Returning Reefer - Seeking Thoughts - Especially Live Rock, Cycling, and New Tech

[MVBrandt]

Hi folks,

 

Been trolling for a few weeks, reading a variety of posts. I'm returning to the hobby after a 17 year hiatus, before which I worked in marine aquaria professionally for a number of years, taking care of reefs both large (3000G+) and small for an aquarium service company as one of my "first" jobs, and before that worked as a dolphin trainer out in HI.

 

Problem is, there's SOOO MUCH NEW information, debate, technology, gear, opinion, etc. 

 

I've got my "rig" on the way, and input there is welcome, but I'm feeling comfortable the set-up matches both the location the tank will go in and the direction I generally feel comfortable with.

 

Rig - 

Innovative Marine Peninsula 14, with Kessil Tuna Blue A160 + Controller

I picked up IM's DC skimmer fit for the 14 (and others), and their chamber caddy upgrade over a simple filter sock

I've got an AQAMI KPS wavemaker for in-tank flow, and stuck with the "stock" pump that comes /w the 14 after a lot of digging, at least for now

I've picked up ATO and other gear to cover prepped water for WCs, ATO (though the tank will be desktop in my WFH office), etc.

I've got a Chaetomax light for the back, to leverage for one of the compartments for a "mini-fuge" ...; and have been looking at AlgaeBarn for pods & chaeto (this is my first question - AlgaeBarn wasn't a thing as far as I recall when I was in the hobby, nor was really getting easy access to live pods / etc.)

 

I no longer have an infrastructure / network of local hobbyists who I know here in Washington, DC, so I don't have easy access to much, plus it's the Coronatime. So keep that in mind in re: recs about things like getting buddies' seed material.

 

One thing I'm seeing a lot more varied opinion on than there used to be is Live Rock. "Back in the day," it was the only real option - while plenty of experienced reefers started dry, I never did, and my last personal nano was one of my favorite tanks ever explicitly because I snagged really well cured but heavily populated live rock and got all kinds of good critters. I can "deal" with most hitchhikers, but I'm a bit at a loss as to how many I'm really going to get if I go with some of the online suppliers. The local stores to me have sworn off live rock themselves, which caught me off guard, so my only real supply option is online. I've seen a few, heard recs from many, seen plenty of youtube unboxing videos, but I'm looking for strong opinions on which direction to go here. There are also all kinds of dry rock options that didn't exist previously, and I can't tell which ones do what (everything from pH buffeirng to ease of use to how much of a pain they are to "dust off" prior to putting them in the tank).

 

I'm curious about the Kessil and whether it can handle tridacnids and/or SPS (I'm not super keen on trdiacnids given the tiny tank size, but I want to gauge opinion on the light); LED fixtures weren't a real serious option "in my time."

 

The live rock question is my biggest one; I've had nanos with really high caliber rock that's not experienced much die off cycle uber quick, and I've seen tanks take forever. I really don't know what to expect. Also, the Indo Pacific seeding packages, how are those? What other microfauna seeding packages exist and are recommended if I go with less live rock and more dry? (Having a really diverse microfauna population in the tank is critical to me - which is part of why I lean live).

 

Thanks and pleased to be here!

[Clown79]

Hello and Welcome.

 

A lot has changed and continues to change in this hobby.

 

We once religiously believed in 0 nutrients and over filtration and now that is one thing that has changed, particularly with nano's. It's very easy to over filter a nano.

 

We also believed that nano's were impossible, skimmers a must, more light the better etc etc.

 

All of that has been proven to not be fact.

 

 

Liverock- most stores don't sell liverock due to the laws on collection of liverock. Some stores sell liverock from hobbyists who get out of the hobby or they cycle the rocks themselves to provide established rocks to customers.

 

Dry rock has become favourable to many because it's an easy option, friendly to the environment, and lack of hitch hikers. 

 

 

I myself have preferred liverock or a mix of liverock and dry rock. I love caribsea liferock, great shapes, looks good, dormant bacteria spores in it, and it glues really well. Easy to break too to create cooler aquascapes. 

 

Algaebarn is a recommended source for algae and pods.

 

I have seeded my tank a few times with pods but definitely would recommend after cycling. Phyto dosing will he required for them to reproduce as it's their #1 food source plus detritus.

 

The kessil light is more than plenty for the 14g. 

 

The aqamai is a great wavemaker and you can do a lot with it if you are inclined to.

 

As for the stock pump, depends on the tank model you got. If it cane with the mighty jet pump, there is no need for upgrading it, it's a fantastic return pump.

A lot of ppl upgrade the original IM pumps because they are a bit weak and were noisy for some.

[MVBrandt]

Thanks for the input; it's the newer model witht he Mighty Jet, and it did seem like plenty at 350 gph for a 14g, with the aqamai in-tank for wave irregularity and circulation.

 

I'm clear on the phyto for pods ... given the desire for microfauna and hefty corals / etc. I planned phyto dosing regardless.

 

Opinions on amino acid dosing, indo-pacific seed packages (i.e. mud, etc.)? 

 

You're a rockstar for the input!

[Clown79]

6 minutes ago, MVBrandt said:

Thanks for the input; it's the newer model witht he Mighty Jet, and it did seem like plenty at 350 gph for a 14g, with the aqamai in-tank for wave irregularity and circulation.

 

I'm clear on the phyto for pods ... given the desire for microfauna and hefty corals / etc. I planned phyto dosing regardless.

 

Opinions on amino acid dosing, indo-pacific seed packages (i.e. mud, etc.)? 

 

You're a rockstar for the input!

The mighty jet is pretty cool, I love the options and it is powerful.

 

I have an aqamai too. It's great. Not a forceful pump, more gentle. Love how directional it is and it's small. 

 

I don't do amino dosing or vitamins. Waterchanges and food can provide enough in a nano. Never saw a difference when I used these products besides algae.

 

I just feed reef roids and dose phyto 1 time a week.

[lizzyann]

I don't have much comparative experience for most of your questions but have been doing a lot of research on clams and lighting recently and apparently led lights have improved GREATLY since you were last in the game and all the popular high quality leds like kessil, ai prime, and such should be find for SPS and clams, depending on exact placement in the tank and led intensity settings and such. It's kinda funny to me researching this as occasionally I will come across a thread that states LEDs won't cut it for clams, then I just realize I forgot to check the date and the thread is just from 10-15 years ago.

[mitten_reef]

The DC/MD/VA area is full of nice LFS, varying positives for each of them. There was a thread recently that is based around LFS in DC/VA, can’t think of the name (it’s under general discussion about LFS being dishonest/unfair or something rather). There also are a few people on here that I recognize as being from D/M/V area. 

 

anyway, live rock vs dry rock. Dry rock works, but I’ve seen more lengthy tank maturation process than live rocks, and a fair share of failure as well as many just never got over the hump. Definitely don’t do dry rock + no sand.  Not to say that you don’t get similar success/failure ratio with actual live rocks either.  But failures definitely come in different form for tanks that start with dry vs wet live rocks. 
 

you have a solid equipment list. I would recommend holding off on using the Chaetomax until you start feeding heavily and fully stock your tank. You want your tank to learn how to process its own wastes before exporting. 
 

led light - don’t get bogged down by programmable/controllable discussion settings what you like and let the corals acclimate with it just like the old school. 

[MVBrandt]

And now I've run into a problem I faced back in the day. I secured super mature rock from a LFS and I'm straight into Nitrates. >.<

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, MVBrandt said:

And now I've run into a problem I faced back in the day. I secured super mature rock from a LFS and I'm straight into Nitrates. >.<

Nitrates are an evil thing anymore.

[MVBrandt]

I just mean ... 0 cycle. I would prefer to have been landing straight in Ammonia land.

[Clown79]

44 minutes ago, MVBrandt said:

I just mean ... 0 cycle. I would prefer to have been landing straight in Ammonia land.

If you are using established liverock, there won't be a cycle, you don't want to see ammonia with liverock