Yikes, I let this thread get out of date... Soo... massive catchup:
The tank went through a horrible, evil algae outbreak which is just now getting under control. I did finally find a workable refugium solution, the details are available on my
RSM Fuge Installation Page. I generally credit the refugium with getting my algae under control.
Over the course of a couple of months, I have given up on the mandarin idea... Just too much work to keep up a pod population for them in a tank this small. while I love the fish, I am not willing to put forth that kind of effort at this point, and I am not willing to take a bet on eating prepared.
The fish for the tank have been mainly stocked, there might be 1 more addition at some point to get something that stays along the rockwork/bottom of the tank, but I am in no hurry. Corals are being stocked as I find what I want. The current stock list is:
1 pair Cleaner Shrimp
1 pair False Percula Clowns
1 Yellow Coris Wrasse
1 Firefish
1 Potter's Angel
1 colony Green Star Polyps
1 well populated Zoa rock
1 Frogspawn
1 Colony of xenia.
As for tank modifications, I am running the stock skimmer with the air hose going into the collection cup as the only mod. I am running the JBJ Mini-Arctica 1/15HP chiller fed by a Quiet One 1200. All of the stock pads, sponges and media has been removed. I am running the CPR Aquafuge 2 small for a refugium with small bits of rock and lots of cheato. I am still running the Tunze Nano Stream 6025 for added circulation, and am running a hydor-flo on one of the filter ouputs.
I will update this thread a bit more often now so people can follow my progress, offer advice, or tell me when I have done something stupid
for now I leave you with an FTS from before my water change/algae mowing today:
