rwhite... thanks... unfortunately our local aquariums care much more about flipping dolphins than reef tanks as that's what fills the seats. One of the best showcase of reef tanks is at the Waikiki Aquarium in Hawaii... When our new house is built my 180 will go back up, along with my ~500 gallon that I'm already planning for, as the builders are adding 5 20 amp circuits to the "equipment room". This tank is a couple of years in the future, but my 180 and other tanks will keep me busy until then.
NORWAY, you are off to a good start, although the maroon clown will eventually probably become a problem, as they often get large and aggressive, especially in a nano. There are a myriad of soft corals you could start with in many shapes and sizes. Distance above the surface for the lights is a balancing act, with the limiting factors on one end being heating the water column and splashing the bulbs, while on the other end you want to deliver the light to the corals. My PCs were just a couple of inches off of the water as heating wasn't an issue and splashing was kept to a minimum.
Golfish, I have been very happy with my MRC calcium reactor, and wanted a large fluidized bed chamber without paying over $1000 which is what an equivilent Deltec would go for. My chamber will be 6" in diameter and 24 inches high... holding more rowa than I'd ever need, even on my large aquarium when I move. Price was $235... very reasonable. The Phosban reactor that's $35 is small and very "dinky" for lack of a better word. Andy is a great guy with a good product at excellent prices...
Here's a closeup of my peppermint hog... originally a very expensive fish that has now become more available at lower prices... peaceful with all but fairy wrasses... he killed one and booted another into the overflow...
