Llj's 5.5g nps pico

[lljdma06]

thats actualy the first time i ever seen that black coral open.its impressive.i like how you set it up as basicy a species tank that is basicly a wall of mouths.

 

I guess because my camera's always under exposing the black. That's the coral that actually opens all the time. But even more so now that I adjusted the power head flow. Haha wall of mouths, I like it. But there's a method to my madness...

 

Feeding schedule...

 

Every Morning (lights out) - 2ml of either phytoplankton, or two zooplankton of various sizes. I alternate between the three.

 

Night feedings - two different types, done on alternate days, while the lights are on, I just call them night feedings cause it's nighttime.

 

Light night feeding - Cyclops ease and another squeeze of a plankton of some type, different than the one I used in the morning.

Heavy night feeding - Cyclops ease, a squeeze of a plankton, and 1-2 of mysis or other frozen food and each polyp is target fed.

 

I alternate between heavy night feedings and light night feedings. So the suns will get target fed every other day basically. EVERY polyp gets something. Very hard to do. It's getting easier now that every polyp is extending after the cyclop ease. This wasn't always happening and I was struggling until I changed the direction of the power head. I turn off the flow when I'm target-feeding and the process is getting a lot less messy. I no longer care if they are open while the lights are on. Now that I have the refugium (on an opposite photo period), there is now enough light to enjoy the corals when the display lights are off. Right now, they extend from me feeding the cyclops ease (at around 7pm or so) up until the main display lights turn on at about 1pm the following day. So, you know what? That's not too bad and I'm not complaining. I really thought I was going to lose my first sun coral, but no, he's back and extending again.

 

It's hasn't been easy. They are hard work. No lie. I may introduce another small filter with chemipure or purigen, as I plan on just increasing the load of nps that I have and phasing out the other types of corals. I'd like to include the following to the group.

 

1 more Echinogorgia, I really like them. They are fragile (I've killed a few spots due to mishandling ), but the rest of the coral is doing great and I see some tissue regrowth.

1 Terrazoanthus, interesting species.

1 Dendroplyllia, maybe 2-3 heads

1 Tubastrea coccinea, it is colored like my yellow suns, but long necked like my black sun.

 

Sexies are doing great, Lemmiwinks is still alive. Pods are extremely happy in the fuge now that Lemmiwinks is no longer the refugium beast. Thank you for your comment,

 

L

[GioReef]

Really like this pico. Awesome job! I think the balano and black sun polyps are my favorite. Keep it up

[Toontjuh]

it's hard not to keep looking at those pictures !!!

 

nps love tons of flow

 

i've said it before, but i'll say it again. it looks absolutely gorgeous

especially your balano

 

if rhizos werent't so expensive in america it would make a great addition

i recently bought two rhizos. a smaller one( 3 inches) and a large one(5 inches) the two of them cost me 150 euros. the smaller one 55 and the larger one 95 .

 

i did see balanos and dendros at the same store bout half a year ago, they were severely starved but priced 5 euro a head. the store owner didn't even know what they were. i'm still kicking myself in the head for not bying them XD

 

also it is a myth that each individual polyp needs to bed fed, they share the nutrients via their connected tissue

[castiel]

also it is a myth that each individual polyp needs to bed fed, they share the nutrients via their connected tissue

That's what I was hoping. Our sun has so many little tiny heads that are impossible to get food to easily, but seem to keep growing through feeding all of the larger heads.

[lljdma06]

it's hard not to keep looking at those pictures !!!

 

I'm glad that you are.

 

nps love tons of flow

 

I'm learning that.

 

i've said it before, but i'll say it again. it looks absolutely gorgeous

especially your balano

 

I'm quite fond of the balano. The same LFS is going to try to source a dendro head or two for me.

 

if rhizos werent't so expensive in america it would make a great addition

i recently bought two rhizos. a smaller one( 3 inches) and a large one(5 inches) the two of them cost me 150 euros. the smaller one 55 and the larger one 95

 

Rhizotrochus are extremely expensive. Too rich for my blood unless I happen to stumble upon somebody breaking down a tank who happened to have one. They are really cool though. I must go find your tank and ogle yours.

 

i did see balanos and dendros at the same store bout half a year ago, they were severely starved but priced 5 euro a head. the store owner didn't even know what they were. i'm still kicking myself in the head for not bying them XD

 

A lot of vendors don't even know to feed these guys. They come to the store super starved. Some of my suns were fed at my LFS for about 1-2 months before my LFS owner let me take them home. She wouldn't let me take them home until they were feeding regularly.

 

also it is a myth that each individual polyp needs to bed fed, they share the nutrients via their connected tissue

 

That's what I was hoping. Our sun has so many little tiny heads that are impossible to get food to easily, but seem to keep growing through feeding all of the larger heads.

 

Yeah, I was exaggerating when I said I fed every head, sorry. I certainly feel like I'm feeding every stupid little polyp!

[lljdma06]

 

This tank is leaking too!!!!!! ARGH!!!!

 

Why?!?!?!?!

 

:angry:

[castiel]

Are you ####ting me? That blows.

[Builder Anthony]

yikes ....

[lljdma06]

I dunno...

 

It drives me nuts. Same kind of leak too, that slow seep from the edges. Cheap, cheap, cheap, poorly made tanks! I get why my 2.5g leaked. That tank was about 10 years old & had been stored in a stuffed shed, but this 4g is BRAND NEW!! No excuse, except for cheap construction. I'll be picking up an AGA 5.5g. Not frilly, but it'll hold water & get the job done.

 

I just got this tank on a groove & now the suns will probably sulk for a spell again.

 

L

[.Newman.]

are you sure its not just the water line being high plus capillary action happening somewhere where your equipment touches the edges of the tank?

[lljdma06]

are you sure its not just the water line being high plus capillary action happening somewhere where your equipment touches the edges of the tank?

 

When I first noticed it a week ago, I lowered my waterline & checked my equipment, thinking those exact thoughts, .Newman.

 

Still leaking.

[jgpico]

Wtf! That sucks so bad L im sorry. Hopefully the 5.5 works out for you. Either way any tank you have will be awesome.

[lljdma06]

Wtf! That sucks so bad L im sorry. Hopefully the 5.5 works out for you. Either way any tank you have will be awesome.

 

Got the 5.5g. It's ugly, I hate it.

 

But my corals will be ok. Water level dropped more & there is NO water coming from ANY of my equipment or from ANY location where the aquarium meets the equipment.

 

*sigh*

[jgpico]

Got the 5.5g. It's ugly, I hate it.

 

But my corals will be ok. Water level dropped more & there is NO water coming from ANY of my equipment or from ANY location where the aquarium meets the equipment.

 

*sigh*

The tank might be ugly but thats not what matters. What matters is how happy and awesome your stuff looks inside the tank. Like I said it doesn't matter what tank your stuff is in it will always be awesome!

[Builder Anthony]

well everyone has there own little mess i recently decided no more corals because im so tired from fresh cuts and plugging then i see 2 starveing yellow clowns ......ones eating and of course the male i need isnt..threw some brine in there and hoping 4 the best but at least you can solve that problem.

[lljdma06]

The tank might be ugly but thats not what matters. What matters is how happy and awesome your stuff looks inside the tank. Like I said it doesn't matter what tank your stuff is in it will always be awesome!

 

 

well everyone has there own little mess i recently decided no more corals because im so tired from fresh cuts and plugging then i see 2 starveing yellow clowns ......ones eating and of course the male i need isnt..threw some brine in there and hoping 4 the best but at least you can solve that problem.

 

Group hug, thanks guys.

 

First let's remember, how beautiful it was. I just really loved the seamless tank. It was super pretty.

 

fts

 

 

sexy shrimp

 

 

 

Black suns & echinogorgia

 

 

 

Orange suns

 

 

 

Balano

 

 

So, this is how things went, I think. About a week ago, I saw that the water level was way down. I first figured, you dork, you put the water level too high and you've flooded the filter out, so I lowered the water level and cleaned up the mess. Ok, thought the problem was solved. Uh... no. Water level has been decreasing again. I check the filter, nothing is leaking, I check where the equipment meets the tank, no leakage or seeping. Underneath the tank is seeping of water.

 

I put WAY too much effort into my nps corals to risk losing them and putting them into the Biocube 8g, a tank that didn't even have a CUC was a bad idea. Putting the nps into my 8g and 36g was bad too. Both tanks have too much light. I found a cheapie, ugly AGA at my LFS for cheap and proceeded to move things over.

 

So sad, so sad.

 

draining the tank

 

 

I set it down, onto a table and dried it off. The tank on the surface wasn't wet, but when I lifted the tank, I saw this... water seepage

 

 

The 4g is undergoing a leak test now, but it could be that the seams in the bottom are weak and poorly made. Perhaps this tank isn't well-designed for a SW tank where corrosion is an issue?

 

Last critter caught. Lemmiwinks, my panda goby. What a life of adventure! Never a dull moment for this little guy. Will be gutted if he dies, he's soooooo tough.

 

 

 

Sad critters

 

 

Sad corals

 

 

New tank being prepped. Had to add another Aquaclear as we are going a bit bigger, may replace this with another Rio 90 on the other side, but may run Purigen on this tank for a spell. I can as the 30 is modded as a refugium. Luckily, I had a tank cover that I was planning for something else, and an extra LED light fixture that I had lying around.

 

 

New tank setup.

 

 

It's ugly, I really don't like it, but at least my corals are safe and the echinogorgia is extended as are the black suns. Haven't fed cyclops-ease yet.

 

More shots, though I'm not happy right now.

 

 

 

At least nothing is dead and a major disaster was averted. You never know, with leaking like that, the tank could just fall apart and I'd lose all my nps corals. Then I'd REALLY be gutted.

 

I may look into getting a Mr. Aqua bowfront, or even an ADA tank eventually, but right now, that's not happening. With my other tanks and this tank just having been through a trauma, I don't think it's a good idea to transfer yet again. This transfer was an emergency.

 

Thanks for looking, what a lousy update.

 

L

[.Newman.]

thats an awesome goby. mostly i just read about them getting bought and starving to death or first eating someones SPS colony and then dying, but yours has stuck around for a very long time! awesome.

[jgpico]

Looks awesome L.

[lljdma06]

thats an awesome goby. mostly i just read about them getting bought and starving to death or first eating someones SPS colony and then dying, but yours has stuck around for a very long time! awesome.

 

He's Lemmiwinks, the Goby King! I've had him since Mid-November. I dunno if that's good or bad? I don't know how long these guys live. He's been through...

 

1. Hiding for 1 week after I got him

2. Initial 2.5g leaking and change to the 4g

3. Climbing up the uptake tube and spending a week in the refugium

4. Getting him out of the refugium and almost being trapped in the impeller chamber

5. This new trauma drama

 

Have NO CLUE what he eats but he's eating something... Probably cyclops ease and left overs from the suns.

 

L

 

Looks awesome L.

 

You're being nice, but thank you.

[jgpico]

You're being nice, but thank you.

 

It does. I love this tank. I dont think it would matter what kind of tank your stuff is in. I actually envy this tank because I wish I had the patience to have an nps tank.

[lljdma06]

It does. I love this tank. I dont think it would matter what kind of tank your stuff is in. I actually envy this tank because I wish I had the patience to have an nps tank.

 

If these tanks don't stop leaking, I'M gonna run out of patience for an nps tank! My goodness!

 

Thank you, though, hopefully the tank will recover soon.

 

I'll be preparing SW tonight though, just in case.

 

L

[lljdma06]

More fun with Lemmiwinks!

 

[Builder Anthony]

lol thats my ugly tank.....i know there not the best but glass and i like the extra protection of the plastic ring on top in case you drop something on there.Never had one leak.did it have a little sticker on the bottom sayen who made it?i like reading those its like a fortune cookie.

[lljdma06]

lol thats my ugly tank.....i know there not the best but glass and i like the extra protection of the plastic ring on top in case you drop something on there.Never had one leak.did it have a little sticker on the bottom sayen who made it?i like reading those its like a fortune cookie.

 

Tank looks much better now. Everybody got mysis yesterday for being good boys and girls. My balano is now being a bit stubborn and not opening up.

 

*sigh*

 

I'm sure he'll snap out of it.

[lljdma06]

Really lousy update, but an update. Terrible picture. I'll do it justice this weekend.

 

Made the following modifications...

 

1. Added the Tonga branch from the Biocube.

2. Added another Rio 90, excellent flow now.

3. Removed the Aquclear 30 as it was just there temporarily to increase flow

4. repositioned corals a bit.

5. Added my old LED light back to the tank. Tank is very dim now, nps are in a perpetual state of dusk. They love it.

 

 

I want to add another nps to this tank, and I'll be shopping online for one soon. Great news, diodogorgia is beginning to open again. It was a long time. I guess it was just shedding.

 

L