This is my first trip to the nano forum

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calvertbill

Guest
I've always been afraid of tanks this small because of the speed that the water parameters can go awry (my main reef is a 450/625), however I won a nano-14 in the raffle at our local SMMAS symposium so now my office has a nano. I'll have pix up shortly but I thought if I detailed what I'm doing you guys with more experience might head me off at the pass before I kill some of my more precious specimens (you gotta show off a little in a public place, right?)
MONDAY Unpacked tank, added aragonite, LR and water. Ran mechanical filter to clear aragonite dust.
TUESDAY Tank clear. Tested water. sG 1.026. All water parameters excellent except pH a little low (7.9) and nitrates a little high (30). I added a little buffer for the pH and figured the skimmer would bring the nitrates back into line when I switched over from mechanical filtration to the skimmer. Oh I should mention that i probably won't be getting any ammonia or nitrite spikes because all tank ingredients came from my existing tanks.
Retested water as I left to go home, pH 8.2.
WEDNESDAY Removed filterpad and inserted skimmer. The Oceanic skimmer came with two in-line thingies, one to adjust air-flow and the second one (the clear-capped gyzmo) seemed to have no function except to completely stop all air movement...I left it out.
Added:
1 Banggai
1 LR frag with a few purple 'shrooms
1 frag with GSPs
1 5" purple Gorgonian
1 colony of Sun corals (8-10 heads)
1 Crosea clam - 2.5"
1 Turbinaria reniformis 5"
and the star of the tank:
1 20 head electric lime green Blastomussa
My goal is to add another two Banggais and hope that of the three fish I can come up with a breeding pair.
Maybe bring in a few clove polyps? Today I'm bringing a few hermits and 3 Peppermints.
Noticed a little hair algae on the 'shroom frag so I'll bring in a nylon sack of phos-ban to address that. Maybe leave it in 24 hrs. and then trash it?
Everything seem okay? Any suggestions, criticisms? I haven't checked CA yet, will probably do that today.
 
patrick8929

patrick8929

Active Member
looks like your off to a good start! +1 on the pics for sure! i dont think you have done anything wrong so far looks good!
 
C

calvertbill

Guest
THURSDAY Retested water. Nitrates 10, pH 7.9…added more buffer, inserted nylon bag of phos-ban to filter.
Retested water as I left to go home, pH 8.2.
FRIDAY Tested water, pH 7.9, added buffer.
Added:
2 Banggai
2 hermits
Removed:
1 1” piece decomposing something (I think a peppermint got caught between two rocks)
Took enclosed pix.
Retested water as I left to go home, pH 8.1.




 
rotarymagic

rotarymagic

Active Member
hook up 3 peristatic dosers... 2 on a timer for the randy's 2 part solution and one on an optical float switch for an ATO. This will keep the pH, calcium, and alk really stable on the nano and if you change the light you can definitely keep SPS in there. I would also recommend ditching the oceanic skimmer and running a Tunze nano doc skimmer (if you really want a skimmer.) There is also a turf scrubber build up and various chaeto fuge builds for this particular nano. Best of luck, I'm sure you'll find a way to make this nano awesome just like your other tanks.
p.s. I thought sun corals were supposed to be individually fed every day? I was always afraid to keep such animals especially while running a skimmer...
 
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calvertbill

Guest
Originally Posted by Rotarymagic
http:///forum/post/2874455
hook up 3 peristatic dosers... 2 on a timer for the randy's 2 part solution and one on an optical float switch for an ATO. This will keep the pH, calcium, and alk really stable on the nano and if you change the light you can definitely keep SPS in there. I would also recommend ditching the oceanic skimmer and running a Tunze nano doc skimmer (if you really want a skimmer.) There is also a turf scrubber build up and various chaeto fuge builds for this particular nano.
Wow! A lot of info and almost all of it went over my head. Let's try it this way:
hook up 3 peristatic dosers (what are those?)
... 2 on a timer for the randy's 2 part solution (what is that?)
and one on an optical float switch (ditto ?)
for an ATO (I assume that this is an Auto Top Off? Any particular one?)
 
m0nk

m0nk

Active Member
The clam won't last under stock PC lighting, and you'll likely have trouble with that SPS (is it a scroll?). Other than that, it's a nice looking little tank.... I miss having a nano, kinda want to start another one up.
I'd suggest either upgrading the lighting or moving the clam and SPS into something that has proper lighting.
 
C

calvertbill

Guest
Originally Posted by m0nk
http:///forum/post/2874558
The clam won't last under stock PC lighting, and you'll likely have trouble with that SPS (is it a scroll?). Other than that, it's a nice looking little tank.... I miss having a nano, kinda want to start another one up.
I'd suggest either upgrading the lighting or moving the clam and SPS into something that has proper lighting.

Yes it is a scroll, Turbinaria reniformis...I had asked Dr.Mac at Pacific East Aquaculture specifically about that and he had indicated that it would do fine in a nano under PCs, but not a tank with any water depth. I mentioned when I was shopping that I was looking to stock a standardly equipped nano.
 
m0nk

m0nk

Active Member
Originally Posted by Calvertbill
http:///forum/post/2874565
Yes it is a scroll, Turbinaria reniformis...I had asked Dr.Mac at Pacific East Aquaculture specifically about that and he had indicated that it would do fine in a nano under PCs, but not a tank with any water depth. I mentioned when I was shopping that I was looking to stock a standardly equipped nano.
Honestly, you'll likely loose some color with PCs, but I guess if you don't try you won't know...

Hope it works out, though I still have a feeling it'll have some trouble.
 
rotarymagic

rotarymagic

Active Member
Originally Posted by Calvertbill
http:///forum/post/2874507
Wow! A lot of info and almost all of it went over my head. Let's try it this way:
hook up 3 peristatic dosers (what are those?)
... 2 on a timer for the randy's 2 part solution (what is that?)
and one on an optical float switch (ditto ?)
for an ATO (I assume that this is an Auto Top Off? Any particular one?)

peristatic dosers are dosing pumps that slowly meter liquid... the randy's 2 part is the cheapest and easiest buffer system and includes a magnesium recipe... all the stuff is available for cheap at HD.
the optical float switch uses an optical sensor instead of using a float switch that relies on physical contact (opticals can't get clogged and stick on.) The Tunze osmolator is a good one and comes with a dosing pump for ATO. I would run it on a timer though so it does not top off while the calcium or alk is being metered into the tank.
These things will keep parameters very stable in your tank and if you upgrade the lighting, you can keep most any coral you want aside from huge anenomes.
 
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