GLB's 12g nano
- Nano Build
- Thread starter glb
- Start date
- Tagged users None
chemisfun11
Active Member
Looking good! Really nice start and looks like you've got a ton of coraline algae on your rock and wall, dang!
Sassy Jenny
Active Member
Very nice and healthy. Are you going to add any other coral?
OP
OP
glb
7500 Club Member
Thanks everyone! Here's the history. I started it four years ago as fowlr. I studied about corals and became comfortable with the additional testing before adding any. Five months ago, I started with zoas and gradually added gsp,s, Florida ricordea and acan lords. I've lost a few zoa colonies along the way and never figured out why. I think I might have changed too many things in my filter at once. Right now, I'm using sponges, purigen and denitrate in my sump and compact fluorescent bulbs, 75% actinic blue and 25% 10000k white. I clean the filter media and change 10% of the water weekly. More
OP
OP
glb
7500 Club Member
I plan on adding more softies and lps. Right now I'm still trying to figure out why I lost those zoa colonies. I think I'll add more acans, as they seem to be growing the most. I also plan on changing to LEDs in the next several months.
OP
OP
glb
7500 Club Member
I don't have a skimmer because most of the advice I've gotten is that I don't need one if I stay on top of water changes.
My tank numbers are usually:
Specific gravity: 1.026
Ph: 7.8-8.1 over the course of a day
Nitrates: 5-15, usually 10
Phosphates: 0
Alk: 9kh
Mg: 1200 (I have a hard time keeping this one high enough-still tinkering with how much to add
Calcium: 420-450
Temp: 78
The corals look good but the zoas and gsp's aren't growing much. The acan lords and Florida ricordea are growing much more quickly. I have two clownfish that try to host with the zoas! For cuc's, I have two emerald crabs, about 8 little hermits, 3-4 snails and two peppermint shrimp. I also have one bristleworm that I know of.
My tank numbers are usually:
Specific gravity: 1.026
Ph: 7.8-8.1 over the course of a day
Nitrates: 5-15, usually 10
Phosphates: 0
Alk: 9kh
Mg: 1200 (I have a hard time keeping this one high enough-still tinkering with how much to add
Calcium: 420-450
Temp: 78
The corals look good but the zoas and gsp's aren't growing much. The acan lords and Florida ricordea are growing much more quickly. I have two clownfish that try to host with the zoas! For cuc's, I have two emerald crabs, about 8 little hermits, 3-4 snails and two peppermint shrimp. I also have one bristleworm that I know of.
Nice looking tank. I have had some zoas close up on me for no apparent reason but if I patiently wait they will reopen sometimes days or even weeks later.
For example, my first zoa frag I purchased was a small one polyp of Sunny D, that was on April 20th. It slowly opened over the next few weeks and then developed a baby polyp in early July. Right after that the original polyp closed up and started shrinking and I was at a loss for a reason. the baby kept on getting bigger and opened every day and was bigger than the original polyp. Last week the original polyp showed signs that it was starting to open again. now it will open completely but is a quarter of it's original size. I am totally baffled.
For example, my first zoa frag I purchased was a small one polyp of Sunny D, that was on April 20th. It slowly opened over the next few weeks and then developed a baby polyp in early July. Right after that the original polyp closed up and started shrinking and I was at a loss for a reason. the baby kept on getting bigger and opened every day and was bigger than the original polyp. Last week the original polyp showed signs that it was starting to open again. now it will open completely but is a quarter of it's original size. I am totally baffled.
OP
OP
glb
7500 Club Member
Today's post: How can I improve my numbers? I'm mainly concerned with decreasing nitrates and slightly raising ph. A skimmer with a co2 scrubber? Vodka dosing? I'd be interested in your thoughts. I know I'll be told to take out the sponges, but what should I use in their place? I clean them every week. I'll take all the advice I can get.
OP
OP
glb
7500 Club Member
Update. My zoas aren't really growing. Most of them look fine but lots of people say they grow like weeds. Not mine. Lol. I'm currently using compact fluorescent lights until I can upgrade to LEDs. Could this be the reason?
Similar threads
