Nano Sapiens 12g - Ye Olde Mixed Reef

[Nano sapiens]

I can't stand how neat you keep things. I could learn a thing or 3. I'm attempting a minimalist/neat pico in the coming weeks. Eeeks. I can't cope.

 

Cool, a minimalist Pico. Should be fun!

 

As far as neat and clean goes, I can say it really helps having only one small tank and that I've optimized for ease of maintenance. I'm considering a freshwater Nano in addition to this one, but that's about as far as I feel comfortable with time-wise.

 

I think we've all been down the road of having multiple tanks (I was up to five freshies and a salty at one point). But finding the time to keep them all in great shape is a daunting and sometimes insurmountable challenge.

 

Based on years of experience, hobbyist 'burnout' is an all too common occurrence when there are too many tanks, requiring too much time, and/or the tasks are too difficult/complicated.

[metrokat]

Agreed.

I'm contemplating a low maintenance stocking in the pico. Hopefully it will work.

[jedimasterben]

I give it ten minutes.

[Nano sapiens]

I give it ten minutes.

 

LOL...are saying that Kat doesn't have any control?

 

"Ohhhh, look at the new shiny gizmo-gadget thingy..."

[jedimasterben]

LOL...are saying that Kat doesn't have any control?

 

"Ohhhh, look at the new shiny gizmo-gadget thingy..."

Hey now, I wasn't saying that I don't suffer from the same condition

[Nano sapiens]

[metrokat]

I give it ten minutes.

 

LOL...are saying that Kat doesn't have any control?

 

"Ohhhh, look at the new shiny gizmo-gadget thingy..."

[Nano sapiens]

 

 

 

 

>>LOL...are saying that Kat doesn't have any control?

 

"Ohhhh, look at the new shiny gizmo-gadget thingy..."

 

 

Naw, just joking around a bit

[Nano sapiens]

Something you don't see everyday: Leptastrea 'polyp bail-out':

 

 

Kind of looks like an alien eye ball tentacle thingy

[Nano sapiens]

Current PAR map (DIY LED front strip @ 75%, rear DIY strip @ 50%). Apogee sensor/digital multimeter reading multiplied x 5 + 15% (correction factor):

 

 

PAR (individual corals):

 

1. Ultra Blue Montipora digitata (tips) = 375 PAR
2. Pavona maldivensis = 280 PAR
3. 'Red Planet' Acropora = 200 PAR
4. Acanthastrea = 200 PAR
5. 'Sunset' Montipora (front) = 205 PAR
6. Assorted Ricordia (front) = 230 PAR
7. Pavona varians = 205 PAR
8. Leptastrea = 245 PAR
9. 'Northern Lights' Acropora granulosa = 205 PAR
10. 'Green' Acropora millepora = 265 PAR
11. 'Ultra Lobo' (or Scolly?) = 145 PAR
12. Orange Rhodactis = 155 PAR
13. Discosoma calgreni = 205 PAR
14. 'Oxides' Zoas = 275 PAR
15. 'Psycho' Zoas = 265 PAR
16. 'Superman' Blastomussa wellsi = 110 PAR
17. 'Valentines' Palys (front) = 215 PAR
18. Pink Ricordia yuma = 185 PAR
19. Baby Fungia = 180 PAR

Updates:

1. Found baby Aiptasia (first one in 4 years). Kalk slurry pasted the little devil
2. Found single Blue-stripped Mushroom survivor from last year's eradication project. In a deep crevice, so will let it be.
3. SB 'algae' persistent, but nearly gone

 

Parameters:

 

1. SG: 1.026
2. Temp: 80 F
3. pH: 8.4
4. Ca: 440 ppm
5. Alk: 8.2 dKH/2.96 meq/l
6. Mg: 1500 ppm
7. NO3: <5 ppm (API)
8. PO4 (high-res): 0 (Salifert)
9. DLI (Daily Light Integer): TBD (lights still ramping up)

Maximum @ 375 PAR = 9.72 ('Ultra Blue' Montipora digitata)

Averaged @ 242 PAR = 6.84

Minimum @ 110 PAR = 3.97 ('Superman' Blastomussa wellsi)

[Nano sapiens]

Updates:

 

Leptastrea: Growing too well and it is threatening to take over most of the rock it is on via sideways growth. Manually control via scraping proved to be very difficult with this coral since it literally fuses with the LR it is on and the tissue runs really deep. After a through scraping, the polyps were already coming back within two weeks. For plan B I am using Zoas and Palys as natural biological control via a transplant to the left side of the Lep. This effectively hems it in from the top, left side and bottom. The right side runs into shadow so it's growth on that side is slow.:

 

 

 

'Red Planet' Acopora (VIVID, may or may not be of ORA lineage): This has been a really finicky coral and I had seriously considered moving it on to someone with a SPS dominated tank, but I'm glad I stuck with it. I had fragged the original mother frag into smaller pieces and this one grew from a 3/8" piece I started in Jan 2013. After much lateral growth (a sombrero come to mind) this 2-1/2" diameter coral is finally starting to show signs of branching (left side, mostly). With all other factors being unchanged, 200 PAR from 'full spectrum' LEDs appeared to be the spark that 'lit the fire', so to speak. Currently, the coral is receiving ~220 PAR for 6 hours and by the time I've maxed out the LED array it should be receiving in the neighborhood of 250 PAR. Coloration has gone from a uniform mint green to green and white with some red highlights developing. This particular coral is extremely aggressive and can even keep Zoas and Palys away via potent sweeper tentacles and chemicals (Sunset Monti below on the left has no chance):

 

 

 

And finally after watching a bleached 'Shroom bounce around the tank for months I was able to get it to stick to the LR. Not sure which one it is, but I do remember a polyp ball forming on a green Florida around 3 months ago, so that's my guess at this point:

 

[Moolelo]

The crustose coralline in that last picture is unreal!

[Nano sapiens]

The crustose coralline in that last picture is unreal!

 

Excellent LR we used to get back in the day. This piece is from my old 50g and the LR has been in my tanks for 16 years or so...

 

The piece used be completely encased with this purple coralline, but Asterina Stars did a number on it a while back. It's slow to regrow, but it's thick.

[Nano sapiens]

Update: Final PAR readings for this LED array (90% of max @~650 mA, +15% on top of actual PAR readings):

 

 

Seems to be a good compromise between too much and too little light for the coral species in this tank. On the plus side, the Acros are doing much better. The Red Planet continues it's branching/color transformation and the Granulosa is encrusting more quickly. On the minus side, I've had to shade my Blasto to aid recovery from too much light and the lower light P. varians has lightened up a bit (but still looks healthy).

[jball1125]

Tank looks great NS, how much are ya feeding your clowns?

[Nano sapiens]

Thanks. 2x/day, small pinch of dried and a bit of frozen.

[jball1125]

Nice, they look very happy.

[Nano sapiens]

Happy...and fiesty!

[Rehype]

On 5/24/2014 at 2:57 PM, Nano sapiens said:

Updates:

 

Leptastrea: Growing too well and it is threatening to take over most of the rock it is on via sideways growth. Manually control via scraping proved to be very difficult with this coral since it literally fuses with the LR it is on and the tissue runs really deep. After a through scraping, the polyps were already coming back within two weeks. For plan B I am using Zoas and Palys as natural biological control via a transplant to the left side of the Lep. This effectively hems it in from the top, left side and bottom. The right side runs into shadow so it's growth on that side is slow.:

 

 

 

'Red Planet' Acopora (VIVID, may or may not be of ORA lineage): This has been a really finicky coral and I had seriously considered moving it on to someone with a SPS dominated tank, but I'm glad I stuck with it. I had fragged the original mother frag into smaller pieces and this one grew from a 3/8" piece I started in Jan 2013. After much lateral growth (a sombrero come to mind) this 2-1/2" diameter coral is finally starting to show signs of branching (left side, mostly). With all other factors being unchanged, 200 PAR from 'full spectrum' LEDs appeared to be the spark that 'lit the fire', so to speak. Currently, the coral is receiving ~220 PAR for 6 hours and by the time I've maxed out the LED array it should be receiving in the neighborhood of 250 PAR. Coloration has gone from a uniform mint green to green and white with some red highlights developing. This particular coral is extremely aggressive and can even keep Zoas and Palys away via potent sweeper tentacles and chemicals (Sunset Monti below on the left has no chance):

 

 

 

And finally after watching a bleached 'Shroom bounce around the tank for months I was able to get it to stick to the LR. Not sure which one it is, but I do remember a polyp ball forming on a green Florida around 3 months ago, so that's my guess at this point:

 

Incredible pics and growth nano

[Nano sapiens]

Thanks, Rehype. Six years and it's still a work-in-progress

[Rehype]

Six years and it's still a work-in-progress

 

 

That blows my mind ....congrats sir

[Nano sapiens]

Stay tuned for the 'Six Year Write-Up'...coming soon

[Nano sapiens]

Although my LED lighting setup is working very well, I decided to tinker a bit today and built a diffuser box just for fun. A few short hours later and...walla!:

 

 

 

...and then after install, I stored it away neatly in my aquarium supplies box

 

Here's my pros and cons:

 

Pros

 

1. Better light diffusion

2. Splash guard.

3. Less heat directly into the aquarium

 

Cons:

 

1. Virtually eliminates the 'shimmer' effect

2. Reduces light by 7%

 

I was expecting a reduction in the shimmer effect, but I didn't expect the reduction to be so extreme. With the diffuser, the look was very 'flat', so 'no bueno' for me.

 

While I was in picture mode, here's (3) weeks worth of my Red Planet Acro branching growth:

 

 

Looking at the pic from my last update on this page, it's growing at a good clip I also cleared off all the Oxide Zoas from my A. granulosa and it started encrusting nicely again, but no new branches (yet).

[Nano sapiens]

Also picked up an interesting (to me) 'Yuma' per the LFS. Physiologically, it is quite different from all my others and is more yellow than the pic with burnt orange tips. It is likely a Rhodactis species:

 

[jedimasterben]

A beauty, for sure.

 

I'm just glad that I seem to be able to keep Sanctithomae mushrooms alive finally. Now to just get the dozen or so that I have that bleached and shrunk to around 1/2" and live under a rock to keep living and recover