Tank of the Month - March 2005

[danano]

Brian, looks like you have a pretty solid reef system running. And I presume your water parameters and flow are optimal. Strange, you should be able to keep color in your sps.

Some sps, once brown, may take a long period to regain color. I have seen a few in some tanks that never color up, not even in ideal conditions.

Try starting off with a specimen with good color. I don't see any reason why you can't maintain it.

And to answer your question, yes. I tend to buy sps that are colorful to begin with and so far, have been able to maintain their original color. The brown ones I got that have colored up nicely in captivity include the pink stylopora and some of the milliporas.

Dan

 

[Briankook]

Dan, great info! I will try with a good looking specimen & based on my water parameters, lighting & flow, it should really keep a nice color. Occasionally, my Alk drops below 8dKh, but I dose Seachem reef builder & it brings my level back up. All other parameters are target. Thanks again for your info, your tank is one of the nicest I have seen!

 

[danano]

I wouldn't be overly concerned about Alk dropping below 8dKH.

Mine drops to 7 at times but I try to maintain it at around 8.

 

[paulustkchan]

Excellent job. I also use T5HO for all my lighting. I am using 3 Narva blue, is it the same as the one you use?

 

[danano]

Paul, thanks. I am not familiar with the blue bulb you mentioned.


Bartlett anthias on the reef top.

Since adding the anthias, daily feeding is now routine. This also means more frequent or larger water changes to keep nutrient levels in check.

 

[danano]

T5 bulbs are almost 15 months old and sps colors are still holding.

 

[poon415]

Danano what actinic T-5 bulbs do you recomend? Which do you use?

 

[danano]

Poon, I currently run 5x Aquablue Special and 3x Blue Plus. I don't use any pure actinics. I would consider adding an actinic if my fixture could take 9 bulbs and if I did, it would be more for aesthetics and night time viewing.

 

[TryTheChi]

Superb Tank Danano!!

I'm just about to set up a 4.5 x 2x 2 ft tank luckily for me with much of the equipment you have so I'm very encouraged by what is possible.

Discussion about the filtration you use has been sparce....what kind of refugium do you opperate, its on reverse photoperiod I know, but do you use MM of Carib Mineral Mud?

Do you use any of the ZeoVit products? Your tank looks as superb as the Zeovit example tanks do.....

If not do you use MArc Weise amino acids?

Do you use Rowaphos and Carbon coniniously and are these fluidised?

I think you may have spawned the Danano Methoth....

Many thanks

 

[loc01]

danano
I wish I could see your tank in person. They're awesome colors.

Thanks for sharing,
Loc

 

[ahchung]

This is really one of the best SPS tanks I have ever seen!

Based on what you achieved, I would like to buy ATI bulbs and ATI reflectors. I lived in HK and I could not locate an ATI reseller here.

Where do you get the ATI stuff in Singapore? If you bought them from a LFS, can you send me the email address or address of the LFS? I might be able to ask a friend of mine who lives in Singapore to buy the ATI stuff for me.

Thanks in advance!

 

[danano]

Thanks Chi, Loc, Chung!

Chi, my refugium consists of mostly LR and some corals. Little macroalgae. No miracle mud, no sand. It's bare bottom.

What's Zeovit?

I do dose amino acids daily - all brands work IMO, I have used Kent, Salifert and Koralin.

I use minimal amounts of Rowa and carbon. Not fluidised.

Chung, the ATI distributor/retailer here has stopped carrying ATI T5 products. I am sourcing for a new supplier. I may just ship from Germany direct.

Dan

 

[danano]

Some of the staghorns have grown up to 2 inches in the past 2 months!

 

[danano]

 

[danano]

View from the top.

 

[danano]

One more pic taken from the efflo corner.

 

[nbd13]

hows that regal angel doing for you? nipping at all?

also do you have any updated fish list?

thanks!

Nick

 

[majesticangelfish]

beautiful!:thumbsup:

 

[Tagareef]

Your reef is as gorgeous as ever...you have me seriously looking into T5 lighting to replace or maybe enhance my current lighting scheme.

 

[bennyinca]

That is a fantastic tank!!! What type and how many ballasts do you use for your 8 T5s?