The Arkansas Nuvo 10 build

[Daniel91]

Sorry about the hassle of having to reset.

 

My phone isn’t loading the picture probably but it looks like your trumpets are nice and fluffy. 

[SURVEYMAN46123]

I know in past conversations you were buying your water pre-mixed.    Do you think that had anything to do with your algae outbreak?

 

 

[dferrari13]

I have been using a pre-mixed salt water for the entire 4 years of reading. I use Nutri seawater by Nature's ocean and I've had no problem.

[dcknipe]

The biggest issue with the water I buy is that my lfs uses instant ocean. So it's not geared towards reef tanks. The salinity is always off so I can to add to it to dial it in before I do a water change. I think this could be the culprit but I my sand played a role as well. 

 

In my opinion I think lack of flow also contributed. 

 

The barebottom is actually nice especially when I get to siphon it lol

[dcknipe]

I still need to peroxide dip the frags and clean the remaining sand out. Everything is slowly recovering from the traumatic experience. My blue mushroom was 3in wide and he hasn't came back yet. My rhodactis split from 2 to 5. My Duncan lost its main head by the surrounding 5 recovered. 

[dcknipe]

[SURVEYMAN46123]

17 hours ago, dcknipe said:

The biggest issue with the water I buy is that my lfs uses instant ocean. So it's not geared towards reef tanks. The salinity is always off so I can to add to it to dial it in before I do a water change. I think this could be the culprit but I my sand played a role as well. 

 

In my opinion I think lack of flow also contributed. 

 

The barebottom is actually nice especially when I get to siphon it lol

 

Hmm.   The first year and a half I used instant ocean salt.   However I mix my own and have never had any issues.   I switched to Reef Crystals back in May and have had good results as well.  Some LFS's do not run higher salinity like we do on our home tanks.   Was he pulling his water from his system or is he mixing water on the side for customers?   Also I am using the same pump and nozzle and haven't had issues with flow.   Granted I don't want a strong flow either.   

 

I'm not discounting your assessment, as everyone's tank is different.   

 

Bare bottoms are nice....... Oh you are talking about your tank.   LOL 😉

 

 

 

 

[dcknipe]

So after racking my brain I'm making some changes. Like surveyman said it's possible that I'm getting iffy water from my LFS. I had a couple of tufts of GHA come back but in very small amounts.  

 

I don't have any phosphate test but I've read a bunch of stuff that said my system might have high phosphates which is helping my GHA along. 

 

My nitrates now run between 5-10ppm.

 

I ordered a hydro nano powerhead to add some flow. 

I am also no longer using lfs water. I'll start mixing my own with reef crystals and distilled water. 

 

I also have some purigen, phosguard, and some more chemi pure blue nano on the way. 

 

 

I very lightly feed my two fish every other day and my corals 2 times every 7 days. 

 

Also my lighting schedule on the a80 is from 3pm to 10pm. 100% intensity and 60% color. 

 

 

So hopefully I'll be able to nail the GHA issue in a bit the head. 

 

In other news I got a Yuma for 20$. The Lfs didn't notice it has 4 heads on on the piece of coral its attached to. Score! 

 

Also my Duncan that had 1 head when I got it now has 5 surrounding it but the main head that I thought died is now poking back out of the center. 

 

Not sure what kind it is buts it's beautiful. 

[HookedOnAquariums]

Where are you located in arkasas? I'm living in bentonville right now. maybe we could trade frags sometime.

[dcknipe]

2 hours ago, HookedOnAquariums said:

Where are you located in arkasas? I'm living in bentonville right now. maybe we could trade frags sometime.

Jonesboro. That would be a long trip for frags lol

[HookedOnAquariums]

9 hours ago, dcknipe said:

Jonesboro. That would be a long trip for frags lol

darn, at least it would be better than my lfs

[dcknipe]

Anyone have any idea what this white egg looking thing us under my yuma

[dcknipe]

So since I've mixed my own water I've noticed a difference from the start. Corals are looking bigger and fuller. 

 

I'm now running chemi pure, phosguard, and purigen. 

 

I also noticed my red sea testing kit expired two years ago. Smh.  New one is on the way and I'll adjust my media per the results. 

 

 

[dcknipe]

[SURVEYMAN46123]

On 10/13/2018 at 8:03 PM, dcknipe said:

Nice!

 

 

[dcknipe]

So I broke down and got some sand.  I like the barebottom but I'm such a small tank I just think it was wonky without sand.  I got some australian gold which looks pretty nice. 

 

I finally got rid of two pieces of LR that I got from my LFS.  I just didn't feel they were quality LR.  I kept my large original piece of LR that started out dry. I also added some of my original live rock to create a crescent moon shape in my tank. 

 

After talking with surveyman who is basically my reef tank psychiatrist. 

I'm going to stop chasing number and just let the tank do its thing. I'm such a perfectionist that this tank is giving me high blood pressure with all the hiccups. 

 

 

Needless to say if I ever get a 50 gallon and up I'll be reef keeping with my eyes closed. Lol

 

Oh and my Kenya tree is pissed from all the moving around.  I did the toothpick through the base/ rubberband around a frag plug and today the base disintegrating and fell off the plug.  Sigh. 

 

 

Btw every is still pissed from the moving and not fully open

 

[LogicalReefs]

Nice looking tank. That GSP is nice looking. You gonna let it grow all over that side are gonna wall it off with some other corals?

[HookedOnAquariums]

1 hour ago, dcknipe said:

So I broke down and got some sand.  I like the barebottom but I'm such a small tank I just think it was wonky without sand.  I got some australian gold which looks pretty nice. 

 

I finally got rid of two pieces of LR that I got from my LFS.  I just didn't feel they were quality LR.  I kept my large original piece of LR that started out dry. I also added some of my original live rock to create a crescent moon shape in my tank. 

 

After talking with surveyman who is basically my reef tank psychiatrist. 

I'm going to stop chasing number and just let the tank do its thing. I'm such a perfectionist that this tank is giving me high blood pressure with all the hiccups. 

 

 

Needless to say if I ever get a 50 gallon and up I'll be reef keeping with my eyes closed. Lol

 

Oh and my Kenya tree is pissed from all the moving around.  I did the toothpick through the base/ rubberband around a frag plug and today the base disintegrating and fell off the plug.  Sigh. 

 

 

Btw every is still pissed from the moving and not fully open

 

Woot Woot. looks great keep up the work. Hearing stability and not parameters made going sw so much easier honestly. Any fish friends in there yet? or just some corals that i may just steal in the night. (mainly the gsp)

[dcknipe]

Just a green clown goby who sits on every coral I have and a six line wrasse. Once it's all stable from the new sand I'll add one more fish.   Either a pygmy perchlet or a blenny of some sort. 

 

As far as the GSP goes honestly I love GSP so if it takes over a rock I'm fine with it.  Plus my GSP is ultra neon. It won't choke out anything I have on the rocks right now.  Once everything is good I'm going to add sun corals and a rainbow torch

[HookedOnAquariums]

21 minutes ago, dcknipe said:

Just a green clown goby who sits on every coral I have and a six line wrasse. Once it's all stable from the new sand I'll add one more fish.   Either a pygmy perchlet or a blenny of some sort. 

 

As far as the GSP goes honestly I love GSP so if it takes over a rock I'm fine with it.  Plus my GSP is ultra neon. It won't choke out anything I have on the rocks right now.  Once everything is good I'm going to add sun corals and a rainbow torch

I'm not sure about the six line in a ten gallon. I was contemplating one in mine but decided against it due to swimming dimensions. Switching it out for a pygmy tanakas or a PSW would be advisable

[dcknipe]

7 minutes ago, HookedOnAquariums said:

I'm not sure about the six line in a ten gallon. I was contemplating one in mine but decided against it due to swimming dimensions. Switching it out for a pygmy tanakas or a PSW would be advisable

My wrasse is about a inch and a half long.  When he gets bigger I'll donate him.  He isnt a super active swimmer. 

[dcknipe]

So I did a thing today.  Visited a awesome reef store in st louis. The owner was super helpful and had some amazing nano show reefs in his store. 

 

I added a orange pavona, meteor shower, Jacko latern lepto, and a setosa montipora. 

 

I'll have to add some more rock to the back for height so I can put the pavona and montipora on it but I'm stoked. 

 

I also lost my six line wrasse. He picked a fight with my hydor and lost. 

 

But I added a flametail blenny. 

 

 

 

[dcknipe]

I also ordered a mini magnetic frag rack which will be in this week. 

 

 

Oh and I'm adding a bag of seachem matrix to the back.  I was going to get a marinepure brick but I've read a bunch and people really like the matrix. 

[dcknipe]

So alot has happen since my last update.

 

I lost the lepto, pavona, candy canes, 2 rhodactis, and meteor shower.  My ATO float got stuck by a tiny sponge which caused my salinity to spike to almost 1.035.  I've been extremely busy and have been traveling.  So it was just another reminder on how fragile a nano can be.

 

So after my tank crash I decided I need to really focus on making this tank blossom.  Its now two year old and its been a rough road.

 

First thing I did was snag a huge center piece of LR that is covered with coralline from my buddies tank which I'm pretty stoked about!  I decided I need to upgrade from my kessil. The kessil is a great little light but I need something more powerful that can actually give some real PAR for my tank.  So I picked up an AI Prime HD and I also added a Aqamai KPS for more flow.  The AI Prime HD really is an amazing little light.  I instantly noticed my corals really digging the light but dang I miss that kessil shimmer.

 

I now run floss>Chemi pure blue, Phosguard, Seachem matrix.  This combo has really turned my tanks health around.  I used to run high nitrates around 20ppm+ constantly.  I now run 0-5ppm.  I also micro dose microbacter7 when I feed.  I'm trying not to feed any dry foods and this has also really helped.

 

 

 

So its been running like a well oiled clock so I decided to see if I could get the infamous bubble tip/ clown combo. When I picked them up I also got a tiny fighting conch.

 

I added a Green Bubble Tip Anemone.  This thing is beautiful!  He looks really healthy and has been doing great this past week.  He is eating and has nice bulbs!

I also added a Extreme Snowflake Clown and a Snow Onyx Clown.  They are both doing great and have instantly bonded.  One thing that has me concerned is the snowflake kind of has a damaged fin that is kinda white.  It isn't ICH, it appears to have been from stress maybe? its not a white dot but a white area on the bottom part of his tail fin.  I've been keeping a close eye on him.  I can't get a good picture of them yet but when I do I'll post it.

 

Everything in the tank is really kicking ass right now and I hope it stays that way.

 

 

I'm running AB+ low power on the AI Prime right now which seems pretty good.  Has any fellow Ai primer's had better luck with the pirates of the Caribbean or David saxby's presets?

I feel like that are blue almost all day where the AB+ appears more natural to me.