Olasana Lagoon: High Energy SPS Nano Build Thread
 

I wanted to do an extreme, Acropora-dominated nano...

Tank: 20 gallon long

Lighting: 400 watt horizontal Iwasaki 6500k

Circulation: Vortech mp10, 2nd harmonic wave during the day, long pulse surge at night, both at 100%

Control and Monitoring: Neptune Apex Lite

Top Off: Single float switch

Supplementation: Saturated kalkwasser top off only

Mechanical/Physical Filtration: Siphoning/dilution by water changes

Minimal live rock, only a few pieces of branch rock

The rock is old and causing a cycle at the moment.

Go for it! I'd tag along for this one.......

For a 20L a 400w is over kill, you will need to mount it up high to keep from bleaching corals. The 20L is a shallow tank a 250w with a good reflector will be a better choice or a good T5 unit. Add in a sump for equipment and add volume which is always good for sps, a dosing method like 2 part pumps or kalk and a good skimmer also a must for sps.

For a 20L a 400w is over kill, you will need to mount it up high to keep from bleaching corals. The 20L is a shallow tank a 250w with a good reflector will be a better choice or a good T5 unit. Add in a sump for equipment and add volume which is always good for sps, a dosing method like 2 part pumps or kalk and a good skimmer also a must for sps.

allsps, tank volume/height is irrelevant. A 400 watt will work just fine. Lots of acros do just fine at the top of larger tanks lit by 400 watt bulbs. There will be photoperiod based acclimation to the intensity. I already had the bulb, fixture and ballast.

Cycle is finishing, water clearing up. Lots of suspended particulates and the Porites is loving it.

How will u deal with the heat from the 400 watt?

Chris, there's no canopy, it's open, tank never gets above 80. The Vortech puts almost no heat into the tank.

My biggest concern is heat also. It should be fine though if you can keep the heat down, your corals should super growing under that much light and color up nice.

That's all the rock you are using?

Put a few boring small brown frags in. Also added a co-current skimmer made from PVC.

You need more rock for a stable system. Be VERY careful how quickly you proceed. Heat will be a issue unless the house is cooled by AC. Even then, you may have to add a fan.
A 400 watter is way overkill and a waste in my opinion.

Never mind the 400w.. a 400w with a 6500k bulb over a 20L. That's as bright as you can get. How long are you keeping the lights on for, what's the plan for the tank colour up cheap brown outs?

The tank doesn't need more rock.

Mammoth, no plan really, right now they are my Acropora canaries. They were broken pieces at the LFS. I inspected closely for red bugs, etc. The fixture is 26" above the tank. I haven't decided on a feeding regimen yet. Right now the lights are only on a few hours a day (4 ish).

I've never used or seen anything like the Vortech before. I am old school and have been out of the game for a long time. I was going to just make a mini Carlson until I learned about these crazy little toys.

Love it !
I would not think you will need to any more corals though, those will be "wall to wall" in 6 mo. under the Iwasaki .LOL !

...waiting on the 6 mo. pic..
Have fun, enjoy.

Those frags would have a much better chance at survival with more live rock in the tank. More live rock= more food!
My tank has plankton swarms every night after the lights go out. They are a great food source and a sign of a healthy ecosystem......

Wow the title to this thread is amazing! Seems like a lot of work though, have fun with it!

mesh, the Porites is encrusting the front side of a big piece of LR, along with the two branches, is plenty for a 20 gallon. One of the reasons I have no mechanical filtration right now is I'm curious to see how things develop with nothing to physically remove particulates/food. I reserve the right to change my mind at any time!

galleon,
I gotcha! Well that's good the Porites is doing well. Sounds like your in experimental mode. That's how we all learn! Keep us posted and keep the pics coming. I would love to see how growth turns out on the frags.

Yup. I have a lot of experience from back in the day doing larger SPS system. I've started keeping them in 99, and was on 6 year hiatus. I got interested again, but this is the first time I've ever kept a nano.

I am definitely having fun with it! I haven't kept corals in forever.

Ok do as you please, you will bleach corals out especially with a 6500k bulb and have light spilling over the tank. It is just over kill, a 250w will do much better IME.
Oh and yeah you need more live rock for sure. That one little twig you have in there is not going to be enough bio-filtration. Seems like you have a lot to learn.

allsps, the Porites has been in there for 2 months, has actually colored up (it was very bleached out when I bought it, under Ecoxotic cannons) under the 400 watt, and has grown nicely.

But I greatly appreciate you bringing all your negativity and condescension to my fun thread.

Here is the Porites at the LFS where it was just "worm rock". Compare to the video.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6...c22fac96_z.jpg

Galleon, let me know when you are ready for frags...next week?