PLACE MY SCAPE - Where would you move these into new setup?

[OfficeReefer]

Hello Community!

 I've had a Fluval Evo XII set up within my remote office for just over a year now and decided it was time for something more functional within an office-like setup. Not to say Fluval wouldn't work in an office, it certainly has however I'm not a fan of the design and the live rock I started out with, seemed just a tad too much for its volume.

 

One of the largest challenges is that this office runs far warmer than most, with approximately 200sqft consisting of several computers, servers, LED screens, networking, a meeting/presentation display and the occasional foot traffic for the laser printer. This results in requirements for constant top off or doing the same for an ATO (as there is no plumbing into this room). In summer, I usually can keep the office from going over 78F but in the winter, the room heats itself. It also didn't help that I decided to ditch the stock Fluval lighting then upgrade to the full spectrum lights with the ad-hoc Wifi controller and Fluval app. After several months, it seemed better to have used the Fluval timer I bought originally for the stock canopy lighting, but I digress. In all circumstances, the tank simply hasn't received the love it could have as typically work takes precedence of anything else.

 

Here's another image of the tank after two months with stock lighting. Being that I was using stable live rock and waiting weeks before adding any life, I still expected some challenges. In this month, I had diatoms and then GHA issues, which were expected. Note - The wrasse decided it was time for a jump once I switched to the upgraded lighting and ditched the canopy. The plate coral was really interesting and until I owned it, I didn't know that species did not respawn at death as others therefore I permitted the GSP to overtake it (where it resides only today).

 

As the tank really became more of a discussion piece, I ended up doing an upgrade on the lighting to the Fluval Sea 2.0 25K with the ad-hoc Wifi app. Aside of the disappointing ad-hoc or direct-connect LED controller, the lighting itself added some ambiance to the tank that was missing. I added some feather dusters and hermit crabs as I used Fiji sand and hoped keeping it clean in this size tank would be easier. However, during this time - my anemone continued to shrink over the months. This was most unfortunate too as the clownfish, Spot - came paired with it. I added a green torch coral as shown just before this and some sort of acropora afterwards.

 

Here's the tank after the upgraded lighting was added.

 

 

 

After the plate coral and wrasse moved on with the open canopy, I decided to consider some other mixed coral frags and the like. The feather dusters all disappeared from the sand and the rock became covered with them instead. During the last holiday season, as I was out for travel most of the time - I switched to using aged tap water that had been provided to me and prepared with the salt I had on hand for water changes. Turns out, that water had heavy mineral content that was added, resulting in out of control algae and a depleting sand-bed. While I retuned to using the LFS RO premixed water afterwards, it too was still leaving minerals in my transport containers. With the bio load growing in the tank, mushrooms appearing and other corals frags taking hold of the rock, I had to consider other things beside skimming. Turning the light cycles down on the lighting seemed to work but no matter what, I was losing sand volume during cleaning.

 

Searching for a more perfect and turnkey approach in a newer tank design, I chose the BioCube 16 (LED model) with the typical (required) upgrades. I had a BioCube about 10 years ago and I liked it well enough for its simplicity. It has tons of native upgrades and while the lighting isn't quite as ideal as the Fluval upgrade, it seems sufficient for the livestock (minus the ones YOU VOTE ON!). At one time in life, fish and corals were all that needed my care and attention but at this point, they are a pinnacle focal point for mental restraint during conference calls of boredom or substance, the meetings about meetings and so on.

 

As I move into the new BioCube 16, I want everyone to VOTE on what I should or could move to the new tank. Obviously, some of these are already fixed to the rock and some I do not know what they are, such as the sponge-like substance from the zoos and the annoying flesh-like trees that somehow came off the tiny rock they started on. I'm now using my own RODI water and mixing salt myself, but I know that my lighting will not be quite the same but having another three gallons of water volume and another gallon in the sump area is a big bonus. If anyone has any comments or thoughts, please leave them below and I'll incorporate them into my new journal for the BioCube 16!

 

Thank you,

OfficeReefer

[Matteo]

I would break the rock up. More interesting looking than one big one.