Thanks for the compliments...
Reeferdude, I know exactly what you are talking about. Unfortunately, what made me start up this nano was the fact that my wife and I are temporarily renting until next year. If we owned this apartment I would have drilled the cabinets, but we wanted the secutirty deposit back... The cabinet therefore does not shut flush, but the crack that is left open provides enough ventilation to the refugium.
nickers, my live rock is 15 pounds of "Tonga Ridge". I bought it locally at a LFS named "The Marine Scene". Although it is more expensive than Fiji, it is SUPER porous and I was amazed how light it was. If you have large amounts of rock to buy buying online in bulk is the best way, but obviously if you need just 10 or 15 pounds and the size is VERY important then locally is your best bet. Also, it takes a few trips to the LFS to accomplish this. I first bought a few larger pieces (relative to my 10 gallon), and then scouted out some more. The excess or pieces I didn't like went to the refugium. If I want more space for a coral I just move a rock "upstairs" to the refugium and I have more space.
I tried to aquascape it to make it appear larger than it really is, with alot of smaller rocks as opposed to a few large ones. I have also rearranged MANY times.
One thing I also have found important is the pH monitor. If you are dosing kalk in a tank this small it is almost a necessity, although I have always liked them. A digital thermometer also helps as your temperature may fluctuate more than a larger tank. Also I test alk and calcium every other day, as it fluctuates MUCH faster with so many corals in a smaller aquarium, and I adjust my kalk and calcium chloride dosage according to that. I add no other supplements other than DT's and selcon. I have always believed that we should only add what we could measure, and that is especially important with nanos... the misterious ingredients of "Bob's all-in-one reef additive" can build up quite quickly. Water changes and a good quality salt mix
![Wink ;) ;)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Broomer thanks to you also... IMO you are always right on with your explanations... and get your 10 out!
Anyway I will post more closeups... this weekend my club has a meeting and I will be doing some trading, excited about some red Monti capricornis
![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)