Nat's 29 Gallon Build Thread
- Thread starter nattarbox
- Start date
nattarbox
New member
Also I have a question for the nano hive mind. After I moved apartments, most things seemed to survive ok. I eventually lost a few frags from stress, but otherwise for the most part things did well.
I noticed however that I lost a huge majority of my micro-fauna, copepods and such. My tank, after carefully pacing how fast I added fish and other predators, was literally crawling with little critters. The sand bed almost appeared to be moving when you looked at it. Since the move I haven't seen anything that fits your standard *pod definition, just a few of the harmless flatworms and those obnoxious tube worms with the mucus nets.
I noticed live aquaria sells bottled copepods, although they are of some pacific west coast variety and presumably not the same as what you'd get growing out of your live rock.
1. Would it make sense to reseed my population with these commercially available pods?
2. Should I just keep waiting and hope that the population comes back naturally? Will it? I have three fish now so I'm afraid it won't have the leg up that it did originally.
3. Would it make sense to buy a bag of chaeto from someone here and hope that it comes with a bunch of critters clinging to it?
I feel like the tank just isn't quite as healthy as it used to be, and that the decimated population of little guys is part of the cause.
I noticed however that I lost a huge majority of my micro-fauna, copepods and such. My tank, after carefully pacing how fast I added fish and other predators, was literally crawling with little critters. The sand bed almost appeared to be moving when you looked at it. Since the move I haven't seen anything that fits your standard *pod definition, just a few of the harmless flatworms and those obnoxious tube worms with the mucus nets.
I noticed live aquaria sells bottled copepods, although they are of some pacific west coast variety and presumably not the same as what you'd get growing out of your live rock.
1. Would it make sense to reseed my population with these commercially available pods?
2. Should I just keep waiting and hope that the population comes back naturally? Will it? I have three fish now so I'm afraid it won't have the leg up that it did originally.
3. Would it make sense to buy a bag of chaeto from someone here and hope that it comes with a bunch of critters clinging to it?
I feel like the tank just isn't quite as healthy as it used to be, and that the decimated population of little guys is part of the cause.
nattarbox
New member
Here are some new photos!
The tank in our new living room (please excuse the mess):
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3116/2846788211_0a15f5cb7a.jpg">
Straight on. Looking to get a new skimmer soon so I can get that ugly pump out of there. Have been looking at the Tunze Nano as a possible option.
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3296/2846788435_88b4286f0d.jpg">
Here are a couple shots of the Vortech MP20. I was able to get a two inch wave in the tank using the pulse mode, but I think the corals enjoy the flow generated by the reef crest setting better. The wave was a neat visual effect, but didn't have the varying velocity that the built in modes have.
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3165/2847621982_fe8d486699.jpg">
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3225/2847621736_0b45d93b9c.jpg">
Here are some of the new corals:
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2846789169_814c867e72.jpg">
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3012/2846789413_33cda1b248.jpg">
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3263/2846789631_890639cc2f.jpg">
And one of the two peppermint shrimp I also got.
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3158/2846789979_5f1c6c074b.jpg">
The tank in our new living room (please excuse the mess):
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3116/2846788211_0a15f5cb7a.jpg">
Straight on. Looking to get a new skimmer soon so I can get that ugly pump out of there. Have been looking at the Tunze Nano as a possible option.
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3296/2846788435_88b4286f0d.jpg">
Here are a couple shots of the Vortech MP20. I was able to get a two inch wave in the tank using the pulse mode, but I think the corals enjoy the flow generated by the reef crest setting better. The wave was a neat visual effect, but didn't have the varying velocity that the built in modes have.
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3165/2847621982_fe8d486699.jpg">
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3225/2847621736_0b45d93b9c.jpg">
Here are some of the new corals:
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2846789169_814c867e72.jpg">
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3012/2846789413_33cda1b248.jpg">
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3263/2846789631_890639cc2f.jpg">
And one of the two peppermint shrimp I also got.
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3158/2846789979_5f1c6c074b.jpg">
nattarbox
New member
You can do it two ways. If you copy the direct link to the image and use either HTML or vBcode to embed, Flickr adds on ?v=0 after the .jpg file extension. Just delete that so the URL to your image ends in .jpg and it will work.
The better way, and what Flickr wants you to do, is to use Flickr's embed code for the image. You can find that by clicking "All Sizes" right above your photo. This will take you to a page that has all the different sizes of your photo. Below the photo is an HTML embed code snippet. Paste that in here and the photo will show up, and it will also be clickable so people can jump over to your Flickr page.
Speaking of photos, I saw something funny in the tank tonight.
I've been feeding heavier than normal lately now that I have more hungry mouths in the tank. This has caused a light brown film of algae or diatoms to appear every three days or so which I either scrape off or let the snails munch on. Its generally up on the glass and out of the reach of everyone else in the tank.
Today I witnessed this hermit crab hitch a ride on the snail up and down the glass. He was standing on tip toe on the back of the snail, picking at the algae. Pretty funny.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/2902845435/" title="Hitching a Ride by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3170/2902845435_181ae4ef27.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Hitching a Ride" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/2903689310/" title="Snail Elevator by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3181/2903689310_f9877b814b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Snail Elevator" /></a>
nattarbox
New member
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/2975892965/" title="Caulastrea curvata by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3287/2975892965_fa3b4cc189.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Caulastrea curvata" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/2976748454/" title="Candy Cane and Brain Corals by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/2976748454_96c6e6391f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Candy Cane and Brain Corals" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/2976748666/" title="Polyps by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3173/2976748666_fb805a92f3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Polyps" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/2975895459/" title="Side Shot by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3246/2975895459_7791f84da7.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Side Shot" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/2976748454/" title="Candy Cane and Brain Corals by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/2976748454_96c6e6391f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Candy Cane and Brain Corals" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/2976748666/" title="Polyps by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3173/2976748666_fb805a92f3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Polyps" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nattarbox/2975895459/" title="Side Shot by nttrbx, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3246/2975895459_7791f84da7.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Side Shot" /></a>
nattarbox
New member
Yep, the LPS in general have been doing great. I'm still moderately frustrated by the SPS in the tank. Things brown out quickly, and growth is generally fairly slow. At least everything appears to have stayed healthy aside from the few frags I lost after moving. I've been feeding more heavily which seems to have worked out well.
I need to absorb some more SPS knowledge first, but I'm thinking long term about a lighting upgrade to a 250 watt fixture, along with a chiller and controller to keep things in check. I've also been thinking about automating two part dosing, to keep the tank running when I'm out of town and keep the levels as stable as possible.
Obviously this is all $$$, so I'm just going to keep plugging away slowly and learning as much as I can so I can make the investments count.
I need to absorb some more SPS knowledge first, but I'm thinking long term about a lighting upgrade to a 250 watt fixture, along with a chiller and controller to keep things in check. I've also been thinking about automating two part dosing, to keep the tank running when I'm out of town and keep the levels as stable as possible.
Obviously this is all $$$, so I'm just going to keep plugging away slowly and learning as much as I can so I can make the investments count.
nattarbox
New member
I really dig it so far, having control over your flow is an absolute must-have item in a smaller tank. Coming off the nonstop blast of the Koralia 3, this is very clear to me.
I've been trying out all the different settings, from the reefcrest/lagoon automated programs to the short pulse wave making and longer pulse settings. The corals love them all, but I've settled mostly on a long pulse. That gives me a good blast of turbulence that ripples the water and reduces the skim from building up, but also provides a calm interval in between.
nattarbox
New member
nattarbox
New member
(webcam down till I get a cable for it)
I now apparently have red bugs. I noticed some SPS frags that had been growing so well for the past few months didn't look so great. Got out the magnifying glass and there they were. One frag in particular is crawling with them, but they are present in some numbers on all the acropora frags.
I really don't want to run interceptor on the whole tank, and I don't have the facilities to provide quarantine for the corals to be treated or the inverts I'd have to remove when treating the whole tank. I guess I'll just see what happens. I assume there aren't any natural predators for those?
I think given my lack of success with SPS that I will move forward with stocking other corals. I'd rather have a full healthy reef then keeping failing at growing out the stony corals. Everything else in my tank is doing well. Maybe when it matures some more I will give it another go.
I now apparently have red bugs. I noticed some SPS frags that had been growing so well for the past few months didn't look so great. Got out the magnifying glass and there they were. One frag in particular is crawling with them, but they are present in some numbers on all the acropora frags.
I really don't want to run interceptor on the whole tank, and I don't have the facilities to provide quarantine for the corals to be treated or the inverts I'd have to remove when treating the whole tank. I guess I'll just see what happens. I assume there aren't any natural predators for those?
I think given my lack of success with SPS that I will move forward with stocking other corals. I'd rather have a full healthy reef then keeping failing at growing out the stony corals. Everything else in my tank is doing well. Maybe when it matures some more I will give it another go.
nattarbox
New member
The Ustream thing wasn't terribly viable to leave running 24/7, so I am playing with an image-based web cam. Its primarily for my peace of mind (checking the tank from work or vacation).
This image should theoretically update every 20 seconds:
And this link should update every 5 seconds:
http://www.nattarbox.com/images/cam/cam.html
This image should theoretically update every 20 seconds:
And this link should update every 5 seconds:
http://www.nattarbox.com/images/cam/cam.html
