Newbie nano tank

I had a spare jebo 38 lt tank. I set it up on the kitchen bench. The only mechanical filtration I have is the std, overhead trickle system that came with the unit and I added a small powerhead for extra flow. I took off the cover that has the fluro tubes and replaced it with a clip on 15 lm led marine blue light ( bought from Ebay for about $50 or $60.00. I decided it would be adequate for 2 percula clowns.
I stocked it quite heavily with some base rock and got the cycle started with a bit of prawn and squid. Readings stabilised after about a week. I added only two pieces of live rock. Tested daily readings remained stable so day 14 added the pair of perc clowns. About day 30 added a very small bt anemone. The bta was barely large enough for one of the percs. to sit on, maybe 3cm diameter open. I tested a few times a week for a few weeks, all readings excellent. I have not tested the water since. It has been some months. The BTA is maybe 10cm diameter now, the clowns are more than double their original size. The live rock has some beautiful pink and green corals growing on them. The base rock also has some nice growth on it including fan worms. I feed the clowns a variety of foods but their main diet is spectrum. I feed the bta mainly red cherry shrimp which I breed. I do a weekly water change of about 10/15 %.
The fish are happy I can tell, the anemone is lightning fast when it eats the shrimp, It has a beautiful rose coloured base with bright green tips.

EVERYONE I ASKED SAID IT COULDNT BE DONE IN THAT SIZE TANK. One store owner refused to sell me fish.

Well everything is thriving, I love the tank and the maintenance is minimal. My inhabitants arent just surviving, but everything is thriving. Also I do my water changes straight from the tap. No RO water nothing. It is from a filtered tap but thats it. For others like me who have a spare space on a kitchen bench, you dont need sumps and elaborate systems.

My two cents.highfly

it can be done!

we did it at the shop all the time, but only for experienced fish keepers (i.e. people who know how to interpret water quality results).

Would love to see some pics

Have not been well last few days, gastro.....

Tried to post b4 and after shots not much success, will try and work it out once feeling better

Niko

Initial set up

Initial Bubble Tip Anemone Size

About 5 Mnths later

very nice!!!

Thx D,

I need to apologise I had these "experts" busting my chops insisting I needed everything under the sun to set up a small tank.

It got under my skin.

So I apologise for sounding like such a tool in my initial post. It wasnt my intention to big note myself.

I am "ruff as guts" and no expert they made it sound near imposible.

If I can do it anyone can, that was the intent of my thread.

I set up my brother in law who has very limited aquarium experience at the same time as me.
His tank is about a 60lt. He only runs a hang on back eheim filter.
It took him an extra two weeks to cycle his tank But, apart from that his tank is doing well also.

Very nice

It all depends on what you want to keep, what you have is very basic, I have run many tanks like this, they are great for the beginner with minimal experience and a limited budget

Can I assume these 'experts' were probably trying to sell you stuff?

Sorry for late reply,

They where insisting on tank minimum dbl the size I had, sumps, skimmers the works. Been there ..........

I just had a spare tank, which fit perfectly on the kitchen benchtop, that I thought would look great with a couple of clowns and an anemone.

All still good. Some macro algae has just taken off in the tank. Must have been laying dorment on the live rock. Well its gone off, looks great. Looks like a planted tank now, removed some of the rocks due to the growth of the plant.

Tried to identify it couldn't, look like a runner of some sort with small circular leaves.

very nice

 
cant wait for pic updates