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

[alberthiel]

Hello Mr. Thiel,
I am new to the hobby and what attracted me and my wife was the amazing colors of the coral specially the zoanthids.
I just finished reading your new book (I learned a lot) but since we are not going to get any fish, just corals wanted to find out if our setup is adequate.
I am assuming that the biolode of a coral is much less than that of a fish. By how much I do not know, maybe you have an idea. I have a 29g Coralife BioCube and just recently converted chamber 2 to a refugium. I started a thread on our tank, here is the link:
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/nano-reefs/118571-fern-isabels-29g-coralife-biocube.html
So far our chemistries are fine with last check ammonia, nitrates, phosphates and nitrites 0 by our home kit and verified by LFS.
We are going to just do soft corals.
Also i did not see any mention of zoanthids in your book. Any reason why you left this class of corals out?
Thank you
Fern

I will take a look at your thread and post comments if any are appropriate. As to the bioload ... corals and fish are comparable and can add just as much of it but what you feed and how much is more of a factor in how much waste will be produced in the tank.

Now if you are going to keep Zoas and Palys then feeding is going to be real minimal and nutrient load will be low .

Why did I not cover them in my book : because the number of pages was already getting so high that I had to limit what was covered in the book, as I can cover them in the Newsletter that every owner gets 25 issues of for free, and that is where you will find the info as the issues keep coming out. As long as I have your email you should have gotten #1 and # 2 already and # 3 will be out in about a week.

More later on your thread as I have to take care of some orders that need to go out so I may not get to your thread for a few hours, but I will for sure

 

[alberthiel]

For those who Isopods in their Aquarium, do realize that some can be parasitic ... although most are not ... but here is a good article that deals with them

[url]http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/sp/feature/[/URL]

 

[alberthiel]

An article on Hermit Crabs by Richard Aspinall

Aquarium Invertebrates: Hermit Crabs ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

 

[alberthiel]

If you own my Nano-Reef Aquariums Book and are a member of this Forum, the "Nano-Reef Newsletter" #3 was sent out yesterday and this morning.

You should have received it by now. If not PM me with your full name and email please.

Thanks

Albert

 

[alberthiel]

If for some reason you did not receive Nano-Reef Newsletters # 3 and have my book and are a member of this forum : email me at [email protected] with your full name and email address please so I can send it to you .... thanks

 

[alberthiel]

Refractometers .... an in depth analysis :

Refractometers and Salinity Measurement by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[alberthiel]

For those interested in the Red LED Critter Torch ... "See" what is in your aquarium during the night as this LED will not get anything to dash back into hiding. These got excellent reviews in the UK, which is where I received them from. "At cost" : $12.50 for the US and $17.50 to Canada including postage. To paypal [email protected] ... not many left so order now if you want one ...

I still have some available ...

 

[Paul B]

I have one of those from Albert and I use the thing every night to look for creatures that I didn't even know I had.
I love it.

 

[alberthiel]

I have one of those from Albert and I use the thing every night to look for creatures that I didn't even know I had.
I love it.[/QUOTE

Thanks Paul, works great for me too and as I said above I have some left .... and the price is IMO right :0

 

[atoll]

I had a very special little visitor yesterday my 7 month old grandson Henry. He is fascinated with my reef tank and I took quite a few pic's of him admiring it. You can't get them interested in nature and esp reef tanks so while his mum (my daughter Katie) showed him my tank I clicked away. He loved being held up in front of the tank glass and was fascinated with it all.

I just managed to get him to divert his eyes long enough to take a few pic's as he turned his head away to look at me.

 

[alberthiel]

I had a very special little visitor yesterday my 7 month old grandson Henry. He is fascinated with my reef tank and I took quite a few pic's of him admiring it. You can't get them interested in nature and esp reef tanks so while his mum (my daughter Katie) showed him my tank I clicked away. He loved being held up in front of the tank glass and was fascinated with it all.

I just managed to get him to divert his eyes long enough to take a few pic's as he turned his head away to look at me.

These are great Pics .... What a joy for you to have some super looking Grandchildren ! Treasure them as I am sure you do !

 

[atoll]

These are great Pics .... What a joy for you to have some super looking Grandchildren ! Treasure them as I am sure you do !

Thanks Albert, Just the one grandchild at the mo put I am expecting 2 more in September. My other 2 daughters are expecting their first child jut 8 days apart. Henry's a very happy baby, hardly ever cries and of course I love him to bits.

 

[alberthiel]

Thanks Albert, Just the one grandchild at the mo put I am expecting 2 more in September. My other 2 daughters are expecting their first child jut 8 days apart. Henry's a very happy baby, hardly ever cries and of course I love him to bits.

I sure can image ... and that's wonderful news that 2 more will be with you and their parents real soon ! You must be a proud Grandfather !

 

[atoll]

I sure can image ... and that's wonderful news that 2 more will be with you and their parents real soon ! You must be a proud Grandfather !

Thanks Albert and yes prouder by the week. I have been blessed to have great children who are all doing well in life and equaly proud of my grandson and I am sure for those who follow.

 

[alberthiel]

Thanks Albert and yes prouder by the week. I have been blessed to have great children who are all doing well in life and equaly proud of my grandson and I am sure for those who follow.

Good for you ... as we all get older that is sure one of the joys that many of us hope for and for you it came through and is coming through soon more so !

Super

 

[alberthiel]

Bubble Corals of the Plerogyra and Physogyra Genus

Aquarium Corals: The Bubble Corals: Species of the Genera Plerogyra and Physogyra ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

 

[Multiham]

Albert:

Really enjoyed the e-version of your book! You got me interested in a Flame Hawkfish. I've got a 28 gallon tank which has been running for 2 years. Tank has about 20lb of rock with plenty of hiding spots and spots to perch I currently have a clownfish, a Bangaii Cardinal, and a yellow watchman Goby. Do you think the Flame Hawkfish will do well with these fish?

Thanks!!

 

[alberthiel]

Albert:

Really enjoyed the e-version of your book! You got me interested in a Flame Hawkfish. I've got a 28 gallon tank which has been running for 2 years. Tank has about 20lb of rock with plenty of hiding spots and spots to perch I currently have a clownfish, a Bangaii Cardinal, and a yellow watchman Goby. Do you think the Flame Hawkfish will do well with these fish?
Thanks!!

He should. Drip acclimate him well and introduce him to the tank when the lights are out of a while so there is less territoriality from the Clown ... the others will not bother him although the cardinal may appear to want to do so but it is posturing, and the Flame can fend for him/herself ...

 

[alberthiel]

For those interested I still have the Red Led Critter Torches available. It got great reviews and really allows you to see what is in your tank after the lights are out ... And I am selling them at cost $12.50 for the US and $17.50 for Canada .... Including Postage ! PM me if you want one and I'll give you instructions.... Not many left ...

 

[snapshot11]

Hi. I was hoping you could give some advice in regards to my lighting.

I have a 24gal Current Aquapod (I've been told its now discontinued). Im still running the stock PC lighting it came with which was a 32w dual PC daylight and 32w dual actinic. Im having issues finding replacement bulbs for it so recently I had to switch to a 28w dual PC daylight.

In a perfect world I would love to upgrade and retro-fit LED's but I know nothing about electrical wiring and I have been unsuccessful in finding someone local to me that could help with that process. I just don't trust myself to follow a you tube video while spending a couple hundred.

But recently someone told me I could run T5's in it and that was confusing for me... There was a bit of a language barrier so I couldn't understand. Are T5's something I can switch out without having to change anything in my hood? Below I will list everything I have in my tank right now; Is it possible for me to be successful with my tank and a few corals such as zoas, and mushrooms (ricordia?) without changing the lighting Im using right now or do I need to change it.

Currently I have:

Peppermint shrimp
Skunk Cleaner
3 astrea snails
3 bumblebee snails
1 Small zoa colony that has watermelons and dragon eyes
and about 10-15 brown colored mushrooms

Eventually I will be adding a couple fish but Im starting slow this time around and trying to do lots of research to do things the right way.

I rotate feeding Mysis feast, emerald entree & marine cuisine (frozen food from our lfs). Is that sufficient for the zoas and mushrooms I have right now or should I be target feeding them something else to help them reproduce better?

Last question: The colors in my corals are pretty but I hear everyone talking about needing their corals to color up. Is there something I should be adding to help their color pop? Same thing with my coraline?

Water parameters are as follows: Amonia 0, Nitrites 0, Nitrates 5ppm, salinity 1.025, cal 440, temp 78
I need to measure my alkalinity and mag but I don't have tests for it yet Im working on it!

Thanks In advance and sorry about the long post! Im sure I'll have many more questions for you in the future. It's a privilege being able to ask questions of someone with such amazing knowledge.