Welcome to Polypopolis

Velodog2 · Jan 30, 2014

Finally posting my lil 18 gal reef that takes much of my time and effort. It's just an untouched iPhone pic but will just have to do.

It is an old Via Aqua tank drilled in the back for an overflow. Not the ideal shape for a reef but I make it work. DIY RapidLED lights. Sump is a pet food bin. Old Remora HOB skimmer modified for in sump use. One Vortec 10. And an Apex Jr controller. That's it. Kinda ghetto really lol. But everything I put in it is really happy and growing.

Citizens of note:
ORA plum crazy
ORA Borealis
ORA Verde
Pink lemonade
ORA red planet
Cali tort
Bubblegum mille
Blue mille
Rose mille
ORA Hawkins echinata
True undata
ORA shortcake
Shades of fall
Yellow tort
ORA mint pavona
JF orange and violet monti
JF Long Island orchid stylo
Setosa monti
Meteor shower cyphastrea
Crocea clam
Red people eaters
Gobstoppers
Blue flower monti
Pink birdsnest
Tricolor valida
Blue candycane
JF nuclear green candycane
JF Japanese porites
Various other polyps

Pair captive bred yellow stripe maroon clowns

I try to keep it sustainable with only captive bred fish and all corals are from tank raised frags.

5 gal water change every week and daily manual dosing w combisan.

It's a lot in a little space but I think I have room for more. I'm looking forward to it growing into a tangled jungle. If I can keep it stable long enough.

Aqua fire/medic · Jan 30, 2014

Great nano!!!!!!!

Velodog2 · Jan 31, 2014

Thank you. Again, being a nano my biggest concern is stability and equipment failure. I'm in the process of adding leak detectors, float switches, and another temp probe to the Apex to try to bullet proof the thing as much as possible.

Otherwise it just needs to grow. Too many of the frags were too small when I got them and have done nothing but encrust for months. The red planet for example was a tiny quarter inch thing that I picked up for $10. Six months later it's encrusted an area the size of a quarter or better and is finally just starting to extend branches. Same with the pink lemonade. Others like the "bonsai" type acro in the upper left have more than quadrupled in size in less time. Very rewarding.

I also want to add another MP10. The one I have now is on reef crest mode turned up full so there is technically plenty of flow, but in a lot of areas although variable in rate it's pretty much unidirectional. So some corals are bending unnaturally into the flow.

Reefing Madness · Jan 31, 2014

benny z · Jan 31, 2014

love it!

Velodog2 · Jan 31, 2014

Thanks! Love the shots of your tank Ben! I didn't have the self control to make my rock work that minimal. I kinda regret adding the big piece going up toward the left but it gave me more real estate for corals!

benny z · Jan 31, 2014

I like the rock, actually!

EricB · Jan 31, 2014

Great looking tank

Velodog2 · Feb 1, 2014

Thanks folks. Actually I dose C-balance daily, not combisan. Sounds similar lol. Picked up some variety of rainbow acro at the ol LFS tonight. Nice chunky encrusted frag for $40 bucks. Don't have any idea of its lineage but I'm not picky. Looks to be some sort of mille or prostrata w red polpys and green, purple and red in between. Get a better idea tomorrow when polyps out better and full lights on.