Noah's Reefer Nano Build

[nagreen]

So I've decided to document this tank build on Youtube! Here's a link to the first video - just an introduction to the tank and equipment. This weekend I'll get more video of all the new coral and fish that have been added since and have an Ep. 2 coming at y'all next week!
I'd really appreciate if you check it out and give it a like or subscribe! Let me know what you think!

 

[nagreen]

Here are a couple of low quality pictures of the orchid dottyback and the six line.. they DO NOT like to be photographed for some reason. but they're looking happy and healthy in the QT!
While on the topic, how long would you guys recommend I quarantine? I'm not treating the QT. Just observing them. Two weeks? Three weeks? A month?

 

[Midrats]

Think those two will play nice in such close quarters?

 

[OffTopic]

Looking amazing, love what you have done with the scape

 

[nagreen]

Think those two will play nice in such close quarters?

They’re hanging together in the QT in the same corner of the tank completely peacefully right now. I decided to add them at the same time so that i’d have the best chances of them not getting territorial. And by same corner of the QT, they stay within a couple inches of each other, and i haven’t seen aggression yet!
Guess only time will tell though for sure

 

[nagreen]

Update!
Traded a local guy some pandora paly’s for this RBTA. This RBTA is a natural split from a natural split from a natural split - etc - that has been growing and splitting from one of the admins “anemone” at reefcentral for the past 30 years, so i’m told! Pretty cool i think! I wouldn’t mind keeping it going

 

[nagreen]

A couple of pics. The hairy mushroom finally attached to some rubble from my makeshift mushroom box (it was a gatorade bottle with a bunch of holes drilled in it)

 

[nagreen]

I decided to use my breeder box that the RBTA was kept in as a refugium. I drilled holes in it to allow more water flow. I plan to buy a clamp on light fixture, a kitchen timer, and a 5,000k LED bulb. If you have any other recommendations for bulbs or setup let me know!

The RBTA is now posted up on a rock! You can see it in the video. I put him where I wanted him and he moved a couple of inches down the rock and then parked it. Hopefully he'll stay there for good!

 

[nagreen]

New youtube update on the tank! Check it out if you get a minute. It shows all of the new coral, fish, and inverts I've gotten since the last video

 

[nagreen]

@squareriggersailor You can say you told me so if you’d like. Found the orchid dottyback hiding in the top corner of the tank today and then see the six line bolt out of nowhere and hit him.. i’m afraid this happened a lot over the past couple days. so i took the orchid dotty out. He’s currently in the breeder box in the main tank. I’m going to let him stay there for a day or two and make sure he lives. Hopefully he will.

The six line will not be going in the tank. I’ll probably try to trade him in for something at the LFS. Haven’t decided on what i’m doing with him yet.

The good news is this all happened in the QT and I can easily take them out. If it’d happened in the display i would have never caught either of them.

 

[easily_fishstracted]

@squareriggersailor You can say you told me so if you’d like. Found the orchid dottyback hiding in the top corner of the tank today and then see the six line bolt out of nowhere and hit him.. i’m afraid this happened a lot over the past couple days. so i took the orchid dotty out. He’s currently in the breeder box in the main tank. I’m going to let him stay there for a day or two and make sure he lives. Hopefully he will.

The six line will not be going in the tank. I’ll probably try to trade him in for something at the LFS. Haven’t decided on what i’m doing with him yet.

The good news is this all happened in the QT and I can easily take them out. If it’d happened in the display i would have never caught either of them.

i wanted a six-line and my LFS refused to sell me one for this tank. probably for the best - it seems these guys really do need some space to stretch out.

 

[nagreen]

i wanted a six-line and my LFS refused to sell me one for this tank. probably for the best - it seems these guys really do need some space to stretch out.

Yep. I gave him to a local guy today. I'm just glad I caught the aggression this early rather than later on down the road.

And the orchid dottyback is in the Reefer Nano now eating and swimming normally. The clowns took to him very nicely

 

[nagreen]

I think my clowns might be close to being hosted by my anemone. They are picking at it and swimming close to it. The anemone actually moved a few inches up the rock (right up next to my duncans ) which makes me think that the clowns are "bothering" it or at least playing with it. I'm hoping that one day soon I'll come home to them laying in the anemone completely! A friend recommended that I put a printed out picture of a clown in an RBTA taped to the glass but I'm not that desperate - yet..
I moved the duncans by the way. they'd gotten stung and we completely closed up but hopefully I got them out in time

 

[nagreen]

This weeks update!

The clowns and the anemone still aren't getting it on but that's okay. I think I like how active my clowns are. I'm not quite ready for them to become lazy bums and lay around in a nem all day. (I would actually love it, I'm just telling myself this)
The duncans made a full recovery after being stung by the bta.
The rbta is probably triple the size that it was when I first got him into the tank. He looks extremely happy and loves all the flow he gets.
I moved lots of zoas from the frag rack into the aquascape. They're still on the plugs for now, I wanted to make sure they do well in the new spots before i take them off and glue them down.

and the biggest update..
I got a fish today that I have wanted for a very long time. he is currently being drip acclimated as I type.
He was around $50, very colorful, very graceful, very friendly, likes to lay out and get a sun tan.
Can anyone guess what he is from my hints? I'll have pics up as soon as I finished with this acclimation!

 

[nagreen]

He’s hiding

 

[nagreen]

A couple of picture updates!

 

[nagreen]

The tank is being a little frustrating right now.. I have flatworms. I added a small leopard wrasse in hopes he would wipe them out and he hasn't appeared to put any sort of dent in them.
And I'm dealing with cyano. and it's in high flow areas - I don't get it.

I plan on doing a water change in the next week and getting out as much cyano and as many flatworms as I can.

 

[nagreen]

If anyone is following, the reefer nano is doing pretty good. All corals are looking great except the two leathers! The finger leather and the toadstool have looked awful for the past few weeks. I need to test the water and see if anything is off that they don't like.
I'm still battling flatworms and now I have GHA and cyano as well! It's ugly. I'm making a trip to the LFS tomorrow and bringing home a Blue Velvet Nudibranch (for the flatworms), an emerald crab, and maybe some other assorted CUC to take care of my algae.
I'm loading up on coral and finally placing things in their permanent spots. I'll get some pictures and a FTS up soon.

 

[NY_Caveman]

If anyone is following, the reefer nano is doing pretty good. All corals are looking great except the two leathers! The finger leather and the toadstool have looked awful for the past few weeks. I need to test the water and see if anything is off that they don't like.
I'm still battling flatworms and now I have GHA and cyano as well! It's ugly. I'm making a trip to the LFS tomorrow and bringing home a Blue Velvet Nudibranch (for the flatworms), an emerald crab, and maybe some other assorted CUC to take care of my algae.
I'm loading up on coral and finally placing things in their permanent spots. I'll get some pictures and a FTS up soon.

Sounds good!

 

[nagreen]

To whoever is on instagram, follow @noahsreef and you can see lots of updated pictures of the tank!