A "no light" tank - all NPS. Will it work? Hear me out.

[BanjoBandito]

I've got this nano I've been slowly getting ready for my kids at the house, and I'm not real keen on dealing with algae and the like in the nano again, I'm kinda looking for something akin to a Ron Popeil "set it and forget it" rotisserie oven tank. I've been stewing on this and before was considering a mainly RFA/nem tank with shrimps and inverts for them to watch, but what if I did dendros and NPS? I wouldn't need a light per say, and I think nutrient control wouldn't be much of an issue for feeding. Does anyone have an opinion on this and/or can prove it out as viable? Somebody is selling dendros in the marketplace, and I could keep them until I have this tank setup and ready. Please provide experience with NPS or any thoughts. I want to do something different with it. I considered an angler tank again, but god the food production is crippling. I'm sure I could find some no light/low light fish and/or inverts out there. Thanks.

 

[ReefGeezer]

Lots of people have NPS tanks. Light is not critical. Feeding can be quite time consuming though. Nutrient control can still be an issue.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Lots of people have NPS tanks. Light is not critical. Feeding can be quite time consuming though. Nutrient control can still be an issue.

Nutrient control is obviously a concern in nanos, but I'm thinking the lack of light would create less stress and algae blooms....is that logical? I could just plug this nano reactor into it and SPS it into the moon though. I just want to do something "different" with this tank. It's an AIO, so there's nothing there to work with, I do have a small skimmer for it but it's silly with WCs so easy to do.

 

[DeniseAndy]

With NPS, algae is not the issue per say as the nutrients load will still be high due to almost constant feeding. They need huge variety (or known sizes) of food and it needs to be suspended and fed often. There are some experts here that you can research on the subject.
Good luck!

 

[BanjoBandito]

With NPS, algae is not the issue per say as the nutrients load will still be high due to almost constant feeding. They need huge variety (or known sizes) of food and it needs to be suspended and fed often. There are some experts here that you can research on the subject.
Good luck!

Yeah, I'm trying to track a couple down. I'm not too concerned about the feeding aspect, but nutrient control is always a concern with this little tank. This will be the 3rd time it's been up and running and last time....*SHUDDER*...it did not go well until the end of it's life cycle.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Yeah, I'm trying to track a couple down. I'm not too concerned about the feeding aspect, but nutrient control is always a concern with this little tank. This will be the 3rd time it's been up and running and last time....*SHUDDER*...it did not go well until the end of it's life cycle.

What kind of NPS are you thinking of. This will determine what needs to be fed, how and what you can do for nutrient control.

 

[BanjoBandito]

What kind of NPS are you thinking of. This will determine what needs to be fed, how and what you can do for nutrient control.

Probably just dendos at this point. There's enough variation there, and availability, that I can get started there and move on. My assumption would be for livestock probably a couple cardinals.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Probably just dendos at this point. There's enough variation there, and availability, that I can get started there and move on. My assumption would be for livestock probably a couple cardinals.

In order for dendros to thrive, they need a wide array of foods and you can make the water very dirty very quickly. I have kept them long term, but the amount of work put me off of it.

If you want to keep dendros, I suggest looking at @Dr. Dendrostein thread, as he is hard core in keeping them alive, thriving and happy.

 

[Tamberav]

I've got this nano I've been slowly getting ready for my kids at the house, and I'm not real keen on dealing with algae and the like in the nano again, I'm kinda looking for something akin to a Ron Popeil "set it and forget it" rotisserie oven tank. I've been stewing on this and before was considering a mainly RFA/nem tank with shrimps and inverts for them to watch, but what if I did dendros and NPS? I wouldn't need a light per say, and I think nutrient control wouldn't be much of an issue for feeding. Does anyone have an opinion on this and/or can prove it out as viable? Somebody is selling dendros in the marketplace, and I could keep them until I have this tank setup and ready. Please provide experience with NPS or any thoughts. I want to do something different with it. I considered an angler tank again, but god the food production is crippling. I'm sure I could find some no light/low light fish and/or inverts out there. Thanks.

I did no light for sun corals and fathead dendros years ago in a 20g and it was very easy. You just need to target feed them and do regular water changes. The only light it had was a few leds for viewing.

I would avoid carnation corals and such as those will be more difficult to keep fed and more work to keep water quality. Just because it can’t grow algae doesn’t mean the corals are not negatively impacted by poor water.

 

[ReefGeezer]

Nutrient control is obviously a concern in nanos, but I'm thinking the lack of light would create less stress and algae blooms....is that logical? I could just plug this nano reactor into it and SPS it into the moon though. I just want to do something "different" with this tank. It's an AIO, so there's nothing there to work with, I do have a small skimmer for it but it's silly with WCs so easy to do.

I am certainly not an NPS expert. I'd suspect you will have some light i.e. room light, an overhead light for viewing, or etc. That might invite algae/Cyano if nutrients get high. I suppose large water changes in a nano could keep nutrients low though. You just have to be ready to feed a lot and do larger water changes regularly... not quite the "set and forget system" you spoke of earlier.

 

[BanjoBandito]

I am certainly not an NPS expert. I'd suspect you will have some light i.e. room light, an overhead light for viewing, or etc. That might invite algae/Cyano if nutrients get high. I suppose large water changes in a nano could keep nutrients low though. You just have to be ready to feed a lot and do larger water changes regularly... not quite the "set and forget system" you spoke of earlier.

I'm trying to reduce the labor intensiveness of a nano. I've kept some PICO jars, but they are a bit different. Every nano I've had, while less water to deal with, has been more labor intensive than most of the larger ones (within reason). Ambient light/viewing light would be min. I'm just looking to avoid some of the "outbreaks" that tanks go through. I'm going to cure rock here this weekend, probably try and "bake it" for like a month or so or I'll switch out the rock from my sump with fresh rock. I just don't want to try and do this with/for the kids and it be like a nightmare. They'll need some sort of "instant success" - they are young so their ADD is expected, not questioned - along with my own....I'm just trying to get something in mind with:

1. Not a lot of plugs/cords (isn't this the dream? HA. #addacord)

2. Not going to create algae problems within reason

3. Nutrient control will not be "critical" (not asking for the ability to "ignore it")

4. "quick success" - again, within reason

5. "Active" corals and inverts

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I'm trying to reduce the labor intensiveness of a nano. I've kept some PICO jars, but they are a bit different. Every nano I've had, while less water to deal with, has been more labor intensive than most of the larger ones (within reason). Ambient light/viewing light would be min. I'm just looking to avoid some of the "outbreaks" that tanks go through. I'm going to cure rock here this weekend, probably try and "bake it" for like a month or so or I'll switch out the rock from my sump with fresh rock. I just don't want to try and do this with/for the kids and it be like a nightmare. They'll need some sort of "instant success" - they are young so their ADD is expected, not questioned - along with my own....I'm just trying to get something in mind with:

1. Not a lot of plugs/cords (isn't this the dream? HA. #addacord)

2. Not going to create algae problems within reason

3. Nutrient control will not be "critical" (not asking for the ability to "ignore it")

4. "quick success" - again, within reason

5. "Active" corals and inverts

One thought, as this was the easiest tank I have ever owned.

I had a fluval spec 5 marine that I put 8lbs of KP rock into and then did some NPS anemones and florida zoas. Tank had a few small hermits, a pistol shrimp and a goby. I had to dose a little cheato grow and trim the macro from time to time. That was it.

Stock light worked well, nitrates sat at about 5-10, PO4 at about .08 and just a weekly 2 gallon water change kept everything in line.

Just a thought.

 

[ReefGeezer]

I'm going to cure rock here this weekend, probably try and "bake it" for like a month or so or I'll switch out the rock from my sump with fresh rock.

Not sure what rock your are "curing/baking" but properly cured live rock would certainly reduce problems in the short and long term.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Not sure what rock your are "curing/baking" but properly cured live rock would certainly reduce problems in the short and long term.

I have some dry rock that I got out of a tank breakdown on one of the reaping adventures, been riding around in the back of my truck for 2 months.

 

[ReefGeezer]

I have some dry rock that I got out of a tank breakdown on one of the reaping adventures, been riding around in the back of my truck for 2 months.

A little live rock might save you lots of grief if you want to keep labor low.

 

[Tamberav]

It will be labor intensive if you mean to keep anything other then larger polyp NPS like sun corals. I mean keep it alive long term.

Do you mean like fathead dendros or dendronepthea?

 

[BanjoBandito]

It will be labor intensive if you mean to keep anything other then larger polyp NPS like sun corals. I mean keep it alive long term.

Do you mean like fathead dendros or dendronepthea?

Honestly was thinking Tubestrea but at this point it's just a conversation.