This is my nano reef, a 20 gallon "Extra High". This picture was taken in June 2011. The tank was installed in mid-April 2011.

This picture was taken in November 2011. The tank was installed in mid-April 2011.

What's inside?

• Two Sunburst Seahorses from Ocean Rider
• Two Ocellaris Clownfish
• One Lawnmower and one Watchman goby
• One "Cleaner shrimp", One "Flame Shrimp", a handful of "Peppermint" and "Camel shrimp", and one "Pistol" shrimp
• Assorted snails, red leg and blue leg crabs; one emerald crab; one staghorn hermit crab
• Three Hawaiian hard shell "Featherduster" worms
• Many assorted coral frags, and a few small chunks of macroalgae
• Three clams, one large cucumber, and a couple of small cucumbers that came with the live rock
• 55 lbs of "Live Rock", and some live sand from Gulf Live Rock

Mechanics?

• 20 gallon extra high Aqueon (All-Glass) aquarium
• AquaC Nano Remora Protein Skimmer with Overflow and Maxi-Jet 900
• AquariPure Small Nitrate Reactor
• Skilter 250, with the protein skimmer and column removed and the return pipe drilled to reduce the waterflow and turn it into a large, slow-moving media box with some filtration and providing surface agitation
• AquaticLife 2 x T5 HO daylight + 2x T5 HO actinic + 2x Blue LED
• 2x 50W sumersible heater

Losses, RIP

• Mandarin Goby, ~30 days in tank, suspect starvation because of breed, but it did seemed to eat well, especially frozen mysis, and was energetically and healthy looking, until it suddenly died
• Red Bali Star Fish, ~5 days in tank, disassembled by emerald crab, and then consumed by others; possible weakened by rushed acclimation and air exposure during acclimation.

Water parameters

• 78-80 F
• 8.3 pH
• 1.0245 salinity
• 0 ppm Ammonia
• 0 ppm Nitrite
• 5 ppm Nitrate
• 0.00-0.25 ppm

Chemicals

• Activated charcoal and PhosGuard in Skilter "Media box")

Feeding, Supplements, Salt

• ~3g frozen mysis + Ocean Rider Vibrance + 3 drops VitaChem, twice daily, 6 days per week.
• Pinch of Formula One Marine Pellets, occasionally
• "Purple Up", 2ml, 1-2 per week
• "Marine Buffer", 1tsp, 1-2 per week
• Marine Snow, per label, occasionally
• PhytoFeat, 10-15 drops, occasionally

Other suppliers

• Most of the fish, coral frags, and plants: Elmer's Aquarium and Pet Center
• A couple of corals: Wet Pets and Friends
• The tank and stand: Alan's Pets on Murray Ave in Squirrel Hill
• Skilter 250: Pet Solutions
• AquaC Nano Remora: Marine Depot
• AquaC Nano Remora Pre-Filter "Overflow" Box: Marine and Reef