Reefs.org Forums

[cjdevito]

tsysminim.jpg (12.72 KiB) Viewed 1618 times

Just pulled the trigger and placed the order. An Elos Mini and E-Lite LED fixture will be on their way to me shortly. Watch this space over the coming weeks for the build thread.

[cjdevito]

So first, the technical specs....
Elos Mini - 17"x17"x16", 20 gallons
Elos NS100 Sump w/eheim 1000 return pump
Elos NS100 Skimmer
Elos Osmocontroller II ATO
Elos E-Lite (18 3w LEDs)

Things that might get added down the road... additional Elos supplemental LEDs, vortech MP10 if additional current is needed.

The Plan:
A shallow sand bed and minimalist live rock. Lots of negative space. I intend to keep red spot cardinals (apogon parvulus) and possibly some trimma gobies... very tiny fish. Accordingly, the tank is being designed with them in mind. No LPS, no anemones, nothing that might consume them as a snack.

Corals will be mostly soft corals, with possibly a select few SPS thrown in. I'm planning on xenia, clove polyps, acropora millepora, zooanthids, knobby candelabrum, leathers and ricordea. I intend to keep the species count low, giving each that's introduced the opportunity to colonize large areas.

After I have the tank so I can take exact measurements I'll have a lid custom built for it. And we'll see how the Elos LEDs work out.... they're now releasing some additional add-on lighting in that area, so if it turns out I want some more light I'll be adding those as I go.

[Louey]

That's a pretty sharp looking nano.

Louey

[The Escaped Ape]

I look forward to seeing how you apply your very refined eye to the Elos Mini! I'll be looking here for inspiration, as at this rate, I think yours will arrive before mine.

[cjdevito]

Thanks Tom. To be honest, I really find the 17"x17" foot print to be a challenge where rockwork is going to be concerned. I don't think I'm the only one... there are a lot of photos of other people's elos minis on the web, and a great number of them have really awful aquascaping. If there's a tank on the market that screams not to have a rock wall, this is it - and yet a large number of people seem to do just that.

I do have a few ideas. I'll see how they work out. If all else fails I'll build a central low bommie, an approach I've seen done a few times in these tanks that works well. For example, in the attached pic of one Elos set up at interzoo 2008...

Elos_Mini1.jpg (137.13 KiB) Viewed 1594 times

I plan to build fairly low in any case; I intend the vertical element of the tank to be corals, primarily the sea rods.

Another option I've seen done that's worked out surprisingly well was the use of a single ~15lb piece of rock.

I've seriously considered the use of dead rock in this tank rather than live. It has three levels of appeal... the environmental factor, the complete lack of any pest organisms or algae, and the ability to dry aquascape. I'd really miss most of the hitchhikers though... the bugs can be purchased on their own these days, but micro fan worms, vermetid snails, sponges, etc are a different story. I also haven't been wowed by what I've seen on offer so far. So likely it's going to be real live rock I go with.

[The Escaped Ape]

The ceramic rock Ben bought for his new nano looked surprisingly good. If that level of stuff were available here, it would tempt me. Even so I might go for live rock, given here it's fished out of Okinawan waters and with you within 24 hours via temperature controlled freight. Plenty of interesting critters, though of course some of those will likely be pests. I'll need to set plenty of baited mayo jars to begin with I think!

I think you're right to suggest that going low is the answer with the Elos Mini. Though I wonder if you can give it a bit more texture by still varying the height a touch over two separate islands, rather than one low bommie. That said, I have no experience of trying to scape a tank that size.

[cjdevito]

I think you're right to suggest that going low is the answer with the Elos Mini. Though I wonder if you can give it a bit more texture by still varying the height a touch over two separate islands, rather than one low bommie.

Believe it or not, that's actually Plan A. A vaguely elliptical structure towards the back left, a smaller, shorter island in front and to the right of it, and probably a few palm sized rocks scattered singly. We'll see if I can pull it off

[The Escaped Ape]

Sounds perfect. You are cleared for take off.

[cjdevito]

Quick top down sketch of the layout I have in mind....

[cjdevito]

Got shipping notification on the tank last night, it's coming freight from Indiana. Hopefully I'll see it this week.

[jamesw]

Cool.

Don't do it man! - you should get live rock - it's not a reef without it, it's coral xeroscape.

Cheers
James

[cjdevito]

Don't do it man! - you should get live rock - it's not a reef without it, it's coral xeroscape.

Interesting analogy, that. But yeah, I am leaning pretty strongly to using the real deal. Probably a mix of fiji/timora/alor. The dry key largo rock that marco rocks offers is actually pretty good looking.... but the lack of microfauna is a huge issue to me.

[Edit to add: Oh yeah, got tracking info from the freight carrier now. Might have the tank as early as thursday.]

[Lawdawg]

tagging along!

[The Escaped Ape]

I strongly suspect that this thread will be one of the highlights of the summer.

[cjdevito]

Hopefully I can live up to those expectations. I'll try not to disappoint

Tank arrived in brooklyn at the freight company's local service station this morning, according to the tracking info. They haven't contacted me yet about actual delivery, but tomorrow is looking likely.

[The Escaped Ape]

I love the way tracking heightens and enhances the excitement.

[cjdevito]

In the interest of further enhancing the excitement, I just got off the phone with the freight company. My delivery window is 11-3 tomorrow

Of course, I also just found out the two boxes have a combined declared weight of 160 pounds, and that the delivery will only be curbside. I'll have to manage to get them up to my second floor apartment on my own. Won't that be fun?

[The Escaped Ape]

Dayum, that doesn't sound like much fun. Know anyone who's bribe-able with beer?

[cjdevito]

Yes. But unfortunately all of them were at work on a thursday afternoon. On the brighter side, it proved to be manageable for me to do the heavy lifting on my own.

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I'm afraid all you folks are getting today is one crappy cell phone pic

Still haven't even got the box the stand is in open yet, just managed to get the tank/sump box unpacked. Everything so far seems to have made the trip from indiana to new york in one piece.

[The Escaped Ape]

Oooh, what a tease. It's even sitting coyly in the corner, trying not to look too sexy.