Jayda and Mia's Ultimate Nano build

A couple months or so ago, my 6 and 3 year old daughters came to me to ask if they could have their own tank. Needless to say, I was proud that they wanted to enter the hobby. I talked it over with my wife and she felt it would be good to idea to get a small starter tank for them. Now I know full well that this is effectively going to be my tank and I really don't want a 2nd tank. Been there, done that!

I started looking for a tank and bought a couple hundred raffle tickets to try to win one at my aquarium club's Holiday party. Out of 7 aquariums raffled off, to my surprise, I won none! So I began looking for a nano when I got a call from one of the winners of the tanks asking a question about the tank. I kind of hinted that I might be interested in buying the tank if he didn't want it. A couple weeks ago I was called by him telling me he wanted to sell it. Talked to my wife for price approval, sold a couple things lying around tin the garage on Ebay and bought the tank. I never documented my build of my current aquarium so I wanted to make sure I did this time.

I plan to have no more than 3 fish in the tank. Thoughts are a percula clownfish, a small shrimp goby and pistol shrimp. Corals will be LSP mostly. Favias, chalices, and acans are all fair game. I figure no sense getting anything I won't be happy with.

Lighting will be LED. I have a couple Aqua Illumination fixtures that I originally planning on using but the tank came with LED already. Since I won't be keeping SPS, I see no reason changing to the Aqua Illumination fixtures. Return pump is undecided until I know what the overflow is rated for. I plan a skimmer if I can get one to fit in the sump. If not I may get the AquaMaxx hang on from Marine Depot.

I have to apologize because this will be a slow build because we are in the process of selling the house. I don't want to set it up completely only to tear it down.

 

Congrats and good luck.

 

Nice setup there.

 

Love thank tank design. Thikning about getting one of those for my office at work.

 

What tank is that?

 

It is a Vitrea Unico 56.

 

Nice looking tank! Your daughters are very lucky to have you as a generous father.

Taking it slow is not a bad thing at all, if you can hold off your daughters' "Please daddy"

 

On this tank I have decided to use Ceramic rock from Cerameco. A few club members at our event Reef-A-Paloooza event purchased it and it has been working out great for them. Here is what I'm thinking.

 

Great looking set up, that rock is really awesome looking. You should do a write up on it once you have seen it in action.

 

Agreed - and what a nice tank! Can't wait to see it down the road. 8)
As for your skimmer - I had a tight space in my sump too and went with a bubble magus NAC6 - I really like it - small footprint and only 19" high. And my Eheim 1260 sump pump is bullet proof and quiet. FWIW Greg.. enjoy!
matt