First Nano Reef

[lallen_74]

March update!

 

I've added a few new things:

 

- Pocillopora damicornis

- Capnella of some kind

- Tubipora musica (I love this coral and I love its name...Tubipora musica....)

 

- [Edit: Oh! and the flame algae! Hard to see under this color lights, but it's pretty nice so far]

 

And moved a few things around. Here is a somewhat cruddy FTS with the evening blues on:

 

And look whatI finally found! I bought a Ricordea yuma rock with a big yuma and two babies; one of the babies unattached immediately, and I couldn't find him anywhere. I assumed he ended up as slush in the back compartment, but no....

I don't think this is a good long-term life choice for him, but hey, what can you do? Kids just do what they want and learn the hard way.

 

[ajmckay]

Sweet update. cool new additions and nice pics.

 

Hoes the macro doing? Is it growing well?

[lallen_74]

Thanks!

 

The macro seems to be holding its own; it's maintaining color, but not putting on a lot of new growth yet. It may be a lighting issue. I have it tucked into the back of the tank, anchored with my main central rock, and it's not in the highest light area of the tank.

 

I guess it could be a nutrient issue...? I'm running ChemiPure, and I've read a few things that lead me to believe that I may not get the best macro growth that way. I certainly grow a decent crop of nuisance algae, though, so that makes me think it's probably lights.

 

Or nothing. It may just be a slow-growing macro in an impatient person's tank.

 

I am going to try to get out the DSLR in the next day or two and take real pictures, too.

[lallen_74]

Quickie update on my system and myself: I haven't posted much lately because I've been busy having cervical spinal decompression surgery. Yikes! But it went really well, and I'm almost 100% recovered now, so...time to do a quick update.

 

Since my last post, I haven't added anything except a couple of extra sexy shrimp to bring the count back up to three. (Oh, and a small blasto frag in the lower front of the tank.) But I did move a few things around, partially in a failed attempt to keep Clownfish A from harassing Clownfish B to death. It didn't work; I never found even a trace of the male.

 

So, down to one clown now, unfortunately, and I haven't been able to get to the LFS to replace the poor little guy I lost. But here's a decent phone pic of the tank now; it's a bit roomier, I think.

 

I've placed a hardware order with Marine Depot for a chiller (Chill Solutions CSXC-1) and, while I was at it, a pump upgrade. I wasn't able to clean my pump intake for a month and noticed how sad my corals looked with the reduced flow, particularly the pocillopora and the monti, so I've decided to try a stronger pump. I've ordered a Taam Rio 180, which is a slight increase in GPH; I hope it isn't too much.

For now, fans are keeping things tolerable. Seattle had it hottest April day ever yesterday at 86 degrees, and my tank climbed to 82 before I dragged out the fans. They work for now, but I know I'll need that chiller later.

Here's a side shot; the Duncan is going to take over one day...if the Ricordea doesn't beat him to it.

Oh, and I have a second tank going too, but it's the official hodge-podge tank right now and so I'm reluctant to take pics. Maybe I will, though, soon. I moved all my zoas and palys into it, because they just weren't doing well in this main tank; I'm still not certain whether it was due to lighting or a species incompatibility, but, to a polyp, they all stayed closed or half open most of the time. When I moved them into the cruddy catch-all tank, they opened right up...go figure.

I also moved the red dragon's breath into the hodge-podge tank; I just haven't figured out a way to keep it from getting loose and floating all over the display tank. If anyone has any ideas, I'd be grateful.

 

[Tuffryu]

Looks great!

[vision]

looks great

[teenyreef]

Glad you're doing better, back surgery is not fun and the drugs even less so when it's time to stop taking them. The tank looks great! Those duncans are growing like weeds

[Clown79]

Tank looks great.

 

Have you gotten the peppermint shrimp yet?

I had issues with them tearing fleshy corals. They tore apart 3 brains and I could only save one:(

 

I had no such issues with a skunk cleaner shrimp.

 

Thought I would mention it because a few ppl have had this issue with peppermints.

[lallen_74]

I didn't get the peppermint shrimp, just a regular cleaner shrimp. He's a bit pushy sometimes- I have to target-feed him before I feed anything else- but otherwise he doesn't cause any trouble. The hairy emerald crab is also behaving nicely so far.

 

I used Joe's Juice to get rid of the couple of aiptasia that have popped up; it worked great.

 

 

Tank looks great.

Have you gotten the peppermint shrimp yet?
I had issues with them tearing fleshy corals. They tore apart 3 brains and I could only save one:(

I had no such issues with a skunk cleaner shrimp.

Thought I would mention it because a few ppl have had this issue with peppermints.

[Clown79]

Good to hear. Cleaner shrimp are great, they will even clean you while you're working in the tank:)

 

They do however love to steal food from corals so great idea on feeding it first