Louis' pico come back (LED mixed reef)

[louist]

Some news on the tank. My auto top off system is giving me trouble yet again. The current float switch/relay was purchased from Guppies. This is the product. After I installed my close loop, I relocated the relay to the rear of the tank (previously on the floor). Since then, I have had a few very strange issues with the tank:
1. My electronic thermometer (superb unit, very accurate and reliable) would change mode on its own, making a loud beep in the process, and the display will go all funny.
2. My AI Sol Nano light would reset itself once in a while for no reason.

There are 2 possible explanations for this:
1. The apartment is haunted. This wasn't so bad, since I get to see what a ghost looks like after all this years. But if a ghost is messing with my tank, this is getting personal :konk:
2. Something is interfering with the electronics.

After a bit of investigation, it turns out that the electronics in Guppy's ATO relay causes severe interference with other electronics. Whenever the relay is switching, it would interfere with electronics nearby. I will be replacing it with a DIY one ASAP. Trip to Jaycar on monday! You really get what you pay for when it comes to electronics. The cost of the Guppy's unit is approx the same as the DIY route, I should have just DIY'ed.

Some photos of the tank during "sunset".

Fluoro green Pocillopora:

Pink Pocillopora with fluoro green polyps:

Sorry, this one is quite lousy from motion blur.

Acropora polyp at 5x magnification. You can see the Zoothanthellae in the polyp further down, but it is mostly absent at the growth tip:

 

[09bumblebee]

Wow awesome tank

 

[JimBob Schmidt]

Hey Louis!

Do you by any chance have any more photos/description of the old rubbermaid/plastic bin refugium you had on the original desk cube? I am in the process of building my own desktop pico reef and would like to do something similar. Please PM me

 

[louist]

Hey Louis!

Do you by any chance have any more photos/description of the old rubbermaid/plastic bin refugium you had on the original desk cube? I am in the process of building my own desktop pico reef and would like to do something similar. Please PM me

Hi JimBob,
Gosh, it's been such a long time even I can't recall. I dug into my old tank journal for you, and these are some of the specs:

• 60 L plastic tub. I think Rubbermaid is the closest thing you guys have. Strong walls are good!
• Aqumedic ocean running 2000 return
• Deep sand bed. In hindsight, not such a good idea. If you want to have a DSB, I recommend putting a litlte plastic container in there, and isolate the sand for easy removal. This also prevent sand from going into the return pump.
• Caulerpa macro algae for nutrient export- Chaeto is better for you guys. It was not available in Australia.
• An energy saver bulb in a clip-on fitting for lighting the macro algae
• A few mangrove pods for kicks. It was a lot of fun watching them grow.
• If the tub is big enough, perhaps a small powerhead for a bit of circulation.
• Plan to put the return pump and drain on opposite sides to minimize micro bubble issues.

 

[JimBob Schmidt]

Thanks I really apreciate it! I may skip out on DSB, maybe do a bit of fuge mud in the bottom though as the girlfriend really likes the idea of having a few mangroves in there.

Your new system is coming along nicely by the way!

 

[louist]

JimBob,
if you plan on having mangroves, do give them enough room to grow upwards. They are slow growing as far as trees are concerned but they do still gain a fair bit of height!

 

[louist]

So, finally an update.

The tank has changed a little bit. The old IQ tank has been replaced by a 30 cm cube for more room and bigger water volume. I was also having issues with precipitation from Randy's 2 part dosing to the extent that my substrate turned into a "cake" and clogging up the pumps and heater. I also had issues with the heater going bonkers and heating the tank to 29ºC and also flow problems. I also had issues with the light being too strong and bleaching all the corals. I think I should have started with the "Problems I didn't have" list, which would've been shorter.

In summary, I lost some corals in this process but aiptasia are doing very well. They have even started growing on the glass....... :angry:

To fix all those problems, these have been introduced:
1. Heater and fan are now wired onto an "Ebay" temperature controller. Since then, the temperature has been super consistent!
2. A Vortech MP10WES is responsible for primary water circulation. It is on random reef crest at 40% max power.
3. A Kaomer dosing pump now doses Randy's part 1 and 2. No more precipitation issues, and much more consistency.
4. The AI Nano's power has been turned all the way down and all the corals are responding very nicely.

Plans:
1. Introduce 2 yellow coral gobies in the next months or so
2. Grow all the corals out.
3. Get an army of peppermint shrimps
4. I really want a mini carpet anemone but these are hard to source in Australia.

 

[louist]

 

[Charley Diesing]

update?