Hello

[tpallas]

Hello everyone,

 

I would like to introduce myself. My name is Tom and I grew up in Rockville, MD. I've kept aquariums as long as I can remember! I started keeping saltwater aquariums when I was 12 years old or so in 1992 and became obsessed with small aquariums (then called micro reefs, now called nanos). That obsession is still with me to this day! If anyone remembers Marine Care Specialists which was in Rockville on Rockville Pike, I worked there from 1998-1999.

 

I attended college in Nashville and since 2003 have lived in Germany in the Army, and for the past 14 months attended graduate school in Heidelberg, Germany. I'm set to return to Alexandria next week and look forward to setting up my dream 10 gallon SPS, which I've wanted to do since I was a kid. Anyways, I look forward to returning to the DC area and meeting everyone at meetings, etc.

 

Cheers

 

Tom

[jason the filter freak]

Dream ten sps? This should be interesting it's not often that there is an sps tank that has something as small as a 10 gallon as a sump much less a display. The grow out rate on sps will be much more noticeable on a 10. Can't wait to see it, welcome back to the states and to wamas.

Edited July 26, 2008 by jason the filter freak

[Connor]

Looks like it's going to be an interesting build, make sure you keep us updated. Welcome Aboard

 

 

 

-Connor

[jamesbuf]

Welcome to the club. I look forward to seeing your progress.

[tpallas]

Yeah, I plan on keeping mostly Monti's, 3-5 frags at the most and growing them out to fill up the tank. I don't plan on adding fish for at least six months to allow the tank to get established.

 

I plan on automating the tank as much as possible to keep water parameter fluctuations under control, and because my job will keep me working late.

 

So far I'm planning on an acrylic 10 gallon with a 2-sided internal overflow going down to a custom sump underneath. I'd like to order from myfishtank.com, but as they ship from California, shipping prices are very high. Does anyone know of any similar companies on the East Coast?

 

I'm going with a Tunze nano skimmer in the sump, a product I've had great success with in the past. I'd like to mount a small calcium reactor in *somewhere*, it's hard to find a small one so a DIY may be in order. The CO2 tank will be remotely located. I'd also like to DIY a small phosban reactor chamber (any good local sources for clear acrylic tubing?). The sump will also have a Tunze ATO installed, which I've used over here in Germany and absolutely love.

 

I'll also use a ReefKeeper2 controller to keep temperature and PH in check. I haven't decided if a chiller is necessary or not yet, but that may be yet another consideration.

 

Inside the tank I'd like a pair of Tunze 6055s controlled by a Multicontroller operating at about 10-20%. I know this may sound like overkill but I swear by Tunze and it's easily upgradeable.

 

Lighting is something which I've been debating, but I've been leaning heavily towards the Solaris 14" LED unit. I think it is more than enough to keep Montis (and acros or clams if I so decide) and has phenomenal features. The other option is to install a pair of T12 VHO actnics with a 150W HQI. The problem with this route is constructing a suitable glass UV shield.

 

It's going to take a good amount of time to get this going (I don't think I'll even order the tank before September), but I'll be sure to post a build thread. This is something I've been waiting to do for quite some time!

 

Dream ten sps? This should be interesting it's not often that there is an sps tank that has something as small as a 10 gallon as a sump much less a display. The grow out rate on sps will be much more noticeable on a 10. Can't wait to see it, welcome back to the states and to wamas.

Edited July 26, 2008 by tpallas

[treesprite]

So far I'm planning on an acrylic 10 gallon with a 2-sided internal overflow going down to a custom sump underneath. I'd like to order from myfishtank.com, but as they ship from California, shipping prices are very high. Does anyone know of any similar companies on the East Coast?

Welcome, Tom.

 

We have a "resident" aquarium builder here. I suggest looking into that before doing the shipping across the country. Also good source for a sump if you need one.

[zoozilla]

Welcome aboard, Tom.

[steveoutlaw]

So far I'm planning on an acrylic 10 gallon with a 2-sided internal overflow going down to a custom sump underneath. I'd like to order from myfishtank.com, but as they ship from California, shipping prices are very high. Does anyone know of any similar companies on the East Coast?

 

Send a PM to NAGA. He builds acrylic tanks and his workmanship is incredible.....I'm sure you'll be very satisfied.

 

Good luck and welcome to the club.

[Sharkb8]

Indeed. welcome Tom. A very good name you have

 

I am extremely interested in your build, both from the size idea and the sump/automation idea. I have considered doing the exact same thing in the past but ran short on motivation. When you do get started, please be sure to post your progress (in excrutiating detail, with photos, for those of us who will want to repeat it) in the dedicated tank forum, if you can. You will have many folks here who will want to follow your progress for ideas and to help pitch in when asked.

 

Welcome, and best of luck with your build!

 

Tom

[tpallas]

True! My dad's name is also Tom (I am the 3rd), and he always says that Tom Selleck put us Toms on the map.

 

For whatever reason I've always been fascinated with small aquariums. I remember seeing one in Congressional Aquarium when I was 13 or 14 - it must have been 15 gallons max - and thinking it was truly amazing. It had LPS and other easy-to-keep things, but it got me started. Also at the time, Julian Sprung had a 15 gallon which was pretty famous (though, in all fairness, if I remember correctly it had a 75 gallon sump).

 

I'm glad to see that nanos have taken off but I have always wanted to make a smaller tank on the same type of setup as a larger tank (i.e. sump, skimmer, CA reactors, etc.). I think I got this from my "other" hobby of R/C airplanes (not to mention my third "other other" hobby of Civil War reenacting) in which I've seen huge models which look terrible and small models which are phenomenal. Why not the same in aquariums? Water parameters, sure, but this is manageable!

 

Anyways, I won't even get started collecting materials until I get moved in September, but I am looking forward to it - this tank is 15 years in the making!

 

Cheers

 

Tom

 

Indeed. welcome Tom. A very good name you have

 

I am extremely interested in your build, both from the size idea and the sump/automation idea. I have considered doing the exact same thing in the past but ran short on motivation. When you do get started, please be sure to post your progress (in excrutiating detail, with photos, for those of us who will want to repeat it) in the dedicated tank forum, if you can. You will have many folks here who will want to follow your progress for ideas and to help pitch in when asked.

 

Welcome, and best of luck with your build!

 

Tom

[yauger]

Welcome to the brotherhood... looking forward to seeing you build this SPS Nano. I maintained a 15 gallon sps tank for one year before taking it down; it was alot to maintain but well worth it when corals thrive... again welcome to the club.