My Nano Reef Set-up/diary (upgraded 45g) Step-by-step

[chrissaysyes]

God I wish I could find that article I was reading again, it told you how to distinguish between the clicks of a pistol and the clicks of a mantis. I believe it said that Mantis clicks were only a few sharp ticks at a time, whereas pistol clicks were random and dull. Make sense?

Congrats on Triumph though and the corals look good (from what I can make out), those ricordeas will grow FAST, and look awesome!

 

[1entra]

Thanks for the comments guys.

As far as the clicking is concerned, it sounds like a glass thermometer tapping against the glass wall, thats the best way I can describe it coz often I look to make sure it aint my thermometer making the sound! Sometimes I get several simultaneous clicks whereas other times is just random clicks that aint too loud! It would be good if you could find me that article about telling the difference between the mantis and pistol shrimps' clicks chris. I'd appreciate that mate!

With regards to the "mantis" I really am surprised the damsel aint disapeared. But I am sure I have lost a few hermits and some snails. Its just due to having a lot of rockwork I can never be sure where they all are etc so can never be postive if any have died or been eaten or not! Really hope not and they just take turns hiding from me!

 

[fishstick]

I can't remember now what you have in the way of snails. Sometimes I hear clicks from my tank and find it is a long pointed snail up near the surface and banging against the side in the water current.

 

[1entra]

Well I really hope it is a snail tapping against the glass causing it to make a clicking sound but I'm not too sure.

Anyways on a brighter note I thought its about time I upgraded my lighting from T5's to MH and so treated myself a 15w 10000k lights which also comes with 2 x 39w blue actinics and 2 x LED moonlights! Need to go out and get myself some hanging brackets now so I can get it up. The only thing I'm concerned about is that the light unit is just over 3ft long whereas my tank is 32". Hopefully the overhang wont look too bad!

Also I've asked The Mrs. to get a Deltec MCE300 Protein Skimmer for Christmas so hopefully should have a skimmer soon as well

 

[1entra]

Tank Update​

Triumph is still alive and doing really well so looks like I'm gona have a happy Xmas without having to worry about a fish eating mantis in my tank!

I went shopping yesterday and end up buying myself a Blood Shrimp along with a "pom pom" Crab and a Yellow Sun Coral. I also got a couple of baby lettuce slugs thrown in free Upon placing into the tank both the pom pom crab and the fire shrimp scarppered into the rockwork.

Today I seen the crab hanging to the underside of a ledge, it really can camouflage itself with the rockwork! I have seen the occasional white of the antennae of the fire shrimp but other than that it's staying completely hidden!

Here are a few pictures of other corals etc in my tank:

Toadstool Frag:

Some Zoanthids:

Kenya Tree Frag:

Feather Dusters:

Serpant Star:

And last but not least... Drum Roll please... Triumph (finally got him):

 

[chrissaysyes]

Good ole yellow tail your luck is finally looking up! Merry Christmas!

 

[piranha_trader]

Seems like you solved your probelm. I was kind of thinking you might have a small octopus in there somehow. Its the only thing I can think of thats sly enough to get away with the murder thats been pulled off in your tank lately.

GL

 

[chrissaysyes]

Maybe next year you can get a new camera for christmas

 

[1entra]

Its been almost 2weeks since adding Triumph to the tank and he really is doing great and is very lively. I think I might go out to the LFS tommorow and get myself another fish as the tank looks quite empty at present. I'm thinking along the lines of a firefish so gona see if they got any in stock.

Let me know what you guys think...?

Anyway hope everyone had a good Xmas. Thanks for all the comments

 

[timpetty]

Glad to hear it. Cant wait to see that tank finally stocked and full of life

 

[chrissaysyes]

The damsel may bully the firefish, perhaps not though. Tank is looking really nice man, thinking of adding a background to it or anything? Seems like it would really tie it all together. How are you loving those sun corals? Are they a PITA yet?

 

[1entra]

It may not show it on the pics but I have painted the back of the tank black so the rest of it stands out. I defo need to get maself a better camera as the current one aint doing my tank any justice!

Yea the sun corals are fast becoming a PITA although they are the brighest corals in my tank and really stand out (when they are open!). I fed them yesterday around this time and now they are just starting to open up as they are expecting to be fed yet again. But I plan on feeding they every other day so they'll just have to wait till tommorow now!

I went to several shops today but couldn't find a purple firefish so didn't end up getting one. May go back to a differnt shop tommorow as I they had a couple in stock last time I was there a week or so ago.

I'm hoping the damsel wont bully the firefish which is one of the reasons I am getting the firefish now as it is the most placid fish on my stock list and I do not want it to get picked on!

The damsel has recently got a lot more couragious and aint so shy any more. So much so that it didnt even dash into his cave yesterday when I put my hand into the tank to feed the sun coral.

The fireshrimp however I have not seen fully at all since adding to the tank, but I do check eveyday to make sure I can see ant antennae or 2 everyday to make sure I know it's still alive and hasn't been eaten or died!

 

[chrissaysyes]

ahh, couldnt really tell the background from the pics.

 

[1entra]

I went to the LFS today and bought myself a Purple Firefish. I took about a hour and half to acclimatise it slowly and then added it to my tank a little while ago. It immediately swum into the rockwork and disapeared behind some LR. I'm abit nervous about adding this fosh to my tank and really hope it is ok.

I also got the LFS to test my water params for me whilst I was there:

• Temp: 25 Degrees C
• S.G: 1.024
• pH: 7.8
• Nitrate: 3ppm
• KH: 9.9 dkh

Looks like everything is running fine although my pH is abit low. I believe this is due to the reef salt I am currently using (seachems) and I'm planning on moving over to Reef Crystals as several decent fish shops I have been to use that in all their tanks and everything looks fine and healthy and it keeps the pH higher!

 

[timpetty]

Well, good luck again. Im sure you will be fine now after all this time....