Hi All!
Just put together a nano based around a lv418w using the minimum of equipment as an experiment. Its been a fair success so far so i'll be putting it together as a package. I posted it on the aquarist classified forum and got a great response from f/w people who want to get into reefy stuff but thought they couldn't afford it.....I'm gonna point em in this direction so watch this space.
Anyway the system is as follows.....any comments on changes would be appreciated but don't forget i'm trying to keep costs down to make it as available as poss!
An LV418W (throw away U/G - keep lights)
A Sander piccolo powered by a rena 25 or 50
A Maxi-jet 1200 pump
A Visitherm 25/50w heater/stat
Fiji live sand
Airline and clamp
4kg of reef salt
Price will be around £180
Maybe an ionic soloutions 12" deioniser and test kits (inc. hydrom)
extra £100 ish
10kg live rock and critter pack
extra £80ish
What do you think?

Hey stu... i think the 418w is a great tank... really enjoying mine

go with the 50 watt.. i think a 25 will struggle in 15 gallons

in terms of cost is there much difference between live sand and ordinary oolytic ??

the MJ1200 will give cracking turnover... 20 x

looks good to me

BTW dont throw away your UGF... i found that if u stick the powerhead on the base plate it sits in the bottom of your salt mixing bucket perfectaly, the unmixed salt grains are pulled through the filter plate and then through the impellar ... works a treat...

I agree with icky that the 50w heater would be more suitable. Also im not sure its the best idea to include a cleanup crew as people dont normally add them straight away because theres a chance that they will die through the cycle.

i have a 25w heater on mine and is perfect!!!!! I suppose it depends on the temp of the room, but mine hasnt moved since day 1....also i added my critters a day after setting it up and havent lost any yet..touch wood......even my star polyps are blooming more then they were in the shop, I am really pleased

beginnings.....more to follow

my fish......oh the 25w and 50w are same price!!! we also do 15lb of fiji pink sand at 11.99.............back to my fish.....