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kitkat717
05/14/2016, 08:58 PM
Well guys, I'm back.

I had to tear down the old tank to move. I'm now living in Utah. Getting married in September, so all that stuff is good. But now that I'm situated up here in Utah, it's time to restart the tank! This time I am going to try for more of a bonsai look. We'll see how it goes.

This is what I've come up with so far. I made the structure using polymer clay and bits of dry rock/coral. It looks kind of stupid right now, so feel free to tell me I'm crazy about it, I've had a lot of second thoughts on how it looks.

350326

My idea is to have zoas grow up the base/trunk/arms. Then have some bigger corals on the plate/shelf pieces. Like a hammer on one, some xenia, duncan, some other cool softies maybe a few other lps. And then have a mat of green star polyps across the barebottom floor. And a clam and hopefully an elegance coral sitting on the bottom on the left side of the tank.

Thoughts? Am I nuts, is it too ugly?

I bought some corals, but they're still top ****ed to photograph.

kitkat717
05/14/2016, 09:45 PM
Maybe I should have started this in the builds thread? Maybe the admins can move it?


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Lilmatty5dimes
05/15/2016, 09:37 AM
That looks amazing great aquascape.

You'll probably get a lot more views and comments over there.

kitkat717
05/15/2016, 01:59 PM
350403
350404
350406

kitkat717
05/15/2016, 02:01 PM
That looks amazing great aquascape.

You'll probably get a lot more views and comments over there.


Thanks! I'm glad you like it. I'm still questioning it myself. We'll see how it goes


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BarryV
05/15/2016, 04:42 PM
Following along.
Barry

Marinus
05/17/2016, 12:16 PM
Excellent structure Katie, it's going to be beautiful with what you have listed on it!

Congratulations on getting married :)

kitkat717
05/17/2016, 12:56 PM
Thanks! We'll see how it turns out. Its exciting having a tank going again


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Marinus
05/17/2016, 02:39 PM
Well, I've been married twice, but I'm sure yours will turnout just fine... oh, you meant the tank ;)

ReefWreak
05/18/2016, 07:28 AM
Looks good and your plan sounds good. The only advice I can give you is to cure it in either a vat of saltwater, or even RO/DI for a long time, with a number of water changes, before using it in a build. Recently someone made a really neat structure with acrylic rods and a lot of epoxy, and had nothing but big plumes of algae for a long time, and largely attributed it to the construction materials leaching while the tank was cycling.

Just something to consider. In big tanks, you can get away with that since there is more displacement for leaching nutrients to go, but in a nano, it's a lot tougher to diffuse any leaching nutrients or harmful residues/chemicals.

I'd even run it in saltwater in the dark for a while, test the water for phosphate and ammonia, and if you get any phosphate, look into using lanthanum chloride and a filter sock to wick it away and out of the water (and rock).

kitkat717
05/18/2016, 04:30 PM
Agreed, I left it in a bucket with a powerhead for awhile. Its made of the same material as PVC. So it should be inert. But I still soaked it for a long time


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ReefWreak
05/19/2016, 10:15 AM
Yea, I would soak it and do a number of water changes on that. It's not enough to soak it, because it will continue to leach until it is in equilibrium with the outside conditions. Up to you though.

kitkat717
05/19/2016, 03:09 PM
Yea, I would soak it and do a number of water changes on that. It's not enough to soak it, because it will continue to leach until it is in equilibrium with the outside conditions. Up to you though.


Yes that's what I did for days, changing the water twice a day


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kitkat717
05/27/2016, 08:02 AM
Update!

Things are moving along pretty well. Zeovit bacteria work great for cycling a tank, i did it with my last tank too and never had a big cycle, same this time. Zeovit jump starts my biopellets i think.

So I've been gradually adding coral, mostly low demand species. But then i saw this spotcinctus pair of clowns on DD, i showed them to the fiance and to my surprise he liked them and said yes buy them. Thus far his interest in the tank was telling me to get a boring pair of plain normal clowns and that he liked anenomes, frogspawn, and every large fish we cant have in the tank (tangs, butterfly, triggers, etc). So if i had him on board with a paired up set of Spotcinctus clowns on DD??? Obviously i had to jump on that. And if you're ordering from DD you obviously have to get a few other things too right?

I've been in love with Whitespotted Filefish since i first read the Reef Builders article on them, so i had to get an ORA one of those too. Then i ordered some cespitulara, lemon tree coral, neon pineapple tree, and a red blasto.

So the tank is starting to look alive. Some of the coral still haven't adjusted since i just got the liveaquaria stuff two days ago, but ill share some preliminary photos for now.

Here's a fts before the newest additions
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e326/kdubs717/34g%20Box%20of%20Ocean/File_000_zpswqutkleu.jpeg

The DD shot of my new clowns!
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e326/kdubs717/34g%20Box%20of%20Ocean/0523161-510p%20669616_zpsrqs70jlz.jpg

My terrible shot of the new guys hiding in the corner together.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e326/kdubs717/34g%20Box%20of%20Ocean/File_002r_zpss2cwnif6.jpeg

The Whitespotted Pygmy Filefish hiding next to the mag float. He later moved over to the corner by the clowns and i was worried the female would bully him like she occassionaly dose to the male clown as this little file fish is a little smaller than the male clown, but I've actually seen no aggression towards the filefish at all, they seem to happily coexist as a threesome huddled in the corner when lights are out and the cautiously exploring together when lights are on.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e326/kdubs717/34g%20Box%20of%20Ocean/File_000r_zpsldk24pam.jpeg

kitkat717
05/27/2016, 08:12 AM
oh i forgot to mention this little guy, ive had him for a few weeks too.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e326/kdubs717/34g%20Box%20of%20Ocean/File_003_zps3pmoemhp.jpeg

Lilmatty5dimes
06/07/2016, 12:24 PM
Sweet looking clowns. Like that filefish. What's it's diet? I borrowed a matted filefish and all it are was the aiptasia in the tank.

kitkat717
06/07/2016, 01:50 PM
Thanks!

Mine probably isn't an aiptasia eater. I feed mine reef frenzy/mysis so far. He slurps them up like candy. Not much interest in pellets yet, but I'll try again at some point.


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seymour47
06/10/2016, 02:20 PM
I really like your aquascape idea. It's totally wacky, but it's nice to see something totally different from the usual.

Also, I love filefish. I wish my tank were large enough for one.

kitkat717
06/22/2016, 04:34 PM
How big is your tank? This little guy is tiny and only supposed to max out at 3". He is now eating from my hand everyday. I absolutely love him.


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