BTA Piggy Bank

[PPBlimpy]

300G is up and running so why not go small. Pulled my old 13.5 Fluval Evo out of the closet last night.

I am going to ad as many Rose BTA to this tank as possible. Thats why its being called my piggy bank.

I have been wanting to do a BTA tank for a while and originally was putting together a 34G peninsula but had this sitting here empty.

I have probably 15 lbs of Tonga Branch in my LR curing tub I plan to use, have never set up a "theme" tank. I think the tonga done right with BTA could look like little trees or bushes. I don't know where my vision for this tank is going yet. so follow along

Now I already have the BTAs. Have over 50 in my 300G. A mix of rainbow, rose and green. Heavily populated by Rose BTA though.

Stocking will most likely either be a pair of white storm clowns, my prefrence or pair of Clarkii, wife prefrence. Plus CUC and probably a goby or something to help with sand.

For the first month or so I am going to throw a couple pieces of LR or media bricks from my 300 in here to help really get the tank going. Also plan is to order the Pico 5lb rock/5lb sand from Gulf LR to ad to the tank at around 6 weeks.

Equipment list-
Fluval 13.5
Fluval Sea protien skimmer in second chamber-not sure if I will use this or not yet but have it , also have original sponge filter for chamber 2
Upgraded return pump - 210gph
Single 1/2 wide blade return spigot
Jabeo slw-20 wave maker, will be adding a nem guard
50w heater
1st chamber 3d printed refugium
10w 12" full spectrum Led light to light refugium area
Tunze ATO - I will try to run on it- have a couple sitting here
OLD school DA Reefkeeper Lite will eventually control everything and monitor PH and Temp etc.
Nicrew 100W Gen 1 will provide the light - have original top and light but using light on my fuge on my 300g
Screen Top

Lets see how it goes.

spent last night glueing together Tonga with superglue gel, covered the 2nd chamber hole with a piece glued to the wall. will epoxy tonight if possible. this rock has been curing/cycling for 2 months in a bin with some left over seed rock from my 125 and really don't want to have any die off. Not sure epoxy will stick well on the damp rock but going to try.

I am generally a rock stacker, big pile with lots of caves and tunnels, I have never truly aquascaped anything so this was new and kinda difficult for me. Will ad about 1" sandbed to the tank also.

If you made it this far thank you. I will try to keep it updated.

 

[PPBlimpy]

It did come to my attention that the BTA may not like the Tonga branch, as their footing like crevices etc. If that is the case and they dont attach well I may put a bunch of my mushroom/ lps softies into this tank.

 

[PPBlimpy]

Have had water in the tank since the 20th.

Tank has cycled quickly

Took a bunch of rubble / small rock from my 300G and filled the second chamber. Going to keep it in there for a couple weeks to help seed everything.

Have a small clown to ad that is struggling in my big tank.

Lights are running 5 hours a day currently.

ATO is running. No skimmer until it is needed.
Refugium with chaeto in chamber 1

Put 1 rose BTA in last night and going to see how it goes.
Next week I will ad the clown
Then every week I will ad another BTA.
Will see how things go.

This is a complete experiment. If things start going south they were go back into my big tank

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Following along!

 

[PPBlimpy]

Been a bit. Tank has been running pretty well. Pulled the Nicrew 100w off and switched back to the original light temporarily. Needed the Nicrew for my frag grow out in my big system.

Playing a bit of musical lights here soon. will probably install one of my v2 noopsyche k7s on here when i upgrade my lights.
current inhabitants -

1 - Percula clown
1 - blue leg hermit
1 - small snail

Dropped a frag of firework polyps in temporarily till my frag grow out is set up.

Anyways. Currently at 9 BTA, mix of rainbow and rose.
I added a second clown a couple weeks back but he managed to jump out during maintenance and I swear my Lab got him before he even hit the floor. I didn't even know Bear was in the room with me.

Was lazy and never put the refuge light on a timer, just ran it 24/7, flipping cheato ever 2 days when I checked the top off. Came in to find my cheato all turned white, and weird black algea patch on the sand. Bottomed out everything apparently.

I will admit I have never tested this tank. Just pulled the Tonga rock from my curing bin, shoved a bunch of rubble in chamber two and used water from my 300G ( which is now gone and downsized to a 210 )

I need to tape off chamber two to limit light and run it as a cryptic fuge.

Going to pick up another clown eventually. Will ad pictures soon

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Been a bit. Tank has been running pretty well. Pulled the Nicrew 100w off and switched back to the original light temporarily. Needed the Nicrew for my frag grow out in my big system.

Playing a bit of musical lights here soon. will probably install one of my v2 noopsyche k7s on here when i upgrade my lights.
current inhabitants -

1 - Percula clown
1 - blue leg hermit
1 - small snail

Dropped a frag of firework polyps in temporarily till my frag grow out is set up.

Anyways. Currently at 9 BTA, mix of rainbow and rose.
I added a second clown a couple weeks back but he managed to jump out during maintenance and I swear my Lab got him before he even hit the floor. I didn't even know Bear was in the room with me.

Was lazy and never put the refuge light on a timer, just ran it 24/7, flipping cheato ever 2 days when I checked the top off. Came in to find my cheato all turned white, and weird black algea patch on the sand. Bottomed out everything apparently.

I will admit I have never tested this tank. Just pulled the Tonga rock from my curing bin, shoved a bunch of rubble in chamber two and used water from my 300G ( which is now gone and downsized to a 210 )

I need to tape off chamber two to limit light and run it as a cryptic fuge.

Going to pick up another clown eventually. Will ad pictures soon

So sorry about the loss of your clownfish! Curious to see those updated photos!

 

[PPBlimpy]

Not the prettiest but running good. Algea is weird. Never seen black/grey algea like this.

Lights had just come on. I need to ad a wavemaker. Also thinking about swapping halides onto my big tank in place of the 3 noopsyche k7 v2s and will transfer one of the v2s onto this tank and 2 over my frag tank.