Hi, I'm new here

[dendro982RC]

Hi, I'm new here:

You know me - I'm dendro982 at ReefCentral and Photobucket, Reefyone at TheReefTank, and non-photosynt at Nano-Reef, OddFish at reefs.org, dendro982RC at Danny's forum (nl).

Mostly nano-tanks, low tech, common sense. Working not too long, chili - since February 2006, diodogorgia and Christmas tree worms - since Aug 2006. Main interest - scleronephthya.
Have a lot of how-to questions, hoping to get some answers.

Pardon my non-English English ;)
I'm not abrupt or insolent - these are my language flaws :rolleyes:

[muzzy]

hi, welcome to UR.
got any pics of your tank(s)

[KeithM]

Hi Dendro! Welcome to UR :)

I've enjoyed reading you posts on all the other forums and look forward to input on Azoox corals here on UR. There don't seem to be many active Azoox coral forums on any English boards so I hope this one grow to become a very valuable resource!

Please do post up some details of your setups and experiences with Azoox corals!

[dendro982RC]

OK, pictures now, and detailed description and questions - a little later.

1. With not much choice in LFS, I'm stuck with species, that require different conditions, and had to set more, then one tank.

2. Planned usual reef setups didn't worked well, so the tanks are more functional, then presentable looking. Always improving, changing shape of the tanks.

When I'll find the acceptable configuration - I'll make it more permanent and hide equipment from the view. So far vinyl tubing as a fast and reusable method of connection for the tank and sump, and powerheads are hanged at odd angles, where it seems suitable.

3. No automation so far - always have more pressing needs. May be sometimes in future.

4. Tap water (could possibly afford only one nano-tank on DI water, and I'm not the only one azoa corals keeper, doing that). Used different salt mixes: started with Instant Ocean, ended with Red Sea. Prefer Tropic Marin Pro Reef.

5. SG 1.026, temperature mostly 78F (25.5 C), last time in nanos - 76F (24C). Summer - up to 82-83F (27C). pH 7.8-8.2. Sumps, skimmers, micron socks, changed daily, carbon and phosphate removing media (mostly Seachem PhosGuard).

6. Trying to keep the same kind of azoa corals in different tanks, changing and comparing conditions.

Photos are outdated, will make new soon.

90g (342 l) tank:
For slow moving deep water fish (mombasa lionfish), other space is used for corals, when run out of space in nano-tanks. 110W PC, 20x water turnover. Sun - since end of April 2006, was not always here, spawns.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/LPS/Jun22_07daytime.jpg http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/LPS/Aug02_07sm4.jpg http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/LPS/Aug02_07sm3.jpg http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/LPS/Aug02_07sm.jpg


20g long (76 l):
6 Christmas tree rocks, oldest since Aug 2006. 70W PC (last time MH, will change back) plus direct sunlight, souther window. 25x water turnover, quite windy. Bryopsis outbreak for a long time, raised Mg for a months.
As I said, everything is temporary, until the proper combination will be found.

Will continue.

[Shultz]

Welcome m8, nice setups & look forward to updated pics

Cheers, Shelton.

[dendro982RC]

5-6g (22 l) main non-photosynthetic tank:
Nor satisfactory shape of the tank, will return to Nano Cube 6 soon. No light, ambient only. This allows chili corals be open for a very long time. Have suspicion, that they do not like company of diodogorgia. Oldest chili - since Feb 2006, diodogorgia - Aug 2006 or so.
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Nano-Cube%206g/5g%20NFS%20complex/Sep25_07a.jpg
Power filter is without media, for a flow only, no LR in main tank, as you can see - biomedia was moved after mechanical filtration. Canister filter - with Seachem Matrix biomedia at 80 gph (304 lph) flow, and a pile in low flow area of the sump - for denitrification. Finest (original Coralife micron filter pad, no numbers) micron sock, changed daily, chemical media - below it.
But this filtration works well enough, even skimmerless. The planned skimmer (Tunze DOC nano smallest), that should be here, is tied in 20gL Christmas tree worms tank upstairs - it is more or less quiet.
All nano-tanks have heaters in tank and a sump - when filtration is off for a feeding, temperature drops rapidly, better to be safe.

Nano Cube 12:
12 g, 45 l. No photo, moving it this weekend. Will work as Nano Cube 6 worked before it, only more space for corals.

Here is the NC6 (was before 5g complex):
No light, the sump better to be dark too. No skimmer - all the same. Flow: Mini-Jet 606 (150 gph, 570 lph) in the back chamber was always running, Micro-Jet 450 (117 gph, 440 lph), the green one, is running during feeding only, off- when return pump is on (AC20, 126 gph or 478 lph). Adding more food without turning filtration and skimming off is an easier and more viable option.
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Diodogorgia%20gorgonian/Jun28_07.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Diodogorgia%20gorgonian/Jun05_06.jpg

[aquadorge]

Some stunning shots there....

[muzzy]

fantastic shots there

[dendro982RC]

Predesessor of the 20g long, Christmas tree worms tank, 10g (or 38 l), but found new kinds of them, and run out of space:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/10g%20reeftank/Aug19_07c.jpg
Swiftia kofoidi:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Diodogorgia%20gorgonian/Other%20gorgonians/Aug19_07sizeSw.jpg
Likely Guaiagorgia:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Diodogorgia%20gorgonian/Other%20gorgonians/Aug13_07size.jpg
All are new, since this summer only.

Other past configurations:

The best for the Christmas tree rock, 5g (or 19 l) hex, plain 10g power filter and heater. Life on water changes. Best flow - across surface, down, reflected - washes coral form all sides.
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/10g%20reeftank/hexAug26a.jpg

3 l (3/4g) pico for a sun coral
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/LPS/may25all-1.jpg
No biomedia at all, 100% water changes after feeding, twice weekly. Water - from the NC6 near it. Worked like a clock, but after the months of water changes, it become tiresome.
For a months NC6 was like this - no skimmer, no sump, night filtration only (filter floss). Everything OK, but LR was loaded with nitrates and phosphates, greenery even on the walls. Lived on 60-80% water changes weekly :(
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/LPS/Candy2inNC6Oct3_06.jpg

All started like this:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/10g%20reeftank/May6_06.jpg
NC6 again. Should I say, that without the sump or AquaFuge behind, it was totally unviable?
Sun was moved to a pico, chilis went to sleep, bryozoans were smothered by algae.

And another configuration, that didn't worked, but should:
NC12 with 10g (38 l) sump:
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/dendro982/Nano-Cube%206g/NC12/Aug27_07.jpg

This time water movement was bottom to the top. In all other cases (NC6)- sideway.

Changed light on MH, had major bryopsis outbreak, then flatworms - not good at all.

What is interesting, that swiftia is resistant to bryopsis, diodogorgia - too, but blue polyped Guaiagorgia and blueberry gorgonian were covered by it. Few of Guaiagorgia frags survived, blueberry died.

I don't like the chaotic impression, that my tanks left, but order of changes and the reasons are findable.

Right now AquaFuges are already in the mail, to replace sumps for NanoCube and Christmas tree rocks tank, more flat and less obtrusive version.
No sumps under the tanks - this is a sleeping area, and the only quiet pumps are Mini-Jets, not Eheim.

[dendro982RC]

I see, you are reading, as I'm typing :)

About closeups: I would like see, how your corals are eating, growing, and so on - any details and preferences.

If I could do that - you can do too, or better. I have the basic camera - Pentax Optio 30. If the coral is close to the glass - anyone can make such shots, even without tripod, just holding breath and gently pressing the button.

Let work together, and see, what and how worked for you.

I would like most certainly improve my maintenance practices.

What about a threads by species, with links to setups?

[Stottlemire]

Hey Dendro,

The tanks still look good, congtarts. I have broke the one year mark, with my nps tank. How are your scleros doing for you?

Chuck

[ChrisBFish]

Very interesting thread. Amazing jmacro pictures of the corals!

[dendro982RC]

Pink sclero contracted and melted - not sufficient flow and not appropriate food, used Kent bottled food then, and in recommended on the label quantities.

It left two babies, were alive without growing for a long time with slightly better feeding - one was lost, when the tank flooded, and sclero was exposed to an air for hours, other corals survived. Another - closed and melted after Melafix/Pimafix (bay leaf and tea tree oils) treatment from swiftia RTN. Orange kind did quite well in the same tank.

Now experimenting with the only available - orange and paler yellow orange kind. Keeping in different tank, in different conditions. Thanks to Jens and Danny, I increased flow and feeding, and now have the smaller food.

I may be mistaken, but seems, that one grows - in the highest flow and with biggest amount of food, 90g (342 l) tank.
Next will be some automation of the feedings. Any tips?

Photos:
Thanks for the kind words!
Can we somehow get photos of everybody's corals biology for all of us to see? Many have cameras - it's could be very easily done. I can post EXIF, resizing, posting on free host.

The point is, that no need to acquire algae-prone coral, like Guaiagorgia and Leptogorgia/Elisella, if there is bright and resistant Swiftia.
Another thing, that could be done with photos - what interesting did you noticed in their biology. For example, one rock with orange-yellow scleronephthya has something like rootlets. They appear or disappear again. Is it trial to send another runner and grow a new polyps? Anything like that.