7mo old 20gal. reef build in progress

[Wchristenbury]

I started my build at the beginning of January 2018. It is a JBJ 20gal nano cube. I began with the AIO tank,a ice cap gyre, and an innovative marine ATO resivoir supported by an optical smart ATO. Not until July did I decide to add a sump. Below I now run an eshopps nano cube refugium, eshopps x-120 skimmer, innovative marine chaeto max refugium light, same ATO, and algae barn chaeto. I continue to use activated carbon and chemi-pure blue in the Aquariums filtration section. This will continue until I decide on which carbon and gfo reactors I want. Would also like to add a UV sterilizer in the near future. I will continue to post pictures as I progress with this tank. 

(P.s. I have a controllable WiFi Camera on the side so I can monitor / enjoy my tank from out of town. I spend months at a time away for work. Luckally my Fiancé likes me enough to perform minimal maintenance while I’m gone. )

[banasophia]

Wow, nice setup! Very cool with the camera so you can still enjoy while you’re away. Looking forward to following. 

[Wchristenbury]

I recently added a coralife 9watt UV sterilizer. New pink torch coral also added.

[banasophia]

Love the torch!!! Where did you get it?

[ray0790]

Nice set up I’m contemplating putting a sump on my nano 

[NanoRox]

#sumpenvy

[Wchristenbury]

I bought the Torch from my LFS. I live in Memphis. The store is called Memfish. Quite punny I may say.

[TatorTaco]

1 hour ago, Wchristenbury said:

I bought the Torch from my LFS. I live in Memphis. The store is called Memfish. Quite punny I may say.

How's their coral selection and pricing?  I'm in Little Rock and the closest LFS is a bit steep on their pricing. 

[Wchristenbury]

Honestly the selection is limited. Being one of the only stores in town they sell the majority of livestock within a few days of its arrival. Multiple shipments come each week. You have to be there at the right moment. Another store opened called Main Drain Aquatics. I am going to check it out tomorrow.

[Wchristenbury]

I ordered my hammer coral and Duncan coral online. One from bluezooaquatics and the other from liveaquaria I believe. 

[Christopher Marks]

31 minutes ago, Wchristenbury said:

Another store opened called Main Drain Aquatics

Now that's a LFS name! 🤣

 

Let us know how it goes!

[Wchristenbury]

Main Drain had a good selection compared to memfish. The store was not as esthetic to the eye. They had a descent saltwater livestock / coral selection. I have had a few deaths this week. On of my clowns jumped from the tank. I also had an abnormally fast growing hermit crab that managed to wedge himself between two rocks. He left his shell in an attempt to survive. I believe my flame hawk fish got to him while he was vanuerable. Also my newly added bubble tip anemone began to lose most of its color. It detached itself and eventually landed in a dead spot in the corner. I placed it on the rock but it would not attach it’s self. I could not get it to eat either. Fearing it my expel toxic “waste” I sent it down my main drain. I feared my water parameters may have been off due to my Duncan closing up as well. He stayed closed for 5 days so I moved him. Opened up the next morning. I use a Red Sea year kit and have a RO/DI unit I attach to my Fiancé sink. No TDS in my top off. Also my pH was stable and my nitrate, nitrite, and phosphate were not traceable. I run two heaters to ensure I keep my temperature stable and also in case one fails. The picture of the anemone was taken the day after arrival.

[banasophia]

Aww.. rough week! I was surprised to hear your clown jumped, I was thinking you had a lid?

[Clown79]

Nice tank.

 

Sorry to hear about the rough times. We all have them and it sucks but then something good happens. 

 

 

 

 

[Wchristenbury]

I removed my lid to accommodate my AI prime / sump plumbing. I bought the aqua gadget DIY lid ( awful product in my opinion ) and I still have a gap in the back that’s about 2.5” open. He often would jump into the rear filtration compartment. I figured that’s where he would be. Not this time. I believe my dog may have made him into a small treat. I still have not found the fish.

[Wchristenbury]

Sorry for the late reply. I have been out of town for work the past month. My torch coral completely bleached.... it is still alive though. I have relocated it to a calmer / darker area of the tank. Hopefully it recovers. Made an impulse buy at my LFS. Bought a 10 headed frog spawn 😳. Just placed him in the tank in the pictures. I have turned my gyre pump down and set my AI prime on a three week acclimation period to slowly introduce it to the lighting. I hope all goes well.

[Wchristenbury]

Here is the frogspawn after opening most of the way up.

[Wchristenbury]

When I purchased my torch coral there was a mass on one side of it. The owner of one of my LFS inspected it and figured that whatever it once was is now dead. It’s been weeks since the purchase. In an earlier post I explained how the coral has not been doing very well. I moved the coral and have been keeping a close eye on it. Today I saw something quite unexpected. The “mass” on the side opened up. It’s a clam! Quite the hitchhiker I would say.  It’s hard to see in the pics. I’m not quite sure what type of clam it is.