Hermie's 23 Gallon Nano Build

Hermie · Oct 22, 2019

Moved the Platygyra (purple/green) from off the substrate to up onto the rocks; I am hoping the lighting won't be too high for it, because it's doing so well on the substrate, but I need to start populating the rocks with corals.

and I'd like to congratulate Dr. Dendro, the honorary godfather of these new little polyps:

and another vid, sprinkle feeding mysis, (usually I just dump them on the polyps):

Dr. Dendrostein · Oct 22, 2019

NotASpammerDude said:
Moved the Platygyra (purple/green) from off the substrate to up onto the rocks; I am hoping the lighting won't be too high for it, because it's doing so well on the substrate, but I need to start populating the rocks with corals.

and I'd like to congratulate Dr. Dendro, the honorary godfather of these new little polyps:

and another vid, sprinkle feeding mysis, (usually I just dump them on the polyps):

I see babies, amazing. Before you know it, they'll be everywhere.

Hermie · Oct 24, 2019

Funny thing happened with my hermits, I'll try to get pics later.

So, recently I introduced 2 new c. antillensis hermits to the tank, of considerable size, the larger of the two had the biggest shell of all my tanks (DT and QT) about 2" long. Well that Hermit, with the big shell, (which is also the biggest hermit I have) ended up molting a few days after I put it in the Display tank. But the funny thing is that the hermit SWAPPED shells with a smaller shell (Turbo snail shell) from one of the existing Blue Leg hermits that was in the DT (my biggest Blue leg hermit).

So the funny part of the whole thing was (A) my surprise at looking at the turbo shell and seeing a C. Antillensis crab inside and (B) the fact that the Blue Leg hermit (2nd largest hermit I have) now inhabits the largest shell!! Haha, I was anthropomorphizing some buyer's remorse with the Blue Legged Hermit but the C. Antillensis just respond "no take backs no refunds!!" 'cause he was happy to offload that huge shell!! Haha. It must be a real pain to carry a large shell around. Either way, there are a few other shells in the tank that the blue leg can swap back into if it wants. Again, I'll try to get a few pics later.

Hermie · Oct 26, 2019

Wow, great surprise today. Mi madre got back from Florida and I was lucky enough to get her to visit one of the great stores down there (5/10 dollar frags). She picked up 4 frags, (1 zoa + 3 LPS) and the LPS are awesome. I'll get some pics tomorrow or so, once they settle in. She picked some awesome little frags! I think it's 1 blue Blasto, 1 goniastrea and 1 something that I don't know... its kind of like echinata but smooth skinned...

The LPS were dipped and are in my DT now. I'm somewhat worried about hitchhikers , even post-dips, so I'll take them out in a few days and cover their skeletons in reef epoxy+ super glue. So far, I just crushed all the snails I could see and epoxied them to some travertine tiles.

Hermie · Oct 27, 2019

NotASpammerDude said:
Wow, great surprise today. Mi madre got back from Florida and I was lucky enough to get her to visit one of the great stores down there (5/10 dollar frags). She picked up 4 frags, (1 zoa + 3 LPS) and the LPS are awesome. I'll get some pics tomorrow or so, once they settle in. She picked some awesome little frags! I think it's 1 blue Blasto, 1 goniastrea and 1 something that I don't know... its kind of like echinata but smooth skinned...

now it looks like an acan not a blasto,

this one I'm thinking a goniastrea?

Hermie · Nov 17, 2019

Small pic update 11/17

Sponge is doing well, osculum are open again (they had been closed for a few weeks):

Hermie · Dec 25, 2019

Overdue picture update:
biggest grower has been the platygyra

acan

montipora (spongoides?)

platygyra:

psammocora:

fungia:

chalice (algae on glass):

echinata or favia:

cyphastrea:

chalice:

fts

Hermie · Jan 5, 2020

"Long awaited" update...

Going to start kalkwasser dosing this week, so I will be testing Alk/Salinity and possibly Ph for the next few days to get a dosage correct.

So far, I have the dosing pump (12V kamoer) and will be running it at about 5 VDC which pumps out about 750mL per 30 minutes. I think the kalkwasser will help coralline... which is one of the main reasons I want to do it.

Hermie · Jan 5, 2020

NotASpammerDude said:
"Long awaited" update...

Going to start kalkwasser dosing this week, so I will be testing Alk/Salinity and possibly Ph for the next few days to get a dosage correct.

So far, I have the dosing pump (12V kamoer) and will be running it at about 5 VDC which pumps out about 750mL per 30 minutes. I think the kalkwasser will help coralline... which is one of the main reasons I want to do it.

Just tested:

dKH 5~6 (closer to 6)
salinity 1.027 sg

Hermie · Jan 7, 2020

Just tested

dKH 6

the dosing pump and kalkwasser is set up, I'm just waiting for the digital timer that will arrive tomorrow

Hermie · Jan 9, 2020

Just tested:

Alk: just over 6 dKH

The other night

Alk: 6 dKH

So it appears the Kalkwasser is slowly raising the alkalinity as intended

Hermie · Jan 13, 2020

Just tested

Alk: 6 ~ 7 dKH

Hermie · Jan 19, 2020

Just tested

Alk: 7~8 dKH

So looks like a 5gal water change and the daily dosing of kalkwasser has slowly increased the alk as hoped. I'll keep dosing at the current rate and see if it levels off or rises into the 8-9 dKH range.

Hermie · Jan 23, 2020

Dosed Fluconazole again today, (total 30 gallon dosage). Some turf algae pictures for reference, taken today:

Hermie · Jan 23, 2020

Tested Alkalinity at 8 PM:

7 dKH

Hermie · Feb 2, 2020

Just tested Alk (30 minutes after kalk dosing):

7.5 ~ 8 dKH

(I doubled the sample to 10ml to increase the resolution of the test... so I used 15/16 drops of solution before the sample changed color).

Hermie · Feb 7, 2020

Tested Alk a few hours ago:

6-7 dKH

Little bit low... so I need to solve the kalkwasser dosing, or just refill it. I am thinking about going to 2 part... since kalk doesn't do much for calcium anyway.