Ask Nano Questions and Find Information (Nano Expert Albert Thiel)

revhtree · Dec 18, 2012

If you have questions and need information this is the thread to ASK ALBERT!

Feel free to ask anything from beginner to advanced! The only bad questions are the ones not asked.

Here is the information on Albert: https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/nano-reefs/104140-we-very-proud-have-albert-thiel.html

This thread is open for business!

alberthiel · Dec 18, 2012

Thanks for the welcome and I will be glad to answer questions about Nano-Reefs ... All you need to do is post them here as this seems to be the Q&A thread and also the information thread. Glad to be on board

revhtree · Dec 18, 2012

I'll start this off with an easy one for you.

What do you consider to be a "nano" sized aquarium?

alberthiel · Dec 18, 2012

Well depending on who you ask you are going to get a lot of different answers, but I would say anything from +or- 8 gallons up to say a 40 Breeder would probably qualify not including the content of a sump and/or refugium, but I have seen very nice 5 Gallon ones so perhaps we should not really exclude anyone on the lower end and define it as anything from 5 gallons up to 40B or so. Anything larger would fit better in the Reef Aquarium section IMO but there may be questions that some who own such tanks that may apply to Nano-Reefs as well so I have no issue with some of those being posted as well.

alberthiel · Dec 18, 2012

A few weeks ago I noticed that one of my R. yumas had split off a small part of its foothold and lo and behold soon there after I noticed that a baby yuma was growing in my 20 Gallon High Nano :

Here is a picture of what it looked like a while ago and underneath that an enlarge view of the actual Baby Yuma :

And the Baby in an enlarged picture :

Wish I had a Starphire tank so there would not be a green tint when I take close up pics.

alberthiel · Dec 18, 2012

One of the Cabbage Corals in my 20 G tank :

alberthiel · Dec 18, 2012

Fire and Ice :

alberthiel · Dec 18, 2012

Not sure why the pics I post come out so small, let me try and pull them from my ISP rather than from my Computer

Guess that did not work either and when I put my ISP URL in it said invalid URL ... odd

Neon Reef · Dec 18, 2012

what mechanical and chemical filtration would you choose to run in an AIO nano and why?

Loki · Dec 18, 2012

Do we ask our questions in this thread or would you like us to start a new thread for each question?

I have one that I will start a new thread about.

alberthiel · Dec 18, 2012

Neon Reef said:
what mechanical and chemical filtration would you choose to run in an AIO nano and why?

Not sure how much space you have for the placement of mech and chem filtration so it is a bit hard to answer, but if you have an AIO with a decent amount of space in the back I would use a medium coarse sponge material first, followed by some floss underneath to trap finer particulate matter, and after that Aluminum oxide to lower phosphate and silicate. To prevent whatever the mech filters trap to start decomposing, clean it regularly. I clean mine at least twice a week and mine is in an HOB filter.

On the chemical side, I alternate using Al. oxide with using GFO but never use both at the same time. I also stick to the minimum amounts and prefer to change more frequently rather than using larger dosages to prevent a too drastic drop in nutrients when larger amounts are used as the sudden change in nutrient levels can affect corals negatively as they suddenly have to adjust to a rather large difference in water chemistry.

Hopefully this helps but if you have more questions do not hesitate to post them here on this thread.

alberthiel · Dec 18, 2012

Loki said:
Do we ask our questions in this thread or would you like us to start a new thread for each question?

I have one that I will start a new thread about.

Yes please ask them on this thread ... so there is continuity of questions and answers and a manner to go back for all who are interested and look at previous questions and answers. Thanks.

I will answer questions in a timely manner but questions posted after 8:00 pm will be answered early in the morning, I get up real early but also retire early

alberthiel · Dec 18, 2012

Loki said:
Do we ask our questions in this thread or would you like us to start a new thread for each question?

I have one that I will start a new thread about.

Please post the question on this thread, I believe that is how this has been set up but if not revhtree can correct me ...

Loki · Dec 18, 2012

I have a 15g frag tank that I feel could do much better if I was able to figure out how to keep it clean with my schedule. I planned on having a 10g for a sump but the frag tank isnt drilled and I needed it up and running before I could drill it. So now it sits with two HOB filters one is rated for 55 gallons and the other is much smaller. Thats all of the filtration I have on the tank.

I have a 120 with two 40b tanks as sumps with a total actual water volume of 160 gallons 110+ pounds of pukani rock and 120 lbs of sand. This tank has been going very well for the past year and I've not had problems with it after the cycle and algae problem that normally happens.

I have been doing water changes between the frag tank and the 120 every now and then but it seems that I would need to do them daily to make the tank happy. This is not something that I want to do or have time for.

In your experience, is there some sort of filtration I can add to this small system to make it run much smoother?

It seems to be in the algae stage of tanks with no sign of progressing. I am running bare bottom (hehe:tongue

so I feel that may not be allowing some stability.

With the 120 I don't test for anything and go more off of what I see. So I am doing the same with the small tank. Things are just not doing well in the tank.

Thank you for taking the time to read and answer!:squigglemouth:

alberthiel · Dec 18, 2012

Loki said:
I have a 15g frag tank that I feel could do much better if I was able to figure out how to keep it clean with my schedule. I planned on having a 10g for a sump but the frag tank isnt drilled and I needed it up and running before I could drill it. So now it sits with two HOB filters one is rated for 55 gallons and the other is much smaller. Thats all of the filtration I have on the tank.

I have a 120 with two 40b tanks as sumps with a total actual water volume of 160 gallons 110+ pounds of pukani rock and 120 lbs of sand. This tank has been going very well for the past year and I've not had problems with it after the cycle and algae problem that normally happens.

I have been doing water changes between the frag tank and the 120 every now and then but it seems that I would need to do them daily to make the tank happy. This is not something that I want to do or have time for.

In your experience, is there some sort of filtration I can add to this small system to make it run much smoother?

It seems to be in the algae stage of tanks with no sign of progressing. I am running bare bottom (hehe:tongue so I feel that may not be allowing some stability.

With the 120 I don't test for anything and go more off of what I see. So I am doing the same with the small tank. Things are just not doing well in the tank.

Thank you for taking the time to read and answer!:squigglemouth:

I would not worry about running BB, what I would like to know is what media you are using in those two HOB's as either they are not the right ones or maybe the amount of compounds is not enough. So let me know and if I do not reply this evening I will early in the morning

Also how heavy is the load in the 15 G tank ?

Thanks for letting me know

Loki · Dec 18, 2012

I have 2 clowns and I feed them once every two/three days. I have a nice handful of chaeto in there that isn't growing. I have a 4 bulb tek t5 fixture over it.

As for as the hob filter I removed the media and have rubble rock in there.

I also have a marine pure block in the tank for added surface area. It came from BRS and looked like a good idea...

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Loki · Dec 18, 2012

Also no worries on when you respond

I appreciate you taking the time to answer so alls well.

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alberthiel · Dec 18, 2012

Loki said:
I have 2 clowns and I feed them once every two/three days. I have a nice handful of chaeto in there that isn't growing. I have a 4 bulb tek t5 fixture over it.

As for as the hob filter I removed the media and have rubble rock in there.

I also have a marine pure block in the tank for added surface area. It came from BRS and looked like a good idea...

Sent from tapatalk

2 clowns in a 15 seems like a lot for such a small tank, but if they are the only fish in there and not fighting then right now you should be ok IMO but when they get larger two may be too many for such a small tank. Feeding seems fine and should not add many nutrients to the water. The rubble in the HOB is acting as your Bio filter and that block as well. What I would do to clean up the water some more is add pieces of a Poly-Filter (Poly-Bio Marine) - it comes in a large rectangular shape but you can cut it up and stick it in the HOB's to polish the water some more.

No coral frags ? Or did you not mention those yet as you said that the tank could do better so there must be something that is not doing as well as you wish.

The chaeto probably needs a little more light but as long as it is not disintegrating I would leave it as you may even have some pods in there (not sure but if they are anywhere it will be in the Chaeto as that is a good hiding and safe spot for them.

Let me know what is not doing well in your opinion as so far I cannot determine that. Tanks.

alberthiel · Dec 18, 2012

Loki said:
Also no worries on when you respond I appreciate you taking the time to answer so alls well.
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signing off for this evening ... more in the morning when I get addl info from you. Have a great evening.
BTW how do you like the cover of my new book ? Still proofreading but am slowly getting to the end of it (it will be around 400 pages)

Loki · Dec 18, 2012

Here is a pic of the tank

At one point I had a little bit of everything. SPS LPS and zoas. The SPS went first and once I noticed I moved them over to my display. The chalice I had kept a nice color with little to no growth, and zoas have no growth that I can tell.

The display algae also didn't do well (this pic was just after its arrival). The shipper said it may be the shipping method used as the other package that went out was also lost.

The two clowns are still young and aren't fighting at all.

I haven't thought about more light on the chaeto.... Not sure why though I run my light for my sump 24/7 on my 120. What's a good way to include more light in a tank like this without a sump?

A big tank is easy and very forgiving, where a nano is more like an art form.

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