North Ga Hillbilly's Bare Bottom 20G (Ramping up for an upgrade)

[NorthGaHillbilly]

I kept Nano's for several years back 10 or so years ago, and was a relatively active member on here under the name Phergus_25, couldn't seem to get my log in info to work so I made this new account. All that aside, I graduated college, got out of dorms and apartments, and now have a house with my fiance, so it seemed like a fitting time to get a tank set back up. I grew up in the sticks, and the closest decent SW store was ~2 hours away, now that I'm living in the burbs of Atlanta I feel I have access to much better opportunities as far as reefing goes.

 

My Mom, the person who got me into all my aquarium interests, had kept ~30 pounds of LR going all this time for me. It was in a 20L with 6500K PC lighting with EXTREMELY minimal upkeep. We knew that there were some zoas on the rock, but their fate was yet to be discovered.

 

I dug through the filter pile, and the tank pile, and came up with a 24"x18"x12" oceanic tank I got years back when a LFS was going out of business. Threw an AC300 on the back, two power heads, heater... all that jazz. I have an order in for two of the Hydor Koralia Nano 425's to replace the current PH's as one is a cheap-o and the MJ1200 is annoyingly loud unfortunately.

 

I've done some reading to try and catch up on changes in equipment, and it seems that LED's have taken over the scene. I already have an Aqua Medic 150 HQI pendant tho and don't see jumping on LED's in the near future. I ordered a new Phoenix 14K bulb as I had success with them in the past.I was pleased to see that they seem to have gone down in price over the years.

 

I bought a good looking 2# piece of LR from my now LFS to try and bring in some new biological variation, as I'm sure my variation was extremely limited. After set up, and getting the MH on the rock as opposed to the PC junk that i'd seen it under up to this point, I was STOKED, this rock really looks nice and surprisingly many of the Zoas are still doing well, tho they seem to have changed from small with short stubby tentacles, to larger with elongated tentacles. Either way, its nice to see that LONG term storage didnt do any real harm.

 

Looking forward to getting back in the hobby, and I'm happy to see that the site is still going strong.

 

Pics to come before the nights over.

 

NGaHB/ Phergus_25

 

Edit (Few more tank facts and Q's):

I went bare bottom, as I've had good luck with it in the past and it was the going thing a decade ago, looks like alot of people are running sand tho these days, has BB gone the way of the halide?

 

FTS 9/13/2014

 

https://flic.kr/p/oUo8BF'>https://flic.kr/p/oUo8BF'>DSC_0427 by https://www.flickr.com/people/125603963@N06/'>North Ga Hillbilly, on Flickr

 

FTS 7/31/2014

 

Untitled by North Ga Hillbilly, on Flickr

 

FTS 3/24/2014

 

[NorthGaHillbilly]

Holy off kilter white-balance Bat Man!

 

 

 

This one actually came out decently.

 

Hopefully I can get some decent photos before too long

 

NGaHB

[NorthGaHillbilly]

Surprisingly enough the Iphone took better pictures than the mid priced point and shoot. I hope that when I get some different colors going on in the tank pictures will come out much better. I currently have a blue back ground and no white sand for the camera to pick up on.

 

 

 

 

 

I've got too many of these green zoas, hope to turn a trade on them for some variety.

 

I'm planning on setting up a sump when I build a nice stand for the tank, Im not sure what size to go with, and also not sure of what skimmers are the best value now. Im going to be reading up on it over the next month or so while I let the tank get settled in parameter wise. New pumps, bulb and a few other things will be here Thursday, excited to get all that in.

 

NGaHB

[NorthGaHillbilly]

I went by my LFS today and got 12 small hermits, my tand parameters checked out so I wanted to go ahead and start the clean up crew. I've been sitting here for an hour watching crabs crawl around, I'm glad I decided to get back in the hobby, It's amazign how enjoyable every aspect is... well water chemistry not so much, but otherwise.

[LEEWINK]

me too, had a good 5-8 years off, a recent nasty accident, It was suggested to take on a relaxing hobby, one that I knew damn

[NorthGaHillbilly]

 

me too, had a good 5-8 years off, a recent nasty accident, It was suggested to take on a relaxing hobby, one that I knew damn

Hate to hear about the accident, glad that reefing is offering you a way to stay active and relaxed.

[LEEWINK]

yea, long story short, hit on my racer (pushbike) at 55 from the back not my fault tho

[rapfohl]

This tank looks great! I am looking into the bare-bottomed approached for my first SW tank, can you give me any tips/pointers? Or just explain a little why it is a good option?

 

Where are you near Atlanta? I am about 40 minutes south. Which LFS do you use? My very close one is kind of so-so, the place looks a little run down, but he has something of a nice selection.

[NorthGaHillbilly]

This tank looks great! I am looking into the bare-bottomed approached for my first SW tank, can you give me any tips/pointers? Or just explain a little why it is a good option?

I feel that a sand bed is a neutral factor in a nano if not a negative one. When I first started researching deep sand beds were the thing to do, yet people far more knowlagable than I, were having "old tank syndrome", if I remember the terminology correctly. I'm sure there have been advancments in methods since then, but I'm just too lazy to upkeep one I'm afraid. Any biological filtration that can be had in the ammount of sand I can cram into a 20 gallon tank isn't worth the mess or risk to me.

I also like keeping the flow HIGH and the bare bottom lets me push flow beyond what most folks seem to do. A sand bed wouldn't have a chance to settle if I tried one currently.

 

Where are you near Atlanta? I am about 40 minutes south. Which LFS do you use? My very close one is kind of so-so, the place looks a little run down, but he has something of a nice selection.

I'm west of Atlanta close to Smyrna, but work in Kennesaw. I go to Optimum Aquarium there in Kennesaw, not the best selection, but the cleanest, best kept store I've seen in a long time. If you get up this way I've got a ton of these green palys, and need to rid myself of some. I've got rocks with one or two polyps and rocks with 20.

[rapfohl]

I went up to Optimum Aquarium not too long ago and was impressed. Much better than my LFS that is like 5 minutes away. I wish it was just like a little bit bigger or had a little bit bigger selection, since it is about a 40 minute drive for me. When I get my tank set up I would love some of those zoas/palys (whichever they are, I can't tell the difference yet). Seems like a nice first time coral.

 

I am trying to figure out if I want to go like real light sand bed (maybe 0.5") or just bare bottom. Seems like bare bottom would make things easier. The biggest complaint I have ever seen about it was aesthetics, and I think it looks fine.

[Lawnman]

Loving that scape man! I can see it now full of Z's and P's with encrusting chalices and favias .

[NorthGaHillbilly]

Loving that scape man! I can see it now full of Z's and P's with encrusting chalices and favias .

Thanks man! My old calice was my favorite coral I have had, I plan on some zoas smattered through, with chalice and monti cap as the main corals. The bottom *right* area is reserved for the perfect meat coral, as I have always wanted one. Feeding LPS was my favorite part of it all.

 

Old chalice (non encrusting)

 

 

I went up to Optimum Aquarium not too long ago and was impressed. Much better than my LFS that is like 5 minutes away. I wish it was just like a little bit bigger or had a little bit bigger selection, since it is about a 40 minute drive for me. When I get my tank set up I would love some of those zoas/palys (whichever they are, I can't tell the difference yet). Seems like a nice first time coral.

 

I am trying to figure out if I want to go like real light sand bed (maybe 0.5") or just bare bottom. Seems like bare bottom would make things easier. The biggest complaint I have ever seen about it was aesthetics, and I think it looks fine.

 

 

Yea, they dont have a ton by any means, but def good folks and keep things clean and in good health. Let me know when you get it set up and your welcome to come get some.

[Lawnman]

Meat coral I have had plenty of them in my time. I am now following after reading that post . Hey and welcome to Nano Reef

[NorthGaHillbilly]

It's funny how things change. I decided I'd go by the LFS and get a few frags to give me something else to look at. I came home with a small cap frag, nothing special there. Then I got three small zoa frags, ~25 polyps that atleast use to be called eagle eye's and then ~10 purple people eater polyps, last time I had a tank these would have been priced per polyp, not cheap frags in the LFS... funny how supply and demand work with things that naturally reproduce.

 

Aside from that I got the WP10 in today and replaced the Maji Jet. I have it running on the W1 setting on full blast. still playing with the speed of the pulses, but im really liking how its working. It's smaller than I expected, a good thing, and puts out plenty of flow to keep the water churning like Ive come to like.

 

All polyps ahfve opened up, aside from a few of the purple people eaters, and the monti cap looks fine, no slime but also no polyps out yet. I hope to get some encrusting chalice frags before too long, they had a few awesome ones as the LFS, but they were too proud of em for my budget/ taste. I also hope to get rid of some of these green polyps before too long, if your in the atlanta area let me know an your welcome to come get some. I'd like to trade for some mushrooms or zaos, but if your just getting a tank going your welcome to them.

 

NGaHB

 

A few top down pictures of new frags

 

[LEEWINK]

the wp-10's a good bitta kit, I got one in my 24x18x12 high, set on W1 - S3, and its diagonal facing, stuck on the left side front, going to back right corner over my xenia which is rapidly encrusting over a third of the length, thats fine though, needs some fill in high up there, and she loves the light

[NorthGaHillbilly]

the wp-10's a good bitta kit, I got one in my 24x18x12 high, set on W1 - S3, and its diagonal facing, stuck on the left side front, going to back right corner over my xenia which is rapidly encrusting over a third of the length, thats fine though, needs some fill in high up there, and she loves the light

 

funny enough my tank has the same dimensions. I really like the foot print to height ratio is gives. I've got mine going on W1 S1 setting, I really like how its working, tho i plan to mess around with the "else" mode at some point. The wave on the surface is cool, but if I can get a better flow around the tank and drop one of the Nano 425's id be happy to clean up the visuals.

 

A local guy had some Hollywood Stunner chalice frags for sale, went and picked one up today. Well *above* your average LFS frag size, ~1.5"x3.25". For 15 bucks I'm happy to have it.

 

[LEEWINK]

Little beauty that coral I had my tank made to spec, I wanted more of a "look through" lagoon style, than the standard more higher than wide, to awkward for me in previous to gain a nice backdrop of rock and corals with, and it gives lighting a better chance in shallows although I have the hydra, thats on a very low setting.

[Lawnman]

Looking good my friend! Loving the MH pendant you have going on. You might try out the Aqua Medic ocean light plus when you are ready to updrage. I just got the fixture and the 2 T5 bulbs give you the extra pop.

[NorthGaHillbilly]

Little beauty that coral I had my tank made to spec, I wanted more of a "look through" lagoon style, than the standard more higher than wide, to awkward for me in previous to gain a nice backdrop of rock and corals with, and it gives lighting a better chance in shallows although I have the hydra, thats on a very low setting.

Yea, I really like that I can get plenty of light at all depths, At some point I think Im going to build a rimless 24x24x12 just to have alittle more room for stuff on the bottom... And rimless just looks sexy.

 

Looking good my friend! Loving the MH pendant you have going on. You might try out the Aqua Medic ocean light plus when you are ready to updrage. I just got the fixture and the 2 T5 bulbs give you the extra pop.

 

Thanks man! At some point Id like to add a Reef Brite 8" Tech light to my pendant. I could balance the weight out internally so itd hang level, and being only 8" it wouldnt hang over the pendant, pendant is around 9" long

 

Coral update: The Cap had a small white bleached patch on it when I got it. It has colored back up there, and the polyp extension is really nice.

 

NGaHB

[NorthGaHillbilly]

I've gone cap crazy, a guy here locally had several nice caps he had fragged up. I show up with the idea of a few ~1.5" pieces, the red is about that. The two greens alittle smaller, but the purple... Well it's damn near a nano colony. Oh well, I can frag it . Ended up with the 4 caps and some cool palys for $60.

 

The aqua scape is in dissaray right now, hope to get it looking better after i think on it for a while.

 

Pics to come

[NorthGaHillbilly]

Got things put back together, my sister in law came over with her cannon and took some pictures. It was her first time shooting in the tank, gave her fits. She managed to get some good pictures, and I think next time she can get it down. this blue back ground is killing me, I want it black

 

These are the new caps, the texture on them is insane, really great frags. The purple got alittle beat up on the edge, being a big coral in a smaller bag, but its showing some PE now, and I think it'll color up some soon. The red and green got mounted close to eachother, so they plate into eachother. The left side is going to be a cap corner and the area under them will be used to acclimate LPS, as Im seeing the Holly Wood stunner loose some color right now

 

 

 

The blue back ground really washed out the color bad, this picture shows the texture and the color of the purple much better

 

 

This picture turned out well. You can see both of the new zoas, as well as the new paly I got today

 

 

Texture of the chalice

 

 

NGaHB, over and out

[glennr1978]

Looks good!

[Veng]

Looking good. Any chance your mid priced point and shoot can shoot raw files? You'll have much better luck with white balance if you are developing from a raw file.

[Lawnman]

Looking good. Any chance your mid priced point and shoot can shoot raw files? You'll have much better luck with white balance if you are developing from a raw file.

[NorthGaHillbilly]

Looking good. Any chance your mid priced point and shoot can shoot raw files? You'll have much better luck with white balance if you are developing from a raw file.

im not sure, this one weve got is a real POS, no matter what I try I can still get better pics with Bree's, the lady of the house, I phone 5