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sedatedlabmonkey's spec v [Marine Orbit LED]


sedatedlabmonkey

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sedatedlabmonkey

OK. I thought I'd share my own little spec v journey with the ladies and gentleman of nano reef.

 

This tank was purchased locally on clearance for ~40$ after other discounts

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I used a few pounds of well established live rock from my 25, and a few pounds of relatively fresh "Fiji" live rock (uncured) from my LFS. Substrate is aragalive I believe. Grain size is a bit course for such a small tank but I love the black/white mix

 

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I built a media basket out of egg crate to house filter floss, carbon, some gfo I had on hand, as well as my heater. I may add some purigen to help with the organics ultimately. I love my chemical medias (but only in conjunction with happy biological filtrative capacity!)

 

 

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The tank cycled a few weeks before adding much. It had a very minimal cycle thanks to well seeded LR and live sand. I added a clean up crew consisting of

3 banded trochus snails

1 nassarius snail

4-5 small assorted reef hermits

1 small emerald crab

2 hitchhiker limpets

 

 

I decided to try two fish. One yellow clown goby, and one green clown goby. I read mixed opinions on keeping similar species together (let alone two fish in such a small tank)

They are such awesome little fish, they are doing very well togethed so far!

 

Please excuse the terrible phone pictures, I need to dig out my old DSLR and take some decent pictures here soon. ;-)

 

 

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I'm feeding twice a day right now. Trying to fatten up these little gobies. The green clown is a great eater, but my yellow clown didn't eat much for a day or so but now eats like a champ.

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sedatedlabmonkey

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In the tank currently.

1 zoànthid frag. Similar to "fire and ice"

2 small Kenya tree (a freebie from a reefer buddy!)

Soon to be green mushroom. (Going to move over from my 25 soon)

1 frag metallic green star polyps ( free from a reefer buddy!)

 

Current light is a freshwater led strip (had it laying around)

 

New light for my 25 is coming this weekend so the spec v will be getting the 24in marine orbit led :-)

 

Also got a clump of chaetomorpha from my buddy, so I just wadded it up and stuck it at the top of the media basket. Its functioning as a prefilter for my finer filter floss. It seems to be thriving so far, I just rinse it in tank water every few days when I do small water changes (~1gallon+-) and change floss.

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sedatedlabmonkey

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Picked up a couple of rock flowers, a little Caribbean anemone shrimp and a nice little ricordea frag (pictures to come) from one of my LFS. If you are around the Charlotte NC area check out the inland reef in Midland NC. Small shop, but incredibly knowledgeable owner/operator with great prices on corals generally. Loving my Rock Flower Nems from Michael at the Inland Reef! (End shameless plug)

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sedatedlabmonkey

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Had an unused fluval 106 canister filter laying around and decided to fit it to my spec v this am. I've read the good and the bad on canisters. Im going to see how it does with me cleaning it regularly. It was essentially free so why not at least add the extra flow.

 

I had to remove my diy media basket to accommodate the intake for the 106. The intake tube is located in the overflow section of the rear chamber, along with my heater. The return for the 106 is on the left side of the display pointing towards the false wall on the opposite end.

 

All the media from the basket (carbon, gfo, purigen) was transferred to the media baskets in the 106. Keeping the stock sponge mechanical media in there for now as well.

 

I plan to grow chaeto in the overflow portion of the spec v ultimately.

 

Also transferred the 24" marine orbit led over. Need to hang/mount it, and build a screen lid for the tank to accommodate new hardware.

 

This pico is located on a built in shelf in the entrance hallway. I'm really happy so far with this setup. For the little I've invested in it, its run great so far. Only time will tell how long it will thrive tho!

Happy Sunday Nano Reef

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sedatedlabmonkey

Around 150$ in equipment currently. Around 150$ in live stock as well. Not including salt/media/heater/canister etc that I had from previous tanks and current tanks.

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sedatedlabmonkey

Here is the torch in its new location. Recently moved so not fully open yet. I like the color on this specimen.

 

 

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I think it will stay in this spot for now. Upper left corner of the rock work.

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sedatedlabmonkey

More photos for my spec v journal ;-)

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Took her top off, to top her off, after work today.

 

All frags look pretty good. ZOA's are still getting used to the new lighting but everything else looks pretty happy.

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Is this a common color for torches? I don't really remember seeing this color before,...but then again I've never really shopped for LPS.

 

Also sad to report that my yellow clown goby jumped ship on me several days ago.

 

The green clown goby is doing great. It eats like a beast and clings tightly to the rock work unless grabbing a bite to eat. It will sometimes perch on my little Kenya tree frag.

 

The white spot shrimp is also doing well, hanging out on the larger rock flower most of the time. Snatching pieces of food from the anemones. That little shrimp is my favorite thing in the tank currently!

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sedatedlabmonkey

Picked up a nice looking pair of gold stripe maroon clowns from an LFS today. These are in my 25 gallon, not the spec v ;-)

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sedatedlabmonkey

Full tank shot 4/11/15.

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New pale orange ricordea.

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And a new little green hammer frag added yesterday, still not opened up fully

 

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