2.5G Office Pico - SPS recommendations

[Ratvan]

Greetings All,

Decided that I would set up a small tank at work to give me something to watch while working. No real plans as to what will go inside, I do love Macro Algae however so may have a rather a lot of different types of that in here. I do have a friend who helps me with the reef a lot (and gives me Frags of Macro that his Urchin moves around the tank)

Build Details
Tank: 12 Litre Pets at Home Kids Tank
Filter: Hydro Ripple HR400 (400LPH)
Power: Hydor Pico Evo Mag 650 (650lph)
Heater: 50W Adjustable
Light: 18W PAR38 Bulb

Biofilter: 1KG Rock Rubble (2.2lbs) - Fake Rock Wall Type
1KG "Cycled Rock" - placed in Friends sump for 6 weeks

FTS - Set Up

Still need to sort out the permanent light fixture, having a gooseneck held up by hanging pulley system in the office is making a few people comment

Livestock: Macroalgae
Codium
Crytonemia Crenulata
Solieria SPP
Nemastoma SP

Next Additions
Ulva Intestinalis
Botrycladia
Haliptilion

FTS With Livestock

And a couple of progress shots of the rock wall build and PAR readings under the 18W Bulb

Aquarium Sealant
Eggcrate
Pond Foam (Expanding)
Ceramic "rock rubble"
Tie Wraps
Time

 

[Ratvan]

Lights have come on, going for a really short photoperiod at the moment (6 hours 10am until 4pm) as I don't want to nuke the Macro Algae and I haven't yet worked out how I am going to go about diffusing the lights? I can't raise it much further as the cable is not long enough.

Found a Hitch Hiker, seems that it looks to have split, so can expect to find more in the coming days, yay

Might look at picking up some of those Coral Lens kits that attach to smartphones

 

[Ratvan]

So another day and another couple of Macro Algae's, spotted some Caulerpa in amongst the Gracilaria Mammarillis so decided to fix this to some ceramic fake rock (love this stuff as macro mounts - very porous and loads of places to make a holdfast)

Also someone I know was clearing their sump/refugium so picked up a couple of fist fulls of Ulva and whatever else was growing in there which I plan on sorting through this lunch time

 

[Ratvan]

 

[Ratvan]

So I decided that I would add some sand to the tank, it looks more natural and somehow brighter (plus easier to hide the Detritus) the Ulva didn't appreciate being in the display so I now have it in the HOB filter. Also looking for my first frag/s to go in after the new year.

 

[WV Reefer]

Hi!

 

[Ratvan]

Hi Christy!

 

[Be102]

Looking great!

 

[Ratvan]

Added some Corals for rescue today, not looking so hot

 

[Ratvan]

Admitting you have an addiction is the first step to recovery. That's right, right?

Anyways, another day another couple of specimens for the Macro Tank

Botrycladia (Red Grape Algae)

Haliptilion (Purple Fern Algae)

Angled FTS

 

[Ratvan]

Now I am looking for corals to try in this tank and rapidly becoming stuck lol.
I want to do a single Genus Tank in this system and at the moment it is between Montipora or Acropora....

 

[WV Reefer]

Now I am looking for corals to try in this tank and rapidly becoming stuck lol.
I want to do a single Genus Tank in this system and at the moment it is between Montipora or Acropora....

I think Montipora has better shapes

 

[Ratvan]

I think Montipora has better shapes

Having a quick look around this morning, seems that I have more choice at a more respectable price on Montipora, only issue I'm having is a ridiculous price for what is essentially a nub of coral. Now do i want a riot of colour or a single colour.....

 

[Ratvan]

 

[Tahoe61]

Fantastic Tank.

 

[Ratvan]

Fantastic Tank.

Thanks, someday i hope it will be. I got a 3 Week wait until I can add corals to it now.
Need to find me some UK Reefers who can help me out with finding decent SPS Frags/Mini's
Decided that I like Greens so will go with mainly green Montipora's

 

[AcroNem]

I love pico reefs, looking good seeing these makes me want to set up my little cubes again

 

[Ratvan]

I love pico reefs, looking good seeing these makes me want to set up my little cubes again

Do it. So much fun.

Anyways, Montipora. These are doing well under my cheap Asta 20 at Home so will look to add them to the work tank when I return in the new year.

Photos taken for growth comparison purposes.

 

[Ratvan]

Have also found a fellow Reefer on another forum who is sending me some trial frags for this tank

Ultra Green Plating Montipora

German Blue Polyps Digitata

Blue Tipped Acropora

 

[Be102]

Have also found a fellow Reefer on another forum who is sending me some trial frags for this tank

Ultra Green Plating Montipora

German Blue Polyps Digitata

Blue Tipped Acropora

Wow love the green plate!! Need to get one myself!