Nano sapiens
Guest
Thank you!
Nano sapiens 12g - Ye Olde Mixed Reef
- Thread starter Nano sapiens
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Nano sapiens
Guest
Took a number of tries, but I finally got a side pic of these tiny 3/16" diameter coral polyps I found recently on my 15+ year old LR. The back story is that the area these polpys came from was covered by Pavona varians and only uncovered when a Ricordia killed off a good portion of the Pavona recently. All the superglue seen in the pic was applied to kill off any remaining Pavona.
This is undoubtedly one of the 'Plate Coral species due to the obvious stalk and likely a Fungia sp., due to the round polyps . I've never had any Fungia (or any Plate Coral) in any of my aquariums, so this is a great example of how life can 'lay low' for a decade and a half until conditions provide an opportunity to grow. How cool is that?
Here's the 1" area that I chiseled the Fungia polyps from:
This is undoubtedly one of the 'Plate Coral species due to the obvious stalk and likely a Fungia sp., due to the round polyps . I've never had any Fungia (or any Plate Coral) in any of my aquariums, so this is a great example of how life can 'lay low' for a decade and a half until conditions provide an opportunity to grow. How cool is that?
Here's the 1" area that I chiseled the Fungia polyps from:
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Nano sapiens
Guest
Give it a try. Patience and make any changes slowly.
Nano sapiens
Guest
A bit of a milestone as the tank hits the 6 year mark:
The tank is still running as simple as it has for years (no mech/no chem). When I started in 2008 I was shooting for 5 years, now I'm shooting for 10
The tank is still running as simple as it has for years (no mech/no chem). When I started in 2008 I was shooting for 5 years, now I'm shooting for 10
Nano sapiens
Guest
Nano sapiens
Guest
LFS, and on-line, mostly.
Ahruk
Guest
You're tank is beautiful Nano, I love the ricordeas. My boyfriend got a couple of yours at the newbie thing in May and I love them. Thank you so Much I'm just setting up a nano cube, and I can't even imagine it that full xD. How do you keep corals from fighting in such tight quarters?
I'm just setting up a nano cube, and I can't even imagine it that full xD. How do you keep corals from fighting in such tight quarters?
Nano sapiens
Guest
Thank you and glad you are enjoying the Rics
Coral warfare is part of the natural environment and ultimately will show up in a well stocked reef tank. With as many different types of coral that I have in this tank, I just let most of them sort it out themselves and only intervene when absolutely necessary to save something.
However, there are some general rules that can help in initial placement such as most 'Shrooms will tolerate each other, and since they can make do with a bit less light, they can either stay on/near the bottom or on a dedicated rock. It's best to keep them separate from any stony corals and most Palys/Zoas because they usually damage these. Best to keep Palys/Zoas away from stony corals since they will overgrow most of them or they will get stung badly by some LPS (Torch, Hammer, etc.).
As you go along just be watchful of these fights and intervene if things get ugly.
If you are interested in a lot more detail of how this tank is run and a full history, my main tank build page started six years ago is on the 'Nano-reef.com' website.
Coral warfare is part of the natural environment and ultimately will show up in a well stocked reef tank. With as many different types of coral that I have in this tank, I just let most of them sort it out themselves and only intervene when absolutely necessary to save something.
However, there are some general rules that can help in initial placement such as most 'Shrooms will tolerate each other, and since they can make do with a bit less light, they can either stay on/near the bottom or on a dedicated rock. It's best to keep them separate from any stony corals and most Palys/Zoas because they usually damage these. Best to keep Palys/Zoas away from stony corals since they will overgrow most of them or they will get stung badly by some LPS (Torch, Hammer, etc.).
As you go along just be watchful of these fights and intervene if things get ugly.
If you are interested in a lot more detail of how this tank is run and a full history, my main tank build page started six years ago is on the 'Nano-reef.com' website.
Geneva
Guest
Nano - your tank is a jewel - read through your journal from start to finish last night and woke up thinking of it! It is just beautiful - great things really do come in small packages! I recently read Kmooresf's Leemar Starphire 290 journal and was totally blown away and impressed - it is also quite stunning. I wondered if it would be the tiniest bit intimidating to a newbie without the resources, know-how, and space to accomplish such a feat. It is great to know reefing can support all shapes and sizes with incredible results! Thanks for sharing!
Nano sapiens
Guest
Thank you Geneva! Wow, you read all 36 pages
My hope is that more reef aquarists will look at a small tank as not just a short-lived play thing for newbies, but an end unto itself. As with many things these days, people are rediscovering that quality can come in a small package, too.
I can honestly say that this tank has honed my reef keeping skills immeasurably and allowed me to see details that would have been lost in a large tank. I've been at this for 3 decades, usually with much larger tanks, but this little nano has been the most enjoyable tank I've every owned.
My hope is that more reef aquarists will look at a small tank as not just a short-lived play thing for newbies, but an end unto itself. As with many things these days, people are rediscovering that quality can come in a small package, too.
I can honestly say that this tank has honed my reef keeping skills immeasurably and allowed me to see details that would have been lost in a large tank. I've been at this for 3 decades, usually with much larger tanks, but this little nano has been the most enjoyable tank I've every owned.
Nano sapiens
Guest
I took a stab at creating a diffuser for my LED array recently. The first attempt a few weeks back did what a diffuser does and dispersed the LED point source lighting well, but it also wiped out all shimmer . I thought about this conundrum today and came up with a simple 'hybrid diffuser':
The holes are positioned in such a way that 'hot spots' are virtually eliminated, but some high intensity light shines directly into the aquarium which creates a decent amount of shimmer. Using a PAR meter, light loss using this 'diffuser-with-holes' is only around 6%.
FTS with LED diffuser::
. I thought about this conundrum today and came up with a simple 'hybrid diffuser':
The holes are positioned in such a way that 'hot spots' are virtually eliminated, but some high intensity light shines directly into the aquarium which creates a decent amount of shimmer. Using a PAR meter, light loss using this 'diffuser-with-holes' is only around 6%.
FTS with LED diffuser::
Nano sapiens
Guest
Thanks. 6-7g tank should fill up rather quickly.
Nano sapiens
Guest
Hardware Updates: Removed the diffuser since not enough light was getting to the rear of the tank. Replaced all of the 'Bridgelux' NW and RB LEDs with more efficient Cree XT-E emitters to be able to run higher intensity using the same amount of power with less heat production. Replaced original noisy return pump with a quieter Tunze.
The right hand side of the tank was a bit sparse, so I'm turning it into a mostly 'Rhodactis Den'. Should fill in nicely in a year or two.
The right hand side of the tank was a bit sparse, so I'm turning it into a mostly 'Rhodactis Den'. Should fill in nicely in a year or two.
Nano sapiens
Guest
7th year...still running just LR and LS:
Enderturtle
Guest
Nano sapiens
Guest
Thanks! Nice to see another tank taking the 'less-is-more' approach
The 'orange thing' with spires is M. setosa. Behind it is an unstoppable 'Ultra Blue' M. digitata (which is really more of an 'Ultra Purple') that is nearly at the water surface. My old digital camera has great diffculty with any shades of blue and purple, unfortunately.
Nice that you got the Ricordia bug. They are awesome once settled in.