This 12g nanoreef system can be considered ‘a high end setup’ in terms of the gear I use to power it – however the very heart of the system is a simple all-in-one tank. It falls under the name of the Orca range, the tl440 model to be exact. The tank is an all glass bow front aquarium measuring 15″x16″x15″. The original tank comes complete with a lighting hood, protien skimmer, UV steriliser, and water pump.

This tank has been modified as follows:

• Original lighting hood was removed to allow for an open top system.
• the stock protien skimmer and UV devices were removed
• the internal sump was modified resulting in four chambers being reduced to three, making chamber one large enough to house a Tunze 9002 nano skimmer
• using parts from the internal sump, a customised overflow was installed to allow for surface skimming
• all holes were sealed up barring the main return and the input wiers now located behind the custom overflow

Here is a breakdown of the equipment that powers this little 12g SPS reef.

Circulation
Main system is powered by a fluval canister filter. It’s flow is rated at 400lph. The fluval draws water from the last internal sump chamber and returns it via the original sump return hole to the display. To provide wate movement within the display I use a Vortech MP20 pump made by Ecotechmarine. The pump is usually set on short pulse mode at 100% however I’ll switch things up by running the pump on the reefcrest mode every so often.

Skimming
A Tunze 9002 nano protien skimmer is used on this system.

Methodolgy
I employ the original ULNS (ultra low nutrient system) method, ZEOvit on this system. It is an attempt to show that this method is possible even with such a small volume of water. All components of the method are used – although the ZEOvit media is run passively in a filter bag located after the skimmer in the internal sump.
ZEOvit basic 4:

• Media .2 litres (agitated 2-3x daily)
• zeobac 1 drop a week
• zeofood 1 drop a week
• zeostart .2ml 2x daily twice a week

Other ZEOvit additions:

• phols xtra .5ml everyday
• ponge power 1 drop every 2nd day
• AA 1 drop every 2nd day
• JOD complex 1 drop every 2nd day
• cv 1-2 drops every 2nd day
• k-balance .3ml everyday
• zeospur .5ml once a week

I use .2l of kz carbon which is agitated with the zeovit media.
Although not recommended I do use an iron based PO4 remover, in the same quantity as the carbon, .2l
All the media is changed out every 6 weeks.

Controller
In an attempt to keep this tank as stable as possible I make use of the GHL Profilux II controller. This device runs and monitors most aspects of the tank including:

• PH
• temperature control (fans and heater)
• lighting (both main light as well as lunar lighting cycles)
• auto top off
• soon it will take care of my CA/Alk dosing needs via GHL dosing pumps

Corals
The corals in this nanoreef are of the SPS variety (acropora, montipora, pocillipora and seriatapora sp) with two LPS corals (echinpora sp and gonipora sp) in the mix.

Fish

• Pair of Amphiprion ocellaris (Misbar Clownfish)
• Pseudocheilinus hexataeni (Six Line Wrasse)

The rest…
The remainder of this lil tank’s livestock is made up of an ever growing population of snails, three ‘common’ hermit crabs and one red legged hermit.

There are some new plans for this tank, so stay tuned for updates.