Sharkbait wants a Retro Nano...

[Mad Mike]

Hmm what was available for lighting then....?

NO probably in the 34W range that was probably the size of the lamp that would fit over the tank. Remember lighting then wasn't half of what it is now. You had 3 colors WW, warm white, CW Cool white, and D Daylight. They also had a couple of special lamps for meats and veggies in the red and green spectrum but they really weren't public knowledge. They also had HO and VHO for sign lighting but I don’t know if they used it on early aquariums. Halogen was also available. MH was mostly for stadiums in very high wattage and prohibitively expensive.

Don’t think auto top off was invented then either Husbandry!! Get them hands wet. Going retro right? Stay with the original idea.

I once read a story about a woman from Victorian England who lived by the sea and kept an anemone in a bowl. She hand fed it and changed the water with sea water and used her hand for circulation.

 

[Sharkbait]

I've heard the same story, about the anemone.As for the original idea with lighting, I was going to use natural sunlight @ first,wrong exposure,so I might cheat a little.I'm leaning towards a 96 pc,(i still want things to grow) but You're right; no auto top off, no chiller.It only loses a 1gal per day right now. I am personally amazed by this little air driven tank.Good flow and turn over for something so simple and cheap.Thanks Mike for makin me, stay the course, I can think myself in a circle sometimes.

 

[Mad Mike]

I can think myself in a circle sometimes.

I think we all do, it comes from an honest desire to provide the best. You think I call myself Mad Mike for nothing?Ha! An insane circle thinker I am, I have board meetings in the coconut my friend.
Ya know sunlight is not a bad thing. There are farmers that use it exclusively. And some only have southern exposure or facing to work with. When you say wrong exposure do you mean the direction of the windows? Or the area you live in with heat being a problem?

Honestly I would love to try a sunlit tank but the winters here in NY don't provide the time or the intensity fot it. Maybe a greenhouse when I retire and move to that warm climate of my dreams

 

[Sharkbait]

I've been to that board meeting!The window is west ward facing, and just gets slammed in the afternoon.I may be able to use it as supplemmental still but not enough altogether.

 

[Sharkbait]

I got my light today it's a Custom Sealife pc 2x40W (weird W), it has a moonlite built in and fits pretty nice over the tank.The fixture is 20" Long and is on risers that put it 3-3.5" off the water.Need to figure out how it will best sit over tank with the skimmer, somewhat in the way.It's always something no matter how easy you plan it to be,... I love it!Time to start stocking,I have some pieces of LR(from my display tank) that can go in. I don't think I'll use a lot of rock on this one, relatively speaking.I'll post pics of the progress and introductions tomarrow.The tank is looking very nice on flow,clarity,salinity,pH,Alk/KH.Haven't tested the nitrates in a while, but I'm sure it pretty much done cycling.instinct,but i'll test.I think I want to put a Hectors goby in first.Little 2" fish are pretty much the focus on this tank.Maybe just small gobies?

 

[Woodstock]

Gobies sound like a great choice!

 

[Sharkbait]

Here's some progress pics, I added a little LR. Glued down a frag of yellow polyp out of my display and it's started.There is a little bit of GSP on the LR, it came out of the display.I want to get my goby pretty soon, maybe this weekend.Skimmer is rockin for a little air driven thing, and the flow in tank is incredible.

 

[Woodstock]

Nice~~

 

[Sharkbait]

Oh yeah the testing came out: pH 8.6, kH 3.8, NO2 0.0, NO3 0.0, NH3NH4 0.0, CA2 390, and Salinity @ 1.024 @ 81 degrees F.
Woodstock thank you so very much for having me go BB on this.It's staying so clean and easy to observe any differences. I have always had sand in my tanks before, I don't miss it in this one. It would seem out of place in this setting.
I'm going to my LFS to get my first inhabitant later today.I'm also getting a fan to help cool the temp a little too.

 

[Sharkbait]

Kent marine makes a two part ion calcium buffer for nano reefs, very nice. It also contains trace, stront.,magnesium,iron,etc.I'm impressed and happy I don't have to convert my regular two part to nano doseages.I've always liked their two part for growth and color in corals.
I also picked up my first fish for this set up.He's a Hector's goby (Horizontal black/yellow stripes) and I'll try for a pic soon. He's a little shy right now. Very small and colorful, no more than 2 inches, and i am very pleased with him.
Fan is on, now we'll see some evaporation. Hopefully a nice temp drop as well...

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Sounds too cool for school Greg, post pics ASAP!

 

[KimPossible]

Looks Fantastic Greg!
Can't wait to see the Goby.

 

[Sharkbait]

Ok, here's Hector.He's a very mild-mannered, laidback fish.Closely related to the Rainford's gobie. He's not shy at all and is pretty active.I am waiting for my shippment of a cleaner gobie and clown gobie to my LFS next week.The tank is going to get a H20 change prior to thier arrival.I'm really into these small gobies very interesting colors and behaviors. :eye:

 

[Woodstock]

Nice looking fish Sharkbait.

 

[Newt]

Beautiful Goby, hope he's as fun for you as my Rainfords is for me.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Rainesford's rock!

 

[Newt]

Don't worry Sharkbait, Hectors rock too! :smoking:

 

[Sharkbait]

I'm really pleased with him,he's always interested in me when I'm on the computer.Maybe it's fish can relate to RS very easily,or he's studying as well...