Reef Casa Studio 12 Rescape!
- Thread starter Reefing_Toronto
- Start date
In tank spawning had occurred previously with success (can’t find the source currently) so you never know! If that’s what it is, that’s awesome!
Reefing_Toronto
Active member
Well that was quite the week! The torch coral spawning event was pretty cool.. something that I never thought I'd see in a home reef tank. I doubt any will survive but it was still very neat to see.
The great redesign continues. I think I've finally found a home for my blue alveopora.. I hope it's far enough away from the torch that it won't get stung. My second rockflower anemone is on the move again, I hope it decides to settle somewhere that I can actually see it this time! I moved some acans up onto the ledge where the RFA used to be.. the favia on the sandbed was starting to send out pretty long sweepers at night so it needs a bit more space.
I'm going to start lightly feeding AB+ once a week and see if that helps with growth, especially of my encusting corals and SPS. I added an emerald crab to try and deal with some of the hair algae.. it's a bit early to pass judgement on whether or not he is doing his job but if I see him anywhere near my torches I'll take him out. Not everything is wonderful though, my sexy shrimp has been AWOL for over a week so I'm pretty sure it is dead... it's a small tank so I can't imagine he was able to stay hidden that long!
Over the next few weeks I want to add some more encrusting corals to the top ledge and move a few things out of the shadows of my torch corals. I'm debating getting a pump to dose my All for Reef instead of always having to do it by hand but the cabinet under the tank is getting a bit crowded. A summer project may be to get a larger/nicer cabinet since it is holding electrics for 2 tanks as well as my 5 gallon auto top off bucket.
The great redesign continues. I think I've finally found a home for my blue alveopora.. I hope it's far enough away from the torch that it won't get stung. My second rockflower anemone is on the move again, I hope it decides to settle somewhere that I can actually see it this time! I moved some acans up onto the ledge where the RFA used to be.. the favia on the sandbed was starting to send out pretty long sweepers at night so it needs a bit more space.
I'm going to start lightly feeding AB+ once a week and see if that helps with growth, especially of my encusting corals and SPS. I added an emerald crab to try and deal with some of the hair algae.. it's a bit early to pass judgement on whether or not he is doing his job but if I see him anywhere near my torches I'll take him out. Not everything is wonderful though, my sexy shrimp has been AWOL for over a week so I'm pretty sure it is dead... it's a small tank so I can't imagine he was able to stay hidden that long!
Over the next few weeks I want to add some more encrusting corals to the top ledge and move a few things out of the shadows of my torch corals. I'm debating getting a pump to dose my All for Reef instead of always having to do it by hand but the cabinet under the tank is getting a bit crowded. A summer project may be to get a larger/nicer cabinet since it is holding electrics for 2 tanks as well as my 5 gallon auto top off bucket.
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Looks great! Though if your gonna go for a bigger cabinet…might as well upgrade the tank too 
Reefing_Toronto
Active member
It already has a big brotherLooks great! Though if your gonna go for a bigger cabinet…might as well upgrade the tank too
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Very nice for both tanks!
Reefing_Toronto
Active member
Thanks!
Reefing_Toronto
Active member
Not much has really changed this week with the Studio 12. My second rockflower anemone is on the move again and I'm moderately happy with where he has decided to settle for now. I'm starting to get a little bit of hair algae here and there so I added an emerald crab, so hopefully that will help.
I think I have a pretty good idea of what the tank will look like when it fills in and there are only a handful of corals that I have left to add before sitting back and letting everything fill in. For the first time ever I'm thinking I might actually "finish" a tank. Up until now I had always upgraded before my tanks filled in but this tank stands a pretty good chance of being finished. My one concern is what I will do when my torches outgrow the tank, since I don't have the skill or tools to frag them. It's not the worst problem to have but I'm starting to think that the torches will outgrow the tank long before the SPS ledge fills in, so maybe "finished" will be more elusive!
I think I have a pretty good idea of what the tank will look like when it fills in and there are only a handful of corals that I have left to add before sitting back and letting everything fill in. For the first time ever I'm thinking I might actually "finish" a tank. Up until now I had always upgraded before my tanks filled in but this tank stands a pretty good chance of being finished. My one concern is what I will do when my torches outgrow the tank, since I don't have the skill or tools to frag them. It's not the worst problem to have but I'm starting to think that the torches will outgrow the tank long before the SPS ledge fills in, so maybe "finished" will be more elusive!
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Reefing_Toronto
Active member
Thanks !
Reefing_Toronto
Active member
Some good news this week.. My algae issue seems to have self resolved... I think the tank just needed to finish going through its diatom bloom followed by a hair algae cycle. I did slow down a bit on feeding and I'm sure the emerald crab has helped as well.
I added an encrusting electric daisy stylo on the top ledge.. hopefully the light isn't too intense up there and it encrusts nicely.. I'm trying to create a mix of different coloured encrusting corals up there.
My second RFA has found a new home.. (again) and hopefully it stays there! I find that I am spending a fair amount of time regluing other frags when the RFA decides to move and gets too close to them.
Still absolutely no complaints about the tank or the Halo light... the corals are happy and healthy and maintenance has been a breeze. I am definitely thinking that I may upgrade to the Sicce pump once I get a bit more growth to make sure that there is enough waterflow.
I added a small red digitata frag to the lower level.. I think the light will be too low there.. it's pretty shaded but it was a piece I accidently broke off a colony in my other tank so I figured I would give it a try. I want to add a Polkaroo leptastrea to the top ledge at some point soon too since the Honeycomb is doing really well.
I'm still thinking about adding a second fish of some sort.. just waiting for the right one to come along.. I figure I will know it when I see it!
I added an encrusting electric daisy stylo on the top ledge.. hopefully the light isn't too intense up there and it encrusts nicely.. I'm trying to create a mix of different coloured encrusting corals up there.
My second RFA has found a new home.. (again) and hopefully it stays there! I find that I am spending a fair amount of time regluing other frags when the RFA decides to move and gets too close to them.
Still absolutely no complaints about the tank or the Halo light... the corals are happy and healthy and maintenance has been a breeze. I am definitely thinking that I may upgrade to the Sicce pump once I get a bit more growth to make sure that there is enough waterflow.
I added a small red digitata frag to the lower level.. I think the light will be too low there.. it's pretty shaded but it was a piece I accidently broke off a colony in my other tank so I figured I would give it a try. I want to add a Polkaroo leptastrea to the top ledge at some point soon too since the Honeycomb is doing really well.
I'm still thinking about adding a second fish of some sort.. just waiting for the right one to come along.. I figure I will know it when I see it!
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Reefing_Toronto
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Thank you ! I’m really happy with how it turned out!
Reefing_Toronto
Active member
Thanks ! I’m starting to think about what to do with the sides of the Rockwork now. I wish I had used premium shelf rock so the ledges wouldn’t be as noticeable
vlangel
Premium Member
I think when your ricordia, trumpets and acans start to multiply the ledges won't be so prominent.
Reefing_Toronto
Active member
Thanks ! Hope so!
Reefing_Toronto
Active member
Since the tank isn't changing much week to week I thought I would post about what my weekly maintenance schedule looks like. My goal for this tank was for it to be as low maintenance as possible and for the most part I think I have been successful
1) Every 2 or 3 days I clean the glass with a Tunze nano scraper. This is my scraper of choice because it's the only one that I've ever used that doesn't scratch the glass. This takes maybe 1 minute 3 times a day. Total= 3 mins
2) Once a day I use a coral feeder to stir the sandbed. I seem to be getting some green algae growing on the sand and this helps to keep it nice and clean. Most of the detritus ends up in the water column. Total time per week= 5 minutes.
3) Twice a week I check the alkalinity level and add some All for Reef if it's below about 8.5 dKH. I generally add 0.6 ml of All for Reef twice a week and that keeps the alkalinity between 9.2-9.3. I'd like to automate this and it's probably the most time consuming part of my routine. Total time per week= 10 minutes
4) Once a week I change about 20% of the water. I use a fluid transfer pump to speed up the process and not have to prime a siphon with my mouth. I have a large container of salt water that I mix up once a week that I use for both my tanks. I also wipe down the salt creep etc. This takes about 20 minutes once a week.
Once I add about 10 minutes per week for random unexpected things my weekly maintenance time is about 45 minutes per week, which seems very reasonable. I'd like to ultimately get this down to about 30 minutes and I think adding a dosing pump would go a long way to help with that.
About how much time do others take on weekly maintenance?
1) Every 2 or 3 days I clean the glass with a Tunze nano scraper. This is my scraper of choice because it's the only one that I've ever used that doesn't scratch the glass. This takes maybe 1 minute 3 times a day. Total= 3 mins
2) Once a day I use a coral feeder to stir the sandbed. I seem to be getting some green algae growing on the sand and this helps to keep it nice and clean. Most of the detritus ends up in the water column. Total time per week= 5 minutes.
3) Twice a week I check the alkalinity level and add some All for Reef if it's below about 8.5 dKH. I generally add 0.6 ml of All for Reef twice a week and that keeps the alkalinity between 9.2-9.3. I'd like to automate this and it's probably the most time consuming part of my routine. Total time per week= 10 minutes
4) Once a week I change about 20% of the water. I use a fluid transfer pump to speed up the process and not have to prime a siphon with my mouth. I have a large container of salt water that I mix up once a week that I use for both my tanks. I also wipe down the salt creep etc. This takes about 20 minutes once a week.
Once I add about 10 minutes per week for random unexpected things my weekly maintenance time is about 45 minutes per week, which seems very reasonable. I'd like to ultimately get this down to about 30 minutes and I think adding a dosing pump would go a long way to help with that.
About how much time do others take on weekly maintenance?
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Pretty good maintenance routine. I need to get bettter maintenance habits for my tank. I scrape the glass and do about 20% monthly water changes. I may or may not siphon the sand or blow off the rocks but yea. And testing…what’s that? Lol that’s my routine.
Reefing_Toronto
Active member
That was my initial plan… easy corals only. Then I added the torches and decided I needed to be more attentive. We have a reef casa flat 6 in the kitchen that is softies only and all it gets is a water change when I remember. Right now it’s invert only.
I see we because it’s my wife’s tank. Unless it needs a water change or has mystery algae. Then it’s mine
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