NanoBox powered Mr Aqua 13.3 gal Bow front (Updated 5/2)

[aviator300]

 

Just be careful. As discussed in the RFA thread (I think) there is a possibility of feeding too much. If you can still reach her, feed only 1-2 times per week. Otherwise, she'll come back out when she's looking for food!!

excellent point, I've been trying to feed her back there but i will only do so weekly to see if that brings her out and maybe not at all for a while

[aviator300]

I thought i'd post another couple pics today. Everything seems very happy under the new light. Additional polyp production on the Zoas and Palys as well as very good recent growth on the Torch and Hammer.

 

I haven't started dosing anything yet. I check weekly and the readings have been Ca--440 Mg--1350 DKH--10

I guess when the coral really starts to fill in, I may have to dose but so far the RSCP salt is doing the job.

 

As far as feeding goes, I mix up a little brew patterned after "El Fabs broth" and feed the tank twice a week as well as target feeding most all the Corals.

1. 50 ml tank water

2. 2.5 ml Seachem "Reef Plus"

3. 24 drops Kent "Microvert"

4. Pinch Two Little Fishes "Zo Plan"

5. Small square Rods "Original Formula" frozen

Also administer 1 drop Lugols per week.

 

Now, as these photos can attest to, I need a real camara to record this tanks progress.

 

FTS

 

LEFT SIDE

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RIGHT SIDE

[aviator300]

Here's an ORA Green Birdsnest that i've had for 2 months..

 

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This is "Annie" my RFA. She is all scrunched up towards the far left corner of the tank. It's usually hard to get a good pic of her so i took the opportunity. She took her first solid meal from me last night in the form of chopped raw shrimp.

 

 

I wish you could see the color of these Florida Rics but the ole cell cam is sorely lacking.

 

 

These are either "Devils Armor or armor of god Zoas". I've had them for about 10 months and they have gone through at least 3 bouts of hair algae/ Bryopsis and i dipped them in strong H2O2 each time. The Mexican Turbo Snails in my tank seem to have taken care of that problem.

 

 

This is my Torch coral, Hammer coral, and Montipora Cap. Even though they look close, the Hammer is at the front of the tank and the Torch is in the rear (6" away)

 

 

 

[Herptile]

I like that torch. Do you get a lot of skimmate? I used to run a DIY skimmer on my tank, too, but wasn't getting much out of it. I figured water changes and the use of chemical media would suffice.

[aviator300]

I like that torch. Do you get a lot of skimmate? I used to run a DIY skimmer on my tank, too, but wasn't getting much out of it. I figured water changes and the use of chemical media would suffice.

I'm using the PicO Aquariums 2.0 skimmer. I wasn't going to use a skimmer at all on this small a tank but I came by this one as kind of a Pay back from Chris at PicO so i used it anyway...I'm glad i did because it pulls out about 3 oz of CocaCola colored skimmate a week so it must be doing something good. Also, i feed the tank twice a week pretty heavily.

[Herptile]

That would results in some organics. I used to broadcast feed my tank Zooplex but then I got some Aiptasia and didn't want them to benefit from that so I stopped. Maybe I'll try running a skimmer again, if I can find a suitable airstone, that is. I also used the RedSea brand but my LFS ran out of them. Come to think of it, that's another reason why I stopped running a skimmer.

[aviator300]

That would results in some organics. I used to broadcast feed my tank Zooplex but then I got some Aiptasia and didn't want them to benefit from that so I stopped. Maybe I'll try running a skimmer again, if I can find a suitable airstone, that is. I also used the RedSea brand but my LFS ran out of them. Come to think of it, that's another reason why I stopped running a skimmer.

Yeah, mi know what you mean. I only get about 2 weeks of really good airflow and then it diminishes. I've got to bite the bullet and buy 5 or 6 this time. They're too cheap to spend time boiling and trying to recycle them. Well, on to the tank.

 

The tank has been cruising along and i'm happy with the rate of coral growth. My Ora Green Birdsnest is fluffy and doing well so i might just try some more SPS, maybe an Acropora? I'm able to keep my parameters pretty stable with no detectable PO4 and Nitrates between 5 and 10ppm. I feed pretty heavily twice a week so that's about as low as i can keep them. I run Chemi-Pure Blue and Seachem DeNitrate in the AC70 and have a PicO 2.0 skimmer. I also do a 30% water change weekly and change floss twice weekly. I don't know what else i can do to get the Nitrates any lower or do i need to? Maybe 5 to 10ppm is good, even for SPS? Thoughts.

 

I thought i'd post some new pics and particularly the one with "Annie" the Anemone in the middle who has finally decided to show herself after 3 weeks of scrunching way down beneath the rear of the aquascape. I've been trying to feed her back there but it's been a challenge.

 

I put a Finnex heater controller on the Hydor heater and it now keeps the water 78.4 degrees +/- 0.3 degrees.

 

 

You can see Annie right in the middle of this one.

 

FTS with Nano Razor. Looks crooked but it's not.

[aviator300]

OK folks, upgrade time.

It seems the Reefing bug has bitten me really, really hard as evidenced by my inability to leave things as they are and wanting to upgrade so soon. I really like the Mr Aqua bow front tank series. The bowed front is very gentle and creates no distortion that I can see and the front corners are mitre'd rather than bent which avoids the "Innovative Marine rounded corner syndrome".

Anyway, I just realized that even though my 7.5 gallon isn't overgrown with coral yet, all the coral in it are small and have lots of growing to do yet. I got a good deal from a LFS and purchased a Mr Aqua 13.3 gal bow front tank to allow for grow out and of course, more inhabitants.

The original tank was lit by a Maxspect Nano Razor which i sold to finance what i really wanted all along (a NanoBox Duo) which is to be shipped out tomorrow. In the meantime, i've been using two Par 30s and my corals are not pleased that i took their NanoRazor away for a few weeks. I'm using an AC 70 for filtration and as a media holder and installed a Pico Aquariums 2.0 protein skimmer. I also threw on an AC 50 to grow Chaeto in and have a "Dymax Robot LED fixture" over it. These 2 filters along with a RIO 180 pump create great circulation but not overwhelming for my Euphyllia corals. I eventually want another MP 10 to replace the RIO.

I'll be doing a 25% water change weekly and feeding the tank pretty heavily 2x week as well as using Seachem De-Nitrate and Chemi pure Blue in the AC 70.

Here's a couple pics of the new tank and as usual, I apologize for the poor quality cell cam pics. I so much want to capture the true beauty of my tank but know next to nothing about photography and use all my Reef money on the tank.





This is my DUO which will be shipped tomorrow (Courtesy of Dave's "Progress of orders" thread

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[aviator300]

WOOOOHOOOOO.. My NanoBox Duo arrived today and i'm working on the hanging kit right now..I figured out how to overcome one of the biggest problems i've had with hanging kits and that's cutting the cable without fraying the ends.. I went to home depot and got a pair of (good quality) tin snips. I then heated up the cable with a lighter and dripped wax from a candle onto the spot i wanted to cut. I then snipped the cable and boom, nice clean cut with no frays.

 

I'll get the light up and get the (Storm) controller all set up and take pics tomorrow. And yes, i did say Storm controller and not Bluefish Mini. I'm not of the "computer" generation and prefer "hard wired" systems that can be controlled even without internet access.

 

Talk at everyone later. Bye.

[aviator300]

About 20 min after my last post disaster almost struck. As i was hanging the light from the light stand (over the tank), the fixture that attaches the cable to the light body broke off the light on the right side and almost dropped the light into the tank. I luckily caught it and saved the light but now i have more waiting to do. I messaged Dave at NanoBox to ask what we should do and i'll be waiting for his reply. I have total confidence that he will make it right. He always does..

 

[righttirefire]

Oh aviator, I'm pretty excited to watch your build. It's like a good drama. Wishing you the best of luck

[aviator300]

The fitting for my NanoBox duo hanging kit will arrive Friday so i should get the light up over the weekend and will post pics. But for now, here's some new stats.

 

Light.. Will be NanoBox Duo by the weekend.

 

Fuge.. I added an AC 50 with in tank basket to grow Chaeto in. I have a small clip on LED providing light

and a small 50gph pump in the bottom of the basket for more circulation around the Chaeto.

 

Breakfast.. I enjoyed 2 eggs scrambled, hashbrowns and bacon (well done).