Build and Progress of my RSM Nano Tank - Page 26

MAXreefer · #**626** 12/30/2007, 09:15 PM

Laurent,
usually I use the same method as you to feed the corals.
The ones which really need a "target feed" I do following:

Cut a big soda bottle in 1/3 so it looks like a hood. Put it over the coral and then gently spray the prepared food into the bottle. This way the food swirls in the bottle and the coral gets everything he needs.
I usually take some tank water, Cyclop-Eeze, Arcti Pods, Phyto Feast, Kent Zooplex. Mix it together and then suck it up with a SeaSquirt Feeder (Turkey baster will do it also) and spray it into the bottle.
Works great and efficient.

Michael
MAXreefer
This is not my tank. Just a product illustration:

and the bottle over the coral (Picture is quite dark as I usually feed them 1/2 hour after the lights went off):

gigs · #**627** 12/30/2007, 09:22 PM

Nice one thanks MAXreefer and Laurent for the pics. I might try the soda bottle trick on my sun coral. I think my clowns are getting a bit too much food when I try and feed the corals. They are starting to develope fat little tummys

MAXreefer · #**628** 12/30/2007, 09:38 PM

Trust me... Your fish are smart!
Usually when the lights go off all my fish hide in their caves for the night but by now they figured out when the bottle gets into the tank there is food involved and they all come out to swim around the bottle. Some even try to get into it...

Michael
MAXreefer

Reefmack · #**629** 12/30/2007, 09:42 PM

I use the frozen cyclops, but using the powder by shaking it in some tank water to wet it out is a good idea. I do that with my powdered Coral Frenzy, but I target feed that to specific corals. On the zoas, I've seen my big palys on occasion get a piece of flake food that my fish miss, and they'll pull it into their mouths. Even the corals that can live on light will do even better with an occasional bite to eat.

LaurentSeattle · #**630** 12/31/2007, 12:13 AM

Feeding at night... That's interesting...

Maybe I should try that too. Hopefully, corals and little critters will get more food.

LaurentSeattle · #**631** 01/01/2008, 08:40 PM

Month 7 - Week 27 - Day 187 - Tuesday January 1st - Around 6pm

Yesterday: I have been showing the tank to all the party that came for cocktails for NYE. Wow's and Woa's... Needless to say I carefully cleaned the glass ahead of their arrival!

Today:

- Quick water change (1.5g) and pest algae hunting. A bit early because I plan to leave this coming weekend.

- Cleaned the flow diverters.

- Ca still at 460ppm.

- New comers doing well. The shrimp is very busy on the back wall apparently eating stuff I am not able to see...

- And the usual routine stuff: Mechanical filters, etc...

LaurentSeattle · #**632** 01/03/2008, 09:50 PM

Month 7 - Week 27 - Day 189 - Thursday January 3rd - Around 6pm

- Did little in the tank but the routine maintenance...

However, here is (as promised earlier) an updated Full Tank Shot:

Amazing growth of Xenia!

martinphillip03 · #**633** 01/03/2008, 09:57 PM

Very nice. Are you considering another feather duster?

Marty

thin crust · #**634** 01/03/2008, 09:57 PM

looks fantastic! i really like the variety of mushrooms you've got there.

LaurentSeattle · #**635** 01/03/2008, 10:53 PM

Hi Marty!

Yes, I was just considering placing another feather duster between the two big front rocks. The one on the right has been in the tank for five months and seems to be quite happy with regular feedings of Cyclop-EEze and phytoplankton.

Thanks Thin Crust for the compliment. What you see above is the perfect "easy corals" collection for n00bs like me: Xenia, GSP, mushrooms, zoas... : Not too expensive, hardy but still colorful and good looking.

LaurentSeattle · #**636** 01/04/2008, 10:40 AM

First Impression

I received yesterday my copy of "Aquarium Corals" by Eric Borneman.

Of course, I have not been able to read the whole book... but I had a very good first impression: Well written, beautifully illustrated and a massive amount of information on every coral available in the aquarium trade.

LaurentSeattle · #**637** 01/04/2008, 10:05 PM

Month 7 - Week 28 - Day 190 - Friday January 4th - Around 7pm

- Removed a tiny bit of green hairy algae and cut the very last bit of bryopsis.

- Done a 3g water change, again a bit early, because I am leaving tomorrow early for the weekend. Sor far, all these additional water changes have caused no harm at all. Maybe they are useless, but they make me "feel better" when leaving the tank alone for two or three days.

- All inhabitants healthy and happy.

- Continued reading of my new book ("Aquarium Corals" by Eric Borneman): Very well written, highly recommended.

martinphillip03 · #**638** 01/04/2008, 11:36 PM

Water changes are always good. Helps replenish the salt water

Marty

LaurentSeattle · #**639** 01/05/2008, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by martinphillip03
Water changes are always good.

That's what I believe too, Marty.

Also... I tried to picture the new colors showing on the head of Lucy Lu, the Yellow Wrasse, but she is too fast... I'll try again next week.

martinphillip03 · #**640** 01/05/2008, 11:40 AM

I was talking about water changes with my friend, the fish store owner. He told me the best way to change water is 2% every other day, for the most anal reef keeper. or 10% a week. He said corals don't like change. So your three gallons a week seems right on schedule.

Marty

LaurentSeattle · #**641** 01/05/2008, 01:31 PM

Actually, when my zoas and fishes were sick, daily small water changes of about a bit less than 2g prevented the spread of the diseases.

Not enough to save the animals in both cases, but still... conditions improved after each water change.

This was particularly the case for the zoa pox outbreak.

Also: I had my best results in fresh water when doing constant and permanent water changes: a small trickler of RO water coming into tanks and an overflow.

Rue · #**642** 01/05/2008, 05:39 PM

LOL...I'm glad you gave me a page number...pages 25 and 26 just finished loading!

Thanks for the synopsis...I'm essentially doing what you did - with a couple of differences. I have no phosphate or nitrate readings...I know they're there, but apparently at low enough levels not to register...I also clean the glass, the sponge and the skimmer cup religiously. I hand-harvest algae weekly...

I'm scared to introduce chemicals...not willing to risk loosing live-stock...

However, I'm considering a lawnmower blennie...if I can figure out how to keep him happy and healthy should he clean up the tank...so no decision on that yet - since the addition of a blennie would be overstocking the tank with fish in my opinion...

Reefmack · #**643** 01/05/2008, 05:47 PM

Rue - my lawnmower blenny never has touched any of the hair algae or bryopsis I've had, so no guarantee on getting one that will, But, they are nice fish to have irregardless - mine does pick the algae off of the tank glass. And mine now loves regular Formula One flake food, so he's doing well without an all-algae diet.

Iostream · #**644** 01/05/2008, 05:48 PM

Rue, you could always do the refugium. The mod to install it is not too difficult, though it will require you drop your sponge media, etc. Still, if you saw my before and after pictures in the big RSM thread, I totally credit the refugium for that. Install instructions are on my RSM Aquafuge Installation Page. Of course it does require 5 inches or so of clearance behind the tank.

Rue · #**645** 01/05/2008, 05:57 PM

Oh! I'd luv a refugium! But I'm worried it will all get too technical for me! Don't forget...I almost passed out last week when I installed the new heater! But I agree...it would help!

Reefmack...so it's a Foxface or nuthin'? Well, I can ask my reef store if they ever get them in...think it would fight with my pajamas or the clowns?

Reefmack · #**646** 01/05/2008, 06:10 PM

Rue - the Foxface is a very peaceful fish. MAXreefer had one and said the same thing. They do have venomous spines but mine hides when my hand goes in the tank. It attacks and chases nothing, and if anything shows aggression towards the Foxface it simply raises it's dorsal fin and leans towards the aggressor, pointing spines at it, and the potential aggression stops right there. It's pretty cool to watch. It's also a very pretty fish, and has that unique snout that is tang like in appearance. The slower mine grows the better! They're also a very active fish - constantly in motion (till it sleeps at night under my tree-like frogspawn). They also can change colors when stressed or sleeping - at night it has a lot of brown spotches on its body - night time camoflage I guess. But, don't get one based on my word - as with anything in this hobby - no guarantees (but it worked for me!).

Rue · #**647** 01/05/2008, 07:06 PM

...well...you've convinced me...

...to at least do a little more research on them!...

martinphillip03 · #**648** 01/05/2008, 09:35 PM

You could get more snails. Also some nudibranches may help get rid of the algae. I don't know what type though.

Marty

Rue · #**649** 01/05/2008, 09:54 PM

Yes, I could I suppose...but I have 5 Astraea...and 10 others...

I'm scared to get a nudibranch...

I do have 2 emerald crab babies...and they seem fine...but although they eat a lot of algae, they can't make any headway...

conorwynne · #**650** 01/06/2008, 09:23 AM

Laurent,

I would recommend a sea hare -- they eat hair algae if you have any remaining. Astreas and turbo's are great for other algae -- I had problems with some hardish tuft like algae (short strands close together on the LR) as well as diatome like algae (brown) on the glass. I added 10 snails which have now gobbled it up (mostly).

Love the tank, it has really come along, so you have been doing all the right things abviously. I would also recommend a refugium, something I would love myself, definitely planned into my next tank.

Regards
Conor.

p.s.: Tu est francais Laurent? Allez les bleus :-)