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Elwoods IM 14 peninsula 2.0


Elwood Dowd

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My first go around with this tank found a skarknose goby on the carpet, a candy pistol shrimp adrift and dead, and my favorite frogspawn slowly withering away.  It is/was time for a reboot.  We are shooting for Sps heavy with various pieces of lps and softies to round out the gravel and shaded areas.

 

New equipment, new set up. It has been installed on top of my bedroom desk.  I am using the cabinet space in the desk for all of the controllers and equipment. Stocking is light as I am waiting on a few test pieces of coral to do what they do and direct me in the right path.

 

Stock:

-Black and white misbar Ocellaris.

-Blue spot watchman goby.

-Peppermint shrimp because I found an aptaisia.

-Emerald crab and vibrant because my previously used lighting, rapid led daylight reef par 38 only grew bubble algea.

-Kenya tree.

-About 30 rastas and 5 gatorade zoas

- A few green stars to help me get my undertow/flow situation figured out (they are leaving as soon as i can).

-A 10 dollar acro frag. 

-Mind trick monti that my orange tail puffer decided was delicious in my main display tank.

 

I really dont like using corals as test cases for my lighting and current.  But I lack the experience to nail things down the first time.

 

 

 

-14g IM peninsula with IM media basket, carbon, and filter floss with ceramic bio beads.

 

-Jebao dcw-2000 return pump

 

-DIY mame skimmer made from gravel vac and Hidom 550 air pump. I am building a more presentable acrylic unit but currently am waiting on supplies to be delivered.

 

-75 watt Cobalt neo-therm on a inkbird itc-308 temp controller and a farenheight lab grade thermo to keep an extra eye on the temp.

 

-IM hydrofill controller on the original IM 14 peninsula return pump in a old salt bucket for an ATO

 

-Old Jebao RW-4 wave maker for current.

 

-AI Prime HD using BRS coral lab settings on a 2 hour ramp with 9 hour photo cycle and whites up to 24 from 19. Mounted 9 inches over the water surface. I am also using actlimation mode.  From 50% to full intensity over 2 months.

 

Please do not hesitate to criticize and guide me.  

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DIY reef glass clone in action.  

 

1 1/4 inch OD acrylic tube cut to 12" in length.

 

#5 1/2. Two hole rubber stopper. One hole drilled out with a 3/8 drill bit.

 

Eldon James L0-6PP 90 degree 3/8 barbed hose fitting with barb cut off on stopper side.

 

3/16 rigid airline tube

 

Check balve and an air flow valve 

 

 

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This skimmer is pulling some crud out already. It is crazy how simple it is.  Anyway, I have everything needed for a second unit.  If someone wants it, PM me.  You will need to buy 3/8 hose for the waste line, limewood air stones, and an air pump (the $9.99 hidom 550 I bought on amazon is working very well and is quiet). 

 

I will send the acrylic tube, a pre-drilled stopper, the rigid air line, check valve, air flow valve, 3/16 air hose, and all of the fittings you need to use this on your nano.  All you have to do is email me me a shipping label.  I work nights so be patient I will respond this evening. 

Edited by Elwood Dowd
Edited for typos. There are more I missed. I am sure.
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Re-did my rockscape. When I am laying in bed trying to sleep, I wanted to be able to view my tank.  All I could see was a side of the arch.  So, I flipped the arch over and cranked up the prime HD.  Hopefully this light can give me SPS level par values at depth.

 

The new rockscape allows me to view much more of the tank and gives me tons more room for corals.  

 

Now all i need to do is find an incredible piece of acro to put at the peak of this scape while I am still in the early stages of light acclimation. If anyone looks at this thread besides me I am willing to take reccomendations on what piece of acro to place in the circled area of the photo.  I am thinking jason fox/wwc types of acro.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sometimes the solution to a problem presents its self.  I keep my nitrates around 3-5 ppm. It takes 2.5 weeks to get from 2 ppm to 5.  If I could emulate what my larger tank does I would be happy.   I know that a 14 gallon nano cannot be as stable as a 80 gallon system.   I was in my garage looking for tools that my wife refuses to put in the correct place after using them.   I found them inside of a 5 gallon rimmed aqueon tank I have never used and have no idea why I have it. 

 

I am spending the next week turning said 5g tank into a sump.  This solves so many problems.  Room for carbon and filter floss chambers versus the tiny packets of carbon and the 2"x2" filter floss squares that fit in my media caddy. 

 

I have some red razor and portieria jn my display.  It does ok under 20k lighting from my AI prime.  But doesnt flourish.   I also really don't want it in my display.   This also allows me to remove the media caddy and use a filtersock in my back chamber.   The idea of having a filtersock and heater only in my back chambers is quite appealing.

 

This IM 14 peninsula is getting bean animaled with 1/2 pvc. Am I going overboard? 

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I think I am done with corals.  Unless I find an awesome piece that I must have. Or if my AI prime HD proves capable of growing acros/montis in the lower 1/3, 7 or so inches off center.

 

1 unknown long polyped acro with purple skin on the shaded side & raspberry colored on the side that is getting blasted wiyh light, fuchsia coralites and lime green polyps.

 

Superman Monti digitata

 Monti setosa

Tropic thunder monti

Garf Bonsai

Mindtrick monti

Rasta and gatorades at the gravel

Candycane 

Green with purple tips frogspawn

Purple with pink tip frogspawn

Kenya tree that I gave away, but has not been collected yet.

 

And my recipe for disaster: an RBTA.  It needs to go to my main reef or the LFS. Its about 4 inches across now.  But stays put and is in the only spot in the tank it has room to grow.  Regardless, the second it starts moving that foot, its going to go live with its mom.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Acros were browning. Montis weren't growing.  So, one month ago I changed my lighting from the BRS schedule using acclimation mode. to this:

 

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the acros and monties have not only colored up but I am getting growth out of them I am pleased.  at peak photocycle my schedule is putting out 39 watts.

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  • 3 months later...
Elwood Dowd

Update. 3.5 months on my light schedule. Still run the diy mame clone skimmer. I installed a 5 gal sump.  The sump is lit with a led grow bulb for the cheato.  Still buying corals as I find pieces I like.

 

Over the holidays, my firefish stuck herself just past the gills into a hole in a rock and couldn't back out, she died. I happened to be out of town for 2 weeks on Christmas holiday while this happened.  The following ammonia spike nuked a lot of life.  Nearly killed my mind trick, turned my tropic thunder gray, burned the tips on my bubblegum Digi, and last but not least, my mili sucked it's polyps up.  Everything is recovering nicely.  The only things that are not back 100% are my raspberry mili, and my tropic thunder.  Both are recovering but not there yet.

 

 

Shots from all three sides. Front, short side, back.

 

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