Maxspect Dice AIO Nano

[Kev1n]

16 hours ago, anizato said:

Dude! that's hella cool! where in France? business or pleasure? any aquarium visits while you are there?

My wife is French so we pop over to see her parents quite a lot. They live in the Beaujolais about 40km NW of Lyon. No aquariums on this occasion but there is a good one in Lyon that I have previously visited. I may take a visit to the LFS for a look.

[anizato]

oo la la! LE FISH STORE LMAO! 

[Kev1n]

2 hours ago, anizato said:

oo la la!

le fish store 🤣🤣🤣

[Kev1n]

A visit to lfs whilst away from home.

 

I have to say, this LFS, located in Villefranche sur Saône, used to be a lot better than it is today. Still, I get some see some saltwater setups whilst away.

 

[Kev1n]

I was wondering how my young nano is doing whilst visiting France for a week. My son just sent me a picture. Apart from the glass needing a clean it's looking ok at 9 weeks and 2 days. Time for some more livestock when I get back home. I did want to get the replacement Nero 3 in there first though. It's 45 days since I first ordered the faulty Nero 3 and I still do not have a working replacement.

[anizato]

8 minutes ago, KevMax said:

I was wondering how my young nano is doing whilst visiting France for a week. My son just sent me a picture. Apart from the glass needing a clean it's looking ok at 9 weeks and 2 days. Time for some more livestock when I get back home. I did want to get the replacement Nero 3 in there first though. It's 45 days since I first ordered the faulty Nero 3 and I still do not have a working replacement.

Looking good man! Time for a CUC and coral! 

 

I can't believe they haven't sent your replacement pump! that is ridiculous! For the price of these items, the delivery should be same day

[Kev1n]

20 minutes ago, anizato said:

Looking good man! Time for a CUC and coral! 

Thanks dude. I am not a great CUC fan but respect the choice of others. Not knocking CUC, but it's about 5 years since I last bought any critters. I hate seeing snails on the glass, having to watch for Astrea snails that need popping back on their foot. Crabs killing each other and crawling over pieces of coral. Drives me nuts.  Nassarius are the best, and thats because they spend time hidden away under the sand. 🤣 Never had CUC in my last SPS setup and it worked out ok. So, not ruling CUC out, but I do prefer to avoid them. 

 

20 minutes ago, anizato said:

I can't believe they haven't sent your replacement pump! that is ridiculous! For the price of these items, the delivery should be same day

To be fair to the supplier, they are waiting for stock. But it is frustrating, they have my money and the returned pump whilst I just have to wait.

[anizato]

LOL can't go wrong with hiding CUC. 

 

I like crabs so I always have just one. The reason is because when the Nassarius snails die, he goes after the bodies and I can quickly remove the dead snail. I have had bad experiences like you with crabs in the past. Which is why i only keep one now. When he passes I will replace him with another single crab.

 

I also think that Shrimp can do good, similar to Nassarius snails, just have to stay away from certain ones. I have had bad experiences with peppermint shrimps in the past. Never again, too voracious in my opinion.

 

I have mixed reviews with snails as well. Astrea snails in my experience, have a tendency to ignore the rock and then if you ever have a problem with algae, their shells become a breeding ground for the algae and now you have walking algae sponge just spreading everywhere. Not good! 

 

I am going to try your way, see what happens if I don't get ANY snails besides the Nassarius. See how long I can hold off 🤣

[Crawford_T]

Going without a cuc is an interesting choice, to each their own! You could just do a couple cerith, they’re small and generally stick to the rocks and sand. 

[geekreef_05]

Interesting convo on CUCs. 

 

I can totally see not having one. Mostly if you have a large enough tank for tangs and algae eaters. 

 

I also hate crabs.  Its been years since ive had one. Never again. They are just not useful and pick-on and attack everything.

 

In the early days with my Office Reef i had 2 urchins and no snails. But that was overkill. There isnt enough hair algae production to sustain them. But i liked the idea, cause i dont have to monitor snails and flip em over.

[Kev1n]

1 hour ago, anizato said:

I am going to try your way, see what happens if I don't get ANY snails besides the Nassarius. See how long I can hold off 🤣

I am not saying my way is the right way. Its suits me though, at least for the moment.

 

54 minutes ago, Crawford_T said:

Going without a cuc is an interesting choice, to each their own! You could just do a couple cerith, they’re small and generally stick to the rocks and sand. 

I am not ruling CUC out, but my preference is for none right now. In my previous SPS setup this was a deliberate choice. I stripped the aquarium at 5 years to downsize, I never introduced and purchased CUC for that tank and it was a success for me. I was quite disciplined and meticulous in respect of feeding, keeping the rock work free of debris and cleaning / turning over the sand. I decided to adopt the same approach with this nano. I have started as I mean to go on. Rock is basted at least once per week. Sand is turned over at least once per week. Filter sock changed after these actions. Sand bed will largely remain clear to make basting as easy as can be. I am finding being proactive on a nano to be very easy to achieve. I am the CUC. 😀 If I find this needs to change, I am not against considering CUC. I am not against anyone using CUC either. As you rightly say, to each their own. 

[Kev1n]

14 hours ago, geekreef_05 said:

Interesting convo on CUCs. 

 

I can totally see not having one. Mostly if you have a large enough tank for tangs and algae eaters. 

 

I also hate crabs.  Its been years since ive had one. Never again. They are just not useful and pick-on and attack everything.

 

In the early days with my Office Reef i had 2 urchins and no snails. But that was overkill. There isnt enough hair algae production to sustain them. But i liked the idea, cause i dont have to monitor snails and flip em over.

You understand me on this one. This is really good. My approach with my previous aquarium has attracted criticism before.  👍🏻 Urchins, now they are the absolute worst CUC members for me. They carry frags from one end of your reef to the other.  🤣

 

Like I said, I am not against anyone using CUC and I will always respect the choice of other reefers. If I think I need to add some CUC at some stage, I will do so. Nassaurius would be my choice. And the Ceith suggestion is a good one too.

 

Time will tell.  🙂

[Kev1n]

I really like shrimps though. But holding off these for now as well.  🙂

[Crawford_T]

You’ve been successful in the past so clearly it’s totally doable. As with most things, more than one right answer here. I am not a huge fan of hermits as I’ve had them eat coral in the past so I didn’t include them this go around. I like the snails for the algae maintenance and limiting my need for manual removal. They also cleared my tank of diatoms in like 2 days. 

[Kev1n]

I think you are right, there is more than one right answer. 🙂 I am not advocating what I do is the only way or the best way. And you rightly highlight some benefits of CUC such as promptly clearing diatoms. It's not never say never from me. If I need to change my approach, I will. If, for example, my Lordhowensis focus works out, I may need to consider some specific CUC to deal with possible fallout from potentially feeding these corals. 

[Crawford_T]

10 minutes ago, KevMax said:

I think you are right, there is more than one right answer. 🙂 I am not advocating what I do is the only way or the best way. And you rightly highlight some benefits of CUC such as promptly clearing diatoms. It's not never say never from me. If I need to change my approach, I will. 

I didn’t mean to come off that way either. Shoot. After having been out of the hobby for close to a decade, I’m realizing the standard approach to nutrients has changed considerably. Last tank I had, everyone was shooting for ultra low nutrients running carbon/GFO reactors in tandem with skimmers etc. Now I see people actually dosing nitrate/phosphate. 

[geekreef_05]

Ya its still weird to me when i read about dosing nirtates and phos. I cant quite square it yet.

 

Its like paying for a tanning bed. 

The sun is free! 

 

Like keeping medium nirtates. Just add more fish and do less water changes. A free ticket to lazy reefing. Amazing. Lol. 

 

That said, i should probably catch up and see what all the fuss is about. Right now, my ignorance is a great bliss.

[Kev1n]

13 hours ago, Crawford_T said:

After having been out of the hobby for close to a decade, I’m realizing the standard approach to nutrients has changed considerably. Last tank I had, everyone was shooting for ultra low nutrients running carbon/GFO reactors in tandem with skimmers etc. Now I see people actually dosing nitrate/phosphate. 

I guess I have never been out of the hobby these past 30 years or more so I just lived through the change. I have never dosed NO3 / PO4 or used carbon / GFO mind you. I suspect that in reality things have not changed for most reefers, with people striving for ULNS in the past but not achieving ULNS, which probably includes me. 😄

[Kev1n]

12 hours ago, geekreef_05 said:

Ya its still weird to me when i read about dosing nirtates and phos. I cant quite square it yet.

 

Its like paying for a tanning bed. 

The sun is free! 

 

Like keeping medium nirtates. Just add more fish and do less water changes. A free ticket to lazy reefing. Amazing. Lol. 

 

That said, i should probably catch up and see what all the fuss is about. Right now, my ignorance is a great bliss.

I like your analogy of paying for a tanning bed. 🤣🤣🤣 I think I need to catch up too, dosing for NO3 / PO4 is alien to me, never mind the use of GFO. 

[anizato]

I spoke to the guys at the LFS about this yesterday. The guys said the industry has changed in the last 10 years. They have seen how people use to shoot for the ULNS in the past, but as science has advanced in the hobby, they have realized that 1ppm 5-10-15 nitrate is healthy and up to 1ppm of phosphate are all healthy numbers. They also mentioned that they sell nitrate and phosphate as additives now and they are flying off the shelves. I then asked a hypothetical, what if my phosphate is 3ppm but my nitrates are 15ppm where I want them for example, he said either use GFO or huge water changes with sand sifting and manage scarce feedings while testing daily, sometimes twice a day. But not letting the Nitrates going too low, which is a battle, so that's why people are dosing Nitrates. Because you can manage phosphates/phosphorus that way. But doesn't that mean we can just add more fish/shrimp, instead of dosing nitrates?

[Kev1n]

I guess the industry also likes to sell things.  😀

 

At this moment in time my intention is to neither use PO4 / NO3 dosing or GFO / similar.  
 

Time will tell. 😀

[Kev1n]

On 5/11/2024 at 8:50 PM, anizato said:

I set up my lamp to use one of the expert-series program schedules and my tank has never had lighting issues since. 

Back home now. I have successfully downloaded the schedules. Awesome stuff. Appreciate you telling me about these.

[geekreef_05]

On 5/16/2024 at 3:43 PM, anizato said:

I spoke to the guys at the LFS about this yesterday. The guys said the industry has changed in the last 10 years. They have seen how people use to shoot for the ULNS in the past, but as science has advanced in the hobby, they have realized that 1ppm 5-10-15 nitrate is healthy and up to 1ppm of phosphate are all healthy numbers. They also mentioned that they sell nitrate and phosphate as additives now and they are flying off the shelves. I then asked a hypothetical, what if my phosphate is 3ppm but my nitrates are 15ppm where I want them for example, he said either use GFO or huge water changes with sand sifting and manage scarce feedings while testing daily, sometimes twice a day. But not letting the Nitrates going too low, which is a battle, so that's why people are dosing Nitrates. Because you can manage phosphates/phosphorus that way. But doesn't that mean we can just add more fish/shrimp, instead of dosing nitrates?

So when i read that, the simple question i would have is..

 

...why is "medium" nitrates better than natural seawater conditions (none)? 

 

And i think the answer...is that corals are missing something else and making up for it by adatping and consuming nitrates.

 

So what are they missing? 

Enough or proper foods, lighting, flow, elements, the insane amount of fish poop floating by...? 

 

Ultimately i have to ask myself, is the current "medium" nitrates target a temporary solution, because the scientific and hobbiest community does not yet have an answer? 

 

A couple decades ago ive had good success on either extreme of the scale... with  120 and 180 gallon softie reefs at very high nitrates, high stocking with 1 water change a year and a 15 gallon sps nano on a halide and ato, with no fish, no dosing, just high flow and weekly water changes. ultra low nutrient environment. 

 

That said, im not yet convinced of the current target nitrate numbers. But i find the discussion fascinating.

[Rhetoric]

11 minutes ago, geekreef_05 said:

So what are they missing? 

Enough or proper foods, lighting, flow, elements, the insane amount of fish poop floating by...?

Heya,  I don't know how much "reefing" content you consume but Sanjay and Mike Palleta are talking about Ammonia.  Some very interesting things coming out of the science based community.  I think Keith had them both on Rapping with Reef bum recently.  Pretty interesting stuff.

 

I'm always drawn towards the piece of the community that isn't trying to sell me something.  

[Kev1n]

My previous SPS system spent its 5 years without PO4 / NO3 readings. Mostly zero. I was often told that I would have all sorts of issues with nuisance algae etc. I never really had any problem algae after the tank was cycled apart from a few isolated bubble algae issues which I manually removed.