This nano tank began as a mobile invertebrate reef and has been running since March 12, 2003.  At the end of March the tank completed cycling and green star polyps, one "sexy" shrimp, and an astrea snail were added. 

Six nassarius snails were added at in early April to help with a cyanobacteria problem on the sandbed.  The cyanobacteria problem was ultimately solved by removing the sandbed, mixing it with the sandbed of our 7 gallon nano, and placing part of the mixture back into the 2.5 gallon nano.

In early May, a second "sexy" shrimp was added.  The two shrimp did not like the presence of the other, initially.  However, after a few weeks they seem to tolerate each other and have been observed within an inch of each other.

This shrimp was added to the nano in early May, 2003.
Photo taken May 31, 2003.

Close up of 2.5 gal nano.
Photo taken May 31, 2003.

Our 2.5 gal nano with green star polyp colony,
two sexy shrimp, and various macroalgae.
Photo taken May 30, 2003.

• Clear Peppermint Shrimp Photos
• More Tank Photos
• Nassarius Snail Photos
• More Sexy Shrimp Photos

• All-Glass 2.5 gallon Mini Bow acrylic "Blue Neptune" tank with acrylic base and incandescent fixture in the canopy
• one Tronic 50 watt heater placed in the filter's media chamber

• one AquaClear Mini modified with plastic on the output area to reduce flow to 1/3.  Flow on intake tube also positioned to further reduce output to 1/3 capacity
• media holder removed and one full and one quarter Mini foams have been placed in the media chamber to facilitate heater
• foam placed over Mini intake to prevent fry from being sucked into the filtration system

• 15 watt Envirolite
• photoperiod 11 hours daily

• none

• RO water is stored, aerated and heated in a five gallon bucket for use with all our reefs

• add top up water
• make sure temperature is 72-76 degrees F.
• make sure power filters, lights and heaters are working

• lightly turkey baste substrate and rock to get debris into water column and into filter media
• 1/2 gallon water change
• clean filter foam in outgoing change water and replace any foam that has deteriorated
• break down and clean AquaClear Mini filtration system
• clean acrylic inside and out
• clean cover on light
• clean tank hood and base

• one colony of green star polyp frags

• none at present

• a few worms in the sandbed

• one astrea snail
• two "sexy" shrimp
• six nassarius snails

• some unidentified green macroalgae

• 1.25 lbs of Tonga branch rock imbedded in the sandbed
• 2.5" of sugar-sized Aragamax

• water flow rate was reduced by turning the AquaClear Mini on low and by reducing water output area by 2/3