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

[Aquabucket]

Its been about 3 months since I last posted a thread about my "stand alone" 30G. mixed "bonzai" reef. Click here 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:


Solomon Is. Zoos


Small Derasa Clam (I have had it for about 3 months now):


ORA "Neon" Orange Monti frag (thanks mherbb!)


Yellow/Green Maze Brain


ORA German Blue Monti (thanks mherbb!)


Pretty Red Macro (need ID)


Tiny Pipe Organ frag and more Solomon Is. Zoos.


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

[Rock Anemone]

Beautiful tank, love the rockwork! Everything looks clean and healthy.

Rock Anemone

[jthnhale]

I'm curious how do you keep the chaeto from flying all over the tank.
the tank looks great by the way, love the colors.

[Aquabucket]

Thanks guys!

The chaeto stays wedged between the rockwork and the back glass. It expands even more as it grows.

[Aquabucket]

I forgot to mention that I did add another componant to my system ~ an air pump.

I managed to hook it up in a way that it forces air into my HOB without having any bubbles make it into the display.

I did this to help drive up CO2 levels during the day. Its been helping me keep my PH down and steady.

[dhoch]

aquabucket,

I'm interested in what you said about driving up your CO2 levels during the day.

Please explain more about the how and why...

I've seen my Ph climb fairly high during the day (8.4) due to increased light/consumption of CO2 in my tank.

Thanks,

Dave

[Aquabucket]

I got the idea from the Reef Chemistry forum after pouring over many of Randy's excellent articles.

A PH of 8.4 is nothing to worry about IMO ~ its the amount of swing between night and day that you want to control.

How big of a swing are you getting?

[dhoch]

Well I upgraded to T5 lighting... The additional lighting I stepped up over the last 2 weeks.

In the begining I was only get a .25 swing... now it's closer to .35.

Dave

[Aquabucket]

Thats really not too bad of a swing ~ but if you could force more air into the system during the day you may bring it down a bit more.

[FastUno]

Great tank!
I think the secret is the lack of large quantities of fish. I bet you also rarely feed the tank as well?

How often & what do you feed that tank? Do you have the need to direct feed any particular coral? How often do you feed your fish?

I heard from someone that they have stopped feeding their tank & that it is better than ever.

[JAYDEE]

Love the tank, love the corals, love the colors. Great job.

[Aquabucket]

Originally posted by FastUno
Great tank!
I think the secret is the lack of large quantities of fish. I bet you also rarely feed the tank as well?

How often & what do you feed that tank? Do you have the need to direct feed any particular coral? How often do you feed your fish?

I heard from someone that they have stopped feeding their tank & that it is better than ever.

Too many fish would easily throw a small tank like this out of balance.
I also try choose fish that can thrive off the LR and its inhabitants. The Chaeto makes a great haven for pod, mysis, etc..

With that said the only food going into my tank now is Cyclope-eze and sinking shrimp pellets. I only feed 3-4 times a week.

The pellets are for my DSB critters and the Cyclope-eze is a food source for alot of things.

Thanks JAYDEE!

I am always on the lookout for oranges, pinks, reds, and yellows ~ as I feel these colors stand out more against the coralline and actinic lighting. I am also a fan of all the different shades of greens.

[kenny77]

Very nice tank!!!!!!! i like the rock work and your coral seem to be healthy

[Aquabucket]

Thanks Kenn!

I was hoping this thread would get to another page to load up some more photos for us dial-uppers.

Anyhow here are a few more pics from today.

This was just an ordinary chunk of LR back in June:


Larry Jackson Purple Monster frag:


A close up of some more Solomon Is. Zoos:


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.

[Aquabucket]

Forgot to post the pic of my giant hairy shroom last night. This baby grew from about 2" to the 7" it is today. I wonder how big this thing is going to get?

[kenny77]

Originally posted by Aquabucket
Forgot to post the pic of my giant hairy shroom last night. This baby grew from about 2" to the 7" it is today. I wonder how big this thing is going to get?

there is a LFS in ORlando that has one 16" wide. and it still looks like if if it growing

[jthnhale]

it all looks awesome
this is the tank your going to take apart
is that for an upgrade to the 50?

[Aquabucket]

Thanks for the info Kenn. It looks like these shrooms never split!

The one I have could eat an unsuspecting fish like a clown ~ I've seen pics of them doing it before.

jthnhalel ~ Thanks again, you are right. All the stuff in this 30 will be going into the 50 in a couple of months or so. I am running out of room especially along the bottom. My beach area is way too small now and my clam is growing fast.

The 50 is a 3 foot tank so I will still be able to use my T5s.

[FastUno]

How high off the tank do you place your T5's? Do you acclimate your corals to the T5's when placing new ones in? And how exactly?

What bulb combo do you use & what is your photo period?
I have the 6 bulb 54W Tek fixture & am having trouble with only certain corals. Other ones are doing spectacular.

[bkbkid]

Wow your tank looks awesome, ? how do you keep it spotless? beautiful tank good start

[Aquabucket]

FastUno ~

My T5s are 3" off the water without a splash sheild. 4 cooling fans do a good job at keeping them dry and clean for the most part.

I did see your thread regarding some issues you are having with T5s and acclimation.

All three of my ballasts are wired individully allowing me to run a number of 2 bulb configurations. Right now I am running; 2 actinic/blue plus bulbs, 1 aquablue special, 1 6500K GE, 1 -10,000K, and 1 - 03 actinic.

When acclimating new corals I run the blue lights alot and ease into the daylights. My usual photo period is 13hrs a day with 6 of those hours being full daylight or "all bulbs" running. The day begins with an actinic/plus or blue bulb along with an 03. Then 2 more bulbs come on ~ the aquablue special and another actinic/blue plus.

bkbkid ~

The tank is kept clean with the use of a magfloat that can cover the entire tank including the back. Powerheads are cleaned every 2 weeks. About once a week a magfloat is used to clean the back of the tank to remove some film/algae and that's about it. A long peice of acrylic is sometimes used to scrape the area of glass where the DSB starts.

Because of this simple regimen only my surface skimmer and the lip of my HOB are coralline encrusted.

I also introduce several "storm days" to my tank every week or more. I use a special baster tool I made to blast everything in my tank. This blasting is done several times a day until the LR sheds no more gunk and build-up.

The tank looks unreal the day after these storms and the corals respond very well to them.

[FastUno]

Blasting the tank is a not so known BIG secret in reefing. I have noticed the same thing, I think it helps feed the corals & remove excess nutrients when done on a regular basis.

The next day the corals & tank appear vibrant.

What is that red coral in the center of your tank? Is that a red lobo?

[Rikko]

I know this sounds weird, but I can't shake the feeling that your tank is looking at me...

[Aquabucket]

Fastuno

I thought this thread was going to be burried for good. Thanks for the response.

- Blasting is one of the best things you can do IMO and I pass this along to all my customers.

- It is a red lobo. It had grown a 9" long base/stalk when I aquired it. I cut it down and placed it at the "heart" of my reef. I later fashioned some small rockwork around it to protect it from too much flow.

Here is a closer pic. ( It really is a very vibrant red)


Rikko

I like your response ~ I'll take it as a nice compliment.

[mash2k]

What are some good tools/techniques for "blasting"? I may want to try this.