~Lets see your nano aquascaping~
- Thread starter Mr. Eko
- Start date
brandon429
Well-known member
here's one
here's one
finally got a pic:
My camera dates don't work! There is a bug in the system that makes it assign random dates with each pic. Lucky the thing still takes pictures...
There is also acanthastrea and pocillopora in this .5 pico. Based on the measurements in the thread linked on page 18, the working reef structure seen here is only 3 inches deep--from the front pane of glass to the rear wall...using every possible space takes quite some time to stock and it also imparts a density to the structure which makes it look like a huge reef.
Aquascaping plays the particular role in transforming any size into a larger-seeming one...colonies of corals in a 120 gallon system occupy a certain proportion of viewable space relative to the whole structure. By using SPS frags no longer than one inch long, and single blastomussa and caulastrea heads rather than whole colonies, one can achieve an approximation of this aspect in any size system. This particular reef is about 8" inches long and 4" tall. There is quite a bit of flow in the system, hard driven by a powerhead set on medium. I dose a and b solutions of C-Balance (1/2 capfull before lights on) on alternate mornings to achieve stony-coral supporting Ca+++ and alk measures and have begun to frag small tips off the SPS green/brown acro to plant elsewhere. They prefer to base-plate for quite some time in these pico systems, one would think they'd outgrow the structure but they do not. Even the xenia stays in check, the systems has reached a harmonious balance.
here's one
finally got a pic:
My camera dates don't work! There is a bug in the system that makes it assign random dates with each pic. Lucky the thing still takes pictures...
There is also acanthastrea and pocillopora in this .5 pico. Based on the measurements in the thread linked on page 18, the working reef structure seen here is only 3 inches deep--from the front pane of glass to the rear wall...using every possible space takes quite some time to stock and it also imparts a density to the structure which makes it look like a huge reef.
Aquascaping plays the particular role in transforming any size into a larger-seeming one...colonies of corals in a 120 gallon system occupy a certain proportion of viewable space relative to the whole structure. By using SPS frags no longer than one inch long, and single blastomussa and caulastrea heads rather than whole colonies, one can achieve an approximation of this aspect in any size system. This particular reef is about 8" inches long and 4" tall. There is quite a bit of flow in the system, hard driven by a powerhead set on medium. I dose a and b solutions of C-Balance (1/2 capfull before lights on) on alternate mornings to achieve stony-coral supporting Ca+++ and alk measures and have begun to frag small tips off the SPS green/brown acro to plant elsewhere. They prefer to base-plate for quite some time in these pico systems, one would think they'd outgrow the structure but they do not. Even the xenia stays in check, the systems has reached a harmonious balance.
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brandon429
Well-known member
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the perspective shot:
This is also why the pico reef can support SPS growth, there is no fluctuation of salinity. The system does not evaporate and does not need topping off, in many ways it's more preferable to a larger system. Doesn't cost any chaper to stock...LFS has managed to charge me at least $400 worth of frags so far. Can anyone tell me why one can get a full colony of caulastrea for $39 dollars (say a 6-8 head colony) but LFS charge $15.00 per single head?
The black power lines from the powerhead and heater were cut and then spliced back together after running through grommets in the lid, so they wouldn't salt-creep at that exchange point. They weren't designed to run through the front like that!!!!!! It was a construction oversight in which I installed the entire reef on the wrong side of the tank dang it...there is a curve on one side meaning the glass lid has to seal on backwards now (puts the cables up front). Oh well, they have all but disappeared as I sit and look at this each day.
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the perspective shot:
This is also why the pico reef can support SPS growth, there is no fluctuation of salinity. The system does not evaporate and does not need topping off, in many ways it's more preferable to a larger system. Doesn't cost any chaper to stock...LFS has managed to charge me at least $400 worth of frags so far. Can anyone tell me why one can get a full colony of caulastrea for $39 dollars (say a 6-8 head colony) but LFS charge $15.00 per single head?
The black power lines from the powerhead and heater were cut and then spliced back together after running through grommets in the lid, so they wouldn't salt-creep at that exchange point. They weren't designed to run through the front like that!!!!!! It was a construction oversight in which I installed the entire reef on the wrong side of the tank dang it...there is a curve on one side meaning the glass lid has to seal on backwards now (puts the cables up front). Oh well, they have all but disappeared as I sit and look at this each day.
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masterswimmer
New member
brandon429, very cool pico. And in answer to your question about LFS pricing of caulastrea for $39.........Because they can!
Russ
Russ
brandon429
Well-known member
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Thanks Russ and every time I am griping I am standing in line with a visa check card in hand, that likely doesn't help much...
Thanks Wendy, to be honest I can not say which is which, our LFS are not staunch supporters of the correct ID markers to tell the difference. I don't think there is a large market of captive-prop acans, so for starters I'd say that one is WC. At least a frag of WC...Even thought it's certainly not the most enviro-supporting idea to buy WC, I pay for whatever will physically fit into my pico army because they are guaranteed life in there until they physically outgrow their spaces...the people I trade back to are large-reef hobbyists and not the LFS to resell them, so it's a very sound bet they'll do okay long-term...these systems live for years barring any hardware failure which is all any size reef can ask for!
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Thanks Russ and every time I am griping I am standing in line with a visa check card in hand, that likely doesn't help much...
Thanks Wendy, to be honest I can not say which is which, our LFS are not staunch supporters of the correct ID markers to tell the difference. I don't think there is a large market of captive-prop acans, so for starters I'd say that one is WC. At least a frag of WC...Even thought it's certainly not the most enviro-supporting idea to buy WC, I pay for whatever will physically fit into my pico army because they are guaranteed life in there until they physically outgrow their spaces...the people I trade back to are large-reef hobbyists and not the LFS to resell them, so it's a very sound bet they'll do okay long-term...these systems live for years barring any hardware failure which is all any size reef can ask for!
NorthernCF
Premium Member
I don't know about anyone else, but I sure would like to know a heck of a lot more about brandon's equipment, maintenance, etc!!!
Any threads already up?
Any threads already up?
I was wondering because IMO it is a deal to get a captive prop frag for $15, but a rip if it is wild. I sorta feel like there should be a sm. markup per head for fragging the wild heads off, but not by much. Course, I'm that crazy fish girl in line behind you with visa card in hand 
.
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modernsavage
New member
completely awesome pics!
i am getting a lot of ideas from the pics.
i am getting a lot of ideas from the pics.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6342727#post6342727 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by clkwrk
Here's mine one big cave/archway
I love the look of a huge arch in a nano. The "wall" look just doesn't fit a nano quite as good as an island or an arch. What kind of seahorse is that and what other specs do you have? Looks amazing!!!
Merry Christmas to all, and a happy New Year!!!
clkwrk
Active member
Thanks ! The seahorse's are tigger tails if id is correct. Other than that I have a few corals . A 3 year old 100%cb devils hand leather, xenia (the obvious) 6 huge green hairy mushrooms , lots of star polyps ,brown fuzzy shrooms , the red palythoa's , a few snails , 1 big hawiian zebra crab and one mithrax crab .
Light and flow are 100% stock . 2x24 50/50 bulbs and the stock powerhead.
Surprising the flow is enough since water flows in a circular motion and the structure is made of 3 rocks so there is tons of space for flow.
Light and flow are 100% stock . 2x24 50/50 bulbs and the stock powerhead.
Surprising the flow is enough since water flows in a circular motion and the structure is made of 3 rocks so there is tons of space for flow.
Quatro
New member
Brandon,
Where did you find small glass aquariums like that, or did you have to have them custom made? What kind of lighting do you have on the pico? Why do you dose so much ca and alk on such a small system? ( I wouldn't think the sps need that much, but who knows? ) How do you clean the front glass with only 3 inches to work with? Even cleaning the front once a week would be frustrating, probably knock over half your corals to scrub the glass. Finally, are there any problems with sealing off a tank like this? What about gas exchange, and O2 depletion?
Your little tank does look great!
Where did you find small glass aquariums like that, or did you have to have them custom made? What kind of lighting do you have on the pico? Why do you dose so much ca and alk on such a small system? ( I wouldn't think the sps need that much, but who knows? ) How do you clean the front glass with only 3 inches to work with? Even cleaning the front once a week would be frustrating, probably knock over half your corals to scrub the glass. Finally, are there any problems with sealing off a tank like this? What about gas exchange, and O2 depletion?
Your little tank does look great!
brandon429
Well-known member
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hceiv, thanks for remarking on the pico, they've been fun to work with over the years. From 2001-2004 sub-gallon ones were all I worked with, they were affordable and predictable after some of the initial modifications are worked out based on the unique dynamics of these sized systems. As usual, the key element is bioloading and feeding consistency, one has to be ready to make religious water changes because once micro algae get a foothold it's all over for the tiny aquascape. I control the bioload by stocking primarily photosynthetic corals and feeding per the methods mentioned on the thread link on page 18 of this thread...
The aquarium was an intended betta-bowl, called an R-type or R aquarium, I've never seen them on the net. LFS got three in, I bought all three because I knew they'd be hard to find someday. It's an acrylic tank, with a little matching stand and canopy. There is one 13 w 50/50 pc under the canopy, and one galaxy light 13w 50/50 shining on the front of the tank to get the lower corals. It's moved for viewing...
This dosing system is about the only way to have an aged, densely-stocked 1/2 gallon in the correct stony coral ranges (if one employs a two-part liquid system). A brand-new system doesn't consume as much calcium/alk ion and so is less affected by lowered dosing schedules. Give it a few months to kick in, factor in the standard life/death microhabitat cycles associated with population equilibriums, and you've got one ion-hungry system. The nighttime effects of the refugium also consume CO2 liberated from the darkened front area which would otherwise contribute to nightly pH-altering chemical events.
You'd be suprised as to the effect of a little detritus accumulation and dense respiration going on in such a small space...as I've consulted several sub-gallon reefing issues over time with other posters, we always see pH swings as the chief issue resulting in coral stress and systemic unhealthiness...carbonate additions, frequent and at the point of lowest systemic pH (mornings before lights on) battle this trend. Since these are balanced additives, we match that usage with calcium and it works out to be in the mid 400's each time it's checked. I simply inject a couple cc's through the sealing strips each morning before lights on with a small needle/syringe. The plating of the sps is my best indicator of long term consistency and the coralline spotting...I don't test the systems anymore past the first one I kept going for two years (the Mini.75) in 2003. Barring any hardware outages or internal deaths (it's not too hard for me to keep an eye on stationary corals and maybe a couple sexy shrimp) the system is 100% predictable and will never "step out of line" or crash. I went bare bottom on this one after having stored nutrients issues with the first two go-arounds. Here are pics of me pruning handfulls of macro from the system, it does not suffer from oxygen shortage as all-on refugium lighting keeps the O2 going through the night phase in the front of the tank. The baffle refugium is housed in an acrylic black-wall to restrict light transmission into the front part of the tank, it works okay.
For cleaning, you are right sir I dislodge corals from time to time, I use a simple wooden bamboo skewer and I scrub up and down with it, it gets to the very bottom line by line. Takes about 15 mins each cleaning to remove coralline and some patches of light brown algae or diatoms. I can't wait until my computer is back online, I have purchased two mussid corals at almost $100 each for this mini-display. I don't see how people would mess with sub-gallon systems that aren't evaporation restricted in some means, daily topoff is okay until one goes out of town. This little pico reef solves one of the oldest issues in reefkeeping, topoff. With the true weatherstripping seals, the fanning behind the tank (to cool trapped in heat) and the internal refugium, I wouldn't work with any other design from here on out. Thanks for taking time to chat,
B429
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hceiv, thanks for remarking on the pico, they've been fun to work with over the years. From 2001-2004 sub-gallon ones were all I worked with, they were affordable and predictable after some of the initial modifications are worked out based on the unique dynamics of these sized systems. As usual, the key element is bioloading and feeding consistency, one has to be ready to make religious water changes because once micro algae get a foothold it's all over for the tiny aquascape. I control the bioload by stocking primarily photosynthetic corals and feeding per the methods mentioned on the thread link on page 18 of this thread...
The aquarium was an intended betta-bowl, called an R-type or R aquarium, I've never seen them on the net. LFS got three in, I bought all three because I knew they'd be hard to find someday. It's an acrylic tank, with a little matching stand and canopy. There is one 13 w 50/50 pc under the canopy, and one galaxy light 13w 50/50 shining on the front of the tank to get the lower corals. It's moved for viewing...
This dosing system is about the only way to have an aged, densely-stocked 1/2 gallon in the correct stony coral ranges (if one employs a two-part liquid system). A brand-new system doesn't consume as much calcium/alk ion and so is less affected by lowered dosing schedules. Give it a few months to kick in, factor in the standard life/death microhabitat cycles associated with population equilibriums, and you've got one ion-hungry system. The nighttime effects of the refugium also consume CO2 liberated from the darkened front area which would otherwise contribute to nightly pH-altering chemical events.
You'd be suprised as to the effect of a little detritus accumulation and dense respiration going on in such a small space...as I've consulted several sub-gallon reefing issues over time with other posters, we always see pH swings as the chief issue resulting in coral stress and systemic unhealthiness...carbonate additions, frequent and at the point of lowest systemic pH (mornings before lights on) battle this trend. Since these are balanced additives, we match that usage with calcium and it works out to be in the mid 400's each time it's checked. I simply inject a couple cc's through the sealing strips each morning before lights on with a small needle/syringe. The plating of the sps is my best indicator of long term consistency and the coralline spotting...I don't test the systems anymore past the first one I kept going for two years (the Mini.75) in 2003. Barring any hardware outages or internal deaths (it's not too hard for me to keep an eye on stationary corals and maybe a couple sexy shrimp) the system is 100% predictable and will never "step out of line" or crash. I went bare bottom on this one after having stored nutrients issues with the first two go-arounds. Here are pics of me pruning handfulls of macro from the system, it does not suffer from oxygen shortage as all-on refugium lighting keeps the O2 going through the night phase in the front of the tank. The baffle refugium is housed in an acrylic black-wall to restrict light transmission into the front part of the tank, it works okay.
For cleaning, you are right sir I dislodge corals from time to time, I use a simple wooden bamboo skewer and I scrub up and down with it, it gets to the very bottom line by line. Takes about 15 mins each cleaning to remove coralline and some patches of light brown algae or diatoms. I can't wait until my computer is back online, I have purchased two mussid corals at almost $100 each for this mini-display. I don't see how people would mess with sub-gallon systems that aren't evaporation restricted in some means, daily topoff is okay until one goes out of town. This little pico reef solves one of the oldest issues in reefkeeping, topoff. With the true weatherstripping seals, the fanning behind the tank (to cool trapped in heat) and the internal refugium, I wouldn't work with any other design from here on out. Thanks for taking time to chat,
B429
masterswimmer
New member
brandon, amazing. Fantastic systems. I admire the dedication to such small detail. Do you have any problems with heat buildup due to the enclosed (no evaporation) system?
Russ
Russ
Quatro
New member
Thank you Brandon for your detailed explanations. How many of these little "sub-gallon" aquariums do you have running? Are the mussid corals you bought acanthastrea? THAT would be a display, a little pico full of acans!
So, for a small pico like yours to be successful, you would need a refugium with algae lit 24/7 to keep the ph/O2 levels up, zero evaporation, constant temps/lighting cycles, minimal feedings, high levels of CA/Alk additions, and frequent water changes. Is a bare bottom working out better for you than sand? Anything else?
The only other consideration I would be wary of is the fact that in such a small system, corals would be either touching or in very close proximity. Corals are obviously very aggressive due to their evolution (the constant battle for limited space). Do you run carbon on your system? I would think that something like carbon is a must to keep the toxins down from the corals' battles with their neighbors? In my 12 gallon, there is always a battle between corals for space, and unless I separate the two, both will become unhappy. Also, sometimes some corals need to be on opposite sides of the tank, or they will become unhappy. If I had my few sps next to my rics/zoos for too long, I notice poor growth and polyp extension, so I have to move the sps out of the zoo corner and off to the other side of the tank, where the sps have room to spread out.
Sorry for the longer post, but I think your tanks are fascinating,
So, for a small pico like yours to be successful, you would need a refugium with algae lit 24/7 to keep the ph/O2 levels up, zero evaporation, constant temps/lighting cycles, minimal feedings, high levels of CA/Alk additions, and frequent water changes. Is a bare bottom working out better for you than sand? Anything else?
The only other consideration I would be wary of is the fact that in such a small system, corals would be either touching or in very close proximity. Corals are obviously very aggressive due to their evolution (the constant battle for limited space). Do you run carbon on your system? I would think that something like carbon is a must to keep the toxins down from the corals' battles with their neighbors? In my 12 gallon, there is always a battle between corals for space, and unless I separate the two, both will become unhappy. Also, sometimes some corals need to be on opposite sides of the tank, or they will become unhappy. If I had my few sps next to my rics/zoos for too long, I notice poor growth and polyp extension, so I have to move the sps out of the zoo corner and off to the other side of the tank, where the sps have room to spread out.
Sorry for the longer post, but I think your tanks are fascinating,
brandon429
Well-known member
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Thanks master and hceiv/No prob on the longer posts guys, as you can see I don't mind typing small volumes about anything, thanks to a job that also requires that I hammer my employees with huge emails daily (you know they love it!). We're talkin 95 wpm so this is a drop in the bucket..
The heat buildup is a small issue, not too bad if I keep a small fan blowing across the system during the day. If the ambient temp is about 70, like it is during this season for us in panhandle Texas, I don't need a fan. There are two PC microfans built into the back of the canopy that are always on when lights are on, so between these fans the temps stays at 80 degrees. The only NDE (near death experience) on this tank was once in the summer when I forgot to turn the rear fans back on after a servicing...temps got to 86 and nearly killed it@ things were stressed for a while and I lost some small blastomussa frags. The mussids I purchased were large-polyp blasto frags, not sure on the species. I think they're the expensive welsii variant and not the merletti which has the little tubules under every polyp? Bright red and orange, they've added a nice color scheme to things and I hope to get update pics soon.
Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of these systems is some form of chemosensory steady-state these corals reach after being housed together for so long. I really don't know why allelopathy doesn't shrink or kill the chemically weaker or receptive corals...one would think with a small leather coral and 4-5 mushrooms (and plenty of zoanthids) along with all that stuff in .5 gallons would oppress someone...but they do not. In fact, my aquascaping theme is centered around corals that can touch so I can absolutely cram them in that space. Touching in this system are: small sinularia and caulastrea/caulastrea and zoanthids (but not palythoa, they injure the candy corals in my system) blastomussa merletti and welsii touching caulastrea and zoanthids, acanthastrea can't touch anything, it's bloodthirsty!
My hammer coral doesn't send sweepers anymore after the first week, neither does the hydno, sometimes extended polyps of the euphyllia touch a tubipora below and parts of the green hydno above. I've seen the hydno retract somewhat after a touch, only to re-inflate later with no sliming or wound appearances. So, with all this floating around in the same water column, sometimes for 8-9 days before a water change, all I have to do is keep the non-touchers apart physically . The close proximity and shared small water volume have all adapted together such that these corals expand just like they would in a larger system. Usually in the first few days after addition a coral won't open up all the way, I suppose this is the acceptance period as they learn to cope with nematocyst soup!!!!! I consider them happy and well adjusted if they will eat, inflate and calcify as the should after a few weeks. I hope to include macro shots of acan buds and blastomussa buds, sps plating and tiny "leatherlets" as evidence of growth/satisfaction in the system after my home pC gets working again.
There are always re-stockings to be done...move a candy coral here or there and move that darn acan far away from anyone...tiny puzzle-piece adjustments are my weekly maintenances with this system. Here's another old system, the reefbowl. Two huge euphyllias, frogspawn and hammer were sure to wipe out everything in the 1 gallon space (so they thought) but after a week or so of half-inflating they came out and never showed signs of stress for nearly three years! Growth rates and physical forms are also adjusted in the pico reef environ, my xenia has stayed the size of a marks-a-lot marker cap for 6 months where in your larger systems it would have outgrown the 3" space by now...I suspect there are growth-retardant features of this living soup. They're still kickin though!
I suspect I've built and maintained at least 10 pico systems over the years, SW. With freshwater in the mix maybe 25. Here's a few more:
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Thanks master and hceiv/No prob on the longer posts guys, as you can see I don't mind typing small volumes about anything, thanks to a job that also requires that I hammer my employees with huge emails daily (you know they love it!). We're talkin 95 wpm so this is a drop in the bucket..
The heat buildup is a small issue, not too bad if I keep a small fan blowing across the system during the day. If the ambient temp is about 70, like it is during this season for us in panhandle Texas, I don't need a fan. There are two PC microfans built into the back of the canopy that are always on when lights are on, so between these fans the temps stays at 80 degrees. The only NDE (near death experience) on this tank was once in the summer when I forgot to turn the rear fans back on after a servicing...temps got to 86 and nearly killed it@ things were stressed for a while and I lost some small blastomussa frags. The mussids I purchased were large-polyp blasto frags, not sure on the species. I think they're the expensive welsii variant and not the merletti which has the little tubules under every polyp? Bright red and orange, they've added a nice color scheme to things and I hope to get update pics soon.
Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of these systems is some form of chemosensory steady-state these corals reach after being housed together for so long. I really don't know why allelopathy doesn't shrink or kill the chemically weaker or receptive corals...one would think with a small leather coral and 4-5 mushrooms (and plenty of zoanthids) along with all that stuff in .5 gallons would oppress someone...but they do not. In fact, my aquascaping theme is centered around corals that can touch so I can absolutely cram them in that space. Touching in this system are: small sinularia and caulastrea/caulastrea and zoanthids (but not palythoa, they injure the candy corals in my system) blastomussa merletti and welsii touching caulastrea and zoanthids, acanthastrea can't touch anything, it's bloodthirsty!
My hammer coral doesn't send sweepers anymore after the first week, neither does the hydno, sometimes extended polyps of the euphyllia touch a tubipora below and parts of the green hydno above. I've seen the hydno retract somewhat after a touch, only to re-inflate later with no sliming or wound appearances. So, with all this floating around in the same water column, sometimes for 8-9 days before a water change, all I have to do is keep the non-touchers apart physically . The close proximity and shared small water volume have all adapted together such that these corals expand just like they would in a larger system. Usually in the first few days after addition a coral won't open up all the way, I suppose this is the acceptance period as they learn to cope with nematocyst soup!!!!! I consider them happy and well adjusted if they will eat, inflate and calcify as the should after a few weeks. I hope to include macro shots of acan buds and blastomussa buds, sps plating and tiny "leatherlets" as evidence of growth/satisfaction in the system after my home pC gets working again.
There are always re-stockings to be done...move a candy coral here or there and move that darn acan far away from anyone...tiny puzzle-piece adjustments are my weekly maintenances with this system. Here's another old system, the reefbowl. Two huge euphyllias, frogspawn and hammer were sure to wipe out everything in the 1 gallon space (so they thought) but after a week or so of half-inflating they came out and never showed signs of stress for nearly three years! Growth rates and physical forms are also adjusted in the pico reef environ, my xenia has stayed the size of a marks-a-lot marker cap for 6 months where in your larger systems it would have outgrown the 3" space by now...I suspect there are growth-retardant features of this living soup. They're still kickin though!
I suspect I've built and maintained at least 10 pico systems over the years, SW. With freshwater in the mix maybe 25. Here's a few more:
