bennerkla's 5.5 AGA Nano Reef Diary (Lots of PICS!!!) - Page 14

melev · #**326** 07/24/2005, 11:42 PM

Yes, the spot light on a few glowing corals always looks cool.

TippyToeX · #**327** 07/25/2005, 12:11 AM

Love the LED pics Ben!

Everything is really taking shape.

Jordan55 · #**328** 07/25/2005, 12:21 AM

Hey Ben. Looking good!

The LEDs look so neat. Where could I get some?

Keep it up!

ninjafish · #**329** 07/25/2005, 01:36 AM

Ben,
I think a plate or open brain down on the sandbed would look pretty sweet. I really like that sprilia (?) - haven't seen one around here but I would buy it in a second if I found one. The aquascaping looks good and gives you lots of room for growth. If you were going to add any more rock I would put a tower formation kind of jutting up in the back on one side. I think that it is always easier to appreciate someone elses tank because it is something different, and more importantly, it can just be enjoyed because someone else is doing all of the work

. The only suggestion that I can think of would be to try out a smaller variety of snail some time. I changed my tank around to have only ceriths and stomatella because they don't get very big. I have found the challenge to a nano is to get everything to look miniature and purportional - like you are a giant and have a real live reef on your table. I found that having a large snail in the tank messes with the illusion and makes the tank look a lot smaller. JME.
This is the only thread I'm watching these days - nice work!

- Chad

atram · #**330** 07/25/2005, 07:56 AM

Looks good Ben.

Sugar Magnolia · #**331** 07/25/2005, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bennerkla
green spirilia (sp).

Sinularia. Nice piece too!

Those LED's are awesome!

bennerkla · #**332** 07/25/2005, 10:54 AM

TippyToeX- Thanks man. I can't wait to see yours take shape as well.

Jordan 55- Thanks. The LED's were custom made, check on page 13 I think for the link to the ones we bought. Doug from CORA made them for me.

ninjafish- Thanks man. Could I fit a brain on the sandbed? I thought they were huge. I think I'm going to keep the smaller turbo in there, just because he really does a terrific job at cleaning. I'll try those stomatella snails if I can find some at Phishy. I know I don't want any hermits, they are just such a pain to monitor. Thanks for continuing to follow my thread! I can't wait to post more pictures today when they open a bit, so check back!

atram- Thanks dude.

Sugar Magnolia- Ahh, cool. I'm so excited to have that thing lit up all night, it looks amazing I think.

I'm at my friends house right now, but I'll post more pictures when I get home. Cya!]

Ben

Hwarang · #**333** 07/25/2005, 11:57 AM

heya bennerkla

I have been watching your thread but didn't see if you found a solution to your ac fuge high flow problem. I am asking because I went through the same problems (same size tank too) and eventually abandoned the idea completely. The mini impeller I ordered was not strong enough to suck water up into the unit, and the big one turned my aquarium into a whirlpool.

bennerkla · #**334** 07/25/2005, 11:58 AM

Hwarang- The mini impeller is fine for me, it puts out the right flow for almost my entire tank. The 300 impeller would be way too strong for the nano. I also have the tube shifted to the right.

Hwarang · #**335** 07/25/2005, 12:45 PM

hmmm. now i wonder why mine wasn't able to suck up water with the little impeller.

QQ

bennerkla · #**336** 07/25/2005, 12:48 PM

It takes awhile. Mine might have taken 3 minutes before anything started to happen.

ItsDave · #**337** 07/25/2005, 01:02 PM

not meaning to insult your fish knowledge hwaran..but did you prime the filter? Aka fill it with water before you turned it on?
If you dont prime the filter it will not suck water up into it nearly as quickly.

Dave

bennerkla · #**338** 07/25/2005, 01:41 PM

Ahh, yeah, you have to do that. I don't even think it'll work if you don't fill it with water first.

Hwarang · #**339** 07/25/2005, 02:08 PM

this... is an outrage! my fish knowledge has been blasphemed!

hehe jk.

Yeah it was all "primed" and whatnot. I have a bevvy of old buhquariums in the closet and was doing water current tests with my AC300 hooked onto the back of a 5.5 filled with tap water. The filter was full and everything. I also left it running while I cooked dinner because I thought it might just take a while to get the water up over the elbow ... no such luck. I think I may have gotten a defective part or product somewhere. I am not overly thrilled with aquaclear's filters. anyhow i don't want to derail the thread so back to the topic ... post more pix!

tabwyo · #**340** 07/25/2005, 03:04 PM

work the stand pipe up and down. AC impellers tend to stick once theyv'e been run and allowed to dry out. Or fill it with vinager and let it set for a couple hours.

tabwyo · #**341** 07/25/2005, 03:05 PM

either that or keep pouring in water until the unit catches its prime.

bennerkla · #**342** 07/25/2005, 04:44 PM

Hey guys. The red mushroom has opened up the best, and the frogspawn has shot up some long tentacles. The sinularia is bent over, do you think he'll straighten himself up towards the light over time?

I removed one of my turbos because he was just bulldozing stuff left and right. Too bad, I liked that guy, he solved my HA problem. I'm going to try to position my LED's so they shine directly on the frogspawn and sinularia tonight, and if I get it to work I'll take more pictures!! I love pictures.

Cya guys,

Ben

Champloo · #**343** 07/25/2005, 05:02 PM

Very nice! keep giving me ideas

i love ideas!

melev · #**344** 07/25/2005, 05:08 PM

Oh, the joys of a new tank. "Look at my cute mushroom..." Ben, do you mind if I quote you again in 9 months, when you are cursing the day you ever put one in your tank?

It is really taking shape. I would just like to recommend you avoid corals that tend to take over real estate quickly. Mushrooms are nice, cheap, and spread easily. If you are willing to pull out a rock covered with them and trade it in for store credit, and replace it with a new rock, then I see no problem. However, if you don't know that they can be a real pain, then now you do.

I don't know a thing about Sinularia, as I've never kept one. I have a feeling it will stand up, but that is just a WAG on my part.

bennerkla · #**345** 07/25/2005, 05:20 PM

Thanks champloo!

Melev- couldn't I just cut them if they got out of control? It is hard for me to imagine that, as I have never had a coral grow like crazy before, but if it does I'll be ready

Thanks man.

melev · #**346** 07/25/2005, 05:23 PM

They don't cut off as easily as you might think. And they will twist off on their own, blow around the tank and attach elsewhere. My 29g had 4 in the beginning. Take a look at this 2 year progress page. http://www.melevsreef.com/29g/29g_progress.html

bennerkla · #**347** 07/25/2005, 05:50 PM

Please don't quote me...

melev · #**348** 07/25/2005, 06:18 PM

Muah ha ha....

leeweber85 · #**349** 07/25/2005, 07:02 PM

Ben your tank has came a long way. I like the mushroom you have

Hopefully my 5.5 starts moving like yours.

clown fanatic · #**350** 07/25/2005, 07:46 PM

i like the red mushroom, i have purple/blue ones in my 55g and i love them! its cool watching how fast they grow, i have 2 frags of GSP's (which are supposed to grow like "weeds") and my mushrooms have outgrown then by far! one just twisted off a rock like melev said and has planted itself on another rock. just look at it like this, youll have a good supply of mushrooms to frag, and something to add to yoru 75g in the future.