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

[alberthiel]

Should we take care of Fireworms or Get rid of them ? An interesting Article by Justin Pierce

Short Take: Fireworm Husbandry?! — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

 

[alberthiel]

Wow that 22 nano was gorgeous! So sad it was lost to Sandy.

Yes indeed of all the tanks I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot, really a lot in all the years I have been in the Hobby, this tank was a real stupendous looking one indeed. What a shame that it fell victim to that Hurricane. Rehype has not restarted one yet but knowing him I am quite sure that he will and come up with an even better one. He is a very experienced Hobbyist for sure

 

[alberthiel]

Ecsenius stigmatura : The Tailspot Blenny - A great Nano Reef Fish for sure. © Photo Scott Michael

Picture

Peaceful, a bit timid, but once it gets accustomed to your tank it will swim in the open more and more.

 

[alberthiel]

Centropyge colini : Colin's Angelfish - A Gorgeous and Affordable Pygmy Angelfish

Aquarium Fish: Colin's Angelfish, Centropyge colini — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

 

[alberthiel]

Paul Brun's 427 Gallon Super Master Reef Aquarium : A must see !

Picture FTS view

Link to full article and more pictures: Feature Aquarium: Paul Bruns 427 Gallon Sunroom Reef — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

 

[alberthiel]

Fragging Corals: Easy to Do and Easy to Sell

http://www.petproductnews.com/web-exclusives/fragging-corals-easy-to-do-easy-to-sell.aspx

 

[alberthiel]

Wrasse and the Reef Aquarium : A short review by Pet Product News International

Wrasses: A Beautiful Group of Aquarium Fish

 

[alberthiel]

Sharing the Small Aquarium : Gobies and Shrimp by Fransesco Ricciardi, Ph.D.

Aquarium Fish: Sharing a small house without conflicts: the pistol shrimp and the shrimpgoby's life — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

 

[alberthiel]

If you like what you see on this thread please tell others about it. I iwll be happy to answer questions they may have ... Also this thread has hundreds of Links to articles of interest to all Nano Reef Keeping Hobbyists, and I keep adding more and more .... but we could do with more visitors and posters.
Thanks for your support.

.

 

[LukeG]

Is there a reason people stopped using crushed coral as substrate? Everyone seems to prefer aragonite now. What's the difference?

 

[alberthiel]

Is there a reason people stopped using crushed coral as substrate? Everyone seems to prefer aragonite now. What's the difference?

Real good question indeed: It is felt that crushed coral creates a nitrate factory as the nitrates in the water precipitate on the crushed coral, and then slowly leaches back into the water when you lower it, creating an equilibrium between the crushed coral and the water's nitrate content, which is one of the reasons that even when water changes are done the NO3 level really does not go down for more than maybe an your or two as the NO3 on the crushed coral goes back into solution. With dolomite this does not seems to happen to same degree although some will precipitate on it as well not not nearly as much as on the crushed coral.

And then there is sometimes the factor of the coarseness, which for some bottom dwelling creatures may be too coarse.

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

 

[Paul B]

With dolomite this does not seems to happen to same degree although some will precipitate on it as well not not nearly as much as on the crushed coral.

Well thank God for that, I use dolomite and although my nitrates are high now, for the life of the tank the nitrates hovered around 5.
Most of the dolomite has been in my tank for about 47 years because before my tank was salt, it was brackish and that is the same substrait I used then.

 

[alberthiel]

Well thank God for that, I use dolomite and although my nitrates are high now, for the life of the tank the nitrates hovered around 5.
Most of the dolomite has been in my tank for about 47 years because before my tank was salt, it was brackish and that is the same substrait I used then.

Well you could replace small parts of it at a time and put new dolomite in. I know you have a long tank (6 ft I guess) and I know it may not be easy to get to all of it, and of course you are running a RUGF so it would not be easy to do but if you took out say 6 square inches and replaced them, and them maybe a week later another 6 square inches etc. it may be possible. OTOH if the NO3 is not causing you any issues then that may not be worth the effort and all the work needed.

Maybe a second scrubber placed above the existing one would increase the nutrient export as that would give you twice as much algae as you now have.

Another thing to think about is to clean out your scrubber more often than you do now so that new algae growth is promoted and so more NO3 is removed.

And another option may be to set up a denigrator unit such as the ones that are on the market right now and that I know you could easily make yourself.

But again, Paul, none of this may be needed if the NO3 level is not causing any issues for you.

 

[Paul B]

But again, Paul, none of this may be needed if the NO3 level is not causing any issues for you.

My complicated plan Albert, is to not do anything. I am not going to replace anything or add anything. It seems that this year is the only year my nitrates have been high and that happened while I was away and the tank sitter let the water lever fall 7" there by killing all the corals above that line. But also this year the corals have been growing much faster than they ever had in all the years prior when the nitrates were much lower. As you know my tank is an experiment and I want to keep the nitrates high for now. My SPS is growing like weeds and making new shoots and this excites me so I will keep everything as it is until I find out what is causing this positive reaction.
The corals that died are now larger than they originally were and I have frags all over the place.

And another option may be to set up a denigrator unit such as the ones that are on the market right now and that I know you could easily make yourself

I have a denitrator that I built but the bacteria died when the water level went down so far. I don't want to re install it just yet for the reasons I stated.

 

[Orion120]

Hi Albert,

Can you tell me what this is on my frogspawn/hammer? (Not sure what this LPS is)

It's white with a red looking polyp. Looks like it is curled around a new head of this LPS coral.

 

[Xrod]

Sorry didnt want to duplicate post but noone seems to answwer. Can someone help me with this
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/nano-reefs/108165-advice-where-place-vortech-mp10-images.html

 

[alberthiel]

My complicated plan Albert, is to not do anything. I am not going to replace anything or add anything. It seems that this year is the only year my nitrates have been high and that happened while I was away and the tank sitter let the water lever fall 7" there by killing all the corals above that line. But also this year the corals have been growing much faster than they ever had in all the years prior when the nitrates were much lower. As you know my tank is an experiment and I want to keep the nitrates high for now. My SPS is growing like weeds and making new shoots and this excites me so I will keep everything as it is until I find out what is causing this positive reaction.
The corals that died are now larger than they originally were and I have frags all over the place.
I have a denitrator that I built but the bacteria died when the water level went down so far. I don't want to re install it just yet for the reasons I stated.

Yes that is sort of what I thought your answer would be and I think it is also the most sensible one since there is nothing wrong with the aquarium

Nite ...

 

[alberthiel]

Sorry didnt want to duplicate post but noone seems to answwer. Can someone help me with this
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/nano-reefs/108165-advice-where-place-vortech-mp10-images.html

I would leave it the way it is in the second picture. You want to avoid a laminar current so if it hits the rock formation somewhere the water will be dispersed in several directions. That is IMO the best place for it

 

[alberthiel]

Hi Albert,

Can you tell me what this is on my frogspawn/hammer? (Not sure what this LPS is)

It's white with a red looking polyp. Looks like it is curled around a new head of this LPS coral.

I looked at these pics but I cannot see what you are referring to exactly. Is there some way send me just 1 pic and put an arrow pointing at what it is that you need an ID on.

I will not see it tonight though but will see it in the AM if you do send me one. You can add an arrow by e.g. putting the picture in Word and then adding the Arrow or put it in Powerpoint and add the arrow there and the copy paste the picture to your post here, or use another picture manipulation program

 

[Orion120]

Here you go.

When I shined a flashlight at the red "polyp" it retracted. It then came back out after I turned off the flashlight.