Minimal tank

[The Kapenta Kid]

I have a spare 55 gal which I could not bear to see empty so I set it up as a low tech FOWLR pending more intensive use.
It has about 50 lb LR and 50 lb LS in it. 75W of NO lighting, three powerheads to move the water around, and no filter or skimmer. I change 10% water 2x week.
Population is 5 green chromis, a 6-line wrasse, and various hermits and snails. Purple coralline is spreading nicely.
Water params stay steady at NH3 0, NO2 0,1, NO3 25, PO4 0,1.
I think it will keep ticking over in this stable state until I am ready to do more with it.

 

[reefman23]

Any pictures of the tank? How's it doing?

Jesse

 

[The Kapenta Kid]

Here ya go. It's a quick and dirty pic so excuse the light reflections and glass smears etc.
Params are still holding at levels reported. I should have mentioned that most of the LR is actually dead rock that I bought cheap--or as cheap as you can do it here :lol:
I put a few lumps of true LR in there and it is all getting colonized and 'resurrecting' nicely.

PS. I would emphasize that I am not doing this as an experiment or to prove some theory. It is just an inexpensive holding operation until I am ready to equip the tank properly.

 

[davenia7]

I like the aquascape on the left.
It's rock mountain.
!

 

[The Kapenta Kid]

I like the aquascape on the left.
It's rock mountain.
!

Yep, you can do a lot of things in a 55 that you can't do in a Nano. And as I stated, it was mostly 'dead' rock to start with.

 

[davenia7]

Ha...
I'll still stick with Nano.
[Looks around]
Besides, there's no where for another tank to go without the furniture going to Goodwill first.
And all the tabletops except the dining one has a tank already.

 

[KidNano]

I just started my 60 a couple of months ago and love it. I think small and large tanks are both fantastic and suite different purposes. The only reason I started my 60 was for more fish. I love the fishes. For me it's just an added bonus to be able to have coral. That's why this hobby is so great. Everyone has different ideals. I would love to have more tanks... besides the $$ factor my wife doesn't want to live in Seaworld. I personally don't see a problem with living in Seaworld.

Kapenta keep us posted on your tank.

 

[The Kapenta Kid]

I just started my 60 a couple of months ago and love it. I think small and large tanks are both fantastic and suite different purposes. The only reason I started my 60 was for more fish. I love the fishes.

That's indeed why I activated this 55. I knew that I could never accept the limitation of only having 3 or so fish in a Nano. I'm trying my best to create a nice Nano, but I like also the flexibility of a bigger pond for my fish,