Nano reef contest notification

[This guy is extra salty]

This might be a maybe for me, my boys room might need a little “flair” 

[Ratvan]

On 9/17/2021 at 4:01 PM, seabass said:

  Read through the announcement again, "there are no equipment, livestock, or budget limitations."  So you can put anything in there.

 

And instead of cutting your 10 gallon tank, (since mods are allowed) I would suggest sealing off at least one gallon of capacity instead.  It's not really the intention here, but if the capacity is between 5 and 9 gallons, I'll allow it.

 

That image has given me an idea for a gimmick 

[seabass]

Cycling your tank:

• When using live rock from the ocean (like from KP Aquatics), you just need to wait until ammonia becomes undetectable for a few days.  Fully cured live rock from a local fish store (LFS), or rock taken from a mature reef tank, is usually treated like live rock taken from the ocean.
• When building up a biofilter on dry rock, you should first dose a nitrifying bacteria culture (like Instant Ocean BIO-Spira).  Then: Dose no more than 2ppm of ammonia (like DrTim's Ammonium Chloride) and wait for the ammonia level to drop to 0.25ppm [repeat until your tank can process 2ppm ammonia down to 0.25ppm within 24 hours].
• If using a mixture of dry rock and live rock, first build up the biofilter on the dry rock (as described above), then add the live rock.  Wait until ammonia is undetectable for several days.
• After your tank has established its nitrogen cycle, you can do a large enough water change to lower nutrients to your desired levels.

Testing:

IMO, some people test more than they need, while others don't test enough.  If you can consistently predict your test results, you can reduce how frequently you do that test.  The following are my thoughts on testing.

• An ammonia test kit is useful when establishing the nitrogen cycle.  Afterwards, you can use the test kit if your tank is having problems, or after a death, or for a few days after you added livestock.  Have some Seachem Prime around just in case your tank has an ammonia spike.

• I don't typically ever test nitrite, as it's not as toxic in marine aquaria as it is in freshwater setups.  However, a nitrite test kit is occasionally helpful when dosing ammonium chloride to cycle dry rock (but shouldn't be necessary if you don't dose ammonia above 2ppm).
• Since I don't buffer pH, I typically don't check it.  However, if you are doing something that affects pH (like dosing Kalkwasser), it might be wise to have a pH test kit on hand, and check it occasionally.

• You should always know your tank's nutrient levels (phosphate and nitrate).  These are important nutrients for photosynthesis, so you don't want them to become too low.  Also, excessive nutrients can accelerate algae growth.

• Stony corals (LPS and SPS), as well as coralline algae, require alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium.  Out of these three, alkalinity changes the most quickly.  Therefore we can monitor alkalinity to see if or when dosing might become necessary.  Initially, water changes should be enough to replenish consumed elements.  However, eventually, as stony corals grow and coralline covers your rocks, water changes won't be enough to replenish these elements, and dosing will be required.  Note, an alkalinity test kit, and dosing, are not usually required for a soft coral tank.
• If you start dosing, you'll also need to start testing for (and dosing) calcium and magnesium.

Test kits:

Although, there are several good brands of test kits, I usually recommend Salifert test kits for everything (with perhaps an exception for phosphate).  To detect very low values of phosphate, I recommend using a Hanna ULR Phosphate Checker.  Note that API's phosphate test kit is a high range kit, and not ideal to use for reef tanks.

 

Dosing:

The key to dosing is to maintain stability.  You only want to replenish consumed elements, not elevate elements past the levels of your salt mix.  To maintain alkalinity, some people will use Kalkwasser in their top off water.  However, I find it easier to dose two part solution (while called two part, it's actually three elements: alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium).  Never guesstimate consumption based on a suggestion printed on a supplement's label; instead, always dose based on test results.

 

Reef Parameters:

	Recommended Reef Tank Parameters
	Parameter:	Recommended Reef Tank Values:	Typical Ocean Reef Values:*
	Temperature	76 to 83° F	83 to 86° F
	Salinity	34 to 35 ppt sg = 1.025 to 1.026	34 to 36 ppt sg = 1.025 to 1.027
	Ammonia	Less than 0.1 ppm	Less than 0.1 ppm
	Nitrite	Less than 0.2 ppm	Below 0.0001 ppm
	Nitrate	1 to 10 ppm	Below 0.1 ppm
	Phosphate	0.01 to 0.10 ppm	0.005 ppm
	pH	7.8 to 8.3	8.0 to 8.3
	Alkalinity	2.5 to 4 meq/L 7 to 11 dKH 125 to 200 ppm CaCO3 equivalents	2.5 meq/L 7 dKH 125 ppm CaCO3 equivalents
	Calcium	380 to 450 ppm	420 ppm
	Magnesium	1250 to 1350 ppm	1280 ppm
			* Per Randy Holmes-Farley

[Ratvan]

@seabass some of the info that you have posted in this thread deserves a sticky in the beginners forum, the effort you are putting into this is awesome to see. 

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

Agreed!

[StinkyBunny]

5 hours ago, seabass said:

	Recommended Reef Tank Parameters
	Parameter:	Recommended Reef Tank Values:	Typical Ocean Reef Values:*
	Temperature	76 to 83° F	83 to 86° F
	Salinity	34 to 35 ppt sg = 1.025 to 1.026	34 to 36 ppt sg = 1.025 to 1.027
	Ammonia	Less than 0.1 ppm	Less than 0.1 ppm
	Nitrite	Less than 0.2 ppm	Below 0.0001 ppm
	Nitrate	1 to 10 ppm	Below 0.1 ppm
	Phosphate	0.01 to 0.10 ppm	0.005 ppm
	pH	7.8 to 8.3	8.0 to 8.3
	Alkalinity	2.5 to 4 meq/L 7 to 11 dKH 125 to 200 ppm CaCO3 equivalents	2.5 meq/L 7 dKH 125 ppm CaCO3 equivalents
	Calcium	380 to 450 ppm	420 ppm
	Magnesium	1250 to 1350 ppm	1280 ppm
			* Per Randy Holmes-Farley

Most, if not all of y'all weren't alive the last time I tested for ammonia or nitrite seriously.

[seabass]

1 hour ago, StinkyBunny said:

Most, if not all of y'all weren't alive the last time I tested for ammonia or nitrite seriously.

 

But either you're older than I think you are, or I'm older than you think I am.

[Grundler]

On 9/17/2021 at 3:32 PM, seabass said:

I figure that a lot of the livestock that will be used in this contest, will be taken from other running tanks.  So I wouldn't necessarily disallow running tanks, which are completely broken down for the entry pic, and then set back up.  However, hopefully, there would be some sort of plan to change and/or improve it.  IDK, maybe just using frags from this tank (and the tank itself); or better yet, just use frags from the current tank, in a cool and unconventional container.

If this is the case then I'm in! I have a Lifegard 7 in my office that I'd be happy to place into a new tank of the same type. It'd give me a good opportunity to make some aquascaping tweaks.

[StinkyBunny]

1 hour ago, seabass said:

 

But either you're older than I think you are, or I'm older than you think I am.

Not even close, I bet it was in the late 80s when I tested last in a marine system for ammonia or nitrite. I let you in on a secret, when the diatoms are done, it's safe for critters. 😉 Usually 3 weeks(ish) and you're good to go.

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

2 minutes ago, StinkyBunny said:

Not even close, I bet it was in the late 80s when I tested last in a marine system for ammonia or nitrite. I let you in on a secret, when the diatoms are done, it's safe for critters. 😉 Usually 3 weeks(ish) and you're good to go.

I was definitely alive, but didn’t have any fuzz on my peaches yet. 

[seabass]

7 minutes ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

I was definitely alive, but didn’t have any fuzz on my peaches yet. 

I'm a bit older than you.  Maybe I need to update my avatar.

[Ratvan]

17 minutes ago, StinkyBunny said:

Not even close, I bet it was in the late 80s when I tested last in a marine system for ammonia or nitrite. I let you in on a secret, when the diatoms are done, it's safe for critters. 😉 Usually 3 weeks(ish) and you're good to go.

I would have been a toddler at that point 😂

[StinkyBunny]

If you want a good sturdy fish that isn't mean as a snake, Springer's are about as tough as they come and don't seem to bother anyone other than another Springer's damsel. When my mated pairs are spawning, they'll come after my hand if I'm doing maintenance in the leather run. They have a hell of a lot of personality in a small package. I'll tell you what would be a really cool display is a tall tank, deep sand bed with a pair of shrimp gobies with their commensal shrimp.

[seabass]

While you are free to create your own journal style, I've created the following contest journal template (which you can use if you wish) for an initial post:

 

Contest Journal Title

 

Current Full Tank Shot:

 

Contest Entry Picture:

 

Equipment: (FOR EXAMPLE)

• Tank (5.5 gallons, 16.25" x 8.375" x 10.5")
• PAR38 Reef LED Bulb
• AquaClear 20 HOB Filter

 

Livestock: (FOR EXAMPLE)

• Toadstoal Leather Coral
• Yellow Clown Goby
• Scarlet Reef Hermit
• 2 Astrea Snails

 

Highlight Links: (FOR EXAMPLE)

• Entry Pic
• Tank Modifications
• New Lighting
• Filter Modifications
• Aquascaping Live Rock
• Cleanup Crew Addition
• New Clown Goby
• Contest Summary
• Addition Clown Goby
• NOTE: You can get the URL for a particular post by clicking on this share icon in the top right corner of each post.

        

 

[banasophia]

16 minutes ago, seabass said:

While you are free to create your own journal style, I've created the following contest journal template (which you can use if you wish) for an initial post:

 

Contest Journal Title

 

Current Full Tank Shot:

 

Contest Entry Picture:

 

Equipment: (FOR EXAMPLE)

• Tank (5.5 gallons, 16.25" x 8.375" x 10.5")
• PAR38 Reef LED Bulb
• AquaClear 20 HOB Filter

 

Livestock: (FOR EXAMPLE)

 

• Toadstoal Leather Coral
• Yellow Clown Goby
• Scarlet Reef Hermit
• 2 Astrea Snails

 

Highlight Links: (FOR EXAMPLE)

• Entry Pic
• Tank Modifications
• New Lighting
• Filter Modifications
• Aquascaping Live Rock
• Cleanup Crew Addition
• New Clown Goby
• Contest Summary
• Addition Clown Goby
• NOTE: You can get the URL for a particular post by clicking on this share icon in the top right corner of each post.

        

 

I love this format - thanks for sharing!

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

1 hour ago, seabass said:

I'm a bit older than you. 

So you’re saying you had fuzz on your peaches in the late 80s?

 

1 hour ago, seabass said:

Maybe I need to update my avatar.

I think your avatar is perfect. In fact, I’d even call it iconic. When I see it, I know exactly who’s post I’m reading. 

[banasophia]

Peaches haha… I thought peaches were butts 😂🤣 I’m so confused 

[seabass]

What about a Star Wars theme?

         

 

A single clownfish with a Finding Nemo theme?

    

 

Harry Potter?

[Snow_Phoenix]

1 hour ago, seabass said:

What about a Star Wars theme?

         

 

A single clownfish with a Finding Nemo theme?

    

 

Harry Potter?

I saw that Star Wars walker being sold online here. They called it 'robot dog'. 😅

[seabass]

A few possible themes:

• Neon Sea
• Simply Green
• Mangrove Cove
• My Cool Tide Pool
• Blenny and the Jets
• Goby Reef's - Red Solo Cup
• My Little Ponies (Dwarf Seahorses)

 

[ef4life]

58 minutes ago, Snow_Phoenix said:

I saw that Star Wars walker being sold online here. They called it 'robot dog'. 😅

My mom always called the atat toy that I had a dog too 

[Tamberav]

Can’t put your reef in the office?

 

Put an office in your reef! 

 

[StinkyBunny]

1 hour ago, Tamberav said:

Can’t put your reef in the office?

 

Put an office in your reef! 

 

I was thinking that you could do an office machine theme. Cut them out of rock with diamond burrs and cover with a nice Red Digi. a Red Swingline Stapler.

[seabass]

Carboy-hydrates theme

• Sugar fine sand
• Spaghetti worms
• Pineapple sponges
• Candy Cane Coral
• Gumdrop Coral Croucher

[seabass]

So what could you do with a freshwater tank?

• NPS
• Macroalgae
• FOWLR