non-photosynt tanks

[non-photosynt]

Correction to the title: non-photosynt's tanks.

 

Mostly low-medium light photosynthetic corals and non-photosynthetic corals and filter feeding invertebrates, some fish and clean-up crew, 5 tanks. Low tech and low end of the hobby.

 

Hi, everyone!

I'm making this thread to keep tanks pictures and descriptions in one place.

Any questions and suggestions are welcome!

 

It started in February 2006 as 20g high tank, would be a community reef tank, then empty swimming place should be filled, added fish.

First coral, bought knowingly, was pink dendronephtya:

 

Then followed chili:

 

Then purple lemnalia, likes light:

 

 

Disagreement between fishes, clown had to go - started 10 gal tank, mostly sun lit:

 

Christmas tree worms were eaten in the big tank, at the right are surviving porites. Lemnalia started to rot at the base, was fragged later - OK after fragging, fast attachment to the LR, no progress later. Is alive, but not much growth and smaller polyps.

 

April 23 - arrived nano-cube 6 gal, 18W 50/50 PC, hopefully to fit all corals here and make 10g a quarantine tank. My wish!

 

Problem with hardware placement - Eheim Jager heater, supposedly the best, has maximal water level mark - do not immerse below. So, lid is always open.

 

Maxi-Jet 600 is too big and gives strong vibration, later was replaced on Mini-Jet 600 - much better.

 

Will continue.

[non-photosynt]

Continue:

First habitants, May1: sun coral, orange tree sponge, new chili coral with pinkish polyps, horn bryozoan (dismal chances for survival in the tanks, trial run, any info on care is appreciated!). Nice colors:

 

May6 - added another horn bryozoan - incredible colors, and what was sold as white lemnalia, nothing in common with purple lemnalia

 

 

May8 - isopods attack, this was a fishless and shrimpless tank:

 

Will continue.

[non-photosynt]

Continue:

May 8 - sun coral was moved to separate less than 1 gal tank, feeding every second day with full water change:

Feeding (Blastomussa Merletti at the right):

May 25 - new growth:

 

May 17 - new frags arrived, quarantine tank, 5g:

 

May 25 - cleaning wrasse in 20 gal become quite serious about killing by constant pinching the tassle filefish, tried keep him out by acrylic stick - no use. Nasty little swine! Moved him to NC6, another option was euthanasia. Here, at least he could try to keep isopods in check. To catch him in high 20g with LR, hardware and another fishes, had to remove everything, except fish. Then 3 people after many trials eventually catched him.

 

The bigger bryozoan started loozing vivid red color - like dying surface, where it is exposed to high flow, red id replaced with green - microalgae? New growth on it's "leg".

Chili coral, as most liked by isopods, was moved from most infested place to opposite end ot the tank (bottom left). The wider chili - to 10 g tank, no suitable place left in NC6.

[MiNiReFeRx]

oh do i see sps in the 5 gallon looks nice keep up the good work

[ezcompany]

i see birdsnest

[non-photosynt]

Continue.

In this shipment also arrived macroalgae:

 

The best red one - just can't keep, it floats unfer LR and dies without light there.

 

OK, SPS.

 

All I ever had is Birdsnest, Elkhorn Stylophora and two Christmas tree rocks, mainly because of worms. Frags were very affordable, so I ordered them just to lay my hand on them.

It's more about how NOT to keep SPS: sunlit well-fed ("dirty") tanks with no protein skimming and so-so filtration, hex tank mostly without it at all. Additional light was 6500K, 3 Wpg CFL in 10g and 4 Wpg PC in hex.

10g tank:

 

Hexagon ~6g tank, all SPS are now there:

 

 

How the health of SPS corals changed in these conditions:

Birdsnest:

At arrival:

 

One month later in 10g:

 

3 months later, last day in 10g:

 

Now, in hexagon:

 

Will continue.

[non-photosynt]

Continue.

Elkhorn Stylophora:

At arrival:

 

More than month later, in 10g:

 

2 months later:

 

Now, in hexagon tank:

 

 

Now, Porites (as part of Christmas tree rock):

 

First, small one, was bought without worms seen open in LFS - what shouldn't be done. They never showed later, may be because they were placed in 20g tank (sunlit, but with skimming), with juvenile sharpnosed puffer and tasseled filefish.

First day:

 

In a few week was moved to 10g tank:

 

[non-photosynt]

Continue.

Now in hexagon tank:

 

 

New very big Christmas tree rock, WITH with worms this time:

First day in FOWLR 90g, puffer tried to reach it:

 

Promptly picked hexagon tank, and placed it there with some LR from 10g:

 

Close-up month later (end of August):

 

So far, so good.

 

Other hexagon tank habitants:

Pink and green sea cucumber Pentacta anceps, filter feeder, kind of non-photosynthetic invertebrate whose looks I like:

 

It seems, that it's underfed. Receives 1-2 times daily "snowstorm" of the dried cyclop-eeze, small seafood particles, Chroma-Plex and detrius from tank. If you know what else will work, advice, please.

 

Big golden sand-sifting sea cucumber, mistaken for a filter-feeding small yellow cucumber, recommended for refugiums (was on the top of the tank and contracted):

 

 

I have not enough sand to feed it, so it receves daily 2 shrimp pellets, which become soft on the bottom and desappear with time. I never had seen cuke eating them, but food desappears and cuke moves more acrively. Feeding ideas are welcome.

BTW, it has really bad reaction on Joes Juce for aiptasia control. No problem with pink cucumber.

 

Hexagon now:

 

Remember, it's low end of the hobby. Will improve with time, but now all resources are tied with 90g setup.

Will continue.

[ezcompany]

pretty brown. they don't seem to be unhealthy, but just brown. the birdsnest would've been a nice pink.

[non-photosynt]

Sorry, no time to update thread in time. Problems, problems.

Here is thread with current photos of all tanks and what should be done urgently.

Basically:

- how to re-deistribute grown or troublesome corals between tanks,

- somebody knocks down all my frags and corals in 10g, frags, tied to LR by the rubber band are removed from under band and are now at the bottom - emerald crabs or tiny blue legged hermits?

- 3 cynarinas in 10g, distance between them in the nano? I know about their ideal requirements

- epoxy sticks (LePage, HoldFast) don't glue damp surfaces together (well patted by paper towels). But of course, they cure under water - who needs non-gluing epoxy?

Advice?

[Robbip]

Nice to see a fellow Torontonian... just a comment about the heater... in order to sell electrical aquarium products in Canada, there are certain safety requirements... one of them is a "safety mark". You can fully submerse your heater. (My heater has a max water line too and yet it's fully immersed)

 

/Rob

[non-photosynt]

Thanks!

[adinsxq]

NICE TANK

[non-photosynt]

Update:

90gal tank has now a clean water - after changing Fluval 404 's ribbed hoses with smooth clear vinyl tubing, details here.

 

Also now it has 15g tank as a sump (8" water level) with ASM G-3 skimmer, still Eheim 1250 return pump, inflow with 100 mk sock, plus (this weekend) 20g XH tank as a refugium (i.e. chaeto-driven denitrator).

 

Sources of pollution - constant presence of the food during the day for a 2 mandarins and 1 scooter (expected them to be a part of clean-up crew - pick small bits of defrozen food at the bottom and on the rocks, ha!), every 3rd day - sun coral feeding. Nobody wants to pick excess of food, even hermits are eating in "mandarin diners" (2 diners due to aggressive mandarin). Details here, at the end.

 

Bought next tank - 20 gal long (30x12x12"), planning to put here content of the both 10g and 5g hexagon tank, and use freed 10g or 5g as a refugium for lowering nitrates.

May be rearrange all corals, in the more logical way.

 

For example:

sump for 90 g can be used as a cryptic refugium for a sponges (water is filtered through 100 mk sock), no direct lighting. Thought about building system of 3 interconnected nano-tanks, but this place is ready and suitable for a task.

 

20g extra-high (already have it, was the main tank at beginning)

 

chaeto denitrator, with a lot of small-particled food from the main tank, with 6500K light and shallow aragonite bed, can house some of refugee fish (cleaner wrasse, 3 blue-green small chromises, one-eyed small scooter blenny), or 2 my emerald crabs (I expect them to hurt bottom-dwelling fish), or fingernail-sized horseshoe crab (also already have it, if it still alive), collection of the red and purple algae.

 

6g NC can host high-current, algae-prone Diogorgia and chili, and apparently preferring this tank hairy mushroom and white lemnalia. Needs extra-large refugium-denitrator also.

 

 

Now main trouble - joining in one 20g Long tank (may be sectioned) big Christmas tree rock, 2 SPS frags (closest to the light), and 2 big cynarinas and big scolymia. Other corals are common, troublesome ones may go to 90g: hammer, capnella, blasto Merletti, red mushrooms, purple lemnalia, and others. Full list of my corals by group and problems/logic of their placement, is http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...f=8&t=96759.

 

Hex is dirty - can't clean this hard brown stuff off the walls, without scratching acrylic:

 

 

Incompatibilities - how to solve them:

- filter-feeging cucumber and fish

- sand-sifting cucumber and mintrax crabs

- scooter and mintrax crabs

- LR an mintrax crabs, moving them and knocking down corals.

 

Feeding and nitrates:

- chromises are not eating flakes or pellets - prefer mysis and cyclop-eeze, what is out of my plans, otherwise defrozen seafood pieces are just dropping on the bottom.

- cynarinas and scolymia - if feed them as recommended 4 times a week, a lot of food drops on the bottom, drastic nitrates growth. Is it really necessary to feed so much?

- scooter in hexagon tank - semi-dried fish is now plump, mysis with brine is in tank all day log, nitrates again.

- with filter feeders all is clear - need large refugium/denitrator.

 

Any problem-solving ideas?

 

Next are just nice pictures, in addition to this.

 

Will continue.

[non-photosynt]

Continue, pictures (dead trachyphyllia is not nice, sorry):

 

SeaSquirt TM modification - was too small nose, now, with test kit pipette attached, it is good for putting mysis at the bottom of the tank:

 

 

Out for today.

[non-photosynt]

Antennata lionfish - in 90g:

 

Tassle filefish - 90g was set just to make quarters for him:

 

Was so small half of year ago:

 

 

Progress in the planning new 20g long tank, that will be placed on the steel deck by low window:

 

The problem seems to be in using sunlight (big southern window, shame not to use) - this means:

- no black or blue background, masking hardware and wires;

- no massive hardware on the long walls, like HOB filter or Maxi-Jets - will block sunlight and be seen without background;

- one of short walls, facing entrance, better to be left without hardware or refugium too, factory look;

- the only wall, what left for HOBs and refugium connection, can't accomodate both. And I already have 3 HOB power filters, would like to use some of them, instead of buying next pump for a sump/refugium.

- Refugium will be side-by side with this tank, or L-shaped composition - again, trying to use sunlight.

- Flow from power filter will be directed along the long side of the tank, instead of usual across the short side of tank.

- Aquascaping without blocking light - no high stone wall with corals on it. May be triangle, raising to the hardware side wall. May be pillars or islands. Spend a lot of time on search of existing tanks, using sunlight, found not much - mostly Blundell's article, lostmymarblz.com and and tinyreef's sunlit pico (mine is in different location, no acces from the side of the window).

 

Next is redistribution of corals between existing tanks - 20g extra-high refugium for 90g could house low-interest corals, like capnella, requiring not much light and high feeding. If I find material for a shelf for them at the top of the tank - acrylic sheets cost an arm and leg here, and no glue for it.

 

Returning to the searching the web...

[non-photosynt]

20 gal long tank is set, contains content of the both 10g and 5g hex tanks:

 

 

Cucumber is climbing into position, facing the main flow:

 

Waiting for a food - too new tank:

 

Christmas tree worms:

 

Mushrooms:

 

 

No refugium yet, constant filtration via HOB AquaClear50 - not enough food for a filter-feeders, have to make flow and filtration separate. Grids on the intake and on the heaters - protection for a both cucumbers. Lights holders also are not ready yet, resizing. UGF - placed, but not connected, just as GARF did for a some of their tanks.

[non-photosynt]

New addition - dendronephthya, went in 6g NC. Pink micro-star on it (as it was on scleronephthya):

 

I didn't see these brown stars before - is dendro an attractive food, or they are symbionts?

 

Left side of NC6 with non-photosynthetic corals:

 

What was left from scleronephthya (2 babies, another is higher in the tank), bought half of year ago, molted, was dormant for 3 months, gone through 3 nano-tanks, half of this time dropped to the bottom under the rock in 10g tank, no care, no special feeding. Feels better now in well-fed NC6:

 

This is the pink thing from the first post, at least - it's alive.

 

What was left from purple lemnalia (5 frags), same situation - part was dropped into the rock, but another were in the best place, exposed to the sun - it didn't helped. Now in NC6:

 

 

Some frags, requiring a lot of food and the strongest flow, moved as back-up to the 90g under flow of MJ1200 (white lemnalia, dendronephthya and an oldest chili):

 

 

Still interested, is white lemnalia really lemnalia - so visible sclerites and tree-like shape, unlike purple lemnalia.

[non-photosynt]

New 20g long tank already has 5g refugium connected, Micro-Jet 450 as a return pump - totally unsuitable for the purpose, will replace with Mini-Jet 606 or AquaClear powerhead (anything that hasn't sponge at intake).

 

Just out of curiosity compare these three pumps:

 

Left - Micro-Jet 450, smallest pump with biggest rigid cord, defying purpose of this pump of being small. Restricts placement, don't like it. On the good side - adjustable flow rate, 47, 79, or 117 gph. I'm using 79 gph setting, 1" passive inflow tube balances inflow for this setting and no more. On the bad side - other than dynosauric power cable, power consumption is 7W (almost as Seio 620 with ~600 gph) and an intake is at the bottom, covered by piece of sponge.

 

Center - Mini-Jet 606, almost the same size as Micro-Jet, but looking good, slim design, with flexible cord that doesn't create problems with placement, intake is at the side - not covered by a sponge, best for narrow chambers of Nano-Cube 6g. Also adjustable flow - 79 to 159 gph, 3 settings, 6.5 W. Really like them, using one in NC6 and another - at smallest setting - for a local flow in 20L.

 

Right - Maxi-Jet 600 powerhead, not adjustable, one setting 160 gph only. Too high flow for my NC6, and it's way too big for a narrow chambers of NC6. To place it there, had to remove suction caps. Vibrated quite audibly, especially troublesome at night. Replaced by Mini-Jet 606 - almost the same flow, only adjustable and a pump is small. Maxi-Jet 600 has 7.5W power consumption vs 6.5W of Mini-Jet 606. Negligible, but pleasant difference.

 

Practically of the same size is Maxi-Jet 400 (now on the back of a big tank, so no comparison photo), not adjustable flow, one setting 106 gph (less than Micro-and Mini-Jets above), quite big, but consumes 5 W only. Also used to create flow in a dead spot.

 

Now have Seio 620 (~600 gph, 8W) in the 90 g tank, will order more. Gentle flow, low power consumption.

Highly inconvenient options for a mounting - needs mods right away, can't figure out - to what should be attached hang on the tank horizontal mounting fixture - it can't possible hang on anything. No explanations in the instructions.

Another thing - fish protective grid should be removed for a horizontal mounting, also this way will be no 90 degree flow bend. Positive side - looks smaller, negative side - less protection for a tank habitants from being sucked to the intake holes.

 

Now - big skimmer in 90g tank, ASM G-3:

 

Just in case if anyone will need to adjust it for working good, here are what worked for me:

1 - water level in the sump - 7.5-8" (added plastic anti-vibration pads from a dollar store and a starboard (kitchen board) piece, left from covering bare bottom). This also totally eliminated vibration.

2 - adjust height of rising tube (the one with silencing/degassing foam) so, that bublles will form in the middle of the neck. This way it produces very dark skimmate. If too wet for your taste - reduce riser tube height very slightly.

 

What I still can't get - may be I'm doing this wrong way, no instructions come with the skimmer - for the emptying collecting cup pump should be stopped, to open bayonet connection between cylindrical body and the conical part with a cup I need to call somebody to hold the main body, and I'm trying to rotate the upper part. Almost as difficult, as open Fluval 404 canister. Could make some relief to hold onto.

After cleaning and turning on again, for a 1 - 1.5 days no is skimmate produced.

 

The last addition - PVC overflow (pretzel kind) for connecting NC6 to the 7g refugium below the tank. Why PVC and not Lee's small specimen container overflow - too small distance behind NC6.

Flow questions are in this thread. Fits in narrow space and makes no noise. If anyone is interested in details, logic is here, here and photos are here, Aquayne_wv posts. It works just as any overflow box.

 

Preliminary dry fitting looks this way:

- flat view

- 3D view, fits the 2nd chamber of NC6, fuge will be at the left.

As always, surprise - after all this was disassembled for cleaning, priming and gluing, some parts left.

Now dries for 48 hrs, and looks much more compact.

[non-photosynt]

Tubing thing was left without inplementing - too much complications for the any overflow box, just don't want to get involved in this mess. Detailed thread is here.

 

New additions:

- baby maxima in sunlit tank, close to the PC.

 

It has a chance, tank is with filter feeders and well fed, I also had seen an article with the tank of Mark Peterson with the clam in sunlight.

 

- 2 sexy shimps - first time seen them in Toronto. Hooray!

Now they are in the breeders box in refugium:

 

Detailed thread is here.

 

- 3rd, large chili bought on sale. Not in the best shape, but very large and has fair chances in 90g (flow and food). If it will open, it will contribute to the making 90g

deepwater reef, I asked here some time ago, how to make tank with fish that prefers low light brighter, when the answer is obvious - sun corals and chili and others.

 

Current changes in the all tanks:

 

- Dendronephthya is deteriorating fast, despite plenty of proper food and proper flow. Same with the baby, moved into even higher flow and better food. Scleronephthya baby side-by-side with it is good.

BTW, same was with Scelro in the beginning - no matter what I did, nothing worked, until I left it undisturbed in the safe tank with the plenty of other lifeforms. Adaptation?

Moved bigger Dendro into 90g too, it splitted in 2 - inflated head and deflated bottom. Bottom moved into 20L as backup. Will see.

 

- Sun coral is not so good in 90g with feeding at place, once (without waiting for polyps to digest and open again, then feed again) in 3 days. Tried return to the old routine to feed in the separate container- not good, too cold. Now just taking time and feed twice and more frequently. The tank's equipment is able to handle this easily. Tubastrea still grows new polyps and sends babies, but only onto the own rock. Why?

 

Out of time. Will continue later.

[non-photosynt]

Next jump - this time topic is:

White xenia, neon-green candycane, bright red mushrooms and hairy mushroom under different water conditions. (I recommend these corals, not the water conditions ).

 

2 months old frag of white xenia, at it's best.

Nano-Cube 6g, 18W 50-50 PC stock light. Parameters normal, except NO3 up to 20 ppm sometimes. Flow around. Jul 13.

 

For comparison, the same frags at arrival, May 17:

NC6 coral frags at arrival, shipped in cold weather. Ruptured white xenia, damaged candycane. Recovered very fast under basic conditions (bare bottom 5g quarantine tank, small power filter, rated for 10g, carbon, purigen, spiral daylight bulb in desktop lamp - 6500K, 2 lamps - 27W and 13W. Sometimes fed with dried cyclop-eeze).

 

Part of 7 months old white xenia frag, at it's worst:

Nano-Cube 6g, 18W 50-50 PC Coralife bulb. Parameters never normal, NO3 20-40 ppm, PO4 1ppm. Flow around 150 gph through xenia, distorted. Side view. Other corals in view - green star polyps ans candycane, same age and conditions. Dec 1.

Same, front view. Other corals in view - green star polyps ans candycane, same age and conditions. Dec 2.

 

In another, 90g hight nutrients tank:

Part of the same, now 7 months old white xenia frag, 55W 50-50 PC light just above it. Nitrates always 20-40ppm, phosphates - sometimes up to 0.5 ppm, like now. Almost no growth, no multiplying in months. Hammer coral on background.

 

Red mushrooms in the same tank, need light much more that xenia, this candycane and hairy mushroom:

Part of bright red mushroom colony, arrived 7 months ago. 90g tank, 55W 50-50 PC light in 1 ft above it. Nitrates always 20-40ppm, phosphates - sometimes up to 0.5 ppm, like now. Beautiful growth, when phosphates are high (here PO4 0.5ppm, NO3 - 20 ppm). Static, if nitrates only are high. Sun and Kenya tree corals on background. Dec 5.

 

Also good for high nutrients, low light tanks:

Purple bush macroalgae, ID as Ochodes or Hypnea spp pannosa. Fluorescent under actinic, grows good under low light (this is under 18W 50-50 PC in NC6, Coralife bulb) and high phosphates (here 1 ppm, with NO3 20 ppm). Chili coral behind it.

 

Whole tank shots, Nano-Cube 6g with these corals:

 

Phosphates and nitrates are high:

NC6 with high nitrates (20-40 ppm), because of Gorgonian feeding. High phosphates (1 ppm) for a few weeks, phosphate remover (PhosGuard) exhausted. Note beautiful growth of the hairy mushroom and purple macroalgae. Dec 08.

 

Nitrates only are high:

NC6 with high nitrates (up to 40 ppm), because of Gorgonian feeding. Other parameters are normal. Oct1 4.

 

Parameters are normal, Jul 30:

 

This xenia pulses in tanks with pH from 7.8 to 8.6 (by AP kit), alkalinity 7 to 12 dKH (by AP tests also).

Badly shriveled at the 20g long tank crash, recovered in 1-2 week.

[FishHeaded]

Beautiful tank. Thanks for helping me with my thread. I went ahead and bought a little xenia for $10 yesterday. Got some questions for you if you don't mind?

1) My xenia seems like it is being pushed around or has too much flow. How would I know for sure?

2) Is it ok that my xenia's stem isn't straight up, because I think it is tilted a little.

3) Also does the stem grow? Because when I saw it before I purhcased it, it was long, but now that I have it, it is alot shorter and not as long.

[non-photosynt]

I have only this kind of xenia, so:

- it's grows upright with and absence of flow directly thought it, on this photo flow is very strong (2x600 gph, Seios), but only around rock work. Also, the shorter stems are at better light, here 55W 50-50PC in may be 8" above it:

 

- here the light is low - 18W 50-50 PC, Coralife replacement bulb. With original JBJ bulb was better. The pump is ~150gph, Mini-Jet 606, flow is directly through the xenia. It's darkened and elongated, wind-blown effect:

 

- it also can move very slowly in desired direction, here you can see the strand/connection to the main colony at the base of the foremost of them. Later it become thinner and disconnects:

 

I don't think that tilting or the shorter stem are bad for the xenia health, but you can see later - if growth is stunned, then you may change it's position. As xenia grows and multiplies, you may frag it, place frags in different locations and compare the growth.

[non-photosynt]

Next jump, topic - Christmas tree rocks in progress.

 

1st Christmas tree rock at arrival, Mar15:

Was kept in 10g back-up tank, desktop lamp 27W daylight PC plus sun.

 

2nd Christmas tree rock at arrival, Jul 18:

 

Both were kept in 5g hex since Jul 19, 27W PC, sun, all photos below dated Aug:

 

Temporary was 20W 50-50 PC, the back-up tank - at left:

 

Both:

 

Close-up:

 

Best shot: Christmas tree rocks moved in 20g L at Oct 6, 72W PC, sun, photo of Nov 8. Before the nuke.

Larger size - link.

 

After the nuke (was Nov 23-24), temporary die-off sps tank (like curing LR), Dec 11, 13W PC:

 

Now: Christmas tree rocks in 10g, same place, where was 5g hex, 72W PC, sun, Dec 16, after the nuke:

 

 

 

Some recovery.

[cyenna]

Great thread. I like the way you document. I haven't read too closely so I don't know if you addressed this issue (or if it is an issue at all): do you get heating problems with direct sunlight? what about weeks of cloudy days? What did you do with browned-out corals?

 

I think you have inspired me to try incorporating sunlight into my tank...