Nano Sapiens 12g - Ye Olde Mixed Reef

[Got Corals]

CADLights 12 gal. Nano (most current FTS pic will be posted directly below, scroll down for tank specs):

 

Dec 2015:

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 2015:

 

 

April, 2015:

 

 

 

Jan 2015 (before the weekly cleaning):

 

 

 

Oct 2014:

 

 

 

Sept 2014:

 

 

July 2014:

 

 

 

April 2014:

 

 

 

Feb 2014:

 

 

 

Dec 2013:

 

 

 

July 2013:

 

 

 

June, 2013:

 

 

 

 

Mar, 2013 ('Royal Blue' LEDs/yellow filter):

 

 

Jan, 2013:

 

Oct, 2012:

 

 

June, 2012 (4th Year Anniversary!)

 

 

Feb, 2012

 

 

July 2nd, 2011

 

 

March 27th, 2011

 

 

June 29th, 2010

 

 

March 25th, 2010

 

 

January 24th, 2010

 

 

 

November 2009

 

 

 

 

 

July, 2009:

 

 

 

Early pic of the tank at around 1 month (August 2008):

 

 

 

SPECIFICATIONS (as of Jan 2016)

 

TANK

• CADLights 12g Bowfront Glass AIO (All-in-One)

LIGHTING

• CADLights Stock Canopy:
• DIY LED (Solderless) w/Coralux 5-up board and STORM controller):

CH 1 ('White'): (4) Cree XML-2 'NW', (1) Cree XML-2 'WW'

CH 2 ('Blue'): (6) Cree XT-E 'RB', (2) Cree XML-2 'B', (2) OCW 'B'

CH 3 ('Violet'): (6) Exotic 'HV' 428nm, (2) Exotic 'V' 403nm

CH 4 ('Lime'): (2) Philips 'Lime', (2) OCW 'Cyan'

CH 5 ('Red'): (2) OCW 'Red'

• Total 'Daylight': 10 hrs.
• 'Blue' channel: 10 hrs.(incl. ramp-up/ramp-down)
• 'Violet' channel: 9 hrs. (incl. ramp-up/ramp-down)
• 'White'/'Lime'/'Red' channels: 8 hrs (incl. ramp-up/ramp-down)
• All LEDs (at highest programmed settings): 4 hrs.
• Spectral Description: ~ 14k
• PAR: 155 (center, mid point of tank)

EQUIPMENT

• Tunze Silence 1073.080 (210 gph) Return Pump
• Hydor Rotating Water Flow Deflector Nozzle
• (1) Eheim-Jager TruTemp (50W)
• (2) Large 'Pet Bottle' ATO units
• Analog Thermometer

FILTRATION

• Live Rock
• Live Sand

MAINTENANCE

• Water Changes: 1/2g, 2X/wk (1g total, 40% Red Sea 'Blue Bucket'/60% Instant Ocean - RO/DI water)
• Evaporation Control: RO/DI
• Alkalinity: Kalkwasser (added to ATOs)
• Calcium: Kalkwasser (added to ATOs)
• Iodine: (3-4) drops/week Kent Concentrated Iodine
• Cleaning: Weekly sand bed/back chambers vacuuming, back wall algae/bio-film removal & live rock blasting with a turkey baster. 2x/month break down/cleaning of Hydor water flow deflector. Break down/cleaning of return pump every month. 2x/year cleaning of heater. Vacuuming under each base live rock every few months on a rotational basis.

FEEDING

• Frozen Mysis shrimp
• Frozen Spirulina enrished Brine shrimp
• LRS Reef Frenzy
• Newly hatched earthworms (1x/wk)
• Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef Flakes
• New Life Spectrum Thera A (1mm sinking pellets)
• Daily sand bed detritus stirring

 

TESTING (~4x/Wk)

• Alkalinity (8.0 - 8.6 dKh - Salifert)

TESTING (Weekly)

• Specific Gravity (1.026)
• Calcium (420 - 440 ppm - Salifert)

TESTING (Monthly)

• Magnesium (1250-1350 ppm - Salifert)
• pH (8.2 - 8.4)

TESTING (Occasionally)

• Phosphate: Typically undetectable (Salifert)
• Nitrate: Typically <1 ppm (Elos)

 

TANK INHABITANTS

 

FISH

 

• Black 'Misbar' Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) - Captive bred
• Standard Orange Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) - Captive bred

 

CORALS:

 

 

Acropora:

• Vivid 'Northern Lights' Granulosa (A. granulosa)

 

Seriatopora:

• Green Birdsnest (Seriatopora hystrix)
• 'Bird of Paradise' Birdsnest (Seriatopora caliendrum)
• 'Ponape Birdsnest' (Seriatopora stellata?)

 

Montipora:

• Reefkoi 'Superhero' (unknown species)
• 'Sunset Monti' (M. danae?)
• Tyree Orange Setosa (M. setosa)
• 'Ultra Blue' Digitata (M. digitata)
• WT 'Bubblegum Digitata' (M. samarensis)

 

Others:

• Metallic Gold Pavona (Pavona maldivensis)
• 'Jack O Lantern' Leptoseris (Leptoseris mycefoseroides?)
• RR 'Fallen Horizon' Leptoseris
• RR 'Strawberries and Cream' Leptoseris
• AOA 'Molten Lava' Leptoseris
• Tyree Pumpkin Leptoseris
• Mint-Green 'Potato-chip' Pavona (Pavona descussata)
• Leptastrea (Leptastrea pruinosa) - Standard neon-green center/reddish outer
• YR 'Ironman' (possibly Lithophyllon sp.)
• Assorted Ricordia Mushrooms (Ricordia yuma, Ricordia florida)
• Forked Tentacle Mushroom (Discosoma calgreni)
• Various Rhodactis sp. Mushroom (purple, orange, green, red, LC Mordacious)
• Assorted Zoanthids/Palys (Speckled Fire & Ice, Valentine, Oxide, Sparkling Cider, Sunny D, Mohawk, Petroglyph, Gold Maul, Rasta, Blue Hornet, Utter Chaos, etc.)

Inverts (CUC):

• Collonista snails (Collonista amakusaens)
• Limpet snails (unknown species - white, small 3/8" max)
• Bristle Worms (Eurythoe complanata?)
• Blue Legged Hermit Crab (Clibanarius tricolor)
• Mini Brittle Stars (Amphipholis squamata?)
• Mysid Shrimp

 

Thought processes that went into the setup and description of the day-in/day-out activites that keep this reef tank functioning properly over the years. My hope is that the information presented here will be thought-provoking and possibly insightful.

Starting with a quick run-down of the equipment and why I use what I use:

Tank:

Cadlights 12g glass AIO (all-in-one)

Good little tank, but unfortunately no longer produced. Much prefer glass over acrylic in a reef tank since it is much harder to scratch. The downside is that glass is much harder to fix scratches, so I treat the glass as if it was acrylic. Rear chambers are a bit small to work with, but acceptable if one doesn't have large hands.

Heating:

Eheim-Jager Tru-Temp 50W

I check temps twice a day using a simple, reliable old style thermometer. I had very inconsistent results in the past with digital thermometers and as a result I don’t use them or recommend them. This simple temperature checking procedure has saved the tank twice within its lifetime when the heaters malfunctioned. Unfortunately, many heaters that have been on the market in the last decade or so have proven to be unreliable over time. I’ve had many different makes/models over the lifetime of this tank and I’ve been lucky to get 2 years (often much less) out of them. Currently trying an Eheim-Jager 50W from Germany (one of the few made outside of China) and I’m hoping for a much longer life. Heater is set at 78F which seems to suit all the inhabitants just fine. 81F is the hottest I've seen in the tank in summer.

Flow/Circulation:

Tunze Silence 1073.080 (210 gph) return pump with a Hydor Rotating Water Deflector Nozzle.

The live rock/corals are arranged in the center to allow for a circular flow pattern. Back chambers are as unobstructed as possible to allow maximum flow-through (no filter floss, chemical media, etc.). I believe that flow-through is important as it keeps food particles, larvae, bacteria, etc. in suspension so as to be consumed by the filter feeding organisms. Pump is quiet and the random , yet somewhat linear flow from the Hydor unit has been beneficial, IMO.

Lighting:

DIY ‘Complete Spectrum’ Solderless LED Array (LEDGroupBuy):

Over the years I have experimented with a number of different setups since I enjoy the challenge of creating my own lighting systems. The last and final array features solderless chips from LEDGroupBuy (and 'Lime' from RapidLED) set very close together. to help eliminate ‘color-banding’ (aka ‘Disco’ effect). Not a fan, of fans, due to noise and reliability issues so I use efficient LEDs (wherever possible) and a large heat sink to passively remove heat. A power supply, CoraLux 5-up board and Storm controller are incorporated in this 5-channel setup.

DIY LEDs are a great way to really get deep into the 'meat and potatoes' of the nature of light. Since you are creating the array instead of just accepting what a manufacturer gives you, one must pay attention to what is known about the type of light that corals need in order to be healthy. With these many channeled arrays, there often is a temptation to constantly fiddle with the different colors and relative positions. Too much of this, though, and the corals will never settle down and get comfortable.

I always make changes in spectrum and/or intensity very slowly. I used to allow one week between any changes, but I find it better to allow two weeks. Also, I don't change spectrum and intensity at the same time if it can at all be helped. I am especially mindful of any violet or hyperviolet emitters since our eyes are relatively insensitive to the wavelengths that they produce, but the corals are not! I use a very small amount of true 'violet' (~405nm) LEDs in my system since I seem to have a sensitivity to the near UV wavelengths, but I do incorporate a good amount of 'hyperviolet' (~430nm).

In the past, I've always given the tank (corals) a 'rest' day once a week by turning down the lights to about 3/4 of normal. WIth this new setup, I set the STORM controller to have 'clouds' one day a week.

Automated Top Off (ATO):

PETCO ‘Pet Bottles' (2)

I use a simple gravity-fed ATO filled with a RO/DI and Kalkwasser (Limewater) mix which supplies needed alkalinity and calcium (see pg 2). The modifications required to these pet bottles are removing the balls in the stainless steel tube and altering the nozzle length so that it can be immersed at the water surface level (or raise the bottles to a level where the tube end is immersed). A very simple, inexpensive, reliable and effective way to maintain a water level. Proper functioning is however dependent upon tightly closing the cap to prevent air intrusion into the bottle.

…and that’s all the equipment that this small tank has needed.

Equipment Philosophy 101:

‘Simplicity and redundancy’ pretty much sum things up. There is an old saying attributed to my good friend Murphy that states: ‘If anything can go wrong, it will.’ As much as possible, I attempt to run my equipment in such a way as to limit any one single point of failure. A pump or a heater going out is possible, so spares are kept near at hand. If power goes out I have a battery powered pump and a small propane camping stove to heat tank water, if necessary.

Cost and the Nano Tank:

I see quite a few posts from beginners that start with this "I just spent 2K (or more) on my nano tank". My first reaction is "Wow, really?". If I add up all the costs associated with this tank's initial setup it's well under $500. The biggest purchases over time have been coral and upgraded lighing, and that's maybe $700-800 bucks spread out over 7 years.

My advice to new reefers is to carefully research what a typical small reef system needs (farily basic, really) and be very cautious of the commercial marketing hype shouting at you that you 'must have' this or that product/gizmo in order to succeed. Research carefully and it'll become clear that only a few parameters are critical to successfully keeping coral and most of these can be met rather inexpensively (quality lighting typically being the highest cost).

Water Changes:

5g plastic utility bucket (no heater or circulation), RO/DI water and a mix of various salt brands. 10%/week (5%/2x week).

Since I change water 2x/wk, circulation of the newly made salt water is not necessary. I also don’t waste energy heating the whole bucket of water 24 hrs/day. Unless the water is quite cold, I don’t heat it up to tank temp since the volume being replaced is so small it has very little effect on the tank temperature. If the water is very cold, however, I place my 1g water change container in a south facing window for a few hours if the sun is out…or use a spare heater when it is not.

Early on, I found that changing 10% of the water all at once (even with temperature matched water) sometimes would result in mildly stressed corals. 5%/2x week resulted in no visible stress to the animals and is what I have used for years. In the last year or two I’ve been mixing various salts (Red Sea Blue Bucket, Reef Crystals, Instant Ocean) without any ill effects. I do this in order to achieve similar alkalinity/calcium/magnesium levels to my tank parameters. This results in greater parameter stability.

Time Managment:

One question often asked is 'How much time do you spend on your tank?'.

1. 5% water change on Tues., Mag-float glass cleaning (15 min.),

2. 5% water change on Sat, sand bed vacuuming, Mag-float/credit card glass cleaning, back wall cleaning, detritus removal from back chambers, overflow slots and rear seams cleaning with toothbrush (3x/month, 1 hr. each week)

3. 5% water change, sand bed vacuuming, Mag-float/credit card glass cleaning, back wall cleaning, detritus removal from back chambers, overflow slots and rear seams cleaning with toothbrush, pump and hydor rotating device disassembly/cleaning (1hr 30 min, 1x/month)

4. Water change makeup (5g): Once every 5 weeks (30 min.)

5. Vacuum under a base live rock every 2 months (extra 15 min added to a Sat. water change).

Substrate and Associated Microorganisms:

I use a relatively fine mixed grade of aragonite. I vacuum the substrate to remove detritus once a week with my water change and clear the live rock of detritus 2x/wk. I also stir up the sand bed daily to suspend detritus and it's associated microorganisms (food for the filter-feeders). 'Turkey Basting' of the live rock daily (helps reduce hair algae buildup).

All the best equipment and technology is not going to be effective if the microscopic organisms that we rely upon for many different processes are not functioning properly or are not in the required abundance. Microscopic bacteria, benthic algae, protists, etc. are literally the backbone of our systems and will develop naturally over time if they are introduced into the system (live rock, live sand, etc.) and we keep acceptable, stable conditions. Some commercial products can cause harm to these bacteria in our systems and is something to keep in mind due to how important they are to the system. In our small tanks when the sand bed is not cleaned (especially), many people experience rapidly increasing nitrate levels even when feeding and bio load are relatively low. To put it simply, the bacteria responsible for completing the nitrogen cycle are literally being choked and are not receiving the continuous nutrient flow (especially carbon) they need to function effectively due to the detritus buildup. To encourage bacterial health, I perform a number of tasks: Stir the sand bed daily. Daily I blow off sediment in and on the live rock with a turkey baster. I vacuum the sand bed weekly as well as remove detritus that has settled in the back chambers. In addition, every 2 months or so I vacuum underneath one of the base rocks so that in ~8 months I will have vacuumed under all of them. To put the effectiveness of these simple procedures into context, even with two adult Ocellaris Clownfish fed heavily twice daily plus daily broadcast and target feeding of the corals the tank maintains a nitrate reading of around 0.5ppm (Elos, Red Sea test kits).

Phosphate deserves a special discussion. Inorganic phosphate (aka ‘Orthophosphate’, ‘PO4’) levels in this tank are checked monthly and they are consistently undetectable (Salifert test kit) despite the relatively heavy feeding and moderate bio load. No phosphate removers have ever been used. The question may arise as to how does this work for one tank when many other tanks have difficulty controlling this element without having to resort to large water changes and/or phosphate reducing media? The standard answer seems to be "Each tank is different", which is really an acknowledgement that we don’t have a good handle on what exactly is going on. Trying to pin down phosphate usage in an aquarium is an ever moving target and is complex. What we do know is that Phosphate, in all it’s inorganic and organic forms, is ever in motion in our systems and the competition amongst the organisms for this life sustaining nutrient is intense. I stir up the sand bed daily which has multiple effects that I believe directly, or indirectly, influence phosphate levels. The thought process goes like this: Whenever detritus is suspended so are countless microorganisms (detritus, benthic algae, protists, fungi, etc ) which then become food for filter feeders (phosphate usage and some sequestering). The remaining bacteria in the sand bed naturally repopulate in short order (again, phosphate usage and some sequestering). Vigorous bacterial activity in the substrate liberates some phosphate that is bound to the calcium carbonate sediments which in turn is used by other organisms. When detritus is removed weekly, this exports some of the phosphate out of the system and maintains a balance in the system. One key point in all this is that this constant cycling naturally stabilizes phosphate as long as inputs (foods, mainly) are kept relatively constant. I have noticed that inconsistent feeding results in a ‘boom or bust’ type scenario that can compromise system stability.

Condensed version: Feed your bacteria/other organisms, but don’t forget to clean up the mess

WARNING: If a sand bed hasn’t been disturbed for some time, best to begin cleaning only small sections at a time. Cleaning the whole thing all at once can crash a tank!

'Optimal' Nitrate (NO3) and Phosphate (PO4) Levels (is there such a thing?)

If you've been in this hobby for even a little while you most likely have seen various recommendations for 'optimal' nitrate and phosphate levels backed up (hopefully) by successful reef tanks with colorful, healthy corals. This should immediately raise an eyebrow or two in skepticism. So what is going on here?

Corals are mixotrophic (multiple feeding modes) so they can utilize different sources of nutrition. In a tank that has undectable NO4 (nitrate) and PO4 (inorganic phosphate/orthophosphate) via good test kits, the corals are typically fed frequently to remain colorful and healthy. This environment is most similar to a pristine coral reef where the majority of nutrition obtained from the environment(excluding photosynthetic products from the coral's Zooxanthellae) is derived from organic sources (phytoplankton, zooplankton, bacteria, marine snow, etc.)

The other end of the spectrum is a system with relatively high levels of inorganic nutrients. Typical recommendations are NO3 of 5pmm or less and PO4 of around 0.03ppm, but note that many healthy reef tanks can have somewhat higher levels. In this type of system less direct feeding (or none at all) can produce good results and is perhaps closer to conditions encountered in an inshore reef environment.

Many reef tanks can fall somewhere in between these levels and be successful.

So, which is 'better'? That question sparks heated debate on the forums, for sure. On the one hand, low inorganic nutrients in the water typically results in slow algae proliferation. However, this also means that the aquarist must be diligent in supplying food regularly to keep the coral healthy long term. A more inorganic nutrient rich system runs the risk of becoming overly enriched (eutrophic) leading to increased algae and poor coral health.

This 12g tank tends to be in the LSN (low nutrient system) category with around 0.5ppm NO3 and undectable PO4. However, my take is that it doesn't really matter which camp one pitches his/her tent in, as long as the results are healthy, colorful and growing coral and algae is not overtaking the system.

No Chemical/Mechanical Filtration? With proper maintenance and regular water changes I have found no need for thes products. One of the benefits of not using chemical media (besides cost) is that one avoids the potential shock to the system whenever old, exhausted media is replaced by new (the only shock this sytem gets is the 5%/2x per week water change). This may indeed be a factor in the longevity of this little system and the relative lack of issues experienced due to the inherent stability.

Thoughts on the ‘Mixed Reef’ Nano Tank:

This little tank has just about everything from A-Z (Acropora to Zoanthids). Most of the original corals are still around, but some have been moved on due to over-aggression (Acroporas, Scolly), a few have been destroyed by amphipods (Zoas), a few by bacterial infections (Mussids: Blastos, Acans), some simply have been out-competed (M. undata) and a few I simply have no clue why they didn't make it. Actually, I’m rather surprised that most have been able to co-exist in relative peace. A true mixed reef in a shallow nano tank is challenging due especially to the different high and low light needs of the various corals. I have found proper placement of corals to be very critical. Sometimes, even just an inch or two up or down (or side-to-side) has make the difference whether a coral does well or just languishes. A PAR meter, along with research and experience, help with the decision. Luckily for us, many corals can cope and adapt well to physical changes such as storms, being dislodged by other organisms, etc. Without a certain amount of flexibility I don't think corals would be as successful for millennia as they have been..

The general consensus is that a biotope tank set up for specific type(s) of corals with very similar needs is far easier to maintain and I would certainly agree. However, I like a challenge

Growth and the Nano Tank:

This nano tank is small and I’m not a fan of constant pruning. Constant fiddling with the corals and aquascape is detrimental to the system in many ways (accidental knocking off of corals, stress from frequent cuttings, release of possible coral produced stress related chemicals, introduction of skin oils/other substance residues, etc.). In this tank, I attempt to limit coral growth while maintaining coral health and coloration. This means supplying enough nutrition for metabolic processes plus some extra for slow/moderate growth. Keeping the temperature on the cooler side also helps slow metabolism. One side benefit to slower growth is that more coral types can be kept longer together since they won’t crowd each other as quickly.

Thoughts on 'Density' (Aquascaping): When starting out with this tank my main goal was to provide a rock 'Bommie' or two roughly in the middle of the tank as well as have some 'free space' made up of sand bottom. The biggest difficulty I faced was avoiding the temptation of adding more and more specimens to the tank bottom! For a while, I lost that battle with myself, but eventually claimed most of the previous free space back again. Coral can be packed quite tightly into a reef tank due to the fact that they produce relatively little waste (the coral and it's algae tighly cycle much of their respective waste products), but the negative effect on flow of so many corals can have a dramatic effect on a tank's health. Visually, I feel that the best aquascaped tanks use 'negative space' wisely to compliment an attractive reef structure. Something to consider when one gets the itch to create a 'rock wall' packed with an over abundance of corals and/or completely blanket the sand bed with coral frags.

Fish Stocking: I've been pleasantly surprised at how well this little system handles two well-fed adult Ocellaris Clownfish. 10% water changes/week have certainly sufficed and are all that is used. While I could possibly sneak in another lower bioload fish, the Clowns are so territorial that I feel it's not worth the risk.

Colonies, Mini-Colonies vs. Mini-frags:

I find that small nano tanks lend themselves very well to coral mini/micro frags, rather than coral colonies. For me, there is something special about tiny pieces of coral successfully growing and becoming larger parts of the reef tank community over time. The process requires patience, but the eventual reward are colonies that look more like they grew up in the tank vs. being cut-and-pasted into the aquascape. I have found that these smaller mini-frag grow-outs tend to be a bit less aggressive with their neighbors, likely due to having grown up with each other over time. When working with tiny mini-frags, the handling is very important. These little guys can dry out much more quickly and too much glue can easily kill them. The smallest that I’ve been successful with was a 1/16” piece consisting of just a single green mouth of Jack’o’Lantern Leptoseris that is now the size of a dime after about 3 months.

Coral Aggression (Allelopathy,, over-topping, sweepers, etc.):

Although disturbing to some, coral aggression is just a part of their nature. Certain corals are iffy, at best, for a small reef tank due to this. The most aggressive stony corals I have in this tank by far are Pavonas and they can be a handful with their sweeper tentacles. All mushrooms are even worse if they physically contact other types of coral and Zoanthids, so they get their own separate regions. I also don’t mix Ricordia and Rhodactis together due to past issues with an occasional Rhodactis causing damage. The only Zoanthids that I have that I would describe as hyper-aggressive via colonization are ‘Oxides’, but many zoanthids can become problematic if left unchecked. Oh, and don’t place Leptastrea where it can spread to other coral colonies (take my work for it, this coral is tough as nails and will sting and kill almost anything it contacts).

By design, the tank has no soft corals that could produce toxins such as Sarcophyton, Sinularia, Litophyton. With the coral mix I have, I haven't had any allelopathic symptoms and haven't noticed any issues when adding new coral.

Captive/Wild Collected Corals:

Most of the corals in this tank are cultivated and were acquired as frags from LFSs, on-line retailers and other hobbyists. Most of the mushrooms came straight out of the ocean. Personally, I believe this hobby should patronize both maricultured and aquacultured corals.

Coral and Fish Feeding:

The two Clownfish are fed 2x/day with flakes or pellets in moderate amounts in the morning and liberal amounts of frozen mysids/spirulina enriched brine shirmp in the late afternoon. Manufactured food is more nutrient dense, so no need to feed this as heavily as frozen. Once a week I also feed them newly-hatched earthworms from a compost heap. Corals/filter feeders get either broadcast or target fed a combo of Oyster Feast/Aminos/Reef Roids 3x/week.

Coral Disease: The one I seem to enounter most often is a bacterial infection in Mussids (Acans and Blastos, mostly). Bringing in one infected specimen from outside is enough to start this nasty condition. Tissue gets stretched thin, polyps won't eat and they eventuall waste away while other corals are just fine. I have had limited success with Tea Tree oil (few drops in a small container for a few minutes twice a day), but it doesn't always work. Melafix, which contains Tee Tree oil, is another reported remedy (Sprung/Delbeek).

Algae Control/Clean Up (CUC):

Algae will always be present both in our tanks and in nature. I strive to keep them under control by keeping nutrient levels low/balanced and via herbivory. Also helpful was starting this tank with 9 year old purple coralline encrusted live rock as algae are much less likely to try and colonize these coralline occupied surfaces.

This tank has a single Blue-legged Hermit Crab to control hair algae. He’s a couple years old and slowing down, so I have to help him out every once in a while with a pair of tweezers. More than one medium sized hermit crab in such a small tank can be too disturbing to some corals and in my experience, only one will be left alive after a few weeks/months due to aggression. The rest of the ‘CUC’ is home-grown (bristleworms, mysid shrimp, brittlestars, small limpits and tiny collunista snails). Notice, no 'hunch-backed amphipods' since adults are notorious for eating zoas/palys, usually at night. A Black-Barred Clown Goby exterminated them a few years back and I dip any new frag bases in freshwater for a minute to make sure the little buggers don’t recolonize the tank. I also don’t use larger commercially sold snails due to the risk from fouling when they die and decompose in such a small body of water.

'Turkey basting' the live rock at least a few times a week can be very helpful in controllling hair algae types. The algae filaments trap detritus, and if let unchecked, they actually create nitrate/phosphate rich micro-environments, that then begets more and more algae.

Pest Species: Even with the best dipping protocols, pests can still wriggle and squirm into our systems. I give my new specimens a thorough once over with a magnifying glass and then dip the base of every rock/plug in fresh water/concentrated potassium iodine for at least one minute. Certain corals (such as Mushies) I'll also dip for a few seconds in the freshwater while shaking to dislodge any flatworms and then place immediately back into salt water. The stony coral frags (non-Acropora) I get are typically quite small, so it's easy to check them carefully and remove any unwanted creatures/eggs. Can't say much about coral dips since I don't use them, but the general concensus seems to be 'use them' (especially for Acropora as it is very difficult to see Red Bugs and AEFW are also not so easy to see or dislodge manually). For the occasional aiptasia and bubble algae that makes it through inspection, the most important thing is to take care of the pest literally 'right away' before they have a chance to establish themselves and check everyday for at least a week for any more. I use kalk slurry in a syringe for aiptasia and tweezers to carefully remove any bubble algae. For Acoel Flatworms, I've found it very important to remove them early to be successful in exterminating them from the system. I'll keep the tank very clean and cut out any suspension feeding for a week or two (but still feed the fish and LPS normally) to cut down on this food source while sucking up any worms that I see on a daily basis (I especially check all the mushies carefully with a hand magnifier). With constant diligence for a few weeks their populations can be brought so low that they can't sustain a population and die out in the tank.

‘Stability’…What Does That Really Mean?

We tend to think of stability is terms of temperature and water chemistry parameters, and rightly so. Maintaining parameters within a ‘range’ suitable for coral and fish health is essential. For me, the key to long-term success is stability in all aspects of reef keeping. Stability in the maintenance schedule/routines, stability in varying food types and frequency of feeding, stability in the lighting schedule/duration, stability in the water change schedule, etc.

How to Keep it ‘Fresh’?:

I see this question pop-up every so often. I think the answer is specific to each individual, but starting the tank with micro-frags I think is helpful since the final grown-in result can take a long time as opposed to using larger colonies right away which produces a ‘finished product’ in relatively short order (leading to possible boredom). Keeping the tank's Web page(s) up-to-date at regular intervals is a great way to connect with other reef keepers and to assess how the tank is doing via photos. Investigating a reef keeping topic that is not well understood or researched is a great way to keep an interest in the hobby (no one knows it all).

Avoiding 'Upgrade-itis'?: Keep all sizes of tanks for 30+ years and then you'll know (hopefully) what size really suits you. My first reef tank was a homebuilt 8g nano, then a 35 hex, 55 show, even took care of a restaurant fish-only 300g for a while...and my last may be this 12g...or maybe not

'Big Tank' vs. 'Small Tank' Bias: The keeping of a 'Nano' or 'Pico' tank is often thought of as a 'toy' or something only for beginners to cut their teeth on. While it is true that the cost of entry into the reef aquarium hobby is a major factor (and small systems are typically much cheaper than larger ones), the fact is that being successful in maintaining a top-notch small reef aquarium for many years requires just as much skill and knowledge as any other sized tank (some might say even more so due to the relatively small amount of water in the system). In my mind, the better term for small reef tanks would be 'Bonsai Reef Tanks' since keeping a nano/pico tank has commonalities with this well-respected, ancient gardening discipline.

Longevity and 'Old Tank Syndrome':

Keep It Simple, have backups, know the accepted range of parameters, check those parameters that can fluctuate frequently (i.e.: alkalinity, calcium, specific gravity), check temperature 2x/day, keep household cleaning products/toxins away, develop a successful routine and stick to it, inspect the tank daily if possible (especially sensitive coral species) as they can give an early-warning of potential issues. I have yet to experience 'Old Tank Syndrome' in any of my past tanks. However, I believe it is a real condition that can be brought about by incorrect, or a lack of, maintenance procedures. I don't believe that it is inevitable or else we'd see every tank of a similar size and setup expire roughly at the same time...and some do keep on going year after year. I also don't believe that live rock and live sand has an inevitable expiration date. The current live rock in this nano is 17+ years old as is about 80% of the sand. Note: In a 2015 MACNA speach Joe Yaiullo, curator of the Long Island Aquarium, has used the term LARS ('Lazy Ass Reefer Syndrome') to describe this condition and is quite apropos

Conclusion: After decades of reef keeping and years of perusing the Web forums, I see a whole lot of confusion ‘out there’ in regards to various aspects of reef keeping. I see this as a natural outcome of attempting to recreate a slice of one of the planet’s most highly complex ecological/biological systems. However, the fact that we can now maintain, grow, and in some cases even breed these coral animals in relatively miniscule amounts of water (compared to the oceans) is a testament to how far we’ve come in a relatively short period of time.

What sometimes tends to get lost in translation is that the foundation of any successful reef tank is the efficient functioning of the biological processes which promote system stability. No amount of technology or chemicals can take the place of a healthy compliment of these little microbes. What technology can do is help us support and provide these microbial communities with optimal conditions to help us have a successful reef tank.

'Happy Reefing' - Ralph.

 

Beautiful Ricrodea....

[Nano sapiens]

 

Beautiful Ricrodea....

 

Thank you

[Nano sapiens]

Every once in a while...

 

A couple of days ago I woke up to a cloudy tank. I haven't seen this tank cloudy in years unless I stir up detritus. Okay, I'm thinking maybe some kind of bacterial bloom due to air borne spray or something, so a quick 10% WC and I'll see how it looks in the evening.

 

Evening it's even worse and very little PE from the SPS. Hmmm, okay, time to check params. Alk at 15.4 dKh...whoa, wait, what, really??? (it was at 8.2 the day before). Broke out a new Salifert test kit, same result at 15. Tested my WC water as a secondary check, spot on at it's typical 9.8. Salinity just a tad low @ 1.0255 (typical 1.026), CA at 475ppm, NO3 less than 0.5. PO4 undetectable, temp 76F.

 

I was expecting some nasty reactions in the tank, but other than some PE retraction and slight browning of the Seriatopora...that's it. PE was nearly back to normal in two days (each day I see a drop of 1 dKh, so at least I know calcification continues). Tank cleared nicely in 2-3 days as Alk dropped which indicates to me a likely calcium carbonate precipitation event caused the cloudiness, not a bacterial bloom.

 

I still have no clue how Alk jumped that much in 24 hrs. (especially considering the relativley small amount of Kalkwasser I add to my ATOs), but I do know that this hobby does keep you on your toes!

[teenyreef]

Holy cow, that's really strange! Do you think something happened with the kalkwasser? I'm glad everything seems to be recovering.

[Nano sapiens]

Holy cow, that's really strange! Do you think something happened with the kalkwasser? I'm glad everything seems to be recovering.

 

It's a mystery that I don't have an answer to...which is both annoying and interesting at the same time

 

My first thought was that I had performed my 1/2g WC with Kalkwasser instead or ASW, but that would have killed everything.

[Felicia]

Glad it all seems to be ok! I had my old doser mess up twice on me and dump in tons of Alk so that my tank looked like milk. I panicked and did a huge water change, but surprisingly, both times it happened everything was ok and recovered just fine. Corals hate quick parameter swings, so you would think a huge alk swing would bother them, but it seems like the alk going high quickly isn't a big deal for them. Going low quickly is a different story though!

[Nano sapiens]

Glad it all seems to be ok! I had my old doser mess up twice on me and dump in tons of Alk so that my tank looked like milk. I panicked and did a huge water change, but surprisingly, both times it happened everything was ok and recovered just fine. Corals hate quick parameter swings, so you would think a huge alk swing would bother them, but it seems like the alk going high quickly isn't a big deal for them. Going low quickly is a different story though!

 

I agree that alk going high quickly is usually not such a big deal in a typical reef tank. I haven't expereinced a rapid alk drop (and hope I never do!).

[Nano sapiens]

Interesting website that allows for LED optimization:

 

http://spectra.1023world.net/

 

When I plugged in my current DIY array it calculated a score of '97' out of 100. Not too bad and simply replacing two RB with B bumped it to 100%.

 

 

In addition, it also allows one to compare their LED array to spectra in the ocean at various depths:

 

 

The HV is a perhaps a tad too intense and a slight reduction in the Violet channel should take care of that. Otherwise, I think it looks pretty decent.

 

In other news, the Clownfish have been moved on to a medium sized LFS display tank. They've been in this nano tank for around 3 years and simply out grew it. While I will miss the interaction, what I will not miss is the kamikazee attacks whenever I needed to work on the tank. The next inhabitants will be more varied, mellow and of a scale more suited to the tank's size.

[Sk8n Reefer]

Are you gonna pick up any new fish?

[Nano sapiens]

Are you gonna pick up any new fish?

 

Not for a while. I'm going to enjoy the serene experience of just having corals gently swaying to-and-fro for a while

[jedimasterben]

I think green banded gobies would be pretty awesome, and a pink streaked wrasse would do well, I think. Do you have any anemone shrimp? I don't remember seeing any, I think they would love to take up residence on your ricordea garden

[Nano sapiens]

I think green banded gobies would be pretty awesome, and a pink streaked wrasse would do well, I think. Do you have any anemone shrimp? I don't remember seeing any, I think they would love to take up residence on your ricordea garden

 

You are thinking along the same lines

 

(3) Green Banded Gobies

(1) Two Spot Bimaculatus Blenny - Algae mower, smaller than a Tailspot

(2) Porcelain Anemone Crabs (m/f) - Sturdier than the Anemone shrimp

[teenyreef]

Looks like an excellent combination

[Nano sapiens]

Looks like an excellent combination

 

Hope so!

[vlangel]

I am glad that the tank dodged a bullet with the alk upswing. Thats a relieve that everything seems fine and alk is going back to where it should be.

 

I had a pair of clowns that were so mean (or at least she was) and although I loved them I was relieved when I downsized and had to rehome them!

[Nano sapiens]

Thanks for the concern. There was surprisingly little disturbance to the tank despite the 15+ dKh. In fact, my Digi and Birdsnests have grown really fast as the high alk has slowly been dropping down. They should slow down a bit once Alk is stabilized in the high 8 to low 9 range (today or tomorrrow).

 

Clowns do have a lot of personality, that's for sure. But, sometimes it's a lot to handle, especially in a small tank. What's funny is that when I put my hand in the tank now I'm still subconciously prepped for the biting to start

[natalia_la_loca]

Glad all is ok. I just love this tank.

[lostsol95]

Your tank is great! Shows me what mine should look like I'm only two months into my first tank so I got time.

[Nano sapiens]

Glad all is ok. I just love this tank.

 

Thank you!

Your tank is great! Shows me what mine should look like I'm only two months into my first tank so I got time.

 

Thanks for that...

 

Nice, just starting out. Hoping all goes well for you!

[Nano sapiens]

No longer fishless...or crabless

 

Yellow Black Striped Squat Lobster (Allogalathea elegans) Male: (Excuse the photo quality...these guys are pretty small):

 

 

Yellow Black Striped Squat Lobster Female: Funny thing is I only ordered one Squat Lobster, but DD sent a pair

 

 

 

 

And 'Mr. (or Mrs.?) Personality' the Two Spot Bimaculatus Blenny ((Ecsenius bimaculatus): Not quite as colorful as a Tailspot Blenny, but tend to stay a bit smaller. They must have really tough skin to perch on a Leptastrea (snails get 'hot-foot' if they try this).

 

 

 

Yellow Striped Neon Goby (Elacatinus horsti) ORA Bonded Pair: Trying to work out the living space (he wants a man-cave, she wants a new kitchen...)

 

 

...and that should be it, at least for a while

[Felicia]

Love the new additions! I've always thought those squat lobsters were super cool. Where did you get them from? Great choice of fish too! I loved my pair of blue neon gobies back in the 30 gallon. For being so tiny, they had a lot of personality.

[JR!]

really shows you can do great things with a small tank, so well done.

[Nano sapiens]

Love the new additions! I've always thought those squat lobsters were super cool. Where did you get them from? Great choice of fish too! I loved my pair of blue neon gobies back in the 30 gallon. For being so tiny, they had a lot of personality.

 

Thanks. These all came from Divers Den. I was a bit concerned due to the colder weather in Feb, but they arrived in excellent shape.

 

The male Squat is barely an 1" and that's including the front claws, the female is maybe 3/16" longer. DD was actually supposed to send me a Caribbean Porcelain Crab, but I'm certainly not complaining

 

As for the Gobies, these yellows are my favorites along with Green Banded Gobies. I like to buy captive bred whenever possible, so these seemed like a good choice.

[Nano sapiens]

really shows you can do great things with a small tank, so well done.

 

Thanks JR! It's been a really fun litttle tank to work with.

 

Moving the Clownfish on has allowed more variety of organisms and I'm keeping smaller creatures that aren't out of scale to the tank's size. The challenge I face now is keeping the Squats in good shape without their Crinoid Feather Star.

 

New adventure

[yoshii]

Wow the new additions look great! Those squat lobsters are incredible They look like something out a diver's magazine