Underrepresented minority - sumpless 36g. corner
Underrepresented minority - sumpless 36g. corner
Had no idea there was a corner club until I did a site-wide search using 'corner' as the search term. I was looking for aquascaping ideas, as I will be moving in a few months and never really liked the rock wall look (which, incidentally, I rock right now). I had built up a monster 135 with all of the bells and whistles - it had everything, due to my patience in setting it up buying a bit at a time. Unfortunately, life got in the way, and I will be moving in a few months, so I had to drastically downsize. Hence the little 36.
I was initially thinking I wanted a sump so I could mount all of the equipment and such remotely, and thus not see it. But then I started thinking - KISS - one of the many acronyms that really are apt: Keep It Simple, Stupid! I knew I would be moving again, so everything would have to be bullet-proof, easy to break down and set up, and inexpensive. Fortunately, I had alot of the high-end stuff left over from the 135, so from that I knew I wanted to use my AI LEDs for lighting, my Apex lite for control/remote access, and my MP40Wes, as well as a couple of BRS reactors. So, I grabbed the tank and stand from Petco (I know, I know... but my situation dictated sourcing a tank FAST), and set the little tank up.
I went bare bottom because I knew the MP40 would kick any substrate around the tank causing a continuous sandstorm. I also went without fish to keep nutrients low and minimize maintenance (I'm a paleontologist and do a lot of fieldwork/museum work in the summer). I setup one of my reactors with carbon and the other with biopellets -I had had issues with PO4 in the big tank turning things brown, so I was determined to keep nutrients low. Both reactors are run off of a dedicated MJ-1200 that pulls from mid depth behind the rock work. I picked up a used CPR Backpack skimmer with another MJ-1200 and mounted that on one of the 2 long straight sides. This skimmer is pretty impressive - I have it set up to run for only 10 hours a day (when I sleep), and it still pulls like crazy. I might do the MJ-1200 impeller mod to increase efficiency even more, but I can wait until the move.
For lighting, I use 2 AI modules controlled with the AI controller. They're second gen units, but were pre-Sol with 2 cool white XP-G and 1 blue XR-E per grouping. I had 4 of these on the 135, and sold one off because I wasn't sure if I needed 2 modules or 3 due to the weird footprint of the tank. Needless to say, I only needed two - I have one more for sale if anyone is interested. I have since modified the 2 units a bit - After following one of the LED threads in the lighting forum, I realized having a broader array of blue emitters is probably a good thing, so I ordered 1 modules' worth of sol white emitters (I think 2 blues would be too much for my liking) and installed these staggered with the original blues. The result is a nice blue-purple color that is not as purple as all royal blues and not as blue as all blues. I also decided that the standard 40 degree optics are too harsh for the relatively shallow 36g. depth, so I ordered 70 degree optics for the 2 modules. The increase in spread was quite dramatic. Every single bit of the tank is now quite evenly lit - well, except for overhangs, caves, etc.
Unfortunately, all of my SPS are a bit dull right now due to an alk spike. I thought I had my alk usage dialed in, and went 3 weeks without testing. The alk had increased from my usual 8.0 up to about 9.5. Not bad, you might say, because it was gradual. But, because of the extremely low nutrients in my system (has to be near ULNS) the corals began to suffer. Polyp extension was still pretty good, but all of my colored sticks turned to variously colored brown-hued sticks. I'm now testing the big 3 every 2 days to get the chemical usage down rock-solid - I'll be at the Smithsonian this coming summer for 6 weeks, so I need to know EXACTLY how much to dose.
Also currently having a bit of a war with aiptasia. The little bastards irk me to no end. I ordered 5 peppermints online last week, but they showed up DOA. The supplier is really making it right, though, shipping the replacements out at his own cost. They should be here on Tuesday - can't wait to see some glass anemone death!
Also, you'll notice in the photos below, there is no MP40. I decided to get rid of it because of the dry side taking up space preventing at least one side of the tank from getting close to a corner, and also because it made too much noise for the space the tank is in. I've replaced it with 2 Koralia 1040's that give plenty of flow. I've added a third K nano that I had laying around to the back wall toward the bottom to keep detritus from accumulating. I've also added a chepo HOB filter to take some of the particulates out of the water. Both the filter and the skimmer come on from midnight to 10am, so the system is nice and quiet during the day and evening.
Enough talk - how about some pictures!
FTS
FTS AI on.
FTS moonlights only (4% blue/ 0% white)
Blue-polyped digitata
Mystic Reef Mycedium. This ting is getting big - must be 4" across now at least.
AOG garden. Look at that little bastard in there! Peppermints come Tuesday - can't wait for some anemone death!
~ lol The seaswirl is 1/2", thats why I am not suing it as the single return on a 92. Its rated for 550 gph, and the current returnm pump is a Mag 9.5, rated at around 1100gph I think. I figure a split between the seaswirl and the return nozzles should be okay?
