112L - Iwagumi Reef

[André Silvestre]

Hello,

Curvball, thanks. Yes, I do have a few more pictures. See below...

Cameron, the lighting fixture is a DIY done by me. It could be better ( T5s, for example) but corals seem to like it.

Scarlet, thank you very much. I appreciate the nice comment.

Colin, thanks. I think anyone can take nice pictures but I agree with you that it takes some patience, a decent camera and many, many shots to understand how the camera works and what settings are best for our tank. I also give a slightly sharpness, compensate overexposed/underexposed photos and calibrate white balance in PS. I think that picture treatment, when correctly done, is a must to increase and show the quality and reality of the photographed subject.

A few more of the same session:

Regards,
André

 

[madadi]

i think you did a great job with the fishtank also, rock work looks really natural with the soft edge you created. i would move that frogspawn some where else because the cave that its hiding was a real important feature to the rock work.

 

[romsoccer12]

wow those still amaze me. just wondering what camera do you have? this is my favorite picture to the day, took it with a crappy digital but i love it

kinda looks like hes smiling haha

 

[iNfaMous_reeF]

Love the tank man!!!

 

[André Silvestre]

Hello,

Adrian, thanks. I agree with you and today I changed the position of the frogspawn. The problem is that the skeleton of the coral is huge and I have some difficulties in placing the coral in this layout in a way that it doesn´t feel too " artificial". I´m hopping it feels more natural in his new position as the surrounding corals grow. The cave, instead, has been partially covered with my Acan collection.

Colin, I use a Canon 400D + 18-55mm lens ( standard lens).
Your picture looks really cool. It is a bit overexposed but the moment itself is very nice. Salarias and Blennys in general are always great subjects to photograph.

Infamous, thanks.

Here´s a couple more pics:

The new addition

Regards,
André

 

[André Silvestre]

Hello,

Three more pics taken this week:

Regards,
André

 

[romsoccer12]

looks even better every time! love the new goby addition, what kind is it?. do you ever have problems with all those gobies in a small tank or do they not fight like other same species fish?

 

[André Silvestre]

Hello Colin,

It is not a Goby. It is a Blenny. A Sailfin Blenny ( Emblemaria pandionis).
Its personality is unique.

I don´t have problems with the Gobys because every fish has its burrow and they are all on opposite sides so their territory is well defined. They don´t cross each others territory which I conclude through observation that is all taken be the actual residents so no more gobys shall be introduced in the tank. It is perfect the way it is.

I realized I never showed the technical area so I snapped some pics of it:

I also got hand at a rock full of Ricordea Florida which is very rare over here. I hope to increase my collection of these beautiful nems but as I said, they don´t show on the LFS very often.

Regards,
André

 

[ChloroPhil]

Andre,

Simply gorgeous! This tank is one of the few iwagumi that I enjoy looking at these days. The style is so overdone in planted tanks.

I'm planning a 20g nano and am curious what you're dosing and how you're doing it. Could you please shed some light on the subject?


Thank you,
Phil

 

[André Silvestre]

Hello Phil,

Thank you for your kind comments.
I´m trying to follow the same principals as the Iwagumi philosophy, while limiting the corals to the hardscape. Leaving the sand intact should promote the visual effect of the rockwork itself.

As to dosing, right now I´m only adding kalkwasser through the Aqua-Medic SP3000 when water evaporates. I was dosing the aerobic part + Zeolites of the Purist Line only to cycle and help colonize the system, since the tank is set up only with dead rock. I stopped dosing Bacs and Carbon almost two months ago though I intend to start again in a month or so ( if necessary regarding nutrient exportation) in conjunction with Phyto and Zooplankton for corals and Micro Fauna. For now, it´s only kalk + water changes.

Since this tank ins only for softies and LPS, I will probably just start with Phyto and Zoo and see how the system handles the increase of the organics.


Regards,
André

 

[André Silvestre]

Hello again,

Here´s some pics of todays session:

Regards,
André

 

[BADGUS]

Nice looking tank so far.Can't wait for mine to be built.I like the aquascape.

~Happy reefing

 

[André Silvestre]

Hello,

BADGUS, thanks.

Here´s some FTS and sideways:

André

 

[slchurch]

Very nice, and organized. I really like how you are staying to scale and keeping with all small zoo's. I like alot.

 

[BADGUS]

How are the T8's working out?I never had luck with them and certain LPS corals,colors would fade over 3-4 weeks after being in the display tank.

 

[André Silvestre]

Hello,

slchurch, thanks. Well observed regarding the scale issue. I´m aiming for small polyp corals to fill and give detail to the rock, without loosing depth and the feeling of a bigger tank, played by the scale part.

BAD, T8´s are working just great for these corals.
Colors have improved since I achieved a bluer spectrum with a combination of 20Ks, 18Ks and actinics.

Growth and color of the Zoas is also good:

On 13th August:

On 10th November:

On 13th August:

On 30th November:

On 13th August:

On 4th November:

17th October:

30th November:

As to LPS, I have Acans, Caulastrea, Trachyphyllia, all with good colors so far though they are not in this tank since the begining so there are not old pictures to compare with the new ones. But, you still can attest for their color on the anterior posts. Also, the fluorescence of the corals with this bulb combo is amazing.

André

 

[Ben_Im]

It's been said before many times, but I have to compliment your aquascape.

 

[Snow Leopard]

I love how clean and minimalistic your set-up looks. :thumbsup:

 

[-RYknow]

This setup is a true inspiration!! Just wondering, how is the MP10 working for you?! I'm thinking of putting one on our 20 gallon. hoping the one MP10 could replace the two maxi-jets I have in there now.

Beautiful setup man! Love it! :beer:

-RYknow

 

[André Silvestre]

Hello,

Ben and Snow, thanks. :thumbsup:

RYknow, thanks. The MP10, in my opinion, is awsome! It replaced two pumps I had on opposite sides and it still delivers more flow through all the tank. Everything moves and it´s on " lagoon mode" at 1/2 throttle. It also gives your tank a cleaner look. I think you´ll be well served with only one MP10. :beer:

Made a top down extension for my camera lens this week and took some pictures to test it. I think I still need to train more but I´m happy with the new perspective:

André