JohnL's 20 Gallon Nano Reef

[JCOLE]

Looks great! The corals look very happy and healthy!!

 

[Reefing102]

Over run but looking great!

 

[JohnL]

Thanks guys

 

[kfisc]

Very amazing: showing both how it's done and the fact that it can still be done.

 

[vlangel]

Your tank looks amazing!

 

[griss]

Your tank looks amazing!

I was expecting you to say he needed macros lol.

 

[vlangel]

I was expecting you to say he needed macros lol.

Ha ha, he could have the tank with the macros and acros! Wouldn't that be unique?

 

[griss]

Ha ha, he could have the tank with the macros and acros! Wouldn't that be unique?

That would be really cool. I'd try it but, I've never had good luck with any of the fancy macros. Caulerpa I can grow like crazy but, nothing else, not even chaeto.

 

[Patrick Seastar]

That would be really cool. I'd try it but, I've never had good luck with any of the fancy macros. Caulerpa I can grow like crazy but, nothing else, not even chaeto.

I have little to no experience with macros other than reading up on them. Is it possible most people have issues growing them because of a lack of nitrates? My understanding is that most macros need nitrate which it then turns into nitrite.

 

[griss]

I have little to no experience with macros other than reading up on them. Is it possible most people have issues growing them because of a lack of nitrates? My understanding is that most macros need nitrate which it then turns into nitrite.

Good point. I have to dose nitrates to keep them at the acceptable levels. I have not tried to keep macros (other than Caulerpa in my fuge) since I began dosing. I might try again sometime in the future.

 

[Timfish]

FWIW, algae like ammonia just like corals do so could be considered competitors for the ammonia generated in a system. Nitrates can have an inhibitory effect on coral calcification as well as potentially disrupting coral-algal mutualism so dosing nitrates needs to be done with care.

Fig. 3 from this paper.

 

[JohnL]

Thanks @Timfish

 

[JohnL]

Picked up this frag today.

Added 2 photos from this morning (4/26)

 

[griss]

Nice John

 

[Dustin07]

Major convenience. Constantly pouring is a pain!

man..... I know..... I'm doing 1-2g per day lol.

 

[vlangel]

It's always fun to choose a new coral! Nice one. You will have to tell me what it is as I do not know 'sticks' at all!

 

[JohnL]

@vlangel It's an Acropora. I was told Frogskin Acropora by the store owner.

 

[griss]

Some have identified Frogskin Acropora as an A. tortuosa others say A. vaughani. Honestly, most of our scientific names for Acros are just best guesses (IMO). Back in the 2000s when we started using Veron's books to try to ID Acros, many held the belief that the only way to truly and accurately ID them what through skeletal analysis. I don't know if that has changed but, I gave up trying to ID corals when the fancy names entered the hobby. I just buy corals that I like the look of.

 

[JohnL]

I just buy corals that I like

Me too

 

[vlangel]

I gave up trying to ID corals when the fancy names entered the hobby. I just buy corals that I like the look of.

Me three!