14g (now 20g) Anemone/Ricordea/Goby Cube

[TriggersAmuck]

Update 4/10:

• Filled AquaClear 70 with a couple golfballs of Chaeto from AlgaeBarn two weeks ago.
• Nitrate has read 0 (Red Sea Pro and NYOS test kits) for a few readings now.
• Phosphate is at 0.23 (Hanna ULR meter).
• Long hair algae is winning in the main display despite the above. So I have continued to do weekly pruning and largish (>80%) water changes. So easy to just swap the entire water column out with a tank this size!
• Two nems have survived; the green one is looking pretty good (less bleached) but the rose one is tiny tiny tiny with brownish coloration.
• The Chaeto is growing pretty well. Not at a crazy rate, but definitely holding its own.

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Update 4/27:

• Phosphate (before water change after two weeks neglect): 0.33ppm
• Nitrate: 0ppm
• Alkalinity: 7.1 dKH

The low nitrate is probably due to the whole display tank basically functioning as an algae turf scrubber as I have a very full coat of green hair algae consuming the high phosphate. I don't think the Chaeto in the AquaClear can compete with the intensity of display tank lighting combined with shallow tank depth.

Looks like I really need to keep up with the weekly large water changes to keep things in check, especially since I'm not dosing figuring the large (>80%) water changes are more effective for now.

The green BTA is looking pretty nice while the rose is still looking pretty bleached (and tiny).

 

[ISFNick]

Update 4/27:

• Phosphate (before water change after two weeks neglect): 0.33ppm
• Nitrate: 0ppm
• Alkalinity: 7.1 dKH

The low nitrate is probably due to the whole display tank basically functioning as an algae turf scrubber as I have a very full coat of green hair algae consuming the high phosphate. I don't think the Chaeto in the AquaClear can compete with the intensity of display tank lighting combined with shallow tank depth.

Looks like I really need to keep up with the weekly large water changes to keep things in check, especially since I'm not dosing figuring the large (>80%) water changes are more effective for now.

The green BTA is looking pretty nice while the rose is still looking pretty bleached (and tiny).

Update pics?

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Update pics?

Here ya go:

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Update 5/15:

• Nitrate: Consistently 0ppm
• Still battling long hair algae, but it seems to be growing at a slower rate now.
• Adjusted lighting a couple weeks ago to emulate the AB+ spectrum as much as is possible with the original AI Prime.
• Rose Anemone still struggling to keep any size, though color is returning, while the GBTA below appears to be doing OK.

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Update June 21:

• My goal is to let this tank settle over the next three months until it gets to its "anniversary" and then try to add a number of other bubble tips.
• Nitrate: 0ppm
• Phosphate: down to 0.09ppm (from roughly .33 in late April)
• Continued lighting with an original AI Prime set to BRS's settings to emulate an AB+ setting.
• Green BTA appears to be pretty settled in one place and opens up nicely every day. The tentacles are just a bit longer (not bubbly, see picture above) which makes me wonder that at about 8-10" below the surface whether it is getting enough PAR (especially since it is in a corner of the tank). I continue to go back and forth about upgrading lighting, but on such a small tank this can be a challenge to find the real estate to accommodate either a second light or a bigger light (without hanging from the ceiling, which I really don't want to do).
• There is still long hair algae in the tank, but with weekly culling and large weekly water changes it continues to diminish.

 

[Mkus]

Very cool tank I started out with the 14 in 2008 upgraded my lights to truluman then upgraded to a JBJ 24 with a fuge in the middle chamber.
Never had a crash never dose just 2-3 gal water changes a week

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Update June 27:

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Update July 12:

• Replaced original AI Prime with a second hand AI Prime HD (not the 16 LED model). Using the BRS AB+ settings with some very slight tweaking. Also lowered the light by one inch to be 9" over the waterline.
• Centered the light towards the side where the two BTAs inhabit in attempts to increase PAR being delivered to them. One keeps inching higher in the tank, which is cool from a visibility standpoint, but it also confirms my suspicions that a single Prime probably doesn't deliver enough PAR at the very corner of the tank where this one is situated. If the 'nem decides to migrate to the other side of the tank (or starts bleaching) I'll know I overdid it.
• We survived a week without air conditioning last week with tank temps reaching as high as 86 during late afternoon/early evening. This was inspite of rotating ziplock bags of ice every couple of hours. I really don't look forward to a long term power outage brought on by a hurricane. I have battery operated air pumps which kick on automatically upon power failure, but keeping the temperature down would probably be a great challenge in that instance.

 

[Cencalreefer56]

Update July 12:

• Replaced original AI Prime with a second hand AI Prime HD (not the 16 LED model). Using the BRS AB+ settings with some very slight tweaking. Also lowered the light by one inch to be 9" over the waterline.
• Centered the light towards the side where the two BTAs inhabit in attempts to increase PAR being delivered to them. One keeps inching higher in the tank, which is cool from a visibility standpoint, but it also confirms my suspicions that a single Prime probably doesn't deliver enough PAR at the very corner of the tank where this one is situated. If the 'nem decides to migrate to the other side of the tank (or starts bleaching) I'll know I overdid it.
• We survived a week without air conditioning last week with tank temps reaching as high as 86 during late afternoon/early evening. This was inspite of rotating ziplock bags of ice every couple of hours. I really don't look forward to a long term power outage brought on by a hurricane. I have battery operated air pumps which kick on automatically upon power failure, but keeping the temperature down would probably be a great challenge in that instance.

It’s funny because I too have been running the original ai prime on my 20 long and it’s going better than I expected, sps and BTAs are doing well. But I had a small outbreak of GHA and ordered a clean up crew and turbo snail from reef cleaners and let me tell you, he has put in some work, tank is back to what it looked like. Threw him in my sump and he’s munching down in there now. I say take your chances on a turbo snail to help you eradicate the algae!

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Update July 16:

• Added my original AI Prime back to the tank along with the new HD version. Not as elegant looking as having the single puck suspended over the cube, but the lighting difference is noticeable. Also, I aimed the HD one like a spotlight at the GBTA. The result is a lot of light spillage, but as the 'nem is about 6" below the surface it has to be getting a more respectable amount of PAR now.

 

[Cencalreefer56]

Update July 16:

• Added my original AI Prime back to the tank along with the new HD version. Not as elegant looking as having the single puck suspended over the cube, but the lighting difference is noticeable. Also, I aimed the HD one like a spotlight at the GBTA. The result is a lot of light spillage, but as the 'nem is about 6" below the surface it has to be getting a more respectable amount of PAR now.

How noticeable is the difference because I’m about to buy an HD to pair with my original prime and I was worried about this exact issue. Also I agree, the single puck is aesthetically pleasing! Also if I may add, I’ve found feeiding my nems makes up for any lost par in my tank, just a thought!

 

[TriggersAmuck]

How noticeable is the difference because I’m about to buy an HD to pair with my original prime and I was worried about this exact issue. Also I agree, the single puck is aesthetically pleasing! Also if I may add, I’ve found feeiding my nems makes up for any lost par in my tank, just a thought!

It has only been two days, and the 'nem is showing signs up bubbling up nicely (versus having slender tentacles). It continued to climb up a bit, so it doesn't seem to think it is too much light.

With both of them set at a very bluish, AB+ spectral profile the total PAR is obviously reduced from what the light can put out at 100%. So doubling up only makes sense. Even then, it is probably right where it needs to be for 'nems and SPS (not that I'm going there) and is not excessive. Having said that, if I trusted the 4mm glass seams to support the weight and didn't care about the cost, I would probably prefer throwing an XR-15 on there instead.

 

[revhtree]

Reef looks great!

 

[Cencalreefer56]

It has only been two days, and the 'nem is showing signs up bubbling up nicely (versus having slender tentacles). It continued to climb up a bit, so it doesn't seem to think it is too much light.

With both of them set at a very bluish, AB+ spectral profile the total PAR is obviously reduced from what the light can put out at 100%. So doubling up only makes sense. Even then, it is probably right where it needs to be for 'nems and SPS (not that I'm going there) and is not excessive. Having said that, if I trusted the 4mm glass seams to support the weight and didn't care about the cost, I would probably prefer throwing an XR-15 on there instead.

I’ve been contemplating an XR-15 on my tank but I like the spread coverage of two AI primes so I’m torn, may switch back to kessil also, idk yet

 

[TriggersAmuck]

I’ve been contemplating an XR-15 on my tank but I like the spread coverage of two AI primes so I’m torn, may switch back to kessil also, idk yet

If your tank is 30" long then I can see going with two separate puck lights instead of a single higher end one. If you are looking for SPS intensity I question whether that will even be enough (if you set the lights to a reduced bluish setting.....with lights on 100% it would surely be ok).

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Adding current video, albeit with no color correction, to show the current light configuration. Not the most elegant, but it is finally getting an appropriate intensity level right where I need it.


Fire clown not happy with me photographing her 'nem!

 

[Cencalreefer56]

If your tank is 30" long then I can see going with two separate puck lights instead of a single higher end one. If you are looking for SPS intensity I question whether that will even be enough (if you set the lights to a reduced bluish setting.....with lights on 100% it would surely be ok).

I’ve come to that conclusion as well, so far I have my prime at 80% and my sps seems to being do well, nothing has browned out lol I can’t wait to get another puck on the tank

 

[Cencalreefer56]

Adding current video, albeit with no color correction, to show the current light configuration. Not the most elegant, but it is finally getting an appropriate intensity level right where I need it.


Fire clown not happy with me photographing her 'nem!

Man fire clowns are so dang aggressive with nems lol

 

[TriggersAmuck]

Here's a photo to testify to how well the Tunze 9004 works as a nano skimmer! I have it set to skim fairly wet, so this amount accumulates in about two days.