Bubblemytip's 25-gallon nano tank

[bubblemytip]

Beautiful tank and some great pictures!

Thanks!

 

[bubblemytip]

This little guy has developed some cool colours. Hopefully it maintains them as it grows!

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Looks like a nice one

 

[bubblemytip]

Looks like a nice one

Thanks. It’s normally directly under the light and the reflection of the lights on the surface block the view.

 

[cincyreef]

Very nice tank! Thanks for sharing

 

[bubblemytip]

Very nice tank! Thanks for sharing

Thank you! [emoji854]

 

[bubblemytip]

Getting two of the new GNC Silvermoon LEDs to attach to my AM366. Each bar has 42 450nm blue LEDs. Tiltable to reduce shadowing. Should add some pop too.

Some updated tank shots:

Clownfish spawned today too:

 

[Tahoe61]

Quite the tank evolution when you go back to the first page. The change from the Hydra looks to have been a good move, some of those corals just took off. Great looking mixed reef.

 

[bubblemytip]

Quite the tank evolution when you go back to the first page. The change from the Hydra looks to have been a good move, some of those corals just took off. Great looking mixed reef.

Thanks. Yeah, it has definitely been learning experience. Hopefully it looks more full in another year.

I am holding out for some blue/teal stag acros from my lfs but supply is very limited here in NZ at the moment. Not many sps importers and only one or two that know what they’re doing. So there is a very ready market for quality frags at least. Lol

Finding what actually works amongst all the marketing promises can be difficult but I am very happy with my equipment choices now, mainly tweaking the lighting with the new supplementary lights. So happy with the GNC AM366 that I even bought a spare so that if something does happen in its five-year warranty period, I’ll have immediate backup, and I can also use the spare to light a larger tank...

Next plans... if the tank fills out faster than I can frag, then maybe an upgrade. A few years away yet, though. I have in mind a Red Sea reefer 250 - not much bigger but a very manageable size with low power costs. Or if money allows, a Red Sea or custom peninsula.

 

[bubblemytip]

These new supplementary GNC Silvermoon LEDs are awesome.

 

[bubblemytip]

Now running my calcium reactor externally. Tunze doesn’t recommend this, so I have put the skimmer into a container fed from my return pump that then drains back into the sump, so no worries about leaks and at the same time freeing up space for my refugium.

Skimmer wasn’t pulling much at all (approx 300ml a month), so trying the tank without a skimmer and instead with some algae to host pods etc to keep my corals and wrasse supplied with live goodies.

Bought a 20w security light, 6500K LED and had a tunze 8850 full spectrum lying around already.

Using chaeto, codium fragile and caulerpa serrata:

I plan on raising the water level of the algae section to the height of the second baffle and installing a DIY weir.

 

[bubblemytip]

Well, my Vectra M1 has died after 15 months' use with vinegar soaks every 3-4 months and not even running at full power (calibrated to my nano). So outside warranty...

It failed at 5am this morning. Lucky I had a spare return pump (Eheim Compact+ 3000) in the closet that I could quickly substitute.

Will be replacing the Vectra with a Tunze 1073.05 dc pump.

 

[bubblemytip]

Got an IKS Vario Blue II peristaltic pump to give my calcium reactor a continuous and adjustable effluent. TUNZE should team up with IKS. The blues match very well!

The internal workings of the pump. Continuous operation is no problem. Seen these used on several high-end zeovit reefs including G Alexander's, and I have been using one to dose kalk for 2 years, and it has been very reliable.

 

[bubblemytip]

My skimmer has arrived! LGMAquari nano s. Made in Italy. Rated for 160L. Sicce pump. Runs silently. Lathed PVC. Currently breaking in. Will have to see how long it takes.

 

[bubblemytip]

Skimmer after 24 hours already making some good foam.

 

[bubblemytip]

Carbondoser installed last weekend. Has made a huge difference already in the consistency of the reactor pH

 

[Marou]

How many news about your setup, your updates seem very nice. I got a few questions for you. Why you replaced the Tunze skimmer, it got so many good reviews, maybe it was not pulling a lot because your aquarium was not so dirty. Is the tunze full spectrum led capable of growing that fuge algea alone? I want to use one for the same reason as well. What was your co2 regulator (witch was not so consistent) before you get the CarbonDoser?

 

[bubblemytip]

How many news about your setup, your updates seem very nice. I got a few questions for you. Why you replaced the Tunze skimmer, it got so many good reviews, maybe it was not pulling a lot because your aquarium was not so dirty. Is the tunze full spectrum led capable of growing that fuge algea alone? I want to use one for the same reason as well. What was your co2 regulator (witch was not so consistent) before you get the CarbonDoser?

Thanks!

Regarding your questions:

• I replaced the TUNZE skimmer for a couple of reasons - it was overkill on my little tank (with the Co2 scrubber attached, it would bring my tank's pH close to 8.6 during the day...); I wanted the space in the sump for the calcium reactor or refugium. It is a great skimmer, though, so I have not sold it. It is sitting in a closet awaiting my next tank build.
• Yes, the TUNZE LED is very capable of growing the algae on its own. A more powerful light is always better, though, if you are growing the algae as a major nutrient export method and to balance pH at night.
• I was using the TUNZE CO2 regulator. It worked well, but not having a physical reference point (such as the dial on the carbon doser) made it harder to tune and record settings for when changing a co2 bottle, for example, and it was harder at a low bubble count. Again, I have kept it as a spare because it does work well.

 

[bubblemytip]

I replaced my MP10s with a TUNZE Stream 3. I'll take some pics soon. The flow pattern is much improved and very diffuse. I was finding the MP10s were causing some odd growth because of their horizontal flow, making coral placement difficult, and they were taking up too much real estate on the right side panel of the display.

 

[Sipec]

Nice tank! Will be sticking around for updates