hi shanna.
everything's pretty middle of the road, parameter wise. nothing fancy. the things that are supposed to be at zero are at zero. sg fluxes a little due to small water volume, so i pegged that clearly in the middle of the happy zone. CA is a little low, but that's ok, i'm working on finding the right size and frequency of dosage.
the only two things i add are b-ionic for calcium and DT's phyto mix to feed some stuffs. nutrients and such are replaced by water changes, i bought some salt w/ the crazy fortified stuffs in it.
it's a JBJ nanocube tank, that's what i recommend for everyone, they rock!
everything's pretty middle of the road, parameter wise. nothing fancy. the things that are supposed to be at zero are at zero. sg fluxes a little due to small water volume, so i pegged that clearly in the middle of the happy zone. CA is a little low, but that's ok, i'm working on finding the right size and frequency of dosage.
the only two things i add are b-ionic for calcium and DT's phyto mix to feed some stuffs. nutrients and such are replaced by water changes, i bought some salt w/ the crazy fortified stuffs in it.
it's a JBJ nanocube tank, that's what i recommend for everyone, they rock!
That's one reason I wanted to work with an internal refugium, the less plumbing the better in a nano IMO.
Hwarang, this thread creates an ideal focus reef for this week. Can you get us some update pics along with these older ones> to see the changes you have implemented?
Thanks
Brandon M>
Hwarang, this thread creates an ideal focus reef for this week. Can you get us some update pics along with these older ones> to see the changes you have implemented?
Thanks
Brandon M>
Alright, what I want to know is where everyone gets all their cool nano stuff! My only LFS (PetCo...) has some of the little art-deco gallon and sub gallon aquariums, and they have a regular shaped 5G and some regular 10Gs; thats it! I want something with a cooler look to it than just your average cubical rectangle thingy! :x
And by the way, where are you guys getting your lighting mods from? Smartlights are those that are 50/50 daylight/actinic, right? Where do you get the bulbs in such sizes in the spectrums and intensities that you want?
The wattages and and stuff seem a bit challenging for the different LPS and SPS corals I presume are keepable in such nanos... Right? Also, Im still boggled by the topic of water movement in such mini microcosms; I have the smallest powerhead I could find for my 29G, and its fairly strong! What would that do in such a small space?! Do you just use the outflow from the mini HOT filter or what?
Hwarang, you mean youre l33t 1ik3 J344K ? Yeah, you must be aquainted with the wiles of technological nerdia if you recognize that! :lol:
The glass tops you are looking for are available from www.drsfostersmith.com as "all glass versa-tops" Do a search for versa-tops or the like. Theyre super cheap, but I wonder if I disagree with you on the "let more light through" thing... Ive read/heard that they actually reflect more back than the plastic or acrylic stuff obstructs! I have one for my tank, and am still undesided. eventually I want to move to mesh or plastic with a cut-out portion in the middle with a hinge, so that I can open the damn lid without having to remove my lighting fixture with its stupid "light stilts" every freaking time!!! ARGH!!!! :x :evil:
Hey, can I make a suggestion for your next tank addition? I want to do a nano in the future, and I definitely am key on biodiversity and form-meets-function-and-coolness stuff. I want to include a clam of some sort in my nano, and have decided that because of space, the only one I would dare go for is a super-colored Crocea clam. Think you could try it out and scout out any problems so I dont have to screw something else up for myself maybe? Just wondering... :mrgreen:
And by the way, where are you guys getting your lighting mods from? Smartlights are those that are 50/50 daylight/actinic, right? Where do you get the bulbs in such sizes in the spectrums and intensities that you want?
The wattages and and stuff seem a bit challenging for the different LPS and SPS corals I presume are keepable in such nanos... Right? Also, Im still boggled by the topic of water movement in such mini microcosms; I have the smallest powerhead I could find for my 29G, and its fairly strong! What would that do in such a small space?! Do you just use the outflow from the mini HOT filter or what?
Hwarang, you mean youre l33t 1ik3 J344K ? Yeah, you must be aquainted with the wiles of technological nerdia if you recognize that! :lol:
The glass tops you are looking for are available from www.drsfostersmith.com as "all glass versa-tops" Do a search for versa-tops or the like. Theyre super cheap, but I wonder if I disagree with you on the "let more light through" thing... Ive read/heard that they actually reflect more back than the plastic or acrylic stuff obstructs! I have one for my tank, and am still undesided. eventually I want to move to mesh or plastic with a cut-out portion in the middle with a hinge, so that I can open the damn lid without having to remove my lighting fixture with its stupid "light stilts" every freaking time!!! ARGH!!!! :x :evil:
Hey, can I make a suggestion for your next tank addition? I want to do a nano in the future, and I definitely am key on biodiversity and form-meets-function-and-coolness stuff. I want to include a clam of some sort in my nano, and have decided that because of space, the only one I would dare go for is a super-colored Crocea clam. Think you could try it out and scout out any problems so I dont have to screw something else up for myself maybe? Just wondering... :mrgreen:
DewrGleision, I had to get it from a variety of places. The SmartLite (yes, its 5050) retrofits I had laying around from my FW planted tanks. I originally bought them at a good LFS. Overpiced! The fan and power supply for it came from radio shack. The moon lights came from petco.
which brings me to petco. they're not evil, at least not any more so than any LFS. they're just bigger, so their evil is more obvious. petco is great for dry supplies, empty tanks, pet food, etc ... just don't buy any livestock from them.
i have softies and 2 LPS that are doing ok. i even have a tiny chunk of SPS (brown velvet finger?) and it would be doing ok if i would ever secure it down to the reef properly.
i used a MJ600 pump and the flow is ideal. my experience in my 30g aquarium was unlike yours, i had trouble getting enough flow (and i was using MJ powerheads)
you're probably going to hear "you can't keep clams in your nanocube, you need MH lights" ...
and yes, i am teh r0xXor of l33t pwnage
which brings me to petco. they're not evil, at least not any more so than any LFS. they're just bigger, so their evil is more obvious. petco is great for dry supplies, empty tanks, pet food, etc ... just don't buy any livestock from them.
i have softies and 2 LPS that are doing ok. i even have a tiny chunk of SPS (brown velvet finger?) and it would be doing ok if i would ever secure it down to the reef properly.
i used a MJ600 pump and the flow is ideal. my experience in my 30g aquarium was unlike yours, i had trouble getting enough flow (and i was using MJ powerheads)
you're probably going to hear "you can't keep clams in your nanocube, you need MH lights" ...
and yes, i am teh r0xXor of l33t pwnage
Hey, my mandarins are from PetCo! Theyre probably the healthiest fish in my tank! Healthier than stuff Ive gotten from a pseudo-LFS (in an adjacent city) thats a speacialty aquatics and reef store!
The only reason I trust livestock from my local PetCo is because Ive heard of their same supplier being the supplier that other speacialty aquatics stores use for livestock--which, of course, are lavished with praise and undue priority in the shipping company's eyes--and secondly because the lady that basically runs the whole aquatics department is an absolute GURU at what she does; not so much the whole coral scene as much as EVERY FREAKING FISH AND NON-SESSISLE INVERT ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH!!! This woman has been doing this stuff, including a few reef tanks, since the early 70's! Yeah, I trust her.
The one thing I really cant agree with is the basic dry supply theorum... Everythings more expensive at PetCo!!! I try not to buy stuff I can get cheaper online--YES, taking shipping into account--at LFSs and that kind of thing.
Anywho, as hillbilly would say, "my 2 cents"...
Why 2 cents anyway? How come its not a nickel or something? Thats it; my new phrase is "my nickel's worth"! So there! 8)
The only reason I trust livestock from my local PetCo is because Ive heard of their same supplier being the supplier that other speacialty aquatics stores use for livestock--which, of course, are lavished with praise and undue priority in the shipping company's eyes--and secondly because the lady that basically runs the whole aquatics department is an absolute GURU at what she does; not so much the whole coral scene as much as EVERY FREAKING FISH AND NON-SESSISLE INVERT ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH!!! This woman has been doing this stuff, including a few reef tanks, since the early 70's! Yeah, I trust her.
The one thing I really cant agree with is the basic dry supply theorum... Everythings more expensive at PetCo!!! I try not to buy stuff I can get cheaper online--YES, taking shipping into account--at LFSs and that kind of thing.
Anywho, as hillbilly would say, "my 2 cents"...
Why 2 cents anyway? How come its not a nickel or something? Thats it; my new phrase is "my nickel's worth"! So there! 8)
lol!
yeah Nikon, I'm not opposed to PetCo but I don't go there for anything other than kitty food. They don't carry a lot of the specialty reef equipment, etc ...
DewrGleision, I wonder if you have some kind of franchise petco near you. The prices on dry goods and stuff are super rock bottom around here. LFS can't even hold a candle to them. But the fish really are mistreated. Most dying, overcrowed, improper species mixed in the tank (like with predators etc)...
yeah Nikon, I'm not opposed to PetCo but I don't go there for anything other than kitty food. They don't carry a lot of the specialty reef equipment, etc ...
DewrGleision, I wonder if you have some kind of franchise petco near you. The prices on dry goods and stuff are super rock bottom around here. LFS can't even hold a candle to them. But the fish really are mistreated. Most dying, overcrowed, improper species mixed in the tank (like with predators etc)...
Hwarang, I just wanted to expand a little on your photo-taking tips on the first page of this thread....
What do you, on average, set the aperture for with that much light? Also, in a related question and sense, what ISO(or equivalent, on the digital) film/setting are you using?
Are you using manual exposure settings? If so, are you taking long-exposure shots, or within the more moderate range?
Also, I just wanted to know what kind of lense, if any (in particular, that is) that you put on your coolpix; are digitals different in that sort of "lenses-sense"? Was it a wide angle or a longer lense? MAN! Those shots are too good to believe!!!
I know I should have posted this on the photography forum, but I kinda wanted to incorporate what youve already laid down into an all-inclusive strategy for getting good shots! I want to use regular film, since the only digital I have is not very manual-friendly, despite being a high-end Sony point-and-shoot 5Mp...
Thanks for not violently beating me in the streets for being off topic in advance (I hope
)!
What do you, on average, set the aperture for with that much light? Also, in a related question and sense, what ISO(or equivalent, on the digital) film/setting are you using?
Are you using manual exposure settings? If so, are you taking long-exposure shots, or within the more moderate range?
Also, I just wanted to know what kind of lense, if any (in particular, that is) that you put on your coolpix; are digitals different in that sort of "lenses-sense"? Was it a wide angle or a longer lense? MAN! Those shots are too good to believe!!!
I know I should have posted this on the photography forum, but I kinda wanted to incorporate what youve already laid down into an all-inclusive strategy for getting good shots! I want to use regular film, since the only digital I have is not very manual-friendly, despite being a high-end Sony point-and-shoot 5Mp...
Thanks for not violently beating me in the streets for being off topic in advance (I hope
)!*you see all your photo questions sail above Hwarang's head*
I'm less than amateur. The camera is unmodified, and I don't even know what aperture and ISO settings do. Point and shoot, baby.
This camera is *slightly* more complex than my last one (a kodak) and I think it does have those options but I have no clue how to use them. When I've monkeyed with them in the past, it only produces shatty pix.
Pretty soon here I think I'm going to buy one of those "real digital" cameras ... the kind with a real manual focus ect ... and take a class and learn how to use it.
I'm less than amateur. The camera is unmodified, and I don't even know what aperture and ISO settings do. Point and shoot, baby.
This camera is *slightly* more complex than my last one (a kodak) and I think it does have those options but I have no clue how to use them. When I've monkeyed with them in the past, it only produces shatty pix.
Pretty soon here I think I'm going to buy one of those "real digital" cameras ... the kind with a real manual focus ect ... and take a class and learn how to use it.
Wow. The definition of "high end" and "point and shoot" just hit the home run mark! 8O
If you can extract awesome pictures like that with everything on auto, then my concept of a "higher end point and shoot 5Mp" is just thrown out the window! I mean, I knew Coolpix's were awesome cameras and all, but I thought you at least had to put a little work into getting incredible shots like yours! NO FAIR!!! *grumbles*
No need to buy one of those "real" digital cameras; your Coolpix is exactly that! All the manual controls I long for, yet woven into the incredible ease of automation! The only camera I can think of that is more "real" than what you have is the Canon Digital Rebel; now that I KNOW has incredible auto-settings, yet has even more range in terms of manual adjustments, and it has the versatility of a huge selection (over 50, I believe) of interchangable lenses! (My dream camera... You better not get one before I do!! :x :evil: )
Anywho, Ill be movin' this on over to the photo forum... yeeeeaaaahhhh....
If you can extract awesome pictures like that with everything on auto, then my concept of a "higher end point and shoot 5Mp" is just thrown out the window! I mean, I knew Coolpix's were awesome cameras and all, but I thought you at least had to put a little work into getting incredible shots like yours! NO FAIR!!! *grumbles*
No need to buy one of those "real" digital cameras; your Coolpix is exactly that! All the manual controls I long for, yet woven into the incredible ease of automation! The only camera I can think of that is more "real" than what you have is the Canon Digital Rebel; now that I KNOW has incredible auto-settings, yet has even more range in terms of manual adjustments, and it has the versatility of a huge selection (over 50, I believe) of interchangable lenses! (My dream camera... You better not get one before I do!! :x
:evil: )Anywho, Ill be movin' this on over to the photo forum... yeeeeaaaahhhh....
Heya. Well here's my update. I was hoping to get more full-tank shots, but of course I couldn't resist scraping a little algae to make the tank look sharp. One thing led to another and soon enough I had both hands in the tank and I was doing a little rearranging, pruning and all kinds of stuff. So the water was a little dusty and some of the corals were closed up ... sorry no full tank shots. You'll have to get by with a shot of Fast Eddie. Lately the little bugger hasn't been so twitchy. I think Eddie might actually be Edith.
- the anemone died. No clue. Possibly the tank was too new or the anemone was too small to host a crab. Gonna stay away from anemone's for a while
- got a green hammer coral. not sure it works in the nano.
- bought a bumblebee snail. whoopty doo!
- been having low CA readings, always around 350. did some reading, didn't know i was supposed to wait a half hour inbetween parts when dosing b-ionic. i'll start doing that for one, and perhaps upping the dose a little as well.
- a VERY hard thin algae is forming on the glass. it's a bastage, browney green and resistant to even elbow grease
- i've been scooping out one cup of substrate each week right before water change and adding one cup of fine sand. i likes it a lot. trying to keep the impact low. so far so good.
- got a peppermint shrimp now to kill aiptasia. i think i got a retarded one. all it does is perch upside down in various places and rock back and forth, rainman style. i think i might break down and buy some joe's juice.
- from rearranging, i have bits of pulsing pearl xenia and green star polyp all over the reef mound
- i'm beginning to regret my decision to put a macro in the display area. bad idea jeans. i appreciate the rampant nutrient export and all, but sheesh!
- the anemone died. No clue. Possibly the tank was too new or the anemone was too small to host a crab. Gonna stay away from anemone's for a while
- got a green hammer coral. not sure it works in the nano.
- bought a bumblebee snail. whoopty doo!
- been having low CA readings, always around 350. did some reading, didn't know i was supposed to wait a half hour inbetween parts when dosing b-ionic. i'll start doing that for one, and perhaps upping the dose a little as well.
- a VERY hard thin algae is forming on the glass. it's a bastage, browney green and resistant to even elbow grease
- i've been scooping out one cup of substrate each week right before water change and adding one cup of fine sand. i likes it a lot. trying to keep the impact low. so far so good.
- got a peppermint shrimp now to kill aiptasia. i think i got a retarded one. all it does is perch upside down in various places and rock back and forth, rainman style. i think i might break down and buy some joe's juice.
- from rearranging, i have bits of pulsing pearl xenia and green star polyp all over the reef mound
- i'm beginning to regret my decision to put a macro in the display area. bad idea jeans. i appreciate the rampant nutrient export and all, but sheesh!
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