20 Long Mixed Reef

[Musing.Dog]

Today ammonia is looking like 0-0.25ppm; I added more flake food, we'll see where it goes. Nitrite 0ppm, I have not been able to catch the nitrite. Nitrate is ~10-15ppm. Looking good. The ph tests consistently at 8.2
Not a whole lot of changes recently.

Found an interesting little bivalve of some sort. It is alive but not stuck to the rock?



The coralline seems deeper and darker colored than before. No coralline spread yet.



I have little to no diatom growth. This picture pretty much sums up all of it.



Tiny hard, white deposits on the glass are becoming numerous. I also have some stagnant water sitting in my quarantine with a bunch of unplanted prolifera. The pods in this tank are multiplying nicely.

[Musing.Dog]

I really enjoy the royal gramma but a pair sounds dicey in a 20. Everywhere I read says, "I wouldn't do it."
I'm starting to think chalk basses would be more appropriate.

[Flame_Angel]

Definitely wouldn't do a pair of grammas in a 20L unless you like cleaning up fish parts.

[Musing.Dog]

I think I have settled on masked gobies. These appear to be much more suited to the tank size. I'd like to avoid cleaning up fish parts. : )

[Musing.Dog]

An update after adding the cleanup crew and a few macros.

[Musing.Dog]

It's about time for some updates.

Ammonia: undetectable, Nitrite: undetectable, Nitrate: <5
Salinity: 1.025 - 1.028, Temperature: 78F, PH: 8.2, Calcium: ~320ppm





The salinity swings are not ideal. An auto top off system is a must in the near future, before anything else goes in the tank. The largest changes have been two Koralia Evolution pumps, the 550 models, and a heater. Previously the tank was running at 70F. After the flow and temperature upgrades, the ceriths have become particularly lethargic acting.

The fire fern macroalgae looks like it's on its way out. I suppose conditions weren't stable enough.



The caulerpa and halophilia seem to be doing well. The halophilia is starting to grow new leaves. The caulerpa is probably immortal.



After the powerheads I was wondering where my pods went. A close examination of the GHA solved this mystery.



A few different kind of microalgaes are establishing themselves on the new rock. I am also starting to see tiny specks of pink; hopefully this is coralline.

[Musing.Dog]

I went on a three day out of state vacation over the weekend. Since the tank has been experiencing normal but considerable evaporation, I cut the lights off and one of the pumps before I left. I came back to 1.028 sg water, the snails at the waterline and virtually no green microalgae. Either the snails got really hungry (I left them a strip of nori) or the algae didn't like the lack of light. Everything looks good or better than I left it.

I added a rock that I had initially taken out while introducing the powerheads. Ended up smashing it up a bit and building on the left side mostly. This increased the contrast between the mounds and added to the total rock amount. I am back up to a little over 1lb a gallon.
Can't find anywhere good to put that heater. The tank is viewed from the right end and the front and there really isn't enough space behind the main rock formation. Oh well, not a big deal.

The picture doesn't show it but the oldest dry rocks are starting to get noticeable coralline. Not much but more than specks.



The halophila continues to send up tiny new leaves in random places. Oh, my collonista buddy is still alive, just cryptic.



And I found a tiny unwanted visitor.

[Musing.Dog]

The halophila withered away to pretty much nothing while I have been busy with schoolwork. Even the caulerpa doesn't look that great. Everything fuzzy and green is gone. Aiptasia continue to spread.
I'm seriously thinking about moving the contents to a 65 tall that I own. The benefits to this would be increased water volume, more space, and the tank is drilled so I could have a sump. Only issue is that the tank is 24 in deep.

[Musing.Dog]

I have decided to move everything to the 65 gallon. I will also be building a rock wall with the rock/foam/eggcrate method. I plan to use the existing 20 as the sump.

I purchased a pair of royal grammas yesterday that were residing peacefully in one compartment at an LFS. So far I haven't seen anything remotely aggressive looking, just slightly inquisitive. Both are alive and well but one is much more adventurous than the other. They are in quarantine together. There was a hitchhiking ghost shrimp in the quarantine but I don't seem him anymore. Definitely small enough to be gramma food.

Other than the grammas, the only additions I have made are bristle worms, micro brittles, and asterinas. I'm having more GHA; it just seems to come in spaced out waves. The tank is only 4 months old though.

[thejerzboi]

Are you going to be looking to add corals to this set up or is it going to more like a lagoon set up? I have recently begun my own adventure using a 20 Long so I am enjoying your thread thus far!

[StephLionfish]

I love the look... I think you should go macro algae dominated. I've been thinking about setting up an all invert tank with macro... and almost went through with the idea, but threw a spearer mantis in the tank with the macro instead. Macro does grow a heck of a lot faster than coral.

[Musing.Dog]

@thejerzboi
Yes, I plan to add corals, mostly zoanthids, ricordea and mushrooms. I'd really like to add some of the photosynthetic species of gorgonian done the line too. I think having a little of everything would be nice. I will include macro but I don't think it will be a lagoon of any sort. Thanks, 20 longs are a nice size.

@StephLionfish
I am looking forward to including an assortment of macro in the display. Zoanthids are pretty fast growing too. I don't know for sure what sort of split it will be; I suppose I'll just have to see what I like best.

I have started painting the stand to the 65. The grammas are sometimes in the same tube/bowl without incident so far. I'm a student though so I am strapped for cash and time, this build might not go terribly quickly.

[ange062]

Originally Posted by StephLionfish

I love the look... I think you should go macro algae dominated. I've been thinking about setting up an all invert tank with macro... and almost went through with the idea, but threw a spearer mantis in the tank with the macro instead. Macro does grow a heck of a lot faster than coral.

+1, I think a macro dominated nano would be sweet!! I have seen one or two over in the planted/macro forum.

[helitaiwan963]

roughly how many lbs of rock did you use? setting up a 20L soon and i like your rockwork. hoping to do something similar

[burnah]

like your setup, want to see its progress -> subscribed!

[thejerzboi]

Oh ok i got you, some awesome coral pics, cant wait to see them once you have them in your tank!

[Musing.Dog]

Originally Posted by helitaiwan963

roughly how many lbs of rock did you use? setting up a 20L soon and i like your rockwork. hoping to do something similar

I bought 30 and used about 25lbs. Thanks, I have moved the rocks a couple times but I like them how they are right now.

@burnah
Thanks, everything's about to change when I can do it. The idea is a mixed reef of soft, caribbean corals and native macro. My stocking plans include a pair of royal gramma, and chalk bass. Other fish I am considering include masked gobies, and neon blue gobies. I'd like the tank to feel dense, jungle-like, and natural. This is part of the reason why I would like to do the rock wall. Rock walls give a lot of depth and I feel like this would compliment the dimensions of the 65 tall that I plan to use. I'm glad you like the beginnings though.

[Musing.Dog]

I have caught the royal grammas hanging out in the same tube in QT. Most the time they are just out of view of each other. They are eating more today; they really like tetramin tropical crisps. They both spat out frozen formula one. I think I will see if they like frozen mysis. I am sort of surprised at how sure they were about spitting the formula one out. Didn't even look at it again... but they hunt tetramin crisp crumbles with gusto. Maybe it's a texture thing.

[Musing.Dog]

I pulled the caulerpa a bit ago because it looked melty. The tank doesn't have a steady supply of nitrates because I forget to feed the snails.


My rock is getting some color.


Here a couple pictures illustrating the royal gramma interactions. They aren't very clear because I have to photograph them from my desk with zoom, and in secret or they hide.



This is a blurrier, harder to interpret picture but what's happening here is them hanging out under a bowl together. Still haven't seen any gaping or anything. They eat at the same time too albeit not right next to each other.

[Musing.Dog]

I made a mistake in quarantine with the grammas that ended up killing them. Not a first go at having fish but next time I think I can do it right.

Bought a peppermint shrimp a couple days ago, he's happily picking away at rocks. Haven't seen him out much, but I can see him under a couple main rocks most of the time.



I have also collected all the materials to begin building my rock wall for the 65 tall.

[londonloco]

updates?

[Musing.Dog]

Thanks for the interest. Sadly, not a whole lot has changed. Diatoms in the sand have faded but other brown film lifeforms are doing fine on the glass.



My peppermint shrimp is doing well and is quite bold.

[StephLionfish]

Hm, I didn't catch it when your thread updated.

Sorry about your fish. Mistakes happen.

I have two Peps in my reef that own the tank. It's funny how little shrimp can be so outright.
Scape is looking awesome. The algae will die off as the tank matures, and whenever you add some more macro.

EDIT- nvm on the macro. Strange it died off. Esp the prolifera.

[Musing.Dog]

I know what to expect at least next time I go to QT fish.
I like the shrimp, he has a lot of personality.
I do like the layout as well. The prolifera did come back but only maybe four leaves and it isn't thriving. The nitrates get up to 20ppm when I don't do a water change for two weeks, you'd think it would do fine. The bulbs are really old? I had an issue where random leaves would develop fluid filled blisters and then rot out. I am not inclined to believe that it is a nutrient issue.
The algae doesn't bother me much. The micro brittles like to pick food particles out of it.

[StephLionfish]

I have my prolifera under crappy stock lighting in my 20g, so wouldn't think it would be the lighting.
I have prolifera in my 55g that is doing the same thing. I'm not sure why, but all of my mexicana went sexual all at once. I haven't figured out what changed.