My Rebounding Reef Aquarium

My neo nano aquarium is on the rebound. A cumulation of knowledge and improvements gained from every setback and curve-ball have finally led to stability and coral growth. It was not easy of course. Every tank is different and a successful routine to be discovered - this one took a while. But I think I am "there" - that magic place we reefers strive to reach for. I better share some photos fast.







The monti caps are only a couple months old and starting to curve. The digitata came back from the dead. I thought it died off over a year ago. The staghorn are original and have been through hell. They are shooting again. Same with the red planet and aussie coral.



I love my Coral Beauty. Over the last couple years it has been pretty good but there have been moments. It seems if I put coral directly in its swim path it gets nippy. A few months back I bought a beautiful Montipora from WT that I fragged and gave away just in time to 3reefer rocketman after the fish started eating it. It also nipped at a clam I had when I had sand. It is fine with the corals I presently have though.



Any know the latin name for this coral? I bought it from WT as a colony, accidentally broke it in pieces trying to get the base off and now it has grown back together. The colors are fantastic.



This [STRIKE]Aussie[/STRIKE] acropora (told it might be a Tenuis Acropora) is a survivor and the biggest coral in the tank. If you are looking for a coral that can survive low alk and more… this is it. I love this coral.



This staghorn has been through a lot and it shows. I still wonder it this piece has something I saw on Advanced Aquarist - white disease? It is rewarding me with new growth these days.



I love this slow grower in the back. Again, I am bad with names - can someone share?



This coral in the back (a.valida?) was bone white from low alk in the pre-doser 'my God I had a kid' days. Frankly I just left it in the tank. I did not expect to see it come back with vivid green and start to reclaim its former skeleton. So cool to see.



I turned the pumps off for these shots.



I am loving my rock work now. Less is more. I've removed about 1/3 of what I originally had and the whole thing seems bigger than its true size.



I accidentally have figured out how to keep frilly mushrooms nano-sized - a couple years back I nuked them for a few hours with an unshielded new UV bulb.





Actinic only. Pumps on.



I am currently experimenting with a plastic air-line valve instead of a pinch-roller on my Kent Marine aqua doser for kalk dripping. After a week or more of flawless performance it appears I need to flush it out. I still prefer it for its fine-tuning.


Specs

Aquarium:

34 Gallon Neo Nano Aquarium from Deep Sea Aquatics
* 24" x 24" x 14"
* Dual 3" x 3" overflow boxes
* 2 1" bulkhead drains
* “Cascade" return system

Stand:

* 25" x 25" x 32"

Sump:

* 18" x 18" x 18"

Protein Skimmer:

Warner Marine MF121
Fantastic 12w skimmer.

Lighting:

Fixture: Aqua Medic Ocean Light (150w halide HQI / T5)
Halide Bulb: Phoenix 14k
T5: UVL 22 Inch 24W/40W Super Actinic Bulb 420nm T5 V-HO Fluorescent Bulbs
Ballast: Lumatek Electronic ballast

This ballast and light combo is simply the best I have ever had. THe color is great and the soft-start electronic ballast has kept the bulb cake free since day 1.


Sump Pump:

Eheim 1260 (630 GPH)

Powerheads:

(2) Vortech MP10s
synched in reef crest mode

Auto Top Off:

Gravity Fed. Kent Marine float switch and 5 gallon reservoir.
http://www.3reef.com/forums/i-made/kent-float-mag-mod-106674.html

Substrate:
Cutting Board,
http://www.3reef.com/forums/sand/back-cutting-board-101688.html

Refugium:
chaeto in sump
air-injected with bubble disc for better circulation and pH
http://www.3reef.com/forums/refugium/chaeto-air-injection-133820.html
6500k (i think) cl bulb from hardware store on reverse daylight schedule with hour overlap

Salt:

Red Sea Coral Pro Salt
http://www.3reef.com/forums/salt/coral-pro-salt-test-spin-98040.html

Water Filter:
SpectraPure ProPlus 90 GPD RO/DI

UV filter:
Aqua Medic 5w. Gravity fed.

Doser:

Bubble Magus BM-T01

This doser saved my aquarium.


Welcome to my new build thread. Thanks for looking.


matt

 

http://www.3reef.com/forums/i-made/media-cabinets-reef-lockers-127717.html


http://www.3reef.com/forums/refugium/chaeto-air-injection-133820-2.html


Child proofing.


Warner Marine MF121 skimmer (not seen - cutting board light blocker)

 

Looking great, Matt. Sorry I can't help with names, but congratulations on the recoveries.

 

Thanks Bill. I learn through experience.

 

The tank is looking great!

 

i like it!

 

Looks wonderful Matt.

How do you like the Phoenix?

I see the Cardinal pair is alive and well, cool.

Glad the Coral Beauty is behaving, stunning fish. So just 3 fish?

Could the coral in the back be a Green Tortuosa? The others I am not sure about, Trent will probably know however.

How long have you been using the Red Sea Pro?

Congrats on getting a handle on the it again it looks really good, a lot of Coralline algae going on.

 

Thanks all!

I love the look of the bulb. Decent growth, but I am curious to see how it compares to the Ushio 14k in my garage. The Phoenix is about 9 months old now if my math is right so I am going to change it out soon. No complaints - especially with the Lumatek e ballast.

Aye. Great fish from ORA.

Yep just 3. Thinking about a royal gramma or six-line. Undecided. I just lost my cleaner shrimp last week. Found in cut in half in the Vortech. Probably died before that though of old age - it was over 2 years old. I won't replace it though. Spot feeding the corals will be a lot easier now.

That sounds right actually if memory serves. Thanks

Since Nov 2010 it looks like based on my review thread. I like it a lot. No problems at all - nice numbers too.

Thanks. Getting the numbers in line with my doser and fixing issues with the hardware all made things come together.

matt

 

Congrats Matt on getting everything going well again. Some of the corals look like they had light inhibition hence the white coloration.

 

Love the low camera angle shots,looks like a little persons dream tank.