Nano Sapiens 12g - Ye Olde Mixed Reef

[Nano sapiens]

I would never trust a drip doser.

 

I wouldn't either if it were used to dose anything other than pure water. Too easy to clog...

 

Pics of the last few new acqusitions in a week or two :0

[Rehype]

I thought everyone was tired of seeing this tank since it's been around for so long...

 

Are you kidding me this tank tank is legendary....There are no other documented nanos that have run this long while looking so good. I never get tired of seeing updates from this tank and ive been watching it for years....

[Nano sapiens]

Thanks, Rehype

 

To add interest and finish off the tank, I've started a Rhodactis 'garden' off to the right side. They are one 'Shroom that tends to get overlooked and often labeled as a 'beginner' coral, but I've developed a real appreciation for their colors and textural qualities.

 

It'll have to mature by growing in for a few years, but that is what this hobby is all about...persistence and patience.

[Red_Blenny]

Thanks, Rehype

 

To add interest and finish off the tank, I've started a Rhodactis 'garden' off to the right side. They are one 'Shroom that tends to get overlooked and often labeled as a 'beginner' coral, but I've developed a real appreciation for their colors and textural qualities.

 

It'll have to mature by growing in for a few years, but that is what this hobby is all about...persistence and patience.

 

Can't wait to see your Rhodactis garden. I picked up a few of those mushrooms and their "texture" fascinates me.

[ninjamyst]

I started getting Rhodactis mushrooms too and really like them. They come in some great colors too.

[Nano sapiens]

There are some challenges with Rhodactis, espcially in a high energy tank. Generally, they don't like a lot of flow and only up to 'medium' lighting (there are exceptions, based on species/type and I have one that is doing well in higher lighting conditions). Also, they don't all play well with other 'Shroom neighbors as I found out with one type I have stinging it's Florida and Yuma neighbors. I find it safer to have them as a grouping on their own.

[BulkRate]

Congrats on the milestone! - don't ever stop updating this thread so long as the tank continues to exist - I can't count how many times I've looked in here and gotten an idea or tip or just plain seen something cool that you've done with this setup over the years.

 

My own tank just hit the 2.5 year mark... no small part due to advice gleaned from the detailed progress and actions you've chronicled here.

 

A question - have you found you need to refresh the sand with new every couple of years or so? Or has it really just been a matter of being diligent about periodic crud-vac'ing? In the last few months it appears alkalinity stability's become a bit of an issue.

[Nano sapiens]

Congrats on the milestone! - don't ever stop updating this thread so long as the tank continues to exist - I can't count how many times I've looked in here and gotten an idea or tip or just plain seen something cool that you've done with this setup over the years.

 

My own tank just hit the 2.5 year mark... no small part due to advice gleaned from the detailed progress and actions you've chronicled here.

 

A question - have you found you need to refresh the sand with new every couple of years or so? Or has it really just been a matter of being diligent about periodic crud-vac'ing? In the last few months it appears alkalinity stability's become a bit of an issue.

 

Thank you and glad you found some useful info. Congrats on 2.5 years!

 

About 75-80% of my sand bed is over 16 years old since it originally came out of an old 50g I set up back around 1997. I only replace a few tsps of sand if I notice the SB is thinning in spots which is maybe once or twice a year. I have never understood the rational of periodically changing out the substrate every few years and all the instability that causes in a system...unless one doesn't periodically remove detritus at all and the resulting buildup is just too overwhelming to try and clear up with vacuuming.

 

Calcium carbonate substrates typically release relatively little calcium & alkalinity, so I rely primarily on Kalkwasser additions in my ATOs along with WCs. Unstable alkalinity could be from increased/decreased use by the cacifying organisms (fluctuating light, water quality and/or food inputs come into play here effecting the use of cal and alk) and/or low magnesium levels with 1250ppm or a bit higher generally recommended.

[Nano sapiens]

This'll be the 'Rhodactis Slope' page.

 

Every garden has a beginning...

 

 

 

Crazy 'Neon-Green Highlighter' Rhodactilis (bleached a bit even under reduced power LEDs). What an odd lumpy texture!

 

 

 

Big D. Calgreni center and a Green Rhodactis that split into twins (top left). I've never seen a tiny 3/4" 'Shroom split in two, but there it is...):

 

 

 

Really Red Rhodactis. This one was the most finicky as far as location as it doesn't seem to like any water flow whatsoever (extruded messenterial filiments galore when hit with any flow)...so I placed it in it's own little protected alcove. Only added two days ago, so time will tell if it opens up properly, or not. Extreme left/mid pic is a tiny lump of 'Tonga Purple Rhodactis', so that'll be a cool Purple/Red combo once grown out.

 

 

 

This Rusty-Red Rhodactis bleached a little and changed into an ugly duckling under too much light, so now it's in a more shaded location to see if it get's it's groove back

 

 

 

The first Rhodactis in the tank:

 

 

 

And the weirdest one of all. Just amazing how well this 'Tonga Blue Purple Rhodactis' matches the coralline algae, even down to the little purple-bump irregularities. There were two, but one drifted off somewhere into the Ric garden (I think).

 

 

Let's see how this develops in the next year or two...

[metrokat]

She's slap happy, apparently.

 

I would never trust a drip doser.

 

... and not tired of looking at pics, ever. I which people would post MORE pics.

Got thing it wasn't dosing chemicals eh? The IV roller is the safety here. If you can trust hospitals, you can trust this thing I suppose.

 

The textures on those mushrooms are beautiful. Love that elusive red one.

 

NS, how can I vacuum the sand bed at the back of the tank? The space there is very narrow, too narrow for my current siphon. TBH it's probably too narrow for any siphon. Any ideas?

[ninjamyst]

awesome mushroom garden!

[Nano sapiens]

awesome mushroom garden!

 

Thanks. Give it a few years

[Nano sapiens]

NS, how can I vacuum the sand bed at the back of the tank? The space there is very narrow, too narrow for my current siphon. TBH it's probably too narrow for any siphon. Any ideas?

 

The small gravel vac I have is about 1" in diameter. But if you don't have that much room in the back you could:

 

A: Bring your whole rock structure forward a bit.

B: You could try to form the gravel vac tube into an oval cross-section for most of it's length which would then allow you to slide it into a much narrower space. Heating the tube up a bit (but not so much that it melts) would make it more maliable with less risk of cracking it when reshaping.

[lilmatty5dimes]

great looking tank. one of the best i've seen. quick question. i just got one from a friend who was going to junk it and it doesn't have anything with and was wondering what was used to make it go thru the glass. is it a bulkhead? thanks and love this tank.

[Nano sapiens]

great looking tank. one of the best i've seen. quick question. i just got one from a friend who was going to junk it and it doesn't have anything with and was wondering what was used to make it go thru the glass. is it a bulkhead? thanks and love this tank.

 

Thanks. The Cadlights 12g tanks were an 'AIO' (All-in-One) design and came with a black acrylic back wall which provided a width of around 2-1/2" for equipment, media, etc.. The bulkhead is put through the black acrylic and the return pump resides in the back chamber.

 

Sounds like your friend may have removed the black plastic reall wall. You could either turn it back into an AIO with a sheet of 3/16" - 1/4" thick acrylic (cut overflow slots, make chambers, drill hole for the return pump outlet) or use it as is and with maybe a HOB (Hang-on-back) filter.

[lilmatty5dimes]

Thanks. The Cadlights 12g tanks were an 'AIO' (All-in-One) design and came with a black acrylic back wall which provided a width of around 2-1/2" for equipment, media, etc.. The bulkhead is put through the black acrylic and the return pump resides in the back chamber.

 

Sounds like your friend may have removed the black plastic reall wall. You could either turn it back into an AIO with a sheet of 3/16" - 1/4" thick acrylic (cut overflow slots, make chambers, drill hole for the return pump outlet) or use it as is and with maybe a HOB (Hang-on-back) filter.

it's still the aio tank. it just didn't come with anything. you wouldn't know where i could find a fitting for it?

[Nano sapiens]

I see, you are just looking for a bulkhead. You could try your local LFS, plumbing supply, 'Bulkreefsupply' on-line. I think mine is a 1/2" ID (inside diameter) and then I just had to find appropriate pieces of plastic tubing to attach the return pump, and on the other side, the Hydor rotating unit.

[lilmatty5dimes]

crap brs only has 1/2" bulkhead and that hole requires a lil bigger than 1". thanks again. off to find a needle in a haystack. lol

[Nano sapiens]

http://www.jehmco.com/html/bulkhead_fittings.html

 

http://www.lifegardaquatics.com/products/lifegard-multi-purpose-bulkhead-fittings-kits/

[Red_Blenny]

Wow that's a nice collection of unique Rhodactis you got there Sapiens, especially that red Rhodactis; it reminds me of a St. Thomas mushroom.

[MrNanoReef]

awesome tank! what is that purple/green corals on your middle-top rock? is it encrusting type coral? im looking for something to cover my rocks as base but at the same time can put other corals on top of it, what do you suggest?

[Nano sapiens]

Wow that's a nice collection of unique Rhodactis you got there Sapiens, especially that red Rhodactis; it reminds me of a St. Thomas mushroom.

 

Thanks. Yes, the red one is quite unique and good observation. I asked the source where it came from and they said the Indo-Pacific, so definitiely it's not a St Thomas Ric though it does look similar. It appears that the Calgreni, Neglecta, St Thomas Ric and Rhodactis species share some close common anscestry, even though they are now seperated in different oceans.

 

I'm finding that the Rhodactis are more like Ricordia in that they don't multiply as wildly as true Discosoma do, so much easier to manage in a small nano tank. They do pack some powerful weapons, though, and the single Rhodatis I have in with the Ric garden has no problem making the Rics shrink away. Anything that causes Rics to retreat is a pretty mean customer!

[Nano sapiens]

awesome tank! what is that purple/green corals on your middle-top rock? is it encrusting type coral? im looking for something to cover my rocks as base but at the same time can put other corals on top of it, what do you suggest?

 

Thanks. You are likely referring to the small polyp LPS 'Leptastrea pruinosa'. Oh yes, this is an encruster alright. It's attractive, very hardy, doesn't need a lot of light, fast growing, stings other corals and once established is not easy to kill off (it's know as a Zombie Coral since it'll come back from 'nothing' months later). It's a member of the 'Favia' group of corals, but doesn't have the long sweeper tnetacles common in this family. There are a few very nice color morphs, with mine being perhaps the most typical. After 13 years in captivity it has change from it's original 'brick red with neon green centers' to 'purple with aquamarine centers'

 

If you do try it, just make sure you can contain it or it will eventually take over much of the rock it's on. Zoanthids or 'Shrooms can be used to at least slow it down.

[MrNanoReef]

Thanks. You are likely referring to the small polyp LPS 'Leptastrea pruinosa'. Oh yes, this is an encruster alright. It's attractive, very hardy, doesn't need a lot of light, fast growing, stings other corals and once established is not easy to kill off (it's know as a Zombie Coral since it'll come back from 'nothing' months later). It's a member of the 'Favia' group of corals, but doesn't have the long sweeper tnetacles common in this family. There are a few very nice color morphs, with mine being perhaps the most typical. After 13 years in captivity it has change from it's original 'brick red with neon green centers' to 'purple with aquamarine centers'

 

If you do try it, just make sure you can contain it or it will eventually take over much of the rock it's on. Zoanthids or 'Shrooms can be used to at least slow it down.

Very interesting, yes i believe that's it, if its stings other corals, I guess I can't put something like a bird nest on top of it? I see you have a bunch of corals on top or around it, do they get stung? so putting zoas and mushroom around it stopped it from dominating or will it kill them off and going over? Man 13 yrs commitment sure paid off, can't wait to get mine grown out like that.

[Nano sapiens]

What you see in this nano is a frag, of a frag, of a frag... The original was the size of a large catelope before I passed it on

 

If you put a hard coral on top of it, it will snake up and around and likely takeover whatever is on top unless it is quite aggressive itself. Two aggressive stony corals that come to mind that would likely keep it at bay are Pavona and Hydnophora. My Red Planet Acro is mighty potent so it might keep it away, too. The orange Setosa that you see up top had to 'reach for the sky' to avoid being wiped out, but the coral's base is regularly stung by the Leptastrea. On the left side I planted some Zoas and Palys since they can slow down or even stop Leptastrea by overtopping/shading. On the right side, the Lep is clobbering the encrusting Monitpora so I'll have to perform some surgery on the Lep one day in that area if I want to save the Montis.