OP
OP
Hmm, to find a 12"x20" footprint rimless starfire nano... or gut mine.
Turtle's 14g SPS Nano Build.
- Nano Build
- Thread starter SashimiTurtle
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OP
OP
Just did a quick look, I'd have to get a custom tank made. Or, buy an all new tank and stand and... not in the budget right now.
OP
OP
LFS near me has aquaforest products buy one get one free... anyone used their stuff, I'm about to head that way.
ReeferMadness80G
Valuable Member
ReeferMadness80G
Valuable Member
This is from a conversation I had with @Electrobes about aquaforest. Hopefully this will help you out some. Direct quote
Your filtration: So right now you are using biopellets, which is a medium for feeding bacteria, which jointly also consume Nitrates ad Phosphates to make more of itself.
The problem is, is that you aren't supplying the bacteria. Of course, there I bacteria already in your tank, but.. while it dominates the tank, it is theorized that with different bacteria strains comes different properties. The bacteria supplied by vendors (ie Aquaforest, Prodibio, Weight, etc) supposedly is far more skimmable, making it easier for the skimmer to remove both the nitrates and phosphates the bacteria captured. Your current dominating bacteria may or may not be one of those things.. but in general it is theorized for it to not be as skimmable as those provided by vendors.
Your NPX biopellets is comparable to NP Pro, by Aquaforest. It will feed the bacteria with. carbon source (Hence the term carbon dosing), for it to more easily and freely grab nitrates and phosphates to construct more of itself.
Bio S and Pro Bio S are both bacterias. Bio S is a starter version, while Pro Bio S comes after you use the Bio S. Once you start using Pro Bio S, you stay with it for the duration of the tank's running.
The Salt: So the to main salts you should focus on is Reef Salt and Probiotic Salt.
Reef Salt: This is your normal salt as compared to NO, RC, RS, etc. There is nothing special about this salt, unless you are like me, and simply like where the parameters are within it. I specifically use this salt because their parameters are exactly where I want my tank to be. Other salts I've used normally needed to be adjusted to better fit my tank's parameters. It's at a good price and I a quality salt IMO.
Probiotic Salt: This salt is Reef Salt with a kick of Bacteria, Vitamins, and Amino Acids. Basically, if you already use Amino's and Vitamins, plus their bacteria system.. and have a thriving spotless (Meaning no algae problems of any kind) tank I would use this as a sort of boosted salt.
For me, personally, I don't see myself using this Sat any time soon. My tank is thriving but is so minimalist that I can't see needing the boost of any kind. I don't yet use (Am not even sure if I will ever.. something for me to consider down the road) vitamins and Amino... and I can only assume the bacteria boost to be negligible. Given the extra cost to this salt, versus Reef Salt, I just don't see it as worth it to me. I would only consider the Probiotic Salt is I wanted to try out Amino's and Vitamins passively.
Your filtration: So right now you are using biopellets, which is a medium for feeding bacteria, which jointly also consume Nitrates ad Phosphates to make more of itself.
The problem is, is that you aren't supplying the bacteria. Of course, there I bacteria already in your tank, but.. while it dominates the tank, it is theorized that with different bacteria strains comes different properties. The bacteria supplied by vendors (ie Aquaforest, Prodibio, Weight, etc) supposedly is far more skimmable, making it easier for the skimmer to remove both the nitrates and phosphates the bacteria captured. Your current dominating bacteria may or may not be one of those things.. but in general it is theorized for it to not be as skimmable as those provided by vendors.
Your NPX biopellets is comparable to NP Pro, by Aquaforest. It will feed the bacteria with. carbon source (Hence the term carbon dosing), for it to more easily and freely grab nitrates and phosphates to construct more of itself.
Bio S and Pro Bio S are both bacterias. Bio S is a starter version, while Pro Bio S comes after you use the Bio S. Once you start using Pro Bio S, you stay with it for the duration of the tank's running.
The Salt: So the to main salts you should focus on is Reef Salt and Probiotic Salt.
Reef Salt: This is your normal salt as compared to NO, RC, RS, etc. There is nothing special about this salt, unless you are like me, and simply like where the parameters are within it. I specifically use this salt because their parameters are exactly where I want my tank to be. Other salts I've used normally needed to be adjusted to better fit my tank's parameters. It's at a good price and I a quality salt IMO.
Probiotic Salt: This salt is Reef Salt with a kick of Bacteria, Vitamins, and Amino Acids. Basically, if you already use Amino's and Vitamins, plus their bacteria system.. and have a thriving spotless (Meaning no algae problems of any kind) tank I would use this as a sort of boosted salt.
For me, personally, I don't see myself using this Sat any time soon. My tank is thriving but is so minimalist that I can't see needing the boost of any kind. I don't yet use (Am not even sure if I will ever.. something for me to consider down the road) vitamins and Amino... and I can only assume the bacteria boost to be negligible. Given the extra cost to this salt, versus Reef Salt, I just don't see it as worth it to me. I would only consider the Probiotic Salt is I wanted to try out Amino's and Vitamins passively.
ReeferMadness80G
Valuable Member
Tanks based on Aquaforest Products:
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/Tanks-based-on-Aquaforest-Products:.231650/ DROPPING BOMBS OF MATERIAL
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/Tanks-based-on-Aquaforest-Products:.231650/ DROPPING BOMBS OF MATERIAL
OP
OP
So, one little tub of aquaforest coral food is $20. Skipped that stuff. Got some more red sea reef energy, reef spec carbon because my nitrates are above where I want them and I have too much algae growth, and reef nutrition oysterfeast.
OP
OP
Two gallon water change today. I'm going to continue Wednesday and Saturday wate r changes. Alk looks more stable.
Ca is coming back up slowly.
Yesterday and today I added 0.5ml each of Red Sea Energy A and B and Oysterfeast. The duncans swell up like crazy right after adding the food. They are out almost 2" from the skeleton.
Ca is coming back up slowly.
Yesterday and today I added 0.5ml each of Red Sea Energy A and B and Oysterfeast. The duncans swell up like crazy right after adding the food. They are out almost 2" from the skeleton.
OP
OP
Finally got to see Mom today, she's had a stomach bug all week. Went to see and few places for rehearsal dinner and she gave me the Jebao dosing pump. I had just enough time when we got home to calibrate 2 heads and set up the dosing containers and the makeshift tube holder I salvaged that was leftover from the ATO on my 75g. I'll figure out how to program it after work tomorrow morning. Today's Ca was 425, I manually dosed 2ml of part A yesterday, Alk was 7.6, down from 8.1 yesterday. I manually dosed 4ml before I left with Mom, came back 2 hours later and I tested 7.5. I'll have to do some more figuring with all this dosing stuff... I still don't fully understand it.
OP
OP
Looks like everything stayed the same from yesterday. Ca 420ppm Alk 7.5dKH. But this blue stylo, I'd say it has recovered 100%... PE for days and its BLUE!
OP
OP
Everything in my tank has been doing much better this week. @dodgerblew, thanks for telling me to increase water changes. Doing 2g twice a week has perked everything up and my Alk is a bit more stable, but still drops to 7.5, from 8.1 after a WC, rather quickly then slows way down in decline.
@jsker @Reef Nutrition, Oysterfeast is an awesome product. Very fast feeding response from corals and picking up better color.
@jsker @Reef Nutrition, Oysterfeast is an awesome product. Very fast feeding response from corals and picking up better color.
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OP
OP
Of course, I took a few photos...
jsker
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I am glad to here things are turning around. Thank you for the shout out!
OP
OP
Tested my water again this morning and have noticed a steady trend in both Ca and Alk. Looks like about 10ppm Ca and about .1-.2dKH decline daily. I set up my dosing pump to add 1ml of Ca at 0700 and 1900, and 3ml of Alk at 0730 and 1930. I'm off on my long week(hooray shift work!!!) so I'll be watching the tank like a hawk all week getting the dose dialed in.
OP
OP
It's been a few days since I updated. Still dialing in the dosing pump. Alk was 8.5(a little high, but not bad) after water change today. Backed pump off from 9ml/day to 6ml, and then 4ml. Ca tested at 450ppm and is dosed at 1ml/day. Might have to back off to 1ml every 2 days.
Bought an ATO, FINALLY! I got the AutoAqua Smart ATO Micro. No complaints with the ato. The pump is quiet, sensor is TINY and it has a very fine on/off range, which means it'll keep my salinity(and somewhat big three) super stable given how small my total water volume is. If a 1 gallon jug lasts almost a whole week, this 5g jug should last a month before I have to refill with RODI.
Here's a few pics of my setup now. My fiancee was tired of me taking up the dining room table(it's just to the left of the tank in the first picture, perfect proximity to the tank for doing tests) with test kits, filter pads, ect., so she said we were getting another end table to match our living room furniture. So I've got all my tank junk in there, and some still on the dining room table. She's still fussing about that for some reason...
Bought an ATO, FINALLY! I got the AutoAqua Smart ATO Micro. No complaints with the ato. The pump is quiet, sensor is TINY and it has a very fine on/off range, which means it'll keep my salinity(and somewhat big three) super stable given how small my total water volume is. If a 1 gallon jug lasts almost a whole week, this 5g jug should last a month before I have to refill with RODI.
Here's a few pics of my setup now. My fiancee was tired of me taking up the dining room table(it's just to the left of the tank in the first picture, perfect proximity to the tank for doing tests) with test kits, filter pads, ect., so she said we were getting another end table to match our living room furniture. So I've got all my tank junk in there, and some still on the dining room table. She's still fussing about that for some reason...
OP
OP
The tank has really leveled out with the dosing pump and ATO, so I went to my LFS and bought an acro. It's a "tierra del fuego." I can not wait for this one to grow.
I let the fiancee pick out a coral too because she likes them better than she does fish. She said I should just make this nano a coral only tank... she picked out a 4 polyp Rasta zoa frag. They still haven't opened up yet but they were super bright in the LFS.
I let the fiancee pick out a coral too because she likes them better than she does fish. She said I should just make this nano a coral only tank... she picked out a 4 polyp Rasta zoa frag. They still haven't opened up yet but they were super bright in the LFS.
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ReeferMadness80G
Valuable Member
Great piece! I like the Rasta zoa too, can't wait to see pics! I always wanted some but never got one.
OP
OP
Not quite opened up... I've found zoas and pallys need about a day to adjust to a new environment, but here's a picture of them starting to peek out. They are super tiny, that's 4x zoom. Fully open I'd say they are 1/8", maybe 1/4" across. Looking foward to these covering the bottom of that rock.
OP
OP
Took a few top down pics...
Starting to get some awesome colors out of this blue stylo. The skin is turning reddish and the middle of the polyps has a tint of green. I was at my LFS today where I got this piece and they have a sister piece of mine still there and it's doing something similar without the green color.
My green birds nest has colored back up very nicely. Looks like a few new branches fixing to sprout.
Rainbow poci has recovered as well.
Forest fire digi is slowly coming back from almost total tissue loss. Every day I see more and more polyps coming back. I'm glad I didn't lose this one with the acro.
And the star of the show today, Tierra del fuego! Can't wait for the the pink to come out.
Starting to get some awesome colors out of this blue stylo. The skin is turning reddish and the middle of the polyps has a tint of green. I was at my LFS today where I got this piece and they have a sister piece of mine still there and it's doing something similar without the green color.
My green birds nest has colored back up very nicely. Looks like a few new branches fixing to sprout.
Rainbow poci has recovered as well.
Forest fire digi is slowly coming back from almost total tissue loss. Every day I see more and more polyps coming back. I'm glad I didn't lose this one with the acro.
And the star of the show today, Tierra del fuego! Can't wait for the the pink to come out.
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brett_schn
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any updates on the rastas? Pictures?
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