Maggie's 20g long Nano build

[KonradTO]

Great thread! I am having a similar problem just 2 months after start. I am vastly understocked (1 fish only) with tons of macros. Not having corals (yet) helps because I have minimal Mg/Ca consumption, so I can do 8% WC every 2 weeks only (probably more). Red film all over my sand and rocks with my macro suffering. I also come from freshwater and prefer minimalist approach but in the end I decided to start dosing nutrients (micro & macro) and see what happen.. Heavy feeding apparently does not increase much of those if you have a lot of pods.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

I finally quit procrastinating and started to paint the back of the tank black. Just one coat, and you can still see through, but wow what a difference!! I'll paint coat 2 after I finish these cupcakes...... mmmmmm.

 

[danieyella]

Excuse me but I don't see the cupcake photos and I feel like we're owed those as well

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Excuse me but I don't see the cupcake photos and I feel like we're owed those as well

Ha ha, they're naked right now. My daughter's birthday is tomorrow, so I baked her 4 layers, purple and blue swirl, and my gluten free cupcakes. I suck and have "special needs" lol. I'll be decorating tomorrow and that's where the really nice pics come from Getting ready to do fondant flowers right now!

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Cake update, lol.
Sweet daughter's 10 now! And since it's Tuesday she asked for tacos so we're off to the store

 

[danieyella]

Cake update, lol.
Sweet daughter's 10 now! And since it's Tuesday she asked for tacos so we're off to the store

Happy birthday to her! The cake/cupcakes came out beautiful

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Getting ugly... still dosing nitrate and phosphate, 2.5ml of each, barely getting .25 nitrate and still 0 phosphate. Added a uv sterilizer just in case, getting another circulation pump going in a few and slowly siphoning icky out with an airline hose. Not seeing any decline yet. Only seems to re-cover everything in a few hours. Up hill battle...

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Did some cleaning today, the front glass had little munchie marks from snails, lol.

I have been slowly cleaning dinos from rocks and sand with an airline siphon, only taking out about 3 to 4 cups water at a time. Also been dosing 2.5ml of nitrate and phosphate but still seeing just barely detected nitrates and 0 phosphate.

I'm now wondering if I should increase my dosing, or use a bacteria product? I see Dr Tim's waste away recommended often, maybe try that??

Most corals look good, a few are struggling. Definitely seeing tissue loss on my chalice, I've had that the longest, and had recently shown growth, but then took a dive.

 

[danieyella]

Prodibio got me through every random outbreak any of my tanks had ever had. Dinos, cyano, etc. I definitely recommend looking into it

 

[danieyella]

Also!!! Access to the 3d printer again! Going to try to remember to start it before work tomorrow so I can mail it to you asap

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Prodibio got me through every random outbreak any of my tanks had ever had. Dinos, cyano, etc. I definitely recommend looking into it

Also!!! Access to the 3d printer again! Going to try to remember to start it before work tomorrow so I can mail it to you asap

I'll look into that!!! And awesome about the printer, I did take out the stock baffle and it helped a little so I'm thinking this part will for sure thanks again for it!!

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Flying blind here trying to figure out light intensity. I toned down my lights to combat dinos- which seem to be fading, yay!- but now with lower light my ricordea mushrooms on the sides are cupping upward, reaching. So i moved the rock the rics are on more centered under the light.

I currently have a 175w Viparspectra on this 30" tank. Specs said light spread was best at 20-24 inches, so I thought stretching this over my 30" tank might not work long term. I imagine the par is just too low on the sides. I've been researching a 2 light option to upgrade to for better coverage. I'm so indecisive though.....

The ricordea has already called down since I moved it again.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

So I'm seeing receded tissue on another coral, so that makes 2 now. However, all softies are thriving. New polyps on several zoas, mushrooms always huge and happy looking, rfa looking amazing. Nutrients ok, apart from low nitrate and phosphate, which maybe my few sps don't like? I'm trying to get readable numbers, but with dosing now for 2 weeks plus, still not seeing phosphate and just barely detectable nitrates. But I did just go through a bit of dinos, which seem to be gone.... for now.

Even if I loose the few that are iffy, I still can fill with softies since those seem to like me, lol.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Finally got a good detecable nitrate reading!! 2ppm. Still no phosphate so I guess that dry rock's still absorbing it. So I still plan on dosing nitrate until I reach 5ppm, and keep dosing phosphate until I see something.

When I built the scape, I thought being interlocked would be sufficient, but my clumsy hands have bumped the rock's enough times that I feel like I should putty them together. I've decided to start here on the left. Did a deep vac on the left side and will be mixing/kneading putty in a few.

Also noticed my zoas are starting to spread off the plug so I'll decide where they're going and get the last of them mounted.

Added a few more pics, I just love that big Rock flower anemone, just too purty!!

 

[astiesi]

Looking good!

What type of putty are you using to interconnect your rocks? I'm just starting my new build and will be doing the same tonight/tomorrow, using the stuff that BRS sells. Always curious to see/hear how the different products perform and if you encounter any gotchas along the way.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

I'm using the oceans wonders purple epoxy putty. I find it easy to work with, just knead it really well, it'll start getting warm and that's when it's ready to use. Stinky though, wear gloves if you don't want to smell that on your hands all day. Depending on the connection you're making sometimes you'll need the putty/super glue sandwich to get it to hold. Once solid though it's great, but it's fragile for a while after doing it. I've used it dry out of water and wet under water and both methods still need a while to cure.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Mmmm.... breakfast. I'm not sure if it's a hermit crab molt or they killed one but it's hanging out in its mouth!

 

[Killingtime]

Just read through your thread. Great work with your tank!
It looks like you and I started about the same time...and going through a lot of the same issues. Lol.

What corals do you have in there currently?

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Ohh! Nice!
Things that are doing well are a goni, blastos, couple cool mushrooms plus several ricordea mushrooms, several zoas, rainbow clove polyps, leather toadstool, pulsing xenia, rock flower anemones, things that are unsure whether or not they like me are a favia, war coral, chalice.

Definitely love the rock flower anemones, mushrooms and zoas, they are my favorites!!

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Planning on fragging my first zoas today. I watched a few videos about it and I feel like I can do it. I have this one zoa plug that i left sideways too long that the zoas are starting to spread and grew way over the plug. I'd like to glue them to my zoa rock arch. We will see....

I also have to grind up a bunch of venison today for deer burgers..... yum. Two totally different tasks and I need to really keep them separate,lol or you might see me in the news with toxin poisoning.