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My Bonsai Reef


sam_the_reefer

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sam_the_reefer
3 hours ago, SaltyBuddha said:

 How do you like keeping macros and corals in the same tank? I'm currently planning on keeping a few macros in the display tank but don't see too many people do it. Any success tips?

I love it, and I think they help keep nutrients under control. I didn't really have to do anything special other than wait for my macros to get established. I did do a lot of research and chose macros who tolerate a bluer spectrum.

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SaltyBuddha
17 minutes ago, xellos88 said:

I love it, and I think they help keep nutrients under control. I didn't really have to do anything special other than wait for my macros to get established. I did do a lot of research and chose macros who tolerate a bluer spectrum.

Awesome. That is good to hear! What macros do you currently keep in your tank? I want a dragon's breath and a few palm caulerpas (these ones are a caulerpa that is not likely to go sexual), but I have no idea which ones do better in the higher reef spectrum.

 

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sam_the_reefer
29 minutes ago, SaltyBuddha said:

Awesome. That is good to hear! What macros do you currently keep in your tank? I want a dragon's breath and a few palm caulerpas (these ones are a caulerpa that is not likely to go sexual), but I have no idea which ones do better in the higher reef spectrum.

 

Cool, I've always wanted dragon's breath but can't find any. The main ones I have are ochtodes and heterosiphonia gibbesii (the pink one at the back) and I have some unidentified hitchhikers from my zoa frags. From research, the non green macroalgae do well in higher spectrum.

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SaltyBuddha

I've been looking at reefcleaners and you can order dragon's breath from them for fairly cheap. Not sure how much shipping is though. The ochtodes look pretty cool. Might have to get one if I have enough room

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  • sam_the_reefer changed the title to My awesome 12g
sam_the_reefer

I was wondering why my nem was extra happy over the weekend and today I found the reason. 2 empty shells, my last mini fighting conch and one of my trochus snails.
 

 

Updated FTS, playing with snapseed phone app.

 

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sam_the_reefer
Just now, Braun036 said:

That is a beautiful tank. How long has that been up and running? 

It's been 6 months since I got the carpet nem which I think is the major change to this tank in its current form. But, this tank has been running since 2010.

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sam_the_reefer

Latest FTS:
 

Latest issues:

  • Found a sundial snail snacking on some of my zoas and quickly removed it. Hopefully it hasn't laid eggs.
  • I need to find a way to mount the base of the H. Gibessii higher, The main rhizome is on the sandbed at the back and some branches are starting to come off from lack of light. I'm thinking one of those glass cultivating pots used in planted tanks that you stick to the tank wall.
  • I'm happy that the nem is happy but a the same time, worried that it will outgrow this tank too quickly at its current growth rate. :(
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  • 1 month later...
sam_the_reefer

Been a while since my last update here. I lost the H.Gibessi when I tried to make a magnet rock mount to mount it. Version 1 of the rock mount failed and the fluffy parts got eaten by the wavemaker. I was left with just the rhizome after that and it wasn't showing any growth or sign of recovery so I had to let it go. So, I made use of the magnet rock mount to mount my existing zoa frags higher and make a tree like structure. Then, someone in my reef group was giving away free birdsnest frags so I decided to take a chance on them. Also, this picture was taken at night after I mounted the frags so everything is closed/pissed off.
 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
sam_the_reefer

My tank temp has been reaching 33-34 degrees Celsius for the past few weeks so I bought a cooling fan to keep it down. Unfortunately I think I didn't make it in time for the sps and xenia. 

Lately I'm feeling "meh" with the tank. Uninspired because the zoas aren't thriving and things just don't go the way I want them to go scape-wise.

 

 

 

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Nano sapiens
4 hours ago, xellos88 said:

Lately I'm feeling "meh" with the tank. Uninspired because the zoas aren't thriving and things just don't go the way I want them to go scape-wise.

 

I find that focusing on what is doing well helps when things get a bit out-of-whack.  The Carpet Nem and Yumas look great :)

 

Creating an aquascape that one can live with day in/day out is certainly a challenge in a small nano.  I tried a few different variations (especially in the beginning), but something was always 'not quite right'.  I finally settled on a configuration that provided some height and allowed for easy cleaning of the interior glass panels and back wall.

 

My 2 cents regarding Acropora and small nanos.  Many Acros grow really fast once happy which then requires frequent pruning to keep them in check (this gets old after a while).  The tabling types, especially, are often really aggressive and also shade out the other corals if allowed to spread.  For that branching look, I find that Montipora digitata is a good choice since they are hardy and not nearly as aggressive (although they still require frequent pruning).  The branching form of Cyphastrea is also very interesting and can do well in somewhat lower light conditions.  Montipora setosa is the supreme 'allrounder' as a colony can be encrusting, plating and branching all at the same time and pruning is easy (porous skeleton).

 

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sam_the_reefer
8 hours ago, Nano sapiens said:

 

I find that focusing on what is doing well helps when things get a bit out-of-whack.  The Carpet Nem and Yumas look great :)

 

Creating an aquascape that one can live with day in/day out is certainly a challenge in a small nano.  I tried a few different variations (especially in the beginning), but something was always 'not quite right'.  I finally settled on a configuration that provided some height and allowed for easy cleaning of the interior glass panels and back wall.

 

My 2 cents regarding Acropora and small nanos.  Many Acros grow really fast once happy which then requires frequent pruning to keep them in check (this gets old after a while).  The tabling types, especially, are often really aggressive and also shade out the other corals if allowed to spread.  For that branching look, I find that Montipora digitata is a good choice since they are hardy and not nearly as aggressive (although they still require frequent pruning).  The branching form of Cyphastrea is also very interesting and can do well in somewhat lower light conditions.  Montipora setosa is the supreme 'allrounder' as a colony can be encrusting, plating and branching all at the same time and pruning is easy (porous skeleton).

 

Thanks for the advice. I chose birdsnest for the branching look because it's one of the hardier sps, but maybe I'll give m.digitata a try if these end up dying.

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Nano sapiens
17 minutes ago, xellos88 said:

Thanks for the advice. I chose birdsnest for the branching look because it's one of the hardier sps, but maybe I'll give m.digitata a try if these end up dying.

 Birdsnest is another one that's good and I have tree types all intertwined together.  Once they take off...they really grow fast!

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sam_the_reefer

Lower left shot (testing if something changed in the NR image uploader)

DSC02561.JPG

Wow, I like that attached images show bigger now.

Oooh, and it merges subsequent replies. Nice...

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  • 2 weeks later...
sam_the_reefer

This week's updates. SPS still hate me.
 

 

"bounce rics" I planted some of their babies on the opposite rock to even out the scape. Hopefully they turn out healthy and happy like their parents.

 

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sam_the_reefer
48 minutes ago, Nano sapiens said:

Love those bubbly, bouncy yumas!

I have a love-hate relationship with them. They're taking over and taking no prisoners. hehe

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  • sam_the_reefer changed the title to My Bonsai Reef

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