Mark's Nanobox Powered 40B -retired-

[metrokat]

[gena]

Now I have light on top and plenty of dark areas on the sandbed, since the tank is so deep. Already some of my shrooms are opening more.

Awesome

 

Will you add more rock?

[markalot]

Awesome :happydance:Will you add more rock?

 

I thought I would but not so sure now. I think I want a monti cap attached to the back wall at some point, and I want to grow the frogspawn and hammers to fairly large sizes, so right now I'm looking at taller reef tanks for ideas. So far no money has been spent to transfer tanks ... which is some kind of black magic.

[markalot]

Ok,

 

first shots of the 46. I'm just changing the thread title rather than starting a new post. As of this morning all inhabitants, including the emerald crab, are alive and well. There's a window opposite this tank so I had to crop out an area of reflection. Mad clone tool skills!

 

 

 

Right now the lights are as follows:

 

-front-

ReefBright blue/white LED strip

T5HO ATI Coral+

T5HO ATI Blue+

Ebay submersible blue strip (giant tube of 1W lights)

-back-

 

Filtration is the AC110 frm the 20 plus a MarineLand Biowheel, sans wheel, that I'm running with media for the moment to capture sand dust and dog hair.

 

 

 

I moved a jackass hammer from the 40 to here to go with my smaller hammer. He's already had stingers out, and he got me when I moved him. The entire rock was treated with peroxide before adding. I broke off a section of Pipe Organ (that the hammer is trying to kill) and placed in the sand to see if it can recover. You can see it on the left side of the image along with a Lobo brain moved from a dark corner of the 40.

 

 

Naturally when I moved the hammer somehow my Supernatural Monti broke off, so it made the move here as well.

 

 

 

Lots of space in here ....

 

[markalot]

Right now circulation is limited to the two HOB filters and one of the nano pumps aimed toward the monti. I had the bigger pump on for a while but the flow was insane. Looking at other 46 gallons for ideas on flow. I do like the fact that the flow tends to blow toward the back under both filters.

 

Naturally I think this means I need a pump with flow somewhere between the nanos and the 750s I have ... of course I will have to purchase something. That, and an ATI Purple+ bulb ... way too blue for me right now.

[eitallent]

The water looks really nice and clear in there. It does not look too blue in the pics.

[NanoTopia]

Very exciting Mark, needs some SPS big ones, on the left side rock, what are your plans? Sorry if you have already talked about that, I am having a hard time keeping up with everyones threads these days.

 

 

Christine

[markalot]

Very exciting Mark, needs some SPS big ones, on the left side rock, what are your plans? Sorry if you have already talked about that, I am having a hard time keeping up with everyones threads these days.

 

 

Christine

 

Hi Christine,

 

LPS and montis, no acros. I would like that big rock to be covered with encrusting montiporas ... I have pokerstar and Idaho Blue frags growing in the 40 that will go in here at some point.

 

I'm seriously considering getting one of those magnet rocks for the back right to mount a monti on ... still undecided, but trying to avoid anything that looks crowded.

[markalot]

The water looks really nice and clear in there. It does not look too blue in the pics.

 

Thanks. I tend to like a more purple look so I replaced the blue+ with a purple+ ... we shall see.

[markalot]

New FTS with Coral+ and Purple+. Looks better in pictures as well. IMO.

 

[gena]

Looks great

[markalot]

First video attempt with new camera. obviously I need to do another one after sunset to get rid of all the reflections.

 

 

[eitallent]

Your fish look super! They have plenty of room to just keep swimming.

[markalot]

I pulled this out after an hour or so of stalking it in the dark.

 

 

I have no idea it if was a good or bad worm, but it acted bad. Very fast and had an obvious mouth. Color was a light brown grey and long widely spaced bristles.

[eitallent]

Oh, Lawd! I need the smelling salts.

[markalot]

A few pictures. Still learning how to use this camera and edit RAW photos.

 

I added another rock mountain to help fill some of the void.

 

 

Some of my shrooms, including a red with some speckles.

 

 

My Acan collection

 

 

Middle of the tank

 

[jedimasterben]

I'd get those scans off the sand bed and onto a flat rock. They will grow significantly faster that way, as they will not have build their skeleton up, as well as out.

[gena]

Oh my...LOVE! First of all, your camera (and you) takes great pictures. They are so clear. And the colors in your tank are amazing!!!!

[markalot]

Oh my...LOVE! First of all, your camera (and you) takes great pictures. They are so clear. And the colors in your tank are amazing!!!!

It's all the camera right now. Thanks. Compared to my old camera this Nikon is simply amazing.

 

I'd get those scans off the sand bed and onto a flat rock. They will grow significantly faster that way, as they will not have build their skeleton up, as well as out.

Thanks for the tip. I need more rock rubble.

[markalot]

Some updates and pictures. I chose one more fish to add to give the tank some added life.

 

Meet the Filamented Flasher Wrasse, who I believe is a male due to some flashing behavior when he sees himself. I'm happy he's already out and about, but darn hard to get a good picture of.

 

 

 

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+1400&pcatid=1400

 

 

I purchased this fish at my favorite LFS, and naturally could not leave without spending way too much money.

 

A new branching Blasto with A small frag of Superman Montipora on the right and Sunset Monti, to replace the one I killed, out of focus in back.

 

 

The LFS also had some new frags of 2 yet to be named Cyphastrea; hot pink and red on the left, rainbow on the right. The parent colonies were incredible looking and the price for these tiny frags is above my typical limit, but ...

 

 

All of these shots were taken with my new 50mm 1.8 Nikon lens. I have extension tubes on order to help with macro shots but they haven't arrived yet.

 

Now the full tank shot, also taken with the 1.8 lens ... standing halfway across the room to get the entire tank in the picture! The focus plane is very shallow, I should have stopped it down, but I'm still learning / remembering how to use a real camera.

 

 

Coraline is already starting on the back glass. it looks so good all black, but what a pain in the butt to have to scrape it all the time. :|

 

Ah, and flow. I added the two JBJ pumps and wave maker I used to use in the 40. These create decent flow, and I alternate every 20 seconds, but those pumps are huge.

[markalot]

My extension tubes arrived today, so here's some macros made while experimenting with them and my lenses. It's unfortunate this tank has bowed glass which prevents perfectly focused shots. I didn't use a tripod either, just playing around.

 

 

Blasto

 

rainbow cyphastrea

 

 

pink and red cyphastrea

[eitallent]

The colors are just WOW! Love it.

[markalot]

More photos.

 

Clearer FTS

 

 

Zoas with a purple macro algae.

 

Next I tried to capture all blue light. The only light on was a LED deep blue strip, and the tank looks blue with incredible coral colors, but I can't capture exactly what it looks like with the camera. The following shots have accurate coral colors, but the light should be blue, not purple or grey.

 

 

 

[markalot]

Nothing spectacular to report, good or bad.

 

Switched to Kent Reef Salt, KH steady around 10 with daily 2 part dosing.

 

Lights are now all LED.

 

-front-

BuildMyLED custom 24" strip, UV, Royal Blue, Blue, Cyan, Deep Red, and 4.5K white

Some Ebay submersible 30" LED strip, looks like 460 to 470 blue LEDs

BuildMyLED custom 24" strip, alternating Royal Blue and 6500K white

-back-

 

Both BuildMyLED fixtures now running at about 60% brightness.

 

I mounted all of my Montis to the main rockwork after cutting / trimming the plugs to look more natural.

Mounted all my Acans to a rock.

Now have two Emerald crabs to help with hair and bubble algae.

 

Tanks looks quite good in person, and seems to be progressing nicely.

 

Latest FTS

 

[xzeror]

looking good!