My 6 gallon nano tank
- Thread starter wombat1
- Start date
Charles, anytime.
Last week I had a SMALL problem in my nano. I was adding a bit more Kalk than I thought I needed everyday. My pH was 9.65 when I checked it with a digital monitor. I had been away 2 days and the corals all looked pretty bad. I immediately did a 75% water change. They're still alive now, but not nearly as happy looking. There are small bristleworms, etc, too, so I don't think I killed anything off. There is a lot of red slime algae growing everywhere, so I've got to let that bloom die off before I start adding any fragile corals. I hope to have everything stable and under control in the next couple of weeks so I can add my fish, and then later on some Montipora.
Last week I had a SMALL problem in my nano. I was adding a bit more Kalk than I thought I needed everyday. My pH was 9.65 when I checked it with a digital monitor. I had been away 2 days and the corals all looked pretty bad. I immediately did a 75% water change. They're still alive now, but not nearly as happy looking. There are small bristleworms, etc, too, so I don't think I killed anything off. There is a lot of red slime algae growing everywhere, so I've got to let that bloom die off before I start adding any fragile corals. I hope to have everything stable and under control in the next couple of weeks so I can add my fish, and then later on some Montipora.
Arlan,
Nothing in the design of the topoff failed, it was just me being neglectful.
I was adding approx. 1/4 gal every day of pure Kalk to the 6 gallon. This was a bit much, and it caused my pH to rise. I've solved the problem by diluting the Kalk solution down.
Nothing in the design of the topoff failed, it was just me being neglectful.
I was adding approx. 1/4 gal every day of pure Kalk to the 6 gallon. This was a bit much, and it caused my pH to rise. I've solved the problem by diluting the Kalk solution down.
Well, my much touted auto topoff failed last week. If you look closely, the shaft for the float valve is superglued together so I could fit it in my sump. That connection broke and emptied my topoff into the tank. The design should still work fine if you don't saw the valve like I did.
Anyway, it didn't empty much water into the tank. The salinity and pH were still OK. I decided to add a couple new frags today, my green and purple Montipora digitata:
Anyway, it didn't empty much water into the tank. The salinity and pH were still OK. I decided to add a couple new frags today, my green and purple Montipora digitata:
Attachments
I am salivating because of the purple monti. Tough break on that superglue, once again I can identify as my entire baffle refugium has disconnected from the back wall due to SG. The encrusted reef structure holds it together, but its not as square as it used to be. uggh, shoulda used silicone.
Really though, when you have 10" purple deer antlers in your nano reef you'll have only patience and regular calcium maintenance to thank--then Id like to take you up on that frag offer
I pay shipping of course. My friend Nathan P, keeper of a giant reef and the only person I know here from my city, once told me of shipping acropora/motipora wrapped only in wet newspaper (saves shipping freight). At first it sounded startling, but in retrospect some of my growth buds will stay 3 days out of the water before a level-resetting topoff and when they are submerged again, the tips are as fuzzy as ever with small polyps. I suppose this has to do with millenia of natural selection driven by tide recession--where's that pic from Fiji I saw with the receded acropora bed out of the water all day?
These Nanos are looking nice. Did you find the right flow for your system design?>
Really though, when you have 10" purple deer antlers in your nano reef you'll have only patience and regular calcium maintenance to thank--then Id like to take you up on that frag offer
I pay shipping of course. My friend Nathan P, keeper of a giant reef and the only person I know here from my city, once told me of shipping acropora/motipora wrapped only in wet newspaper (saves shipping freight). At first it sounded startling, but in retrospect some of my growth buds will stay 3 days out of the water before a level-resetting topoff and when they are submerged again, the tips are as fuzzy as ever with small polyps. I suppose this has to do with millenia of natural selection driven by tide recession--where's that pic from Fiji I saw with the receded acropora bed out of the water all day?These Nanos are looking nice. Did you find the right flow for your system design?>
Unfortunately, the "purple" monti has become a brownish color in the nano. The green monti is keeping its color very well though. All the polyps are much more expanded than they were in my larger tank at home. I attribute this to the use of natural sea water. I've stopped using an auto topoff altogether. I just drip in a little Kalk very slowly every other day or so. The evap is approx. 500mL (1/8 gallon) every couple days.
my sps have done the exact same thing in the RB. Although I really would like the flourescent colors, I still enjoy keeping them because its fascinating to watch them base plate the area they are glued too after a few months. It is interesting to watch the color variants shift in the SPS specimens over time. My once brown montipora frags in the M75 are now turning quite orange--this was a welcomed change but has taken almost 6 months to complete.
brandon429
brandon429
B-
I could easily ship you teeny tiny frags about, say, the size of a dime. I can't imagine shipping would cost much at all. I'm thinking one of those little clamshell boxes that rings or earrings come in could hold like 4 super small frags and keep them warm. A frag that small will grow back in a couple months anyway...
You've got a PM...
I could easily ship you teeny tiny frags about, say, the size of a dime. I can't imagine shipping would cost much at all. I'm thinking one of those little clamshell boxes that rings or earrings come in could hold like 4 super small frags and keep them warm. A frag that small will grow back in a couple months anyway...
You've got a PM...
Here's some pics I took today. I added a lot more green monti, and a green polyp hydnophora. I added a tiny rose BTA a week ago, but it doesn't like its picture taken... The purple and green monti (and xenia) look better in my nano than they ever did in my tank at home...it's the natural saltwater I tells ya...
Attachments
Matt is that an aged, tye-dyed sand bed I see in there or what? You got it cycled that quick? Awesome sand proportions, that picture brings it out better than ever. I just got through asking Dr. Shimek about his views on a well-established nano DSB, and I took his answers as positive for what I was asking. He mentioned that our DSB's even when well-fed and balanced will lack biodiversity in the sandbed, as he is a staunch proponent of volume to carry out the tasks of reduction and diversity support.
We did not however discuss the effects of possibly three or four dominant species in a DSB who have developed large numbers (enough that you see tracks everywhere) because of your food/protein input regimen. I feel these organisms can be raised to large numbers in terms of animals per square inch, each competing for fine food particles to the point there is none left over to rot. All primary foods have passed through the gut of one or more organisms, and mineralization is relatively quick. I bet you see tons of tracks in your bed, just wait another six months. So I am saying it doesnt matter how many different kinds of detritivores you have, its how many you have and what niche they occupy. My DSB is very old now and I wouldnt trade it for the world--a worm track is found in every square centimeter. Now imagine this one you have 100 times bigger!
He seemed to agree that a nano DSB could run indefinately if it were balanced correctly--this is different from a short time ago when professionals discredited the ability of nano reefs. When asked a sensible question about nanos, I think Dr. Shimek gives a reliable answer and it was neat to hear him acknowledge the balance potential of Nano DSB's. We are affecting current rule and practice.
We did not however discuss the effects of possibly three or four dominant species in a DSB who have developed large numbers (enough that you see tracks everywhere) because of your food/protein input regimen. I feel these organisms can be raised to large numbers in terms of animals per square inch, each competing for fine food particles to the point there is none left over to rot. All primary foods have passed through the gut of one or more organisms, and mineralization is relatively quick. I bet you see tons of tracks in your bed, just wait another six months. So I am saying it doesnt matter how many different kinds of detritivores you have, its how many you have and what niche they occupy. My DSB is very old now and I wouldnt trade it for the world--a worm track is found in every square centimeter. Now imagine this one you have 100 times bigger!
He seemed to agree that a nano DSB could run indefinately if it were balanced correctly--this is different from a short time ago when professionals discredited the ability of nano reefs. When asked a sensible question about nanos, I think Dr. Shimek gives a reliable answer and it was neat to hear him acknowledge the balance potential of Nano DSB's. We are affecting current rule and practice.
Hey fellas... new to the board and like the idea of others having sps in their nanos. I know what you mean about the kalk, but luckily I have a pH monitor that has helped tremendously and gives peace of mind more than anything. I left my kalk dripping once and my pH spiked to 8.7... but 9.65, that's almost like kalk itself :lol: Anyway look forward to seeing the progress... have you thought about moving your purple tip monti closer to the light source? Mine keeps bright under PCs but is way up there... Nice DSB by the way...
John
John
Thanks Johnny, I plan on saving that prime real estate for my Acropora from my tank at home. The DSB isn't really necessary since I change about a half gallon a week--I don't think nitrates would become a problem. However, I had the opportunity to plummage a 55 gallon tank's DSB and I figured the more life I grab the better, right?! Luckily when my pH spiked I only had xenia and some sinularia in there. The xenia is now completely recovered and the sinularia has been removed to a friend's tank. No other sand infauna or other critters seem to have died, so all is well.
Anyway, here's some more (yes more) pics of frags I added today...
A thin purple gorgonian, a brown gorgonian with large polyps, a stylophora (??) with green polyps (although it looks very white in the pic),
and a quarter sized Rose BTA that I added a few days ago. It's eating tiny chunks of Formula One now and looks much better than it did....
Anyway, here's some more (yes more) pics of frags I added today...
A thin purple gorgonian, a brown gorgonian with large polyps, a stylophora (??) with green polyps (although it looks very white in the pic),
and a quarter sized Rose BTA that I added a few days ago. It's eating tiny chunks of Formula One now and looks much better than it did....
Attachments
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
