Nate's 24g Macro/Reef Cube

[nate_newton]

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_5162-1.jpg

Nate's 24g Macro/Reef Cube
This my 24g JBJ Marco Algae Reef. It's inhabitants include a Tailspot Blenny (Ecsenius stigmatura) and a pair of ORA Misbar Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris). Inverts include a Blue Tuxedo Urchin, Nassarius Snails, Cerith Snails, Nerite Snails, Stomatella Snails, Vermetid Snails, Scarlet Reef Hermit Crabs, Peppermint Shrimp, Amphipods, Copepods.

Lighting is powered by 7 18" UVL T5's, powered by 4 Workhouse ballasts, currently the 2 are on one timer a 2 on the other until I can get an electronic control unit. My bulbs from back to front. Also a blue led moonlight for when the light are off.
UVL Aquasun
UVL 454
UVL Indigo Sun
UVL Super Actinic
UVL 454
UVL 454
UVL Aquasun

Water movement is powered by a Vortech MP10 in Reef Crest mode. The JBJ rear filtration has three compartments. The last has the titanium ground probe, temp, heater, and MJ1200 to return the water to the tank. The middle contains the carbon and gfo in media bags. I use BRS ROX 0.8, and BRS High Capacity GFO. The first compartment holds algae and is on a reverse lighting cycle. It is lighted by leds on the outside, I cut away the black backing to let the light through. And yes as you'll see in the pic below in the first filter chamber are aiptasia. They are kept under control in the main tank with the peppermint shrimp and AiptasiaX.

First filter chamber
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_5472.jpg

Blue Tuxedo Urchin
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_3121-1.jpg

Ponape Birdsnest
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_5387.jpg

Montipora Caps
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_5366.jpg

Chalice
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_5421.jpg

Chalice
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_5392.jpg

Chalice
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_4807.jpg

ORA Birds of Paradise
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_3296.jpg

Green Razzleberry Chalice
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1699_size.jpg

Radioactive Dragon Eyes
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_2983.jpg

Zoanthid
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_5273.jpg

Zoanthid
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_5339.jpg

Bam Bams Zoanthid
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_4547.jpg

Montipora Confusa
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_2246.jpg

[MizTanks]

Sweeeeet setup! Love that last pic of the Ora! All your corals look nice and healthy.

[Sir Patrick]

Cool tank!! What made ya decide to add all the macro algea??

[nate_newton]

Thank You


Cool tank!! What made ya decide to add all the macro algea??


Cool tank!! What made ya decide to add all the macro algea??

About 4 years ago when I started to learn about the hobby, I wanted to do a planted FW with a large 30+ school of tetra. It then went to saltwater but no coral, obviously didn't end up that way. I then started to do research on marine plants while my tank was starting up. I went slow, first fish at 8 months. My LR is from Vanuatu, 50lbs of it. It held a monster of a surprise, around 14 months algae started coming. I've had the pleasure of seeing over 15 different varieties of macro algae grow in my tank. What I've identified is listed below. And a few pics also, sometimes they disappear so I listed which are growing.

Boodlea Coacta
Caulerpa Webbiana
Chlorodesmis Fastigiata
Scinaia Okamurae
Predaea sp.
Chondria Dasyphylla
Caulerpa Racemosa
Halimeda

currently growing
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_4458.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_7482.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_7503.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_9944.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_9939.jpg

currently growing
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_8631.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_8636.jpg

[Sir Patrick]

Very cool!! If you like, some day, you can stop by and pic up some of this-

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d87/sirpatrick1/fishtank/100_2274.jpg

[nate_newton]

Thanks, I'll remember that if I ever get to that side of state, looks like some nice stuff.

[Heidi]

Very unique and beautiful tank Nate!

[cg5071]

Nice Nate. The algae touching the sps doesnt bother it? My fave BN is the ponape. I think I need to put the BOP under the t5's instead of halide. It is doing well but the colors arent terrific. The green ora BN you sent me just had a growth explosion! I am soon going to cut off about 3 pieces of it that are growing downwards. I thought it was in trouble like some other sps when my chemistry went weird but it was a major growth coming on. It seemed to really like me adding the extra blue + recently.

[nate_newton]

Very unique and beautiful tank Nate!
Thanks Heidi


Nice Nate. The algae touching the sps doesnt bother it? My fave BN is the ponape. I think I need to put the BOP under the t5's instead of halide. It is doing well but the colors arent terrific. The green ora BN you sent me just had a growth explosion! I am soon going to cut off about 3 pieces of it that are growing downwards. I thought it was in trouble like some other sps when my chemistry went weird but it was a major growth coming on. It seemed to really like me adding the extra blue + recently.
Thanks Chris. The algae doesn't really bother anything. I just have to keep an eye on it. It'll grow on some and not others so I have to keep up with maintenance on it. I take out about a cup of algae every week. Just like any garden, it needs to be pruned. The birdsnest do grow fast in the right conditions. The birds of paradise is fine under MH. Unlike the other birdsnest its sensitive. Check your flow, maybe an LPS is stinging it. It's takes time to get the great color out of the birds of paradise. What K is your MH? The green growing downwards just means thats how your current is there, nothing bad, if you break it there it'll probably keep going down. The easiest trouble indicator is the polyps not out on the birdsnest. I can see you at some point having LPS and SPS tanks.


Electric Blue Hermit Crab (Calcinus elegans)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_7551.jpg

[cg5071]

I love those crabs but the ones I tried didnt survive. The halide is 10k. it could be the flow as they are in the open on one of those 20 hole ceramic frag rocks atm. The powerhead is directed at that corner diagonally from the other corner. 1350gph but it has to cross a 36 x 30 tank diagonally and it is a wide flow (compared to a focused one). Then there is 1500 flowing across the back of the tank behind the rock.
I am about to attach some of them permenantly but havnt got to it yet. This is mostly lps and zoas but there are alot of montis too. If I get into acros I will likely set up a smaller reef. The red planet is doing awesome though even though I just lost a pocci (not one of yours) a grape bonsai, another no-name acro and the pokerstar (yours, crying smiley,lol) This chemistry thing stinks! Hopefully it stabilizes soon.
I know at this time I am using 10 ppm cal everyday and get low alk if I dont watch it. I am not chasing numbers or anything but maintaining, or trying :) This is day 3 of kalk drips and I am testing like twice a day right now so I can figure it out. It was sooo much easier just doing water changes,lol. Maybe I should figure out how often/much waterchange to do and just stick with that! Not sure if that is really possible since I am getting quite a collection going now.

[cg5071]

My electric blue hermits came in big fancy shells. If yours (1 or 2?) are outgrowing those shells you could have these if you want.

[nate_newton]

I had no idea your tank was so stocked until you posted it. I think you might be past the just water changes phase, and on to being a reef chemist. I was there when I used ReefCrystal, but switched to Seachem Reef and haven't had to add anything, but I'm not as stocked as you are either. Because of some inverts diets they fare better on a well established reef. My frag tank has had a lot less light while the ongoing led upgrade. So my pokerstar isn't in good shape, moved it to the contest nano for now. I was going to say if you killed my pocci you must have really done something, mine has been in almost no light for a few weeks and still is good. Though I have room for it and moved it to the light. Thanks for the shell offer, I think I'm good for now on shells. My purple and green caps grow next to each other and have now started to twist together.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_7634.jpg

[cg5071]

That looks really cool. I just noticed how well my purple was doing tonight. I havent had it long. Thanksgiving. It is starting to scroll up, was just a chunk.

Good to know about the poccis. I really like them. I will probably at least try to get all the colors of it. i want to try and grow out babies after they start spawning. The ones I lost, both the same were copper. The tips of the polyps were an irridescent color and seemed to change colors. From green to gold to orangey like patina.

I have aquired alot of the corals in just the last month or 2. LOL buying frag packs and not wanting to pay shipping so order alot. It is officially an addiction.

[nate_newton]

RIP Tailspot
34 months, my first saltwater fish and first saltwater fish to pass on
he was a great fish
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_7878.jpg

[Heidi]

OH no! I am so sorry to hear that Nate! What happened to him :( :( *hugs*

[nate_newton]

OH no! I am so sorry to hear that Nate! What happened to him :( :( *hugs*

Thanks Heidi, either age or some creeper in the tank.

[Sir Patrick]

Hope it wasnt a creeper!

[MizTanks]

Sorry for your loss Nate (((hugs)))

[MizTanks]

Time for a little update here Nate :) how's everything going?

[nate_newton]

I was thinking that also, I'm way overstocked at the moment. My clowns are now laying eggs consistently and not eating them right away also. A photo update soon. It looks different though after I lost my swirling monti caps seen below to RTN.

[MizTanks]

I was thinking that also, I'm way overstocked at the moment. My clowns are now laying eggs consistently and not eating them right away also. A photo update soon. It looks different though after I lost my swirling monti caps seen below to RTN.

OH NOOO!! They were beautiful! Prettiest I've ever seen. Very sorry Nate.

[Heidi]

Makes me sad about the caps Nate. I might be able to hook you up with a frag of idaho grape it's growing like a weed. . . Let me know

[nate_newton]

Makes me sad about the caps Nate. I might be able to hook you up with a frag of idaho grape it's growing like a weed. . . Let me know

Thanks Heidi, I did keep it though, just arctic white now. I have a small frag from the nano contest tank. Right now I just don't have space for it. Everything just keeps getting closer and closer because I keep looking to Happy Coral's new stock and buying. I need to start getting funding for something bigger really soon.



OH NOOO!! They were beautiful! Prettiest I've ever seen. Very sorry Nate.
Thanks, no warnings or sickness, still a mystery. Right now it'll just be the ORA misbar clowns for awhile. I do plan to get another blenny of the Ecsenius genus again and possible a Helfrichi Firefish.

[nate_newton]

Here is a photo of One Fish & Two Fish with there eggs(day 2). The female is at the bottom on the photo, she has a middle stripe appearing on both sides while the male has a middle stripe only on one side, neither have a tail stripe.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_9959.jpg

[MizTanks]

Sweet pix Nate :) will the eggs hatch?

[nate_newton]

Sweet pix Nate :) will the eggs hatch?

Thanks. They'll hatch but not survive because I don't have the setup needed to place them in and raise the live foods that they need.

[nate_newton]

A few of my corals. I'll post more later and get a full tank shot. Right now I have just over 20 coral pieces in the 24, and way too many in the 10g frag tank, 30+.


ORA Birds of Paradise 'Seriatopora caliendrum' (for sale if any are interested)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_0068.jpg

ORA Seriatopora guttatus
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_0038.jpg

Purple Chalice
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_0026.jpg

Faviidae
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_0023.jpg

Pink Chalice
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_0008.jpg

Faviidae
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_9998.jpg

[nate_newton]

Full tank shot and little full at the moment with 25 corals.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_0178.jpg

[MizTanks]

Nate darlin do you need me to send you an algae scraper? What? No, you have one. Oh ok that's good. Cause I wouldn't want all that unsightly algae growing on the glass to hide all the BEAUTIFUL CORALS you have in your tank......

Let me know if you ever frag the birds nests ok, please :) lol

[nate_newton]

Nate darlin do you need me to send you an algae scraper? What? No, you have one. Oh ok that's good. Cause I wouldn't want all that unsightly algae growing on the glass to hide all the BEAUTIFUL CORALS you have in your tank......

Let me know if you ever frag the birds nests ok, please :) lol

Lol, well my magnetic scraper is pretty worn out. The corners I have to do by hand and the bottom is unscrapable because corals go all the way to the very front edge. I have frags of all three of the birdsnest.

[MizTanks]

The corners you can do by hand..so do that then. And while ya got yer hand in the tank squiggle some of those purddy lil corals outtda ways an clean in front of em-squiggle em back in place. Now I'm able to see a couple more I'm wanting buuuut...I'll let you off da hook iffin you p.m. me wit what you'd be wanting for dem frags of birds nest :)

[larryandlaura]

Sweet tank!

[rulost2001]

now this is sweet !

[nate_newton]

Well it's about time for another update. I just did a water change so the water was still a little cloudy during the photo's. So yes I have quite a few corals in here, 21 to be exact. A few weeks ago we had a power outage for about 15hrs, no loses. No fish additions, the Clownfish have the tank to themselves. Since spring they've been enjoy there time procreating, haven't since the outage. Which is ok because I don't have the resources to raise them. Been working on clearing the vine like macro algae that really gets out of control fast. I have a large amount of Chlorodesmis that grows naturally on the rock also. I hope to get more pictures of the rest when the lights are on. Enjoy


http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1306.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1065.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1027.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1169.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1183.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_0868.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1142.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1118.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1269.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1081.jpg

[MizTanks]

Very cool pictures Nate. Happy for the update thanks :)

[nate_newton]

Very cool pictures Nate. Happy for the update thanks :)

Thanks, hope to get pics of the new favia, chalice and zoa soon.

[Heidi]

Nate l LOVE the picture you caught of your favia with the sweepers out!! Too cool! Tank looks great everything has really great color. :)
Thanks for the update!
Heidi

[nate_newton]

Nate l LOVE the picture you caught of your favia with the sweepers out!! Too cool! Tank looks great everything has really great color. :)
Thanks for the update!
Heidi

Thanks, yeah this species is sweeper crazy anytime food is out.

[larryandlaura]

Very nice updated pics. Everything is growing great. That last pic of that favia let me know when you frag it. I lost mine in the leak incedent.

[nate_newton]

Very nice updated pics. Everything is growing great. That last pic of that favia let me know when you frag it. I lost mine in the leak incedent.

Thanks. Whats a frag size for you? And how much would you pay?

[MizTanks]

Thanks, hope to get pics of the new favia, chalice and zoa soon.

great job on cleaning the glass too :thumbsup:

[nate_newton]

great job on cleaning the glass too :thumbsup:

Thanks, I ended up taking a razor blade to it.

[dlhirst]

Reminds me I gotta do the same. Excellent pictures, too!

[nate_newton]

A photo update

blue sponge, I also have pink and yellow that grow in various areas of my tank
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1412.jpg

pink lava chalice
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1345.jpg

green brain
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1407.jpg


Here's a few things that don't fit my main tank or are frags, and sit next to me in my 8g desktop tank.

tyree flower petal cap
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1542.jpg

Pocillopora
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1537.jpg

red, white, blue acan (just turned more blue)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1498.jpg

gobstoppers paly (colony the size of a baseball)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/IMG_1482.jpg

[MizTanks]

Nate are you now running LEDs on this tank? The color showing on your corals is simply beautiful! Everything looks so healthy. Wonderful pictures :)

[nate_newton]

Nate are you now running LEDs on this tank? The color showing on your corals is simply beautiful! Everything looks so healthy. Wonderful pictures :)

Thank you, no just good ol' t5's. It'll be awhile until I go led, I need a larger tank first. But will definitely go with the Ecotech Radion when the time comes.

[MizTanks]

It's actually refreshing and encouraging to see a tank like yours running under t5's..personally I'd like to see more systems like this...Oops wait I have one lol.

[nate_newton]

It's actually refreshing and encouraging to see a tank like yours running under t5's..personally I'd like to see more systems like this...Oops wait I have one lol.

Thanks, well I'm a budget reefer and I like the variety of color combination's.

[Heidi]

Nice pictures Nate!! I should let you "borrow" my green brain frag and see if you can grow it like that one! Wow.. Mine has nice color but it has only grown maybe one or two new heads since I got it...

Heidi

[nate_newton]

Nice pictures Nate!! I should let you "borrow" my green brain frag and see if you can grow it like that one! Wow.. Mine has nice color but it has only grown maybe one or two new heads since I got it...

Heidi

I wouldn't say mine has grown a lot either, just inflates. It loves good indirect flow.

[nate_newton]

Possibly the last update to this tank thread.

1.mp4 video by newtonn - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid72.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/1.mp4@@AMEPARAM@@vid72@@AMEPARAM@@72@@AMEPARAM@@i1 61/newtonn/1@@AMEPARAM@@mp4 (http://s72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/newtonn/?action=view&current=1.mp4)

[Heidi]

Nate why the last update? Are you taking this tank down?? Why?

Heidi

[nate_newton]

Going a little bigger. More details as I get things worked out.