RedFrog211
Valuable Member
I started a nano tank in August, 2020. I took pictures, but never started a thread; so I figured I’d do that now!
My main goal for this aquarium is to have a relaxing place I enjoy sitting and watching the marine life. I grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and was always around the ocean. I knew I would be a marine biologist. Then, in 2012, my family moved to Atlanta, Georgia. 300 miles from the ocean. I felt very lost, and couldn’t satiate my desire to learn more about the ocean.
Throughout high school, I worked at a LFS and was able to start up a 13.5 nano. I moved a year later, and the tank died. I gave up, graduated high school, became a certified welder, became a barista, got married, and am now roasting coffee. I was able to convince my wife to let me set up an old Fluval Flex I had in a closet, and here we are
Day 1: 08/20/20
Set up live rock and water. There is a single chromis hiding somewhere!
Day 11: 08/30/20
At only 10 days in, it’s very premature to add corals. However, my friend was breaking down his tank, and offered me some frags, including a BTA. Had to accept! Worst case scenario, if my tank proved to not be ready, I’d bring it to the LFS for some credit! Corals included: 1 hammer, 1 cabbage leather, 1 Kenya tree 1 and BTA
Day 23: 09/11/20
Bought some macro from AlgaeBarn, as well as a zoa frag from the LFS and a batch of frags from online. Again, early for this many corals, but I couldn’t wait.. bad excuse, I know. The BTA was doing very well, to my surprise.
Day 27: 09/15/20
Brought the chromis back to the LFS and bought a Phantom Ocellaris and a Snowstorm! Hope they pair up and breed
Day 28: 09/16/20
The snowstorm didn’t take shipping so well.. woke up to her like this—
Day 29: 09/17/20
Shes swimming around. I’ve fed her peas and she only eats mysis in garlic. The male is eating like crazy though!
Day 32: 09/20/20
Woke up to a Dino outbreak in addition to ich on the fish. Set up a quarantine tank (which I admittedly should’ve done to begin with) and am going to begin the long 76 day wait for the DT to be fallow. I also moved all the corals to a breeder so they can be near the surface, and I can reduce lights.
Day 71: 10/29/20
Tropical storm Zeta knocked out power. By the time I got home from work, my tanks had gone 14 hours without power. I put every piece of coral in a container, took all but an inch of water out of the QT, and drove the tank, fish and coral to our family’s coffee shop (which still had power) and set everything up. I was just hoping I could get the coral and fish separated before an ich trophont could complete its cycle. I’m very grateful I did this, because we were without power for 72 hours.
Had some casualties, but the majority of corals survived.
Day 78: 11/05/20
Got a Rough Rider Blasto and a coral banded shrimp! Fish are still doing well in the QT and the DT is recouping from the storm.
Day 97: 11/24/20
Woke up to a very cloudy tank and my macro bleached— still not sure what caused this. I did do a water change the night before, but nothing jumped drastically. Parameters checked out. So I added some beneficial bacteria and waited. It cleared up within 24 hours
Day 100: 11/27/20
Some bam bam zoas have zoa pox. Not much info is available about this disease, so I removed the frag, fearing it would spread. Earlier this day I had ordered a Grand Master Krakatoa frag.. was really concerned it would infect it. Despite my efforts, I was unable to save the frag.
Day 104: 12/01/20
The GMK’s arrived! I was really nervous, because the day it shipped we had snow and I was told there would be a delay— thankfully it came the same day!
Day 111: 12/08/20
Bought some more softie frags online
Day 116: 12/13/20
GMK has a second polyp opening up!!
Day 118: 12/15/20
Added the fish to the display tank and they’re so happy! Also bought a second BTA
Day 125: 12/22/20
Bought some really cool Ding Dangs from the LFS! Love the colors on these
Day 138: 01/04/21
My GMK’s are really happy and have a 3rd polyp. I am dealing with some dino’s still, so I’m considering a 3 day black out. My anemones are happy early in the day, but toward the end close up and look really sad (2-3pm) so I’m thinking the dinos are irritating them.
My main goal for this aquarium is to have a relaxing place I enjoy sitting and watching the marine life. I grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and was always around the ocean. I knew I would be a marine biologist. Then, in 2012, my family moved to Atlanta, Georgia. 300 miles from the ocean. I felt very lost, and couldn’t satiate my desire to learn more about the ocean.
Throughout high school, I worked at a LFS and was able to start up a 13.5 nano. I moved a year later, and the tank died. I gave up, graduated high school, became a certified welder, became a barista, got married, and am now roasting coffee. I was able to convince my wife to let me set up an old Fluval Flex I had in a closet, and here we are
Day 1: 08/20/20
Set up live rock and water. There is a single chromis hiding somewhere!
Day 11: 08/30/20
At only 10 days in, it’s very premature to add corals. However, my friend was breaking down his tank, and offered me some frags, including a BTA. Had to accept! Worst case scenario, if my tank proved to not be ready, I’d bring it to the LFS for some credit! Corals included: 1 hammer, 1 cabbage leather, 1 Kenya tree 1 and BTA
Day 23: 09/11/20
Bought some macro from AlgaeBarn, as well as a zoa frag from the LFS and a batch of frags from online. Again, early for this many corals, but I couldn’t wait.. bad excuse, I know. The BTA was doing very well, to my surprise.
Day 27: 09/15/20
Brought the chromis back to the LFS and bought a Phantom Ocellaris and a Snowstorm! Hope they pair up and breed
Day 28: 09/16/20
The snowstorm didn’t take shipping so well.. woke up to her like this—
Day 29: 09/17/20
Shes swimming around. I’ve fed her peas and she only eats mysis in garlic. The male is eating like crazy though!
Day 32: 09/20/20
Woke up to a Dino outbreak in addition to ich on the fish. Set up a quarantine tank (which I admittedly should’ve done to begin with) and am going to begin the long 76 day wait for the DT to be fallow. I also moved all the corals to a breeder so they can be near the surface, and I can reduce lights.
Day 71: 10/29/20
Tropical storm Zeta knocked out power. By the time I got home from work, my tanks had gone 14 hours without power. I put every piece of coral in a container, took all but an inch of water out of the QT, and drove the tank, fish and coral to our family’s coffee shop (which still had power) and set everything up. I was just hoping I could get the coral and fish separated before an ich trophont could complete its cycle. I’m very grateful I did this, because we were without power for 72 hours.
Had some casualties, but the majority of corals survived.
Day 78: 11/05/20
Got a Rough Rider Blasto and a coral banded shrimp! Fish are still doing well in the QT and the DT is recouping from the storm.
Day 97: 11/24/20
Woke up to a very cloudy tank and my macro bleached— still not sure what caused this. I did do a water change the night before, but nothing jumped drastically. Parameters checked out. So I added some beneficial bacteria and waited. It cleared up within 24 hours
Day 100: 11/27/20
Some bam bam zoas have zoa pox. Not much info is available about this disease, so I removed the frag, fearing it would spread. Earlier this day I had ordered a Grand Master Krakatoa frag.. was really concerned it would infect it. Despite my efforts, I was unable to save the frag.
Day 104: 12/01/20
The GMK’s arrived! I was really nervous, because the day it shipped we had snow and I was told there would be a delay— thankfully it came the same day!
Day 111: 12/08/20
Bought some more softie frags online
Day 116: 12/13/20
GMK has a second polyp opening up!!
Day 118: 12/15/20
Added the fish to the display tank and they’re so happy! Also bought a second BTA
Day 125: 12/22/20
Bought some really cool Ding Dangs from the LFS! Love the colors on these
Day 138: 01/04/21
My GMK’s are really happy and have a 3rd polyp. I am dealing with some dino’s still, so I’m considering a 3 day black out. My anemones are happy early in the day, but toward the end close up and look really sad (2-3pm) so I’m thinking the dinos are irritating them.
