Bonsai B-Box (Sept. Cyano update! HELP)

[Mr Miagi]

Introduction:
I have been a part of this hobby for many years. A member of MASAOG since 2005, I have watched systems develop, continue to learn and advance my passions and opinions on what I wish to achieve in this hobby. I believe in valuing a fish’s age above its uniqueness, a corals history above its colour and fancy label and an aquarists passion and commitment over their bank balance. It is with these ideals, I plan to develop an aesthetic pico/nano-tank which provides more-than sufficient life support for species to live as long as possible, well beyond the life of this competition. I hope to start with common propagated coral, or those with a long appreciated history in aquaria, which I can continue to track.

System Type: Mixed-reef, containing easy to care for but aesthetically pleasing coral species.

PICO System:
PICO Tank: CADE Mini (30x30x30cm)
PICO Volume: 25L Volume Exemption granted by the PC+S
PICO Lighting: 2 x 24W CADE System (Planned additional DIY LEDs)
Start up date: TBA

Support systems:
System Water: Artificial Salt Water.
Display Water circulation: Internal Circulation (Vortech MP20).
Filtration: Natural filtration (LR & LS).
Evaporation Top Up: Manual top-up.
Water Changes: Fortnightly (50%)

Chemical Support:
Calcium and Alkalinity Addition: Water changes.
Other Chemical Maintenance: No additional chemical maintenance.

Current Water Chemistry:
Nitrates: TBA
Phosphates: TBA
Alkalinity: TBA
Calcium: TBA
Salinity / Specific Gravity: TBA
Magnesuim: TBA

Livestock:
Corals: A selection of simple, colourful coral that will live long term, and readily propagate.
Invertebrates and or CUC: DIBS Turbo snails most likely.
Fish: A pair of Coral gobies, Gobiodon okinawae. Looking forward to trying to get them to breed. Not sure if they will reproduce or even lay eggs without a large acropora colony, but I will be trying. The tank is larger than expected, so may even throw in a pair of Pterapogon kauderni (Bangaii Cardinal)

Feeding Regime:
Coral food: Daily feeds of dried food (Ocean Nutrition Formula 1 & 2, Spectrum Pellets, Ocean Nutrition Prime & Nano Reef and a selection of frozen foods (inc. brineshrimp, bloodworm, fish & lobster eggs, black & white mosquito larvae, squid) etc.
Method: Hand fed dried food, frozen foods thawed in Strainer

Budget
Equipment expenses
Cade Mini Tank ($350.00)
Japanese Bowl ($18.50)
Heater, MP20 and other miscellaneous equipment already owned.
Total: $368.50

Images:

[cody.sheridan-2008]

Sounds good mate! But serious? No pics? Of anything!?!

You could run into problems with 2 of those gobys, I baught 2 for my nano (a little bigger) thinking they would be fine, then they weren't (never mind always have a backup - another tank lol)

I like the fact you plan on keeping your tank longer term, I certainly will be trying to keep mine for years to come, even if that means hooking it into a bigger system although hopefully not.

[Mr Miagi]

Sounds good mate! But serious? No pics? Of anything!?!

Haha, I thought I might get in trouble for that! Im currently between houses, and I have just got permission to move back into my actually house, so im going to be setting it up as soon as I can!

You could run into problems with 2 of those gobys, I baught 2 for my nano (a little bigger) thinking they would be fine, then they weren't (never mind always have a backup - another tank lol)

Oh really? Okay, well I will have to keep an eye on the aggression. An excuse for another tank!

I like the fact you plan on keeping your tank longer term, I certainly will be trying to keep mine for years to come, even if that means hooking it into a bigger system although hopefully not.

Thats why I have gone slightly bigger than I would like for this competition. Aswell as buying everything twice, I really want to keep this far beyond the comp, so couldnt see much point! We'll have to trade frags!

[chromus]

PCS exemption granted for water volume.

[Thommo01]

Sounds like its going to be a great set-up. I must have been lucky with my two as they were breeding, a shame they were in a community tank really. They were breading in my largest colony though but nothing that wouldn't fit in a 30cm tank. Would just have to be the main focus of the tank.

Hope you get lucky and get two that get on like a house on fire as it was interesting watching them do their thing when there was eggs. Never saw any fry swimming though.

[MeLLeR]

Good to see you Back Benny and look forward to seeing what you come up with

[saltydog]

Fish: A pair of Coral gobies, Gobiodon okinawae. Looking forward to trying to get them to breed. Not sure if they will reproduce or even lay eggs without a large acropora colony, but I will be trying.

They seem to naturally prefer acro (dead or alive), but they will lay eggs on just about anything.

Will be following along

Chris

[damer]

Chris.

good luck Ben.

[Rod the Reefer]

Onya Benny, going to be huge..umm..small..really small.

Love the concept.

Can't wait for pics.

Rod.

[Mr Miagi]

Hope you get lucky and get two that get on like a house on fire as it was interesting watching them do their thing when there was eggs. Never saw any fry swimming though.

Well, Im sure you didn't intend any pun, but I have just moved back into my house after my house did actually catch fire! So lets hope if I do get another goby, they dont get too carried away! I have gone and bought some live rock today and aquascaped. Had salt water running lastnight, so filled the tank today!

Well folks...finally some photos! If not a little cheaky! Muahah. Proper ones to come when I clean the area around the tank!

[cody.sheridan-2008]

c'mon man! we are owed some better pics than that!!! Looking good though mate

[Mr Miagi]

Haha, okay okay! Looking forward to throwing some coral and fish in here! I am running a 50W heater and an MP20, both pre-owned. Not completely happy with the live rock yet...but I might wait it out and see if it grows on me!

[NewyReefer]

Something different it is very cool, this Pico comp is bringing out some awesome ideas and tanks

[coral1]

love the bowl idea looking good

[Rod the Reefer]

Very nice Benny.

Bit of a Japanese influence?

Rod.

[Mr Miagi]

Something different it is very cool, this Pico comp is bringing out some awesome ideas and tanks

love the bowl idea looking good

There are some very neat ideas around! Its great!

Thanks guys!

Very nice Benny.

Bit of a Japanese influence?

Rod.

Sure is Rod! Cant wait to start filling it up!

[Thommo01]

Well, Im sure you didn't intend any pun, but I have just moved back into my house after my house did actually catch fire!

No it wasn't an intended pun, just crazy coincidence.

Looks nice, really like the bonsai look in the bowel. Great idea.

[cody.sheridan-2008]

[Mr Miagi]

So the cycling has kicked off with a bang. Unable to monitor parameters at the moment due to a lack of test kits which arnt almost a decade old... Shall rectify that as soon as possible! I tried adding two Orange Lined Cardinals, but after eating the first night like hungry hungry hippos, one jumped and the other succumbed to what I believe was poor oxygenation after a heavy film developed on the surface. I am no cleaning my old skimmer to provide some relief until I find a nice proper nano simmer.

Alot of this algae now covers the glass sides and live rock, including the bowl!


Couldn't help myself, put in a beautiful Fungia . I have always admired these, absolutely beautiful! I tried it in the bowl, but by morning it had blown itself over and so I placed it on the sand bed! Im sure I can get a better picture!


I also stumbled arcross the not so often seen bright green stemmed Duncanopsammia axifuga. Its stunning!


Formaninifera are starting to pop up around the place too!

[cody.sheridan-2008]

Nice update mate, You need to come over and take some pics for me, my iphone 4 isn't great lol

[urbanrat84]

[censored]

[Mr Miagi]

Thats really interesting. Maybe its more about the size of the tank. Considering the fish can change sex, and if you introduced fish of a different size, you would expect a little agro, but not this severe. Might just have to keep it to one, and not tempt fate.

[Rod the Reefer]

Damn, shame about the cardinals mate.

I've got a skimmer you could have a go of, and did you want to bring some water around to test?

Fungia was a score!!

Rod.

[Mr Miagi]

Damn, shame about the cardinals mate.

I've got a skimmer you could have a go of, and did you want to bring some water around to test?

Fungia was a score!!

Rod.

Thanks for the offers Rod! I was devistated about the Cardinals. They were a great fish, and I feel responsible for what happened. Kicking myself. But sometimes its the basics you forget when you have time off! All the more reason to stay in the hobby!

I think I might make a Fungia bed, so we shall go shopping again shortly!

[Mr Miagi]

Today I have added some Turbo snails, they have already knocked off some serious hair algae. A Gobiodon okinawae was added, all the way from Rod the Roofers tank. This little lady is huge! So healthy though! A RemoraC skimmer was added with internal overflow to aid in surface skimming. This was from an old 3fter. Pics tomorrow.

[Mr Miagi]

Two large snails are not enough!!

[Mr Miagi]

A few Hydrozoa are starting to settle on the back glass. A good sign of cycling!

A limpet and some Copepoda are also out and about now!

[Mr Miagi]

Eveyrthing is quite ugly at the moment, im trying to be patient on the cleanup crew front. I have added several DIBS turbo snails, and they laid a huge egg mass aweek ago. It has since dispursed, so am hoping for a snail population explosion in the next fortnight to help me combat all this micro algae. The large snails seem to come out and browse at night, but get full and hybernate during the day.

[Bandit]

Snails binge eating lol... Looking good Ben

[MeLLeR]

Looking good Benno