Well, after keeping the same three going for three years, your deserve some positive mate...

Might be good to run through your maintenance routine on this thread so other people can see what you do each day / week etc etc and it may help out others who are having problems getting a routine running smoothly...

Niko


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## AQUAMARINE (Nov 24, 2006)

its not that much,
Well 30mins-1hour a day i,

1-check for dead bodies
2-check for leftover food ect
3-check the light is functioning (normal T8)
4-Test the heater and monitor the temp
5-Look at the condition of the fish(i do that all the time)
6-Rinse the partical catcher pad in the pump
7-wipe the glass
8-check for any salt build ect on the glass
9-top ups if needed

once a week test the water,
sometimes i feed them at this time so i can mointer the wasted food.
also i feed the 2-3 times a day(small portions). Im sure i have missed someting out.
Over all the time i havent had any illnesses but i have had a few algea blumes but i just scrap it off daily and it clears up in about 2 weeks. 
If anyone has more questions about my tank i will be happy to anwser them.
Thanks 
AM


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## AQUAMARINE (Nov 24, 2006)

My stats are as follows,

ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Phrosphate = 0 (use a phrosphate remover sopnge)
Nitrate = 0.10 trying to get it lower
Ph = 8.2
My SG = 1.023
my temp is = 78-80oF

I am happy with a FOWLR and dont really want corals. Also since this tank is going so well i dont really want a bigger one. For some reason my tank dosent have swings like many other nanos. It stays very healthy. 

I do large water changes to keep my levels in check, how can i get my Nitrate lower?
thanks.


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## TheReefAddict (Nov 21, 2006)

Thats great! Clowns are very hardy fish, especially if the arre farm raised. I have a buddy of mine that has had his clownfish for 15 years! Amazing in captivity.


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## AQUAMARINE (Nov 24, 2006)

They are both were born in captivity. I love them so much. Does anyone know why my london water is keeping the tank so clean and healthy. I have always herd how the water is bad but maby i have good luck?


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## flamingo (Nov 5, 2005)

The main thing I don't like is the fact that you have a pair of clowns in a ten gallon. I suggest 30 gallons at least for a pair...

BTW, I have a 8 year old clown, and a 3 year old clown. They can live well over ten years.

Not too bad though.


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## TheReefAddict (Nov 21, 2006)

Do you have pics of your tank? My clown thinks he is king of the tank lol


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

You could get nitrates lower by doing larger water changes and by adding things like mangroves, chaetomorph or other macro-algaes to reduce nitrates as well as phosphates in your tank. Also what kind of skimmer do you have? If you have a canister filter or a wet/dry on then that could also be a source of nitrates. If you want them lower you could always switch to RO water, you might have some nitrates in your tap. But since your not keeping coral, a nitrate reading of .10 ppm is not high at all, so dont worry about it too much, just make sure it doesnt rise.


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## AQUAMARINE (Nov 24, 2006)

I dont run a skimmer, london tap water is know for its high nitrate water i have no idea how mine gets so low for tap water.


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

So then switch to RO water. Also skimmers wont lower nitrates, but will help keep em low. But using RO water is the best bet for you since your tap has nitrates in it.


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## AQUAMARINE (Nov 24, 2006)

Here in London i cant find 1 shop that sells RO. Its hard to believe i know, try looking fot it for months. Also would i have to call a plumber to fit an RO unit?
Thanks


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## atnixon (Nov 13, 2006)

Hiya Aqua...

I know what you mean about trying to buy RO water in the UK, i am in Staffordshire and its just impossible...

When you buy an RO or RO/DI unit, they come with a piggy-back clamp for easy self installation...Just pick a pipe which is closest to the water inlet to you home, rub the pipe down with some sand paper to get a nice shiney copper pipe ( if painted that is ) ..install the unit and connect it up, then screw in the clamp on the water pipe ( tap on the clamp turned off by the way.....) This will pierce the copper piping for you and, bingo, your good to go for making your own RO water..

I installed mine in the kitchen, inside a kitchen cupboard / base unit so its hidden and routed a pipe to an empty brand new plastic bin...

Hope this helps matey

Niko


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## AQUAMARINE (Nov 24, 2006)

i will look into getting one does anyone have a web site with a reasonable price.


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## atnixon (Nov 13, 2006)

Hiya Aqua....Here is a couple of websites for you..

http://www.aquaticskingdoms.co.uk/index.asp?function=DISPLAYCAT&catid=251

http://www.reefkeeper.co.uk/acatalog/Four_stage_RO_Units.html

http://www.swelluk.com/marine/reverse-osmosis-units-refills-394/r-o-units-395.html

A 4 stage 50 Gals per day would be good enough for you..

Or there is good old ebay

Hope this helps

Niko :chair:


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

In your position I wouldn't even bother switching to RO.
.10 NO3 is nothing to be concerned over in a tank with only fish & shrimp, and it sounds like everything is already going just fine. Why rock the boat? In fact, the sudden nutrient loss caused by such a switch just might actually cause a shift in your tank's eco-dynamics, which could possibly have just as many ill effects as good ones. Yes, you will certainly see some improvement in some areas, but the question is whether or not that slight improvement would be worth the cost.


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## AQUAMARINE (Nov 24, 2006)

Well i was thinking "why try to fix someting that isant broken" and then i thought "the best cure is provention". Since i have had it like this for 3 years do you see any point in switching? I mean if i got a bigger tank i would defo get a RO unit. Im confused


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

I'd leave it how it is... especially if you aren't going to get corals.


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## jasno999 (Oct 16, 2006)

DO you have any coral in the tank?

Nano tanks are typically setup as reef tanks not FOWLR.


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## AQUAMARINE (Nov 24, 2006)

no corals just FOWLR


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