Prattys nano reef

[X-37B]

I keep considering a Tuxedo urchin. I always talk myself out of it though.

I have several types of urchins in my systems.
One thats good and does not pick up everything is a pencil urchin.
I like short spined black as they dont pick up stuff. I have one in my 150 and 50.
Pencil and pincushion in my 112 and pincushion and tuxedos in others.
Some of mine.

 

[PrattysReef]

Added a final cleanup crew member to my tank today a baby tuxedo urchin, captive bred by monsoon aquatics

I keep considering a Tuxedo urchin. I always talk myself out of it though.

Ive kept them in a few tanks, they do like to pick up frags and walk around the tank with them though. This one is the tiniest one ive ever had though by far. Its about the size of a nickel.

 

[PrattysReef]

I keep considering a Tuxedo urchin. I always talk myself out of it though.

I have several types of urchins in my systems.
One thats good and does not pick up everything is a pencil urchin.
I like short spined black as they dont pick up stuff. I have one in my 150 and 50.
Pencil and pincushion in my 112 and pincushion and tuxedos in others.
Some of mine.

Ive always loved urchins, but have a soft spot for tuxedos even though they like to carry everything around with them.
Its already eating a path along my rockwork cleaning it up.

 

[tbrown]

I've got a Pencil in my sump with the anemones and clowns. I once had a Pencil eat half of a Galaxea colony - skeleton and all!

 

[PrattysReef]

I've got a Pencil in my sump with the anemones and clowns. I once had a Pencil eat half of a Galaxea colony - skeleton and all!

Wow i havent heard that before. Thats crazy. Hope my tuxedo doesnt go rogue like that too.

 

[X-37B]

I've got a Pencil in my sump with the anemones and clowns. I once had a Pencil eat half of a Galaxea colony - skeleton and all!

Ill keep an eye on it thanks. Its in my acro growout system. Only lps is a rose coral that came in on the live rock.
Urchins keep my coralline under control.

 

[tbrown]

Wow i havent heard that before. Thats crazy. Hope my tuxedo doesnt go rogue like that too.

They eat rock and calcification from my understanding? Or at least 1 of the two varieties sold as Pencil urchins does. Mine was really good about cleaning the rock down to white. He started on the "dead" edge of my Galaxea and I think he just kept going once he got to the fleshy part.

 

[tbrown]

Ill keep an eye on it thanks. Its in my acro growout system. Only lps is a rose coral that came in on the live rock.
Urchins keep my coralline under control.

Oh yeah, the Pencil Urchins are great about taking care of Coralline algae.

 

[tbrown]

I haven't had the best of luck with urchins in general. I had a Pincushion go rogue and eat the electric cord for my skimmer. Killed the urchin and the skimmer. Luckily nothing else was affected.

 

[PrattysReef]

I haven't had the best of luck with urchins in general. I had a Pincushion go rogue and eat the electric cord for my skimmer. Killed the urchin and the skimmer. Luckily nothing else was affected.

Wow you really dont have the best luck with urchins, i will be keeping an eye on this one. If it starts doing anything like that its heading straight back to the lfs

 

[tbrown]

Wow you really dont have the best luck with urchins, i will be keeping an eye on this one. If it starts doing anything like that its heading straight back to the lfs

I have good luck with fish - I've had several of the "aggressive" fish (Lawnmower Blenny, Starry Blenny, Halichoeres melanurus, Sixline, to name a few) that have pretty much all been perfect angels for me.

 

[PrattysReef]

Wow you really dont have the best luck with urchins, i will be keeping an eye on this one. If it starts doing anything like that its heading straight back to the lfs

I have good luck with fish - I've had several of the "aggressive" fish (Lawnmower Blenny, Starry Blenny, Halichoeres melanurus, Sixline, to name a few) that have pretty much all been perfect angels for me.

Id love all of those fish, couldnt fit them in my tank though. Guess ill be needing another big tank soon. Im actually looking at building a custom giant tank. Plywood back and sides with 6 foot panels for two front viewing panels. Just slowly acquiring the materials piece by piece.

 

[PrattysReef]

I came home today to my lights being off on my tank.


After some quick diagnostics I figured that there was an issue with the connections between the powerbrick and the light itself.

I tried a different powerbrick and had the same issue (intermittent power) of flickering power light.

I came to the conclusion that there was a loose terminal on the female side of the connection.


Call me crazy but I figured I could just replace the female jack. How hard could it be ?


3 hours later after 2 trips to my local electronics supply store, lots of cursing and minor burns from a soldering iron I finally installed a new female connector to the cable.


After a little prayer I plugged in the light. "It worked!" I was more than a little surprised. Ive never really tried something like this, but probably wont hesitate about trying something like this again in the future. So glad it worked.

 

[X-37B]

Nice save!

 

[PrattysReef]

Nice save!

Thanks, was worried i was going to screw things up even more than they already were, watched a few youtube videos and then went for it.

 

[X-37B]

I haven't had the best of luck with urchins in general. I had a Pincushion go rogue and eat the electric cord for my skimmer. Killed the urchin and the skimmer. Luckily nothing else was affected.

Yea if you have cords in your tank use the cable covers, like Tunze supplies with their pumps.
I have a cord or 2 that urchins have chewed on but not through because I caught it early and put the covers on.

 

[PrattysReef]

Only cord i have in the tank is my heater, the rest are in the aio chambers at the back. When i get my new heater in ill be taking the one out of the display. Its hard finding the space to cram everything in the back hahaha

 

[X-37B]

Only cord i have in the tank is my heater, the rest are in the aio chambers at the back. When i get my new heater in ill be taking the one out of the display. Its hard finding the space to cram everything in the back hahaha

Take a look at the Hygger heater I use one in my 15g aio. Its compact and comes with a controller.
15g

 

[PrattysReef]

Only cord i have in the tank is my heater, the rest are in the aio chambers at the back. When i get my new heater in ill be taking the one out of the display. Its hard finding the space to cram everything in the back hahaha

Take a look at the Hygger heater I use one in my 15g aio. Its compact and comes with a controller.
15g

Ive had hygger heaters in the past, i wouldnt mind one again ill have a look online and see whats available.

 

[X-37B]

Ive had hygger heaters in the past, i wouldnt mind one again ill have a look online and see whats available.

I use the 100 watt.