Reef Casa Studio 12 Dream Build

[416Reefer]

 

The Studio 12 is still growing in nicely.  It's starting to consume more alkalinity so I may look at getting a dosing pump rather than adding it by hand throughout the week.  All of the corals are still looking good and growing well.  Although I like the Electric Daisy stylo on the top ledge may be getting too much light.  I really want it up there so I am going to leave it and hope it adjusts.  I also accidentally broke off a piece of the green goddess birdsnest so I glued it on the top ledge with the other little SPS pieces.  

 

My rockflowers are on the move again and have decided to hang out in the back corner.  I've decided not to bother trying to move them, they will go where they are going to go!

 

The next plan is to add a few mushrooms or something similar to the vertical ledges so they don't look so pronounced.  I'm reluctant to do anything encrusting since I don't want them taking over the tank.  Suggestions would be welcome!

 

 

[banasophia]

Looking great… I really love the variety of corals you’ve stocked. It would be nice to test the PAR measurements for the Halo light to figure out how strong it is. Are you happy with your light schedule now? 

[416Reefer]

and.... the RFAs are on the move again!  It used to annoy me but now I just find it hilarious when I wake up in the morning to find them somewhere totally unpredictable.  I am going to stop trying to move them back and just let them do their thing.

 

Right now I have 2 main focuses on this tank.. the first is to continue to cover up some of the vertical ledges so that they are less visible.  I moved one of my acan frags off of the sandbed and attached it to the rockwork.  I will let it grow for a couple of months and see how it does.  If that doesn't work I will try the frogspawn that was suggested or maybe another avelopora.  I added a zoa rock that wasn't doing great in my other tank to see if it's happier in this one.  It still looks like it's "reaching" for more light but I'm hesitant to turn my lights up any higher.  I will see how it goes.

 

My other main goal is to try and get the dosing down to more of a science rather than "I feel like I should add some All For Reef".  I know how to calculate consumption rates for alkalinity but for some reason I have been reluctant to bother for this tank but I think it might be time.  I may also get a single head dosing pump so automate the process.  

 

In terms of issues I am finding that my sandbed is becoming dirty on an almost daily basis.  I have a few nassarius snails but I am considering adding either a starfish or conch.  I'm not sure if the tank is big enough for a sand sifting starfish and I'm worried that a conch will be a bulldozer and knock over my smaller frags.  The one I have in my other tank doesn't stay on the sandbed and I am constantly re gluing corals that he knocks over. 

 

Still very happy with the tank and no major issues this far... this little Studio 12 continues to impress.

[416Reefer]

 

Not much has changed in terms of the corals this week (this is becoming a recurring theme)

 

So this week I thought I'd share how I am trying to make my Neptune Apex do double duty and control two tanks.

 

After a scare with a heater in my larger system I decided to add both an inkbird controller to both tanks as well as an Apex.   When I first started in the hobby I thought that an Apex was an unnecessary expense but as I've invested more and more time and resources into the tanks I changed my tune.  Almost losing my larger system due to user error (yup. my fault) I decided that I had played with fire for long enough.

 

The system monitors the PH and temperature of my big tank but I have set it up to also control all the key parts of the Reef Casa studio tank as well.  My Inkbird controller is Wifi and will send me a message if the temperature in the Studio 12 gets too high and I can turn off the heater remotely using the Apex (I know.. double redundancy)  I have also set up a feed mode for the Studio 12 that will turn off the return pump (and have set it up to turn off the skimmer too once I get around to adding it)  

 

I know I am just scratching the surface of what the Apex can do but it was a fun project to try and figure out some workarounds to allow me to make it do double duty on both tanks.  I know I say now that I would neve bother to set it up to do an automatic water change.... but that would be very convenient!  Who knows... maybe one day!

 

[Lebowski_]

On 4/3/2023 at 12:54 AM, banasophia said:

Looking great… I really love the variety of corals you’ve stocked. It would be nice to test the PAR measurements for the Halo light to figure out how strong it is. Are you happy with your light schedule now? 

One of the reasons I did not go with the Halo was I just couldn't find enough info on it, or user corroboration. Still interested in trying it on a future tank. Some of the results we've seen on this forum have been impressive so far.

[416Reefer]

On 4/16/2023 at 9:35 PM, Lebowski_ said:

One of the reasons I did not go with the Halo was I just couldn't find enough info on it, or user corroboration. Still interested in trying it on a future tank. Some of the results we've seen on this forum have been impressive so far.

I haven’t tested the PAR of it.. I maybe should but it’s an hour drive to borrow the PAR meter from my LFS and then an hour drive back to return it.  I usually just go by how the corals look. I’m running it at 50% so I’m sure there is more PAR available if someone wanted to grow more light intensive corals. 

[416Reefer]

I added a few new corals this week that weren't doing well in my other system.  For some reason the Studio 12 seems to be a great hospital tank for corals that are unhappy in my larger system.

 

I had a large clove polyp and a red gonipora that were not happy so I have moved them over in hopes that they will do better in this tank.  I have had success with moving acans into this tank in the past (and torches only seem to grow in this tank) so hopefully they will bounce back.  I'm not sure why this is the case... it might be that the light is less intense or the water is a bit dirtier since I don't run a protein skimmer in this tank.   In any case, it seems like a solid case for "simple is better" and hopefully they do well.

 

I lost one of my RFAs.. I'm not sure what happened to it but I came back from a weekend away and it was starting to decompose.  The other one is doing fine so it's a bit of a mystery.  In hindsight I don't think I would add RFAs in the future.. they move around too much and were far more high needs that I was looking for!  I do, however, really like maxi-mini carpet anemones so I may add one of those in the near future.

 

The tank is still kicking along quite nicely, usually as the weather warms up my tanks go into "maintenance mode" and I add less in the summer when I am busier with other things but I'm sure there will be changes here and there over the summer months.

[416Reefer]

 

So the godzilla clove polyp that I added from my other tank is recovering well but the gonipora still looks pretty unhappy... I guess this tank isn't completely magic!  I've never had any luck keeping gonipora in any of my previous tanks either... I guess they just aren't for me!

 

The NY Knicks torch hasn't been as extended as much as in the past.. I don't think anything is wrong with it but it doesn't seem as plump as before.  I am starting to think that as the tank grows in I may want to consider upgrading the stock pump to a small Sicce pump.  I don't want to add a wavemaker if I can avoid it but I think an upgrade to the return pump may help create a bit more water movement.

 

I am torn on whether or not I should be feeding this tank.  Certainly the corals look happier when I feed but it does seem to lead to more algae issues.  I think I will reduce feeding to once every week the day before a water change as opposed to twice a week like I do in my larger system.

 

Other than that all the corals are looking great and growing well.  I'm super impressed with how well the SPS corals are doing and I'm considering adding a miyagi tort or similar to see if the Halo light can grow more light demanding SPS corals... I am pretty sure it will be able to.  

 

I seem to be short a few members of my cleanup crew so it may be time for a trip to the LFS to pick up a few more snails to deal with the film alage that is forming on the back wall of the tank where I can't use the magnetic scraper.

 

All in all things are still going well!

 

[416Reefer]

Well the gonipora didn't make it.. I guess this tank isn't magic after all.  I put it back in my big tank but it's not looking good... I have tried it in higher flow, lower flow, higher light, lower light, shadow and nothing seems to work.. I think this is going to go in the "Fail" pile.

 

I think my Cardinalfish definitely needs some company.. I know I have been thinking about this for a while and always talk myself out of another fish so I don't mess up the balance but I think I need to go for it.  The corals look great but the tank needs a bit more life.

 

I think I've changed my mind about upgrading the pump.. as long as everything is looking good I don't want to make changes if there isn't a problem.  If I start to notice that the corals are suffering from lack of flow then I will upgrade.

 

In terms of what to add I think I am going to snip a piece of either my birds of paradise or goldenrod anacropora to put on the top ledge.  After that I am going to wait for the perfect small scoly or plate coral for the front right side and then may be about it.   I've never actually "finished" a tank before so I'm not sure what to do when it's full.  I know the answer is "just enjoy it" but I'm not sure that fits with my personality!

[banasophia]

Looks great! Bummer about the goniopora, but they are notoriously difficult so I guess it’s not surprising. I only tried to keep one once… it didn’t last long and in my case my cleaner shrimp was always trampling it and stealing its food so it was doomed.

 

The plan seems sound to keep the pump for now if everything is doing well. And I like your idea to add a bird of paradise or goldenrod anacropora. I really wanted that anacropora in my Studio 12 but it didn’t make it through my lights out when I was fighting the dinos. I’m still considering trying again…

 

What are you thinking of for a fish friend for your bangaii cardinal?

[416Reefer]

Not sure what kind of fish ? I want something friendly, easy to feed that won’t jump out of the tank.. any thoughts ?

 

I really love my anacroporas.  I can’t grow acros in any of my tanks so they are the closest I can get.  I am trying to track down one of the red TNT ones as well.. too bad there are only 4 colour morphs available 

[sapling]

Nice corals, sorry to hear on the goni but at least the alvepora look good from the pictures! 

a second banggai for a pair would be the natural choice to me, but thats more of a diceroll than I imagine you want to take, also not sure if the tank allows tbh

 

 

[416Reefer]

On 5/9/2023 at 10:46 AM, sapling said:

Nice corals, sorry to hear on the goni but at least the alvepora look good from the pictures! 

a second banggai for a pair would be the natural choice to me, but thats more of a diceroll than I imagine you want to take, also not sure if the tank allows tbh

 

 

I was thinking that but I’m worried they might fight and when they are full size it might be too much bioload. I’ve always erred on the side of fewer fish

 

[416Reefer]

I think I've decided what I'm going to do!  I am going to run the tank for about another year and enjoy it being "full" and then I'm going to repurpose it as a frag tank for some of the overgrowth in my larger system.  The Halo light has been able to grow everything that I've tried so I'm sure it will make a great light for a small frag system.

 

To that end, I am planning a bit of a redesign over the next few weeks.  I added a goldenrod anacropora from my other system this week.  But that's not the exciting part.  I have been trying to stock this tank with frags from my other thank to try and keep costs down but my local fish store (shout out to Fragbox) just got an amazing shipment in and there was a frogspawn that I couldn't resist... I think we all know that "I have to have that coral" feeling.  I'm still arranging pickup but once I do there will be a little bit of re-organization to make room.  I think I will move the flowerpot down to the sandbed and the acan over to make room below the two hammers but it's something I will probably have to decide in the moment once I have the coral.

 

Apart from that everything is looking good. I think I may be overdoing it with the feeding, I have a fair amount of film algae on the glass, rockwork and sandbed.  I can blow it off with a turkey baster but I think I will reduce or eliminate feeding for the time being until it's under control.

 

Looking forward to adding the new coral and hoping to have an update to share next week!

[banasophia]

I’m not sure why, but sometimes I get a funny feeling when I see some of your corals 😬😆😳

 

😂😂🤣

 

but seriously, the tank looks great! Looking forward to seeing the new coral. You are very lucky that Fragbox is your LFS!!

 

[debbeach13]

12 hours ago, 416Reefer said:

The Halo light has been able to grow everything that I've tried so I'm sure it will make a great light for a small frag system.

This little light has been a pleasant surprise. 

[416Reefer]

On 5/14/2023 at 11:49 PM, banasophia said:

I’m not sure why, but sometimes I get a funny feeling when I see some of your corals 😬😆😳

 

😂😂🤣

 

but seriously, the tank looks great! Looking forward to seeing the new coral. You are very lucky that Fragbox is your LFS!!

 

Yes. My wife has pointed out that that frag is um… interesting. 

[416Reefer]

On 5/15/2023 at 8:14 AM, debbeach13 said:

This little light has been a pleasant surprise. 

I have one acro in my other tank that isn’t growing under radions that I am going to replace with a tnt anacropora when I find one.  I’m going to rehome it to the studio 12 and see if it grows there.  I don’t think there will be enough flow but I’m curious. 

[416Reefer]

Lots of cool changes this week.  I was finally able to get up to Fragbox to pick up another coral... it's a super cool frogspawn.  The camera doesn't pick it up all that well but there is a hint of blue to go along with the yellow.  It looks great with my hammer corals.  I had to move the alveopora to the sandbed to make room and shifted the acan over a little bit.

 

My sand sifting conch was on a rampage in my other tank and managed to break large pieces off of both the green goblin anacropora and my forest fire digitata... but luckily they fit perfectly in the Studio 12!  I think I want to frag a small piece of my birds of paradise and replace the zoas that aren't really growing with a red favia of some sort and then I will officially be done (until I think of something else I want to add)

 

My rock flower anemone has totally disappeared... it is on the back of the rock and doesn't seem interested in moving.  If I had it to do all over again I don't think I would have bought them, but live and learn!

 

Everything else is going great, although I feel like I am tempting the fates by saying that!  

[416Reefer]

The tank isn't really much different than last week.  I think all there is room for now is a Birds of Paradise frag when I find one and then just letting it grow in.  I am wondering why my zoas aren't doing well.  They seem like they are reaching towards the light but I have the light turned up pretty high and it's growing everything else nicely.  I can't imagine zoas are that light intensive?  I may replace that rock with another favia or a scoly at some point but no huge rush.

 

I thought that I needed a bigger return pump but it turns out that all I had to do was clean the random flow generator.  It never occured to me that it would get clogged.. although in hindsight it makes total sense.  Once I cleaned it there was tonnes of flow in the tank again and everything is moving around much nicer.  I had been getting some gunk and algae on the sandbed so I'm hoping that more flow will solve that.  If it doesn't I may risk getting a sand sifting starfish.. hopefully the tank is big enough for one.

 

One piece of reef kit that I have found countless uses for lately is a $30 fluid transfer pump from amazon.  It is handy removing water from the Studio 12 tank, as well as refilling it with new salt water.  It is also useful to top up the 5 gallon bucket I use for my auto topoff in my larger system.  It has made these tasks way simpler and much less messy!

 

All in all things are still going well.. my next challenge will be to find a way to keep the sandbed clean without having to stir it every couple of days.

[Sharbuckle]

Tank is filling in so nicely. Have you thought about adding a conch to keep your sandbed stirred? 

[banasophia]

Looks great!
 

I’ve always thought sand sifting stars needed much bigger and more mature tanks but I’ve never kept one. Fighting conches, hermits, and nassarius snails help in my tanks. 
 

Have you thought about moving the zoas up closer to the light? 

[JamesQ]

Such an awesome tank dude. 

[416Reefer]

On 5/28/2023 at 10:18 PM, Sharbuckle said:

Tank is filling in so nicely. Have you thought about adding a conch to keep your sandbed stirred? 

I have one in my bigger tank but I find that it’s constantly knocking corals off the rockwork… despite the name it spends much of its time on the rocks.. many of the frags in this studio 12 are ones it has broken off in my larger tank. 

17 hours ago, JamesQ said:

Such an awesome tank dude. 

Thanks ! 

[416Reefer]

23 hours ago, banasophia said:

Looks great!
 

I’ve always thought sand sifting stars needed much bigger and more mature tanks but I’ve never kept one. Fighting conches, hermits, and nassarius snails help in my tanks. 
 

Have you thought about moving the zoas up closer to the light? 

I thought about that.. I’m just not sure where I would put them.  I definitely don’t want them on the main rockwork.  I’ve had “zoa only” tanks by accident in the past when they take over!  I may get a couple more nassarius snails.  I think you are right that it’s too small for a sand sifting starfish