12 Gallon Cadlights Build

[modelrr]

I just got my new 12g cadlights AIO in the mail and have begun transferring livestock from my old 90g system. This is my first attempt at a nano so I'm looking forward to the experience.

 

I want to do lots of zoas/palys/ricordeas in this tank. Fish will include my two mated true percs and probably a goby or blenny of some sort.

 

Here's a pic of my 90g a week or two before beginning the breakdown. So sad to see it go!

 

 

 

And here's the first couple pics of my nano. I did some aquascaping this evening and dropped in a few hermits and corals. I'll post updated pictures tomorrow.

 

 

[zoozilla]

Nice setup. T5s? How many watts?

[El Camaron]

that is a nice little nano for sure.

[modelrr]

Nice setup. T5s? How many watts?

Thanks, it has an 4x8w T5 fixture - quality seems pretty good, but I don't really care for the acrylic legs.

 

 

Sand and rock

 

 

Clowns are in! .. still need to aquascape though

Edited November 14, 2009 by modelrr

[modelrr]

some better aquascaping...

 

GSP and leather are in there only temporarily

 

 

[zoozilla]

...- quality seems pretty good, but I don't really care for the acrylic legs.

A couple of eye bolts and some steel hanging wires/chains and you have yourself a floating-style fixture

[moga]

A couple of eye bolts and some steel hanging wires/chains and you have yourself a floating-style fixture

wow great set up ..

 

do they sell the lighting unit seperataely?~

[modelrr]

wow great set up ..

 

do they sell the lighting unit seperataely?~

I don't think so - wish they did!

[MrRogers]

MrRogers = modelrr  

 

I did end up building this tank, but took it down several months later to go to college.

 

As of 1 month ago (August, 2024) I pulled the tank out of storage, plopped a heater in the back, poured in some water, and fired up the pump. Worked great!

 

I had my old RODI unit and some filter replacements (how convenient!).

 

I also had a few pieces of dry aquarium rock.

 

Just had to buy some sand and salt...

 

On 9/6/2024, the salinity was at the right level and I dropped half of a raw cocktail shrimp into the tank to kick of the cycling process.

Ammonia peaked after about 3-4 days and fell to zero after a total of 1 week.

Nitrite started to rise early on and persisted at high levels for about 10 days (it's just now under 0.05 ppm).

Nitrate is climbing, as expected.

 

I'll probably do a 100% water change soon.

 

What should my next steps be? I want to get some biodiversity (live sand/rock from the fish store?). I also want to get some snails and crabs in there.