BC8 Natural build?

link81 · May 24, 2019

My small desk tank has run fallow for a few weeks now while i've been thinking about what to do with it. It's at work, and i'm only here M-F, so it has to be super low maintenance.
It is bone stock except for a rapidLED diy fixture in it. So there is plenty of light to do anything i want inside it.
Originally i was planning on a zoa garden, shrimp tank. But lately i've been thinking about getting one of the packages from Tampa Bay Saltwater, and waiting to see what kind of hitchhikers come in on it, then basing the tank design off that. I don't know if i could do a Mantis or not, but maybe some cool crabs or whatever.

When i decide what i'm going to do, i'll definitely do a build thread, but until then, i'm just brainstorming.

Excuse the mess....

Ron Reefman · May 25, 2019

I've done both. I currently have a 40g cube that is 90% zoas and RFA's. In the past I had a 65g shallow reef tank (4'x2'x14") with TBS live rock. There were less hitchhikers than I expected. There was algae that grew like crazy! And there was a massive die off of sponges and more that were an issue for several months. My vote would be zoas or RFA's (both are easy to keep) and aim for ones that fluoresce well under blue leds, it makes for a very cool looking tank that non-reefers are always amazed by! Here is a view of my less than 2 year old 40g zoa tank. BTW, after some time many RFA's will breed in a tank and you'll get free babies! I've had 3 spawns in the last 2 years and got between 10 and 25 new RFA's each time!

link81 · May 27, 2019

I like that idea. easy, photosynthetic. neat to look at. Any issues with shrimp in a tank like that? most likely fire or cleaner. possibly sexy.

tupes · Jun 4, 2019

Some beautiful colors.

Ron Reefman said:

@link81 following along for your build.

Ron Reefman · Jun 5, 2019

link81 said:
I like that idea. easy, photosynthetic. neat to look at. Any issues with shrimp in a tank like that? most likely fire or cleaner. possibly sexy.

No issues with shrimp. In fact I have a huge wide open space under the rocks (see my build thread link in my signature below). It's like a cave with glass sides so I can see inside. Lots of things spend time in there like the serpent star, sea cucumber some small feather dusters and the fish hang out under there some as well.

tupes said:
Some beautiful colors.

I only wish I could get a photo that shows it off like it looks in the evening with strong blue leds still on. The corals and RFA's look like they glow in the dark!

link81 · Jun 5, 2019

That makes me think i should get some RFA's for my 40B and start them breeding for when i do the 8.

@tupes i don't think this will be my build thread, I'm still tossing around ideas while the tank lies fallow on my desk. Still need to pull the rock and re-do the scape. then re-cycle, although i'm going to seed some of the rock in my home tank to bring in. Should Help kick start it.