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
Blue Tuxedo Urchin
Ponape Birdsnest
Montipora Caps
Chalice
Chalice
Chalice
ORA Birds of Paradise
Green Razzleberry Chalice
Radioactive Dragon Eyes
Zoanthid
Zoanthid
Bam Bams Zoanthid
Montipora Confusa
Last edited by nate_newton; 08-30-2011 at 01:22 AM.
Cool tank!! What made ya decide to add all the macro algea??
Originally Posted by Sir Patrick
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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