H20's Nano-Reef AquaPod 24

[xADUBx]

Those orange zoas look great!

[H20]

What amazing pictures! Super job! Stunning zoas, wonderful detail on that shrimp, great shot of the tiny 'spawn...Cute hc in the orange zoa close-up--is it a "reef-safe" variety?

 

--Diane

 

Thanks. Yes, they are dwarf zebra hermit crabs. Reef safe, and herbivores too. A little safer than most of the other hermits from what I am told.

[c est ma]

Thanks. Yes, they are dwarf zebra hermit crabs. Reef safe, and herbivores too. A little safer than most of the other hermits from what I am told.

 

I'll have to remember that!

 

--Diane

[lilredneckman]

Nice new orange zoas!

[brewbruin]

H20:

 

I noticed that your lighting upgrade included a fuge light in the hood. However, it looks like you are still keeping your chaeto in the display instead of moving it to the back chambers. Does it not fit due to the eggcrate mod? Or do you just prefer it in the display?

 

I plan to use the eggcrate mod; but I also wanted to put my chaeto in the back chamber as I have a submersible LED now.

[H20]

H20:

 

I noticed that your lighting upgrade included a fuge light in the hood. However, it looks like you are still keeping your chaeto in the display instead of moving it to the back chambers. Does it not fit due to the eggcrate mod? Or do you just prefer it in the display?

 

I plan to use the eggcrate mod; but I also wanted to put my chaeto in the back chamber as I have a submersible LED now.

 

 

Hmm, not sure what picture you are referring to, but there is no fuge light in my hood. There are 3 main lights, but all are over my main tank. I keep the chaeto in the main tank as I have never wanted to mess around with rigging up a light for the rear. It grows very well in the main tank and I have to prune it occasionally. It grows well, and keeps a good green color. I think chateo would fit in the rear chambers if you wanted to, even with the eggcrate mod.

[inked]

Great tank! I read through your thread last night and made the egg crate shelf that you use to hold your floss I am using it to hold urgeon and a poly filter pad. I was wondering if you have ever tired putting a small piece of plexi to help direct the flow downward I added a couple pics to help show what I am talking about.

 

 

You can see the water level is a little higher on the filter side so the plexi is directing the water down. I just did the mod and am not sure if it will make a difference.

 

Also how is your growth on your corals? I am also trying to decided between MH and the compact upgrade.

[H20]

Great tank! I read through your thread last night and made the egg crate shelf that you use to hold your floss I am using it to hold urgeon and a poly filter pad. I was wondering if you have ever tired putting a small piece of plexi to help direct the flow downward I added a couple pics to help show what I am talking about.

 

 

You can see the water level is a little higher on the filter side so the plexi is directing the water down. I just did the mod and am not sure if it will make a difference.

 

Also how is your growth on your corals? I am also trying to decided between MH and the compact upgrade.

 

 

I think you might need more filter floss. My water all runs through the floss and does not get over the side. I attached a picture that I just took (my lights were out and my Clown was sleeping in the filter corner, I think the flash scared the stripes off of him...lol , oops) You can see where my water all runs through the floss. (The red bits are some flakes I fed earlier, I didn't bother to turn the pumps off) You might try adding some more floss and the Plexiglas might not be necessary. If you pack it in there tighter, it will make the water level in the back chambers drop down, and the water through the grates will only flow down onto the floss, and not around it, as shown in the pic. I put a red circle around the water line in the rear chambers to show how far it drops down when you get the floss in thick enough. Not too thick to not let water through, but thick enough to drop the levels in the back. You may have to use your index finger to poke down the front of the floss right in front of the grate where the water enters, enough to let the water drop down on the floss. I kinda make an indention in the floss right in the front so it can flow in, but leave the floss higher on all the other sides. hope that make sense.

 

If you were going to change your lighting, I would probably go with the MH's. You will get better growth, be able to keep more exotic corals, and also get the lighting shimmer effect. My growth has not been that fast, but then again, I don't feed my corals, I only do water changes. I am thinking about starting to feed them several times a week to see what kind of a difference that would make. I'm sure quite a bit.

 

[brewbruin]

H20:

 

Are you still using the HOT Magnum cannister filter after each of your water changes?

 

Have you had to replace the micron cartridge?

 

Thanks for the great thread!

[inked]

I had taken the floss out to take the pics but you may be right I may need to add more. I think I made a boo boo my egg crate doesnt look high enough, thats a easy fix though. I probably will go with the mh's but I am going to mis my artics .

 

Thanks for the help

[H20]

I had taken the floss out to take the pics but you may be right I may need to add more. I think I made a boo boo my egg crate doesnt look high enough, thats a easy fix though. I probably will go with the mh's but I am going to mis my artics .

 

Thanks for the help

 

 

If you get a bulb in the 14K to 20K color range, actinics will not be necessary, as it will have plenty of blue color in the spectrum. However, you will lose your sunrise/sunset timer effect.

[H20]

H20:

 

Are you still using the HOT Magnum cannister filter after each of your water changes?

 

Have you had to replace the micron cartridge?

 

Thanks for the great thread!

 

Yes, still running the HOT Magnum. Although I am not using it every water change. I have gone to using it about once a month for big tank cleanings like blowing off the rocks and sand with a turkey baster, etc. The other 3 weeks of the month, I usually just change the water out and scrub the inner glass walls, and don't disturb anything enough to need a filter. I have not changed the Micron Filter yet, I usually rinse it out really well under hot water in the sink after each use, and it has kept it clean enough. I think these once in awhile uses will take a long time to need a new filter, the folks that may choose to run them 24/7 on their tanks are the ones that would need to change them out more often. Although on a reef tank, continual use of a canister filter is usually not recommended as they can lead to high nitrates, since they would be hard to keep clean.

[batclctr]

Great Thread H2O, very informative and has given me alot of ideas. Question for you, Where did you get the holder you are using for the Cheato?

 

Am on board and continueing to watch this thread.

 

Thanks for the help

 

Bat

[H20]

Great Thread H2O, very informative and has given me alot of ideas. Question for you, Where did you get the holder you are using for the Cheato?

 

Am on board and continueing to watch this thread.

 

Thanks for the help

 

Bat

 

Thanks. The one that I use, I picked up at WalMart in the section that has showerheads and so forth. It is a sponge/soap holder, that cost about $2.

[batclctr]

Excellent, Thanks H2O

 

Bat

[proraptor2]

Thanks. Yes, they are dwarf zebra hermit crabs. Reef safe, and herbivores too. A little safer than most of the other hermits from what I am told.

 

Zebra hermits when small are harmless but once they get big they start to use that large claw of theirs to kill snails and other hermits....They are worse than scarlet hermits thats for sure

[klarion]

Zebra hermits when small are harmless but once they get big they start to use that large claw of theirs to kill snails and other hermits....They are worse than scarlet hermits thats for sure

 

I've been considering adding some Zebra hermits and this doesn't encaurage me much. How are your Zebras doing? Are they eating that algae?

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

On your magnum, did you ever have problems with microbubbles from the return pipe?

[Tbone675]

On your magnum, did you ever have problems with microbubbles from the return pipe?

 

 

i did there is a venturi air hose on the inside, plug it.

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

i did there is a venturi air hose on the inside, plug it.

 

The thin hole that runs up and down the magnum?

 

Plug it as in seal it?? If so, how?

[proraptor2]

I've been considering adding some Zebra hermits and this doesn't encaurage me much. How are your Zebras doing? Are they eating that algae?

 

They do an ok job....they really arent worth it IMO cause when they get larger they love to kill snails with the large claw they have...I prefer an all snail CUC

[jmtwo]

Thanks for the great thread H20. I feel like I just read a good book.

 

My AP24 is due to arrive in a couple of days, and hopefully I can be as successful as you have been.

[H20]

I've been considering adding some Zebra hermits and this doesn't encaurage me much. How are your Zebras doing? Are they eating that algae?

 

They are doing great. Really growing fast though, and in my small tank, I prefer them to stay small... But as far as the algae, I am not sure, as I have never had algae in my tank (knock on wood).

 

On your magnum, did you ever have problems with microbubbles from the return pipe?

 

 

Yes, and this is usually caused by not getting the inside of the Magnum full enough of water before you turn it on. Take the top of the Magnum off and make sure you fill it up as much as possible to the point of overflowing. I would usually put a towel under it as I was filling it to catch the overrun. As you clamp the top back on, some water will run out of it as it is so full, but that is ok, just wipe it up. Then you should not have many microbubbles after it runs for a few seconds. I found that when I didn't start it with enough water inside, I had millions of microbubbles.... lol

[H20]

Thanks for the great thread H20. I feel like I just read a good book.

 

My AP24 is due to arrive in a couple of days, and hopefully I can be as successful as you have been.

 

 

Thanks! Good luck on yours. I feel that I have been very fortunate that I have not had any of the problems alot of people see in their tanks at first. I have had no algae, no cyano, no ick, nothing really. (Now that I say that, I'm sure I just doomed myself for some catastrophic meltdown in the next few days....) If I could interject a couple of thoughts on what I believed has helped everything run smoothly.......

 

1. Always do your weekly water changes. Since I have had my tank, I have only missed a weekly water change one time, and that was due to being out of town for a business trip. I feel that slacking off on water changing probably leads to bad things.

 

2. Use RO/DI water. I have always used RO/DI water that I make myself from a $99, 50 gallon per day unit. People use tap, spring, distilled, etc, and seem to run into problems. If I were going to invest the time and money in this hobby, I would get a RO/DI unit. You could get RO/DI water at the LFS, but who knows when the last time they changed their filters were, and how clean their storage vats are, etc. I feel clean water keeps your tank in good shape.

 

3. I have been using Purigen, and although I cannot say if this has helped, I do notice that it changes colors after being in the rear chamber for a couple of months. It is pulling something out of the water all right. It may be helping keep my phosphates down, which helps keep algae at bay.

 

4. On that note, I have been using chaetomorpha (a macroalgae) in my display for awhile now. This is very inexpensive ($10 for a bag of it) and you don't have to start a refugium and elaborate setup. I put mine in a sponge holder in the display and I feel that it helps export nutrients that would otherwise feed algae.

 

5. Don't overfeed. It is hard not to want to feed, when your clown frantically swims around the front glass when you walk by the tank, like he is starving to death. I really try to limit myself to every other day feedings if I can. And when I do feed, alot of times I will use those pellets and put them in one at a time and watch him eat them. When I get to the point to when I throw a pellet in and he watches it sink to the bottom, I will stop. I also use flake food every few days, and try to limit how much I put in. Same with cyclopeeze. I vary the size and type of food so that everyone gets fed, but not too much. Limiting your food will help with algae control. (I should say that all of this that I am typing is just my opinion, from observing my tank all this time. It is by no means written in stone of 'rules of how to keep a tank')

 

6. If you are using mechanical filters (sponges, filter floss, etc) make sure to change them or clean them regularly. They will become a nitrate trap and will lead to water quality issues. I change my floss every few days. I did away with sponges as they get so dirty and make such a mess when you try to get them out of the tank.

 

7. Every now an then, turkey baste off your rocks and top layer of sand (gently with the sand as not to stir it up too much). Keeping the junk and waste from accumulating too much in the tank helps I think, and I use a HOT Magnum canister filter while basting to catch and filter all the stuff out. After the water is clean, I remove the canister from the side of the tank and put it away. Not sure if doing this is all that important, but it is something that I have done so I thought that I would mention it again. I use it about once a month.

 

That is all that is coming to me at the moment off the top of my head, but being OCD about your tank definitely helps.....

[toiletkavorka]

This has been the best . .. most informativve thread that i have head so far.

I have head this enitre thread in the last 2 days after work and it has been a rewarding experience. . .please never feel as though your donation to this site is unappreciated. I think that for everyone here who has poseted a thank you there are numerous other who have been helped yet remain silent.

I know I am not alone when I say thanks for all your help/pictures/research/inspiration.

 

I have been thinking of getting into this hobby for quite some time now and i have yet to make the plunge. . .you make it seem do-able and not out of my reach.

 

I also really liked that list of what you bought at the begining of the thread

Just one question if you wouldn't mind:

 

Knowing what you know now what would you have bought at the begining of you tank set-up and what would you not have got??

 

Thanks in advance