Nano Sapiens 12g - Ye Olde Mixed Reef

[Lebowski_]

This is one of the best tank journal threads I've ever come across. Nice work!

[Nano sapiens]

10 minutes ago, Lebowski_ said:

This is one of the best tank journal threads I've ever come across. Nice work!

 

Glad that you liked it 🙂

[Nano sapiens]

Inspired by a thread on R2R hinting that the water volume of your aquarium is likely not what you think it is, I performed some careful measurements/calculations on this little 12g.  Turns out that with my water level 1" from the surface, the total water volume possible within the given space is 10.37g.  Factor in the rear chamber plastic baffling, rock, sand, pump, heater and thermometer and I'd be surprised if I have much over 9g of actual water volume.

 

In other news, many of the Lords and Blastos continue to slowly disintegrate with a wasting-type condition that I suspect is bacterial in origin.  However, a few L's and B's seem totally unaffected thus far and I'm hopeful that they'll weather the storm.  All other corals are doing quite well and I'm even seeing an increase in Kalkwasser usage (even with less LPS to utilize it).  Considering that this condition is only affecting M. lordhowensis, B. merletti and B. wellsi, and not any of the other LPS (Duncan, Banki, Pachyseptas), my prime suspect for an infection is a B. vivida which was the last coral I added many months back.  It took over 2 months for it to go from a very emaciated state to looking and acting more like a typical inflated Blasto and not long after that I started loosing my first B. wellsi colony.  Once the carnage is completely over, I'll take some 'before and after' pics.

 

Just goes to show that even with a very mature and uber-stable system, one should always 'expect the unexpected' in this hobby.

[Nano sapiens]

Effects of a recent LPS slow tissue recession episode:

 

 

On this formerly LPS encrusted wall, only one colony of Lords and a small Blasto survived.  What I noticed here is that any injury or irritation seemed to start a slow decline (digitate hydroid sting, fish picking at it, accidentally bumping into a colony, my lone Brittle Star taking up residence, etc.).

 

Both B. merletti colonies were similarly hard hit:

 

 

But there's still hope that one or two will bounce back...

 

And my fav Button Scolly:

 

 

I dismounted this one and gave it a 2 min. FW/Iodine/Tea Tree Oil bath and smeared the infection/tissue recession boundary with Neosporin.  A bit of a Hail-Mary, but it's better than just watching it slowly disintegrate to a skeleton.

 

What might have caused this outbreak is a tough one.  I would typically see a small amount of brown/black necrotic tissue at the tissue recession line, but it's not a typical snotty Brown Jelly infection.  Some polyps just started gapping and then slowly died from the inside out while others died from the edges in.  Bowerbanki, Duncans, Pachysepta...all  fine and flourishing.  SPS...all doing great.  Zoa colonies...a-ok (other than a RPE colony recovering from hydroids).

 

I'll take the advice I like to give to others: 'Soldier on!' 🙂

[Nano sapiens]

Jul 2023 (15th Year):

 

FTS:

 

 

 

Left side:

 

 

 

Right Side:

 

 

 

Little nano is still alive and kicking after 15 years.  But it's been a strange past 1/2 year with the specific species single-polyp LPS die-offs... 

 

Anyway, at least most of the coral is still alive and well:

 

H. bowerbanki:

 

 

 

Duncans:

 

 

 

P. maldivensis, 'Shadow Prince Zoas and 'Green-mint Pavona':

 

 

 

'Fallen Horizons Leptoseris':

 

 

 

Bunch 'o corals (pachysepta, Birdsnest, banki, Pavona, Leptoseris)

 

 

 

Lot's of warfare going on (Stylocoeniella overtaking Leptastrea):

 

 

 

Lone Lord colony that survived:

 

 

 

...and the last B. vivida coral polyp added:

 

 

 

I was thinking of what I might have to say on this occasion for those wishing to keep a nano reef going for a long time, but there really isn't much that hasn't already been said.  Stick to the basics, patience, learn to 'read' your corals, monitor the essential parameters, develop an effective maintenance routine and you'll have the best chance at a long-lived system.

 

Ralph.

 

[sam_the_reefer]

Take lots of pictures and embrace the changes.

[natalia_la_loca]

I was thinking about that the other day, the need to embrace the change that is inevitable in a reef tank. Has the bacterial issue sorted itself out? Anyway, the tank looks amazing and is super inspiring!

[Nano sapiens]

23 minutes ago, natalia_la_loca said:

I was thinking about that the other day, the need to embrace the change that is inevitable in a reef tank. Has the bacterial issue sorted itself out? Anyway, the tank looks amazing and is super inspiring!

Thank you!  Things are looking pretty good in there nowadays.

 

I would say the situation has stabilized at this point.  It's not something I obsess over as it happens in nature, too. 

[natalia_la_loca]

Just now, Nano sapiens said:

Thank you!  Things are looking pretty good in there nowadays.

 

I would say the situation has stabilized at this point.  It's not something I obsess over as it happens in nature, too. 

Good point, I’ll have to remember that next time a zoa colony gets the mystery melt…

[Lebowski_]

Just saw your classifieds post

 

[Nano sapiens]

2 hours ago, Lebowski_ said:

Just saw your classifieds post

 

LOL...15 years and 1560 water changes later 🙂

[sam_the_reefer]

Did the LS go to a bigger home, or are you secretly keeping a bigger tank somewhere? 🤔

[Nano sapiens]

12 hours ago, sam_the_reefer said:

Did the LS go to a bigger home, or are you secretly keeping a bigger tank somewhere? 🤔

The live rock and corals went to a LFS.

[Sharbuckle]

Congratulations on a successful 15 year run. Incredibly inspiring. 

[Nano sapiens]

23 minutes ago, Sharbuckle said:

Congratulations on a successful 15 year run. Incredibly inspiring. 

Thank you!