June's Nano Tank of The Month

[Carlos]

This month's Nano Tank of The Month belongs to Kryptonite. Below are details of the setup:

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http://www.reefaholics.com/NOTM/Kryptonite/1.jpg

My tank is an Eclipse 15g tall. I took off the old hood and made one myself. This new hood contains 2 vho's. One is a super actinic blue the other is an aquasun white. These are both 40w. It also contains one 36w 50/50 retro fit kit pc light and a 15w actinic blue for a total of 131w. I have installed one 4" pc fan on the left side. The air circulates and escapes through the opening that I have cut around the HOB filter. The tanks deminsions are 18T x 20L x 10W. It has about 28lbs of live rock and 20lbs of live sand.

http://www.reefaholics.com/NOTM/Kryptonite/3.jpg

The livestock are as follows:

Fish:
- Flame hawkfish
- Tomato Clown
- Bi-color Pseudicromis

http://www.reefaholics.com/NOTM/Kryptonite/4.jpg

Inverts: Coral banded shrimp
- Peppermint shrimp (Yes they do get along) :)
- 3" Orange knobby star
- 6 astrea snails
- 6 blue legged hermits
- 5" hawaiian feather duster
- Bubble-tip anemone

http://www.reefaholics.com/NOTM/Kryptonite/5.jpg

Coral: Alveopora
- Yellow polyps
- Green button polyps
- Some small unidentified button polyps (Grow onto each other, not rock)(all different colors too)
- Frogspawn (green with pink tips)
- Green star polyps
- Green and purple open brain
- Some small unidentified polyps

http://www.reefaholics.com/NOTM/Kryptonite/6.jpg

I do regular 15-20% water changes once a week to keep nitrates and nutrient levels down. (Although lately I have had a bit of an algae problem. Nutrient levels must be getting kind of high. If you have any suggestions on controlling the algae problem please offer them.

http://www.reefaholics.com/NOTM/Kryptonite/7.jpg

I keep the tank at 80 Degrees F. My circulation is made by a penguin hob 170gph filter. Also a penguin 300gph power head aimed about 45 degrees toward the top of the water for good surface agitation and current. I feed my nano about 1/4 cap of DT's once every 3 or 4 days. I also sometimes add kent; calcium, strontium & molybdenum, coral vite, iodine, and buffer when needed.

http://www.reefaholics.com/NOTM/Kryptonite/2.jpg

[Kapelakin]

Looks great, Kryptonite! I really like your flame hawk. I take it he hasn't bothered your shrimps?

Nice tank, very colorful! :D

[kryptonite]

Thanks Kapelakin, no he hasn't bothered my shrimp. The coral banded is pretty big. It molts about once every two weeks at least. Although I haven't seen the peppermint in a long time. It did use to stay hidden but I use to see it once in a while. I think he's bitten the dust. I don't think it was the flame hawk though.

[lakerfan]

You Tank Looks Great!!!

Now only if you can get that fame hawk to just sit there and pose for the camera!:D :D :D

[ReefCorner]

Great Nano!!!. The yellow polyps looks like one in my nano tank.

[kryptonite]

Thanks everybody.

[Lunchbucket]

looks great man!! keep making us nano people proud :D

Lunchbucket

[Camron Barr]

nice tank love the bta

[kryptonite]

Thanks lunchbucket and camron. Unfortunately I had to get rid of the bta though. Luckily I got him out with no harm. I had to take back the brain too. They were both getting too big for the tank. When the brain was fully extended it would press up against the rocks and the glass. I got $45 credit for them and got a pretty cool polyp rock. I've switched the alveopora and the yllow polyps positions. The tomato clown has now taken up residence in the alveopora surprisingly. I thought she would have preferred the frogspawn. Oh well. I'll put some updated pics on here tomorrow when the lights come back on.

Thanks again everybody.

[scd]

How long has the tank been set up?

You may want to read what Dr Ron has to say about chemical additives...

[kryptonite]

Only a little over 3 months old.

[scd]

I would cease the additives... Your weekly water changes should replenish any depleted elements. Things can build up pretty quickly in a small tank.

My tank has been up for 4 years, I have had 3 major algae outbreaks... The last one killed probably 70% of my corals because I could not get rid of it... I finally moved all the animals and rocks into buckets and cleaned out all the old sand (saved a couple scoops to seed)... I put in a new sand bed and the algae was virtually gone the next day! I guess that things just built up in the sand (AND WATER) over time (AND NOTE, I did seed my sand bed with sand infauna from IA and ISPF over the 4 year and was pretty good with bi-weekly 25% water changes). I would recommend nixing additives and being religious with water changes. And don't be afraid to do an overhaul in a couple years to remove the build-up that water changes and your animals can't.

But hey, with a 3 month old tank you have a long time before you will need to worry about that, enjoy it!!! Your tank looks great!

[kryptonite]

Thx scd. Here is an updated picture of the tank.

[kryptonite]

Here is another one.

[Vixyswillie]

Really nice reef and pics, kryptonite. The color mix rocks! That thing is only 3 months old????! CRIPES - I WISH MINE WAS STARTED!!!! :D

[C141girlmedic]

Congratulations!
Your tank is BEAUTIFUL and a source of inspiration for me to get my nano that gorgeous one day.
Thanks for sharing!
Jacquie;)

[kennerd]

Looks really great, bud!

Keep an eye on your alevopora with the clown. My cinnamon clown took to my goniopora & nearly "loved it to death". Every time the clown would brush up through it, it would retract, and eventually sdtarted to recede & never really came back. Goniopora & alevopora are tough enough to keep, so keep an eye out!

[kryptonite]

Thanks Kennerd. I think from what I've read that being a hardier species than geniopora, the alveopora can take it. Mine did retract at first when anything touched it but now it seems to be fine with being rubbed up against by my tomato. It stays out full all day and at night retracts. All seems well so far.

Thanks again,
Nate

[kennerd]

Glad to hear it.

[kryptonite]

Thanks Vixyswillie and C141girlmedic!

[Lunchbucket]

ok, everyone has given some great compliments but now i am sorry but i must place some concerns. DISCLAIMER: i am not trying to be an *** or **** anyone off i am just listing legit concerns of mine (some others have agreed). i am just hanging my ballz of steel out there and posting what i am thinking

great looking tank first off, i will tell you that for sure! but 3 months old stocked that heavy and it sounds like you have had some issues w/ it that kind of concern me. shouldn't the nano of the month be a rock solid system that others and newbie's would want to mimic after. (please don't get me wrong here people!!) yes it is beautiful and seems great but the whole stocking an alevopora and an anenome in a nano....i am sorry but this isn't something a "newbie" should be seeing as acceptable. don't get me wrong some have done it w/ success but not many...and many don't have the knowledge to care for them or what they could do to such a small tank.

ok, i will stop there i really don't want people to get ****ed at me and i hope you realize that is not what i am trying to do by any way, shape, or form. i just think that this time we have voted on a system that isn't quite stable enough to be nano of the month...so newbies can try to mimic it. i believe that it will become a great mature tank as time passes and it will be even better than it is now! but i think that at this time it isn't quite a set up we should copy. this stuff is my oppinon only and i hope no one takes offense to it.

thanks
Lunchbucket

[ReefCorner]

Okay Lunch, This is ReefCorner.

I knew that you would say something about the 3 month old tank stock and running beautifully.

My tank is also fully stocked and running less 3 months. You yelled at me too.:eek1: But everything worked out fine for me and I guess kryptonite.


I am surprise that kryptonite tank is doing so great in 3 months. I hope it continues. I thought I was the only one that moved too quickly.

Remember most of my stock was transferred and donated.

It is that his tank should be running longer than 3 months, before selecting for "Tank of the Month"? or just too quickly stocked.

I am not p..ed with you Lunch. You spoke your mind. You are still a cool guy. :bum:

Ileana aka ReefCorner

[kryptonite]

Hmmmmmmm... What to say...

I agree about the bta. I should never have put that in there. I can say that I've learned my lesson on that. Read up a little bit... I took the bta back.

As for the other coral. I see absolutely no problem. Alveopora is not very difficult to keep. I read up on everything I get before I get it now. Corals don't produce a lot of waste, if any. Fish do. Maybe I have one too many fish. Some would say I do, I would say I don't. My tank is doing fine. The only problem I had was a slight algae problem lately which is dying off as I type. My tank is doing great.

Thanks for your opinion,

Nate

[kryptonite]

Lunchbucket if you want to see an overstocked reef look at the 2.5 month old 16gal on nanoreef.com. Out of 3 pages of replies I am the only one who has said something. That is the most overstocked reef that I think I've ever seen.

What is the problem with my tank? Please tell me what I did that was so wrong. Not all newbies just go buy stuff and throw it in. I studied on this for a while before I even thought about getting a tank. I think I've done a pretty good job. I'm sorry you and your friends don't.

Sorry everybody, I don't take critisism very well.

Peace,
Nate

[Vixyswillie]

Being a newbie, I guess I gotta post my $0.02 on this topic.

Lunchbucket - I'm curious about your comment. You seem to link the "Nano of the Month" with something a newbie would run out and try to immediately copy in some way. I, for one, never took it that way. I understood "Nano of the Month" to mean something completely opposite: an exceptional reef put together by a "veteran" that showcases what this hobby can really be. IMHO, kryptonite certainly deserves that award and a helluva lot more. His nano is gorgeous - and it makes me hope that ONE DAY, I'll be able to put something like that together, too - if I really stick with it. I know better than to think I'm going to go out, buy the stuff, throw them together, and think MY nano will look like that in 3 months! :D

Now I'm certainly in no position to argue the technical merit and details behind putting a reef like his together. Nonetheless, I'm not sure that those debates belong right alongside the "Nano of the Month," anyway. Perhaps the best way to say it is: I think this award ought to be more of a celebration of achievement, rather than a critique of method.

It may not count for much, kryptonite, but you certainly get my vote. :p

[kryptonite]

Thank you vixyswillie, your reply is very much appreciated.

[Lunchbucket]

i just don't feel that stocking fully in 3 months is something a newbie that would use your system as a guide should attempt. yes you did it but yeah you prolly read and you did adjust things ie. taking corals back. nano of the month should be what newbies should model thier tank after and i don't believe they should model after your tank. don't get me wrong you have a very nice looking tank that must have been thought out and read up on and stuff or it would be crap and you would be asking why...and what is wrong w/ my bta.....many newbies do this because they don't read up and such or see tanks like this an feel they can do it w/out the knowledge or judgement that you obviously have. i am not saying it is you...i am saying many will just do it in less time w/ less knowledge and kill stuff then wonder why.

see what i mean?
Lunchbucket

[Lunchbucket]

yes this is a celebration but where to newbies look to when they need stuff...they will prolly look to nano of the month because thye must know thier ****. right? YES! and if the one that just don't plan, read, research, and revamp like kryp did will have a tank of crap on thier hands. maybe a disclaimer would do i don't know. i just have a problem w/ so many wondering why things are going so amis when all they need is reefing 101 to solve thier problems. many think nanos are soooo easy cause they are smaller and cheaper...WRONG!! they take more than a big tank and i give everyone here that has a successful one credit and a big pat on the back!

i think it is a great tank! i just want to make sure the newbies that don't read and such just don't think this will come together in less than 3 months w/out some brains!

i am giving kryp more props than anyone else! because i see what he did (research, revamp, learn) that is what it is all about!

Lunchbucket

[ReefCorner]

Originally posted by Vixyswillie

Nonetheless, I'm not sure that those debates belong right alongside the "Nano of the Month," anyway. Perhaps the best way to say it is: I think this award ought to be more of a celebration of achievement, rather than a critique of method.

It may not count for much, kryptonite, but you certainly get my vote. :p

I agree with you Vixyswillie. It should be a Celebration of Achievement rather than a critique of method.

Well said!!!!!

[kryptonite]

Thank you ReefCorner.

[absolutc]

Ok, I have to jump in here -

The tank looks good. Would I say great? No. Anyone can take a tank and stock it up in a matter of weeks/months and get what we see above.

I agree with lunchbucket. Nano Tank of The Month should NOT be a 3 month old tank. I have no idea who or what they were thinking, but that just does not set a good example. A seasoned tank is no less than 6 months old.

I really don't care as to what he puts in it because thats his thing. If he can care for it, then I don't see any problems.

Maybe this is what the moderators are looking for to pull this Nano Tank of the month thing. I don't know. But what I do know is, a 3 month old tank should not be tank of the month.

Wonder if RC's tanks of the month have ever been 1/2/3 months old?

Im out.

[Lunchbucket]

ahh my faithful nano buddy absolutc, thanks for helping clear things up. it isn't YOUR tank kryp that is the problem...it was the whole idea of an immature tank that was the problem.

by they way the mods don't choose it they just tally the votes, so it is whoever has the most votes by the nano crowd.

good question about a tank of the month ever being a 3 month old.

we are not saying your tank sucks...it is nice, we just feel there should be more of a mature stable system for nano of the month.

Lunchbucket

[dsb1829]

Well, glad I am not the only one to look at the tank and go "nice, but what are the details". Also glad that I am not the only person that got a tick when they read 3mo old. Don't really know why it strikes a nerve, but something about the TOM being a fully stocked 3 mo system just didn't sit right.

I have personally had my nano stocked lightly at a month. My main justification has always been that the rock and water came from my reef tank 10ft away. I am pretty sure that there is minimal die off from my 10ft transport ;) . I have my other tank, so my nano is never too fully stocked. Plus the fact that I have an anemone in there limits real estate quite a bit, but that is another story. What I am saying is that the stocking isn't really that terrible to me, I guess.

The tank does look nice, FWIW. Congrats on TOM, hope we haven't bogged you down too much. From what little detail is provided on the system it looks like you are learning and are taking the necessary steps to ensure health and hapiness for your corals and fish.

[ReefCorner]

I agree that the kryptonite tank is very nice. I also was a little surprise when it was "Tank of the Month" in three months. I started my tank less than 3 months now. I received comments on the my tank on this forum. But everyone knew I tank is just a baby starting to crawl.

Since, my tank was establish is April/May 2002. I have had a lots of ups and downs. Some I posted and some I was too embrass to post. For two weeks my tank looked excellent. And an unfortunate accident last Tuesday night and it crashed. At present, I am recovering from the crash.

We should not beat up on kryptonite. We on the Nano Forum cast the votes. He did not ask to be "Nano of the Month". The moderators of this forum should throughly evaluate the merits of the tank selected.

How long as the tank been established. That should be a criteria for "Nano of the Month". This way we avoid debates like this. Is it not fear to receiptant and to this forum.

If scd did not ask that question How long has the tank been set up? Would we have knew?

But kryptonite answered the question honestly. And now he is taking a beating for honestly.

This debate cast a cloud over something that should be
celebratory.

NOTE: We have not heard from our moderators. What do they think of this debate on "Nano of the Month"

My 7 cents.

Ileana aka ReefCorner

[chess_wizard]

It's a beatifull looking tank for 3 months old, However in my opinion, the best looking tank is one that has had time for the corals to grow in. Perhaps this nano of the month is a little premature, but a great looking tank indeed!

[kryptonite]

I really don't know what to say. Your right, I didn't ask to be nano tank of the month and the way things are going I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Peace,
Nate

P.S. Please don't post a message on here after this one saying "Oh that's not what we meant. What we meant was..." You all have a right to your opinions and I thank you for sharing them. Have a good day.

[Devil Reefer]

Sounds like sour grapes to me.

[Lunchbucket]

krypt they reason i wrote that is because many people would misunderstand what i was saying and not think about it thouroughly.

i am sorry you feel badly about the whole nano of the month now. but you must realize it isn't you tank we are criticising at all! it is a nice tank just a little immature for tank of the month. but you have the honor so congrats. please keep us posted w/ pics and such so we can see it blossom even more!

thanks
Lunchbucket

[ReefCorner]

Originally posted by Devil Reefer
Sounds like sour grapes to me.

What do you mean by sour grapes. Sour grape on whos part?

I hope not kryptonite.