Champtain's Red Sea Max Nano Build

[champtain]

So I'm considering getting a bigger tank (surprise). I'm between the new Red Sea Reefer 250 Deluxe and 350 Deluxe, I'm not sure how soon I'll pull the trigger, but I have my cart filled on BRS (tried to find one locally, but no luck). I plan on keeping this nano tank running, but of course, I need more space.

 

[Westside Guy]

So I'm considering getting a bigger tank (surprise). I'm between the new Red Sea Reefer 250 Deluxe and 350 Deluxe, I'm not sure how soon I'll pull the trigger, but I have my cart filled on BRS (tried to find one locally, but no luck). I plan on keeping this nano tank running, but of course, I need more space.

If you have the room get the wider Reefer 350 Deluxe, you won't be sorry!

With either the Reefer 250 or 350 swap out the Red Sea valve for a good Spears valve when you do the initial setup. The Red Sea valve is way too finicky and I am constantly adjusting it.

Do a search on R2R and you will find several threads on the RS plumbing and what people have done to improve it

 

[champtain]

Picked up a few new zoas last week, all but the spitfires have opened up. Also, the Illuminati zoas grow like crazy, have 2 new polyps on the frag.

 

[champtain]

So I’ve noticed a few extra vacant hermit shells lately, and I started to worry my water quality was poor. Checked everything, no issues. Last night I witnessed my sixline take a hermit out of its shell and beat it against the rocks and eat it. I feed daily, is this common? I was kind of impressed honestly.

 

[dbl]

The circle of life occurring right in your own living room!!!

 

[MombasaLionfish]

You need a bigger hermit. I have two that are a little bigger than golf balls.

 

[champtain]

Anyone else find themselves just staring at their tanks?

 

[MombasaLionfish]

Anyone else find themselves just staring at their tanks?

All the time. Mine is in my bedroom and I sit on my bed watching it till I fall asleep.

 

[champtain]

A little bit of growth, nothing new really. Basically just leaving it alone for awhile. Everyone seems pretty happy.

 

[dbl]

A little bit of growth, nothing new really. Basically just leaving it alone for awhile. Everyone seems pretty happy.

Looking good...sometimes leaving it along is the best thing you can do.

 

[champtain]

Can anyone tell what this is? Some kind of sponge?

 

[MombasaLionfish]

Can anyone tell what this is? Some kind of sponge?

Probably but hard to tell from the picture.

 

[champtain]

This little guy got transferred from the QT today before the lights came on. The clown hasn’t found him yet, so we’ll see how it goes.

 

[champtain]

Welp, the tomato clown has officially murdered all of the other fish, so the crime scene tape has been put up and he will be finding himself a new home. Other than that had some crazy coral growth as of late (started using reef roids) and some crazy algae growth on the sand bed (been vacuuming and stirring with every water change). I changed my RO filters, so hopefully that fixes it. I’ve also used chemipure blue which has helped a lot. So for now it’s just the clown and the shrimp...hopefully he doesn’t go full Dahmer the on it as well. And maybe someday I’ll upgrade my phone or buy an actual camera to post decent pics.

 

[Westside Guy]

Send that Tomato Clown to solitary!

 

[Magellan]

Nice tank! I love your mini zoas!

 

[Magellan]

For the algae concern, I would say don’t panic. In my nano, I observed about 3 distinct “cycles” that occurred every time I increased feeding. First I started feeding reef roids=algae outbreak. After that went away, I added Phyto Feast=another outbreak. Repeated that again when I added Oyster Feast, but now without doing anything different my algae disappeared again, to the point you have to search if you want to see any at all! Oh, and my corals grow like crazy compared to before I started feeding.

 

[champtain]

For the algae concern, I would say don’t panic. In my nano, I observed about 3 distinct “cycles” that occurred every time I increased feeding. First I started feeding reef roids=algae outbreak. After that went away, I added Phyto Feast=another outbreak. Repeated that again when I added Oyster Feast, but now without doing anything different my algae disappeared again, to the point you have to search if you want to see any at all! Oh, and my corals grow like crazy compared to before I started feeding.

Do you still have your urchin? Does it do a good job? I've been considering adding an invert or something my clown won't destroy.

 

[champtain]

Does anyone have any experience with sexy shrimp? My local fish store just got 3 tiny ones in, would they get along with my cleaner shrimp? I want all 3.

 

[count krunk]

They should do just fine with the cleaner. To my knowledge cleaners are other shrimp friendly. It's the coral banded fellows you have to watch out for.