a very simple desktop nano

[An Bollenessor]

 

Aquarium is going well, apart from the flat worms everywhere, need to buy something for that. The Zoa's, GSP, xenia, daisy polyps and yellow polyps have grown quite a bit. I need to prune the Chaeto and Codium often. I do not clean the pot filter, feed only once a month or so and do a 50% water change afterwards. I have a Stomatella, brittle star and even a (very shy) crab as hitch hikers, not bad for three small pieces of cured live rock. Lots of pods. I have added a small Kenya tree and even an acan (getting cocky!). Corraline algae have appeared in the filter inlet. My light is on the weak side, I think that is holding things back a bit.

[An Bollenessor]

My little tank has been running over a year now and it has been a great first experience of reef keeping. I have had bad luck w some corals, but others (softies) have grown quite a bit. Being on the border of a very small nano or very large pico I do not have quite the advantages of either (not a lot of space for corals/equipment but also no easy 80-100% water changes).

 

My lighting is not up too standard; I figured a par38 bulb would be overkill for a 30x30x30 cm tank and so I ordered a 15W 5 LED par bulb, which proved to be worse than what I had! It is strange btw that there is only a single UK dealer of par bulbs (and they do not do par30s), as it seems a popular choice in the US. I might try to find a Par30 somewhere or perhaps buy the same small fixture I already have to double up.

 

I never liked bare bottom tanks but have warmed to them, and figured it would be easier cleaning so got rid of the sand and added a couple of kilos of live rock. I might get rid of my small canister pump as the flow through the rock via the hydor pump might be enough. Without the sand it really becomes apparent how much detritus comes of the rock and corals (and I hardly even feed). I cannot siphon it off well with the rock dumped in a pile so need to rearrange things, anyone any suggestions?