Nart's Lagoon Build - Round 2!!!
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My first time fragging a large zoa colony yeah. Fragged up the large sunny d zoas I had up top.
Oh man Grant... slicing them and some melted away? I actually had to use a chisel and hammer to smash the piece of rock it was on... I hope I don't lose the whole thing lol.
I have some people coming over this weekend to buy my Acans that wee also interested in my zoas too. So I fragged up quite a few zoas, Magicians, cornbread fangbanger, and sunny d's.
Stella, the purple hammer has gotten quite big. But not time to frag that yet. Plus, the way I have it mounted would be a pain to mount it back.
Oh man Grant... slicing them and some melted away? I actually had to use a chisel and hammer to smash the piece of rock it was on... I hope I don't lose the whole thing lol.
I have some people coming over this weekend to buy my Acans that wee also interested in my zoas too. So I fragged up quite a few zoas, Magicians, cornbread fangbanger, and sunny d's.
Stella, the purple hammer has gotten quite big. But not time to frag that yet. Plus, the way I have it mounted would be a pain to mount it back.
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Zoas are nice man, small frags are like little eye candys to me, that frag rack will look epic with the variety on there when they open. People that come for my nems always ask about my torch, like every person has, I'm tempted to chop chop, but its one of my prize pieces lol, so Il hold off. My next goal is to buy something specific for my tank using only money that I get from selling frags. Thinking of scraping the sump Idea for a diy cheato reactor, the reason being is that I like how Ive done ok with running a closed basic system, I want to carry on with a closed system and show that it can be a good thing, that’s something else people are shocked by when I open the cabinet, liquor and Reef Roids, no sump. just keep a eye on the gang bangers I here they cause trouble hahaha.
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Hahah.... ya'll two are like the two early birds that I know of. Well, I don't think its early for Grant.
I get up for work everyday at 5:30am. I've gotten used to it. Sometimes though, my darn cat likes to meow my face off at 3:30am. so I'll be up and can't fall back to sleep. crazy cat lol.
Sounds like you'll be needing a frag rack soon Stella
If you are looking for frag rack of sorts, look on ebay, I think they are called like N-52 frag racks or some 'ish. They make all sizes, even ones to put in corners.
Thanks Grant! They look to be okay already this AM. I turned on my minI mag Reefbrite lights that I have mounted on my right AI Prime just to feed the scooter and the sunny d's that I had butchered already started opening. Whewww.... I was sweating a little.
That's a great goal Grant - to re-use the money.
No doubt, closed systems can be done. I've seen just a 120G closed system, HOB skimmer and sump was in the display. It looked decent actually.
I personally think, the three major pros in adding a sump is, increase in water volume for stability and less of a parameter swing. More room for live rock/bio-media, the more good bacteria, the better. Lastly, being able to hide all your equipment. But to each their own.
Do remember though, it'll be around the same cost for a DIY chaeto reactor or a sump. with the sump, you can just partition a space to grow chaeto. So you have more versatility with a sump. I like both set-ups. But honestly, with your set-up, in the long run, I think you'll be happier with a bottom sump.
I'm going to rename these zoas... LOL.
Oh Grant - also, something I thought of just now for you with a sump.... if you partition a space big enough, you can use it as a frag grow-out spot too. Make a DIY egg-crate (lighting diffuser) rack below to hold all your chopped up stuff like zoas. kind of like this.
Talking about adding more water volume and space to make a little extra side $$. Just my 2 cents.
I get up for work everyday at 5:30am. I've gotten used to it. Sometimes though, my darn cat likes to meow my face off at 3:30am. so I'll be up and can't fall back to sleep. crazy cat lol.
Sounds like you'll be needing a frag rack soon Stella
If you are looking for frag rack of sorts, look on ebay, I think they are called like N-52 frag racks or some 'ish. They make all sizes, even ones to put in corners.
Thanks Grant! They look to be okay already this AM. I turned on my minI mag Reefbrite lights that I have mounted on my right AI Prime just to feed the scooter and the sunny d's that I had butchered already started opening. Whewww.... I was sweating a little.
That's a great goal Grant - to re-use the money.
No doubt, closed systems can be done. I've seen just a 120G closed system, HOB skimmer and sump was in the display. It looked decent actually.
I personally think, the three major pros in adding a sump is, increase in water volume for stability and less of a parameter swing. More room for live rock/bio-media, the more good bacteria, the better. Lastly, being able to hide all your equipment. But to each their own.
Do remember though, it'll be around the same cost for a DIY chaeto reactor or a sump. with the sump, you can just partition a space to grow chaeto. So you have more versatility with a sump. I like both set-ups. But honestly, with your set-up, in the long run, I think you'll be happier with a bottom sump.
I'm going to rename these zoas... LOL.
Oh Grant - also, something I thought of just now for you with a sump.... if you partition a space big enough, you can use it as a frag grow-out spot too. Make a DIY egg-crate (lighting diffuser) rack below to hold all your chopped up stuff like zoas. kind of like this.
Talking about adding more water volume and space to make a little extra side $$. Just my 2 cents.
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my DIY chaeto reactor cost me all of $25 to make. Had a spare canister filter just had to get a strip of hydroponic LED's to wrap around it.
That sump you shared nart is epic, my kind of sump, it would either be planted display fuge or frag space, I priced the diy hang on reactor all in for around £70 that's all brand new. The sump is £130 minimum being second hand resourceful and ripping the tank down to drill, Nanologist mentioned about liking seeing the kit on display, I feel the same when its cool looking stuff. The adding water volume part is just an unbeatable draw about the sump though, glad the zoas are looking good though that's great. Post a pic when they are all out on display.
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Glad to hear that the zoas are doing well this morning.
All this talk of sumps and water volume.... makes me wonder if I could have my dream fish in a 20 long as long as I had another 20 long underneath it. Not something I even want to start researching yet, but I do still dream of a dragonette and a jawfish.
All this talk of sumps and water volume.... makes me wonder if I could have my dream fish in a 20 long as long as I had another 20 long underneath it. Not something I even want to start researching yet, but I do still dream of a dragonette and a jawfish.
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You could do anything stella, especially the dragonette, if the foot prints enough and the stock is compatible, you can improvise and do the rest, the beauty of the nano tanks is you can learn and gain experience so much even in say a 20 long. I'm loving the 32 cube, always thinking how it can improve and grow, and how to add more wow factor.
Jayd976 but you still have to factor the spare canister filter you had, because you still paid for it at some point. So, 25$ + $60'ish? so around $85.
Aqueon glass tanks, for a 20 long is $20, you don't even need to make glass baffles for sumps, you can just get a egg crate for $10, some plumbing parts, hydroponic light, and a return pump.
So for around the same cost to make a DIY chaeto reactor... you can not only add, more water volume to the tank, but extra space, hide equipment, and grow chaeto. I think investment wise, it's better to go with a sump. But, that's just my opinion.
grantm91 Grant - since I know you're a cowboy... why not just go with a simple sump set-up? Like a bareeeeeeeee basic sump.
get a tank that'll match the dimensions underneath your cabinet. Yeah, you'll have to learn how to drill or find someone that'll come over and help you out.
But check out this bare basic one. Literally a Aqueon, 20High I think. 3 glass baffles and an egg-crate. Remember when I had my 15G tank? I turned a 10G into a sump. I used thin acrylic from Home Depot for $10 to create baffles. I was all ready to drill and plumb... but then bought the IM25.
stella1979 speaking of dragonettes. The scooter is starting to fatten up! her body is getting a bit more plumpy and the lateral lines are starting to go away.
Some day Stella! Though you are pretty dedicated, that I think you can keep one thriving. It would take some work though. I would just recommend a scooter over a mandarin. Scooters are a bit easier on the pod population. Whereas, Mandarins seem to decimate pods.
Aqueon glass tanks, for a 20 long is $20, you don't even need to make glass baffles for sumps, you can just get a egg crate for $10, some plumbing parts, hydroponic light, and a return pump.
So for around the same cost to make a DIY chaeto reactor... you can not only add, more water volume to the tank, but extra space, hide equipment, and grow chaeto. I think investment wise, it's better to go with a sump. But, that's just my opinion.
grantm91 Grant - since I know you're a cowboy... why not just go with a simple sump set-up? Like a bareeeeeeeee basic sump.
get a tank that'll match the dimensions underneath your cabinet. Yeah, you'll have to learn how to drill or find someone that'll come over and help you out.
But check out this bare basic one. Literally a Aqueon, 20High I think. 3 glass baffles and an egg-crate. Remember when I had my 15G tank? I turned a 10G into a sump. I used thin acrylic from Home Depot for $10 to create baffles. I was all ready to drill and plumb... but then bought the IM25.
stella1979 speaking of dragonettes. The scooter is starting to fatten up! her body is getting a bit more plumpy and the lateral lines are starting to go away.
Some day Stella! Though you are pretty dedicated, that I think you can keep one thriving. It would take some work though. I would just recommend a scooter over a mandarin. Scooters are a bit easier on the pod population. Whereas, Mandarins seem to decimate pods.
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I'm a bit of a cowboy but my tastes would not allow for a egg crate divided diy sump When I was looking and pricing up I was going with tmc signature sumps, 10mm rimless glass, I found a few decent ones £30-£60 I like good looking stuff, I see the practicality but I'm a neat gadget lover. Id also be buying a decent return pump too and a fancy bulk head, those parts are where the cost goes up for me as I wouldn’t take second best as its pretty important. Nart your an example of making stuff like the dragonette possible in the small tanks and the fancy sps, I sometimes forget its a 25g AIO with all that you’ve got going on, I do love your workings man.
Hahaha.... I hear you on the basic looking sump. It does serve it's purpose though.
Hey - I also just thought of, you should try looking at the online app marketplace you use for sumps. I see them available all the time in my area for like 1/4 of the cost of MSRP. Better yet, even try posting it that you want to buy one... you'd be surprised what these reefer hoarders have in the corner of their garage lol.
I really appreciate it Grant. Like all of us, a lot of trial an error eventually gets us there haha.
It's pretty rewarding as a good reefer though yeah? Too much fun seeing corals and fishes thrive... and also another day of being algae free = YESSS!
Btw - till this day... I still don't believe in protein skimmers! I think it's great for reefers whose able to use it to it's fullest potential... but man can't beat the chaeto haha. Oh btw, I got InapproriateReefer to hook me up with some grape calurpa next weekend. I'm going to try out that macro algae as well.
Hey - I also just thought of, you should try looking at the online app marketplace you use for sumps. I see them available all the time in my area for like 1/4 of the cost of MSRP. Better yet, even try posting it that you want to buy one... you'd be surprised what these reefer hoarders have in the corner of their garage lol.
I really appreciate it Grant. Like all of us, a lot of trial an error eventually gets us there haha.
It's pretty rewarding as a good reefer though yeah? Too much fun seeing corals and fishes thrive... and also another day of being algae free = YESSS!
Btw - till this day... I still don't believe in protein skimmers! I think it's great for reefers whose able to use it to it's fullest potential... but man can't beat the chaeto haha. Oh btw, I got InapproriateReefer to hook me up with some grape calurpa next weekend. I'm going to try out that macro algae as well.
Addictive is the word, never thought id be into this a few years back now boom. As for algae free I’m not at the moment, I have some bryopsis which I'm looking to address with flucanazole soon, maybe next week, and my back wall is serving as a internal fuge until I get some cheato going. Check this out. 
not been touched in a good 3 month, I don't know how its not on the rocks . It may aswell be as the bryopsis is.
not been touched in a good 3 month, I don't know how its not on the rocks . It may aswell be as the bryopsis is.Yeah I was way off before that to be honest, the part I realized I messed up on was drawing the re-agent. That part is important, before the gap from the plunger to the fluid was off and I couldn’t make it touch both points that it should. I spent a while getting that down, you have to take your time and push the tip on to the syringe properly, I think I put it on too loose before. Thanks for that Nart, Also is it Red sea you say you would choose over salifert for the nitrate test ? There was one you said red sea is better for.
Your welcome Grant. Glad it helped.
Ehhhh....... I did say that at one point. But it's a bit involved with the Red Sea for me so I don't use it anymore. The Salifert Nitrate is a lot quicker and gives you a close enough ballpark. Red Sea isn't that much better in terms of test results. For my purpose, I just need to know, are my Nitrates close to zero? Below 5ppm? Or above 5ppm.
Ehhhh....... I did say that at one point. But it's a bit involved with the Red Sea for me so I don't use it anymore. The Salifert Nitrate is a lot quicker and gives you a close enough ballpark. Red Sea isn't that much better in terms of test results. For my purpose, I just need to know, are my Nitrates close to zero? Below 5ppm? Or above 5ppm.
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I'm no pro, but use both Salifert and Red Sea for nitrates. Yep, Red Sea is more involved, but if you're looking for accuracy, I'd use it. Salifert is easier and quicker and just fine for a ballpark. Lately I've wanted more precision on the reef tank, so Red Sea it is. Another good thing about the Salifert though... it's way more accurate than API, so I use Salifert for the freshwater tanks.
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Perhaps, but even still not that much it came with everything when I bought my 90 gallon used manyyy years ago. If you have some spare equipment laying around that can repurposed it’s cheap and easy to do. If not then yeah it could cost you around $100 or so. But even then what’s a good worthwhile sumo cost $250-$350? Aside from converting a cheap tank into a sump with glass baffles.
Il be going with the reactor as its in my head now and above all I know I can make it look cool for cheaper as for the nitrate test kit, the ball parks more than adequate and a ten fold improvement on API, buttt the red sea would be good to see more accurately the reactor performs. Il do some you tubing.
Jayd976 well, if we are talking about good worthwhile stuff. A really nice chaeto reactor is easily -$200-$300 too. But to each their own. I'd still take a sump over chaeto reacto any day
stella1979 you're sounding a lot more like me precision testing!
Hey. All the frags are looking happy today
The other zoa frags are on the bottom of the sand bed as they can't handle high light
stella1979 you're sounding a lot more like me precision testing!
Hey. All the frags are looking happy today
The other zoa frags are on the bottom of the sand bed as they can't handle high light
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That's nice to see, someone will see them and want them fast, they are nice zoas.
I'm not buying a cheato reactor, I'm getting a cheap hang on reactor and one of those reels of grow lights, and a decent pump, a low flow rate one, around 150gph I was thinking.
I'm not buying a cheato reactor, I'm getting a cheap hang on reactor and one of those reels of grow lights, and a decent pump, a low flow rate one, around 150gph I was thinking.
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Right?? I was surprised the sunny d's are open after a night of chiseling and hammering
Confirmed. The little scooter eats frozen mysis shrimp!!! just fed the tank and she's going to her usual spot right in the middle front of the tank and starts to circle around in search of food. I tossed her some mysis and she slurped it right up. Whewwwww! Sooooo relieved. At least now I know I can feed her 3-5 times a day of stuff to plump her back up
Confirmed. The little scooter eats frozen mysis shrimp!!! just fed the tank and she's going to her usual spot right in the middle front of the tank and starts to circle around in search of food. I tossed her some mysis and she slurped it right up. Whewwwww! Sooooo relieved. At least now I know I can feed her 3-5 times a day of stuff to plump her back up
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So that's what a zoa looks like all curled up! Does it harm corals to let them dry out while your fragging them? Like do you keep spraying them with water or something?
I bet its a great feeling to make something back out of a hobby haha. I posted a ad on here for selling off some extra Flame moss and Java moss that I have a ton of and I got like 4 people interested in the first 12 hours haha. So I'm making some money back on that. I'm hoping once I get some corals growing I'll be able to frag them and trade or sell
I bet its a great feeling to make something back out of a hobby haha. I posted a ad on here for selling off some extra Flame moss and Java moss that I have a ton of and I got like 4 people interested in the first 12 hours haha. So I'm making some money back on that. I'm hoping once I get some corals growing I'll be able to frag them and trade or sell
I do the fragging pretty quick on small colonies in like a few minutes. It doesn't harm the corals at all. Zoanthids are actually very tolerant to being dry. Zoas are often exposed to air during low tides.
For bigger zoa colonies (after suiting up in my safety gear, gloves, glasses, mask, open window, and fan blowing out) I'll have it in a bowl of tank water while I work. Take it out, frag, put the colony back in while I'm gluing the frag to a new plug, and the frag place it back in the tank.
Yeah. It's a nice feeling just to make a little back or trade for different things
For bigger zoa colonies (after suiting up in my safety gear, gloves, glasses, mask, open window, and fan blowing out) I'll have it in a bowl of tank water while I work. Take it out, frag, put the colony back in while I'm gluing the frag to a new plug, and the frag place it back in the tank.
Yeah. It's a nice feeling just to make a little back or trade for different things
Water change day and re-arranging some of my SPS corals up top. Probably going to some more frags today too.
What are y'all doing with your tanks today?
What are y'all doing with your tanks today?
I usually do my wc's sunday but I need to get into a routine since I threw it off by doing a wc like tuesday to clear the snail poop out. Did my Freshwater wcs yesterday. Oh, and goby wan decided to close his main burrow and move his main burrow to the back and side so I "mabye" filled in those burrows in the back and side and opened up the front. Good news though he's left those buried and came back out front and fixed it up again. Haha little stinker
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When the weekend comes... you know it's water change day for us fish peeps
I'll get a new FTS soon - I re-arranged some of my SPS pieces. I had ran out of epoxy... so I went over to Petco and bought Fluval's 2-part epoxy. I take it back, not all 2-part epoxy are made equal lol. The epoxy from Fluval was absolutely terrible. As soon as it was exposed to water, it became just like a coral piece and had this slime film over it. Making it nearly impossible to get super glue gel to adhere to it. I ended up wasting 2 hours frustratingly trying to mount my SPS corals to weird places that I wanted. In the end... I had to scavenge around my Saltwater supply boxes and found the pink colored 2 part epoxy from Two Little Fishies... first try, worked perfectly... arghhhhh I was so agitated.
On top of that... while I was trying to transfer one of my Magician zoa polyp onto another frag plug I accidentally dropped the polyp face down right into super glue I wanted to cry. I sat there for 15 minutes trying to pick off the super glue from the polyp. We'll see if it recovers.
ON TOP OF ALL THAT... I accidentally turned on the pump for my freshwater Saltwater batch too soon and dumped about 2 gallons of water all over the floor... oh man. Just was not the weekend for me to work on fish stuff.
Wait, it gets better... I was out walking my dog and almost got hit by a car because he was turning and was not paying attention. I had to fling my puppy out of the way and jumped out and yelled out BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP MAN! Rolled my ankle in the process, not bad, but enough to limp my way back home.
When I got home I fragged some zoas... and I thought to myself "wait.... after all this happening, I really shouldn't frag zoas right now... with my luck this weekend, I'll probably get paly toxin" Thank god I didn't.
Any who, long blab... but that was my weekend.
Did take the wife out to a nice dinner and we saw 12 Strong. Great movie.
Next up.... excited for this weekend! Reef club meet and looking forward to meeting Julian Springs and they have a 5 gallon Jellyfish tank from JellyfishArt up for raffles... $550 value... I think I'll toss some money at that to try and win it.
I'll get a new FTS soon - I re-arranged some of my SPS pieces. I had ran out of epoxy... so I went over to Petco and bought Fluval's 2-part epoxy. I take it back, not all 2-part epoxy are made equal lol. The epoxy from Fluval was absolutely terrible. As soon as it was exposed to water, it became just like a coral piece and had this slime film over it. Making it nearly impossible to get super glue gel to adhere to it. I ended up wasting 2 hours frustratingly trying to mount my SPS corals to weird places that I wanted. In the end... I had to scavenge around my Saltwater supply boxes and found the pink colored 2 part epoxy from Two Little Fishies... first try, worked perfectly... arghhhhh I was so agitated.
On top of that... while I was trying to transfer one of my Magician zoa polyp onto another frag plug I accidentally dropped the polyp face down right into super glue I wanted to cry. I sat there for 15 minutes trying to pick off the super glue from the polyp. We'll see if it recovers.
ON TOP OF ALL THAT... I accidentally turned on the pump for my freshwater Saltwater batch too soon and dumped about 2 gallons of water all over the floor... oh man. Just was not the weekend for me to work on fish stuff.
Wait, it gets better... I was out walking my dog and almost got hit by a car because he was turning and was not paying attention. I had to fling my puppy out of the way and jumped out and yelled out BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP MAN! Rolled my ankle in the process, not bad, but enough to limp my way back home.
When I got home I fragged some zoas... and I thought to myself "wait.... after all this happening, I really shouldn't frag zoas right now... with my luck this weekend, I'll probably get paly toxin" Thank god I didn't.
Any who, long blab... but that was my weekend.
Did take the wife out to a nice dinner and we saw 12 Strong. Great movie.
Next up.... excited for this weekend! Reef club meet and looking forward to meeting Julian Springs and they have a 5 gallon Jellyfish tank from JellyfishArt up for raffles... $550 value... I think I'll toss some money at that to try and win it.
Oh man. Sounds like it definitely wasn't the best fish weeked . sometimes I dread maintnencing my tanks, but then I start and I'm like, I love this! And then I finish and everything looks so much better and I like everything a lot more. I hope you win that jellyfish tank! That would be super cool. Note to self, never buy fluval 2 part epoxy.
You should do more youtube, you do so much reef related stuff you could be up there, talking about all this fun stuff, videos on your reef trips etc, I had a bad fish weekend two weeks ago on my last wc, but everything’s better off for it now, I moved a nem on for some cash and got the big purple one isolated and my seiatapora is back in its original spot, wc was slick today sucked all the rest of the sand from under the rock work, reactor is on the way too ordering the light tonight and just for a pump hmmm. .
grantm91 man - it is awkward filming myself and talking to the camera. I get too paranoid tbh... Also - it's less stressful not having to worry about making content. I've talked to a few youtubers and they say sometimes it's very stressful in getting good content and then spending hours on video edit.
With that said though... I do appreciate the support you and the rest of the peeps ya'll give me on my YT videos. It's fun to make them every now and then. I'll promise to make one before January ends though. Maybe a walk through of my equipment, unveil the IM10, and a feeding video of the dragonette eating pellets and frozen??
I can't wait to see your chaeto reactor up and running. You'll have to keep us updated on your algae too. To see if it helps it.
With that said though... I do appreciate the support you and the rest of the peeps ya'll give me on my YT videos. It's fun to make them every now and then. I'll promise to make one before January ends though. Maybe a walk through of my equipment, unveil the IM10, and a feeding video of the dragonette eating pellets and frozen??
I can't wait to see your chaeto reactor up and running. You'll have to keep us updated on your algae too. To see if it helps it.
Yeah that's a biggie Nart, never beat the fun out of your hobby or add stress, its all we have in our chill time, I just like to encourage people when I see good potential as you have that you-tuber style, Il look forward to the videos, also I'm sourcing some Flucanazole and going that route as well as the reactor, I did a WC today but I left my in-tank fuge aka the back glass as it is, so we can watch the algae melt rather than scrape it out, so that should be fun. Il take pics along the way, thinking to do a new thread now I know the route I’m taking with my little cube, looking to make the most of a closed system, like its all hang on, not even a AIO, I like being different, all the amazing tanks are usually sumped or at least a AIO.
Random Great Topic!
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