Sans ~ Skimmer, Sump, or Fuge. My mixed reef at 9 months.

[Aquabucket]

I figured I would post this here and in the general reef forum.

Its been about 3 months since I last posted a thread about my "stand alone" 30G. mixed "bonzai" reef. Click here (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=486097) for my last thread with some timeline pics and a description of my "naturally balanced" set-up.

I have been trading out some frags and zoos here and there ~ always looking for more "neon" colored stuff.
The tank is about 9 months old. I am now using Catalina NSW and I like the results. I removed all my Gracilaria from the display a couple of months ago and now stock mostly chaeto and xenia for nutrient/phosphate export.The chaeto is hidden behind my rockwork.

Here are some pics I took today. I hope you enjoy them!

Full tank shot:
http://www.nitromusk.com/30gmar01.jpg

Solomon Is. Zoos
http://www.nitromusk.com/30Gmar11.jpg

Small Derasa Clam (I have had it for about 3 months now):
http://www.nitromusk.com/30GmarClam.jpg


ORA "Neon" Orange Monti frag (thanks mherbb!)
http://www.nitromusk.com/30gmar05.jpg

Yellow/Green Maze Brain
http://www.nitromusk.com/30GmarBrain.jpg

ORA German Blue Monti (thanks mherbb!)
http://www.nitromusk.com/30Gmar10.jpg

Pretty Red Macro (need ID)
http://www.nitromusk.com/30gmar07.jpg

Tiny Pipe Organ frag and more Solomon Is. Zoos.
http://www.nitromusk.com/30gmar06.jpg

This summer I will be upgrading to a 50G. but will be utilizing the same filtration methods. I will most likely be adding a calcium reactor as maintaining ALK and Calcium levels has been a bit of a challenge.

Please feel free to comment or ask any questions with regard to my somewhat simplistic approach to reefkeeping.

Cheers and happy reefing!
~Spike

[z28cam]

Very nice spike love the Maze brain :) it looks really good.

Stupid question though, why is it called mixed bonzai reef?

[Aquabucket]

Bonzai ~ because I am always cutting things back ~ the corals are scaled down and require similar husbandry techniques and attention to keep things in balance.

[z28cam]

Ok that makes sense

[kass03]

Looks great spike!

You can come over and redo my 150 anytime :D

kass

[Aquabucket]

Thanks Kass!

I checked out your gallery ~ you have some nice corals! How about a full tank shot?

Anyhow here are a few more pics I took today.

This was just an ordinary chunk of LR back in June:
http://www.nitromusk.com/30Gmar12.jpg

Larry Jackson Purple Monster frag:
http://www.nitromusk.com/LJAcro.jpg

A close up of some more Solomon Is. Zoos:
http://www.nitromusk.com/SolZoos04.jpg

That's all for this update ~ have to give the dig-cam back tomorrow.
My next thread will be at the one year mark (3 months from now) and probably the end of this 30G. :(

[kass03]

Wow really nice spike.
I have issues with that gallery lol. My pictures look good on my puter and when I post them they are not only tiny cuz it wont let me go bigger but way more blurry and off color than they look in my photo software.

I actually keep most of my corals in my 55 gallon.
My 150 has high nitrates so mostly live rock and fish and a few shrooms.
I was just thinking I wonder how I could remove the wet/dry and replace it with a sump like a fuge. I could remove the dsl but dont know if that would be worse. Its old lol.
Theres to many chambers I think to turn it into a fuge.
Some day when I have some bucks I'll work on it lol right now I'm working on my 55.

kass