Arctic Reef's 12G AquaPod

[ArcticReef]

In anticipation of a transfer out of state, I recently downgraded my 90 gallon oceanic to a 12G AquaPod.

You can see my 90 gallon thread here:
Fish Tank Coral Reef Tank - Reef Buzz Member Tanks - VR's 90G Oceanic & 60G DIY Frag Tank

Anyways, I thought I would share some pictures of the new setup. Been up about a month now.

I first took live sand and water out of the 90 to circumvent the whole cycling phase.


Next I took frags of some of the corals that I wanted to keep in the AquaPod. Some of the nuisance corals that would overgrow the tank I left behind.




Fragging some of the corals I have collected for years was pretty sad
Fragged this guy:


I played musical live rock for awhile in the 90 to pick out the pieces of LR that I wanted for the new nano. Came together pretty good. It's quite packed though.







I've done two 50% water changes since I first set the tank up. The corals look much more happy in the little tank. Probably because the water is so much cleaner. A water change that would take 2 hours to change 30 gallons in the 90 takes only 15 minutes to change 50% out on the nano.

Some top down shots. I could never take close ups of my SPS in the 90. Much easier in the nano. My SPS never really opened up like it does now in the 12g. Again, probably because of the better water quality.

[InLimbo87]

Tank looks beautiful! Love that structure of caps

[GeeWizzItsMe]

I love all of your caps! What are you doing for fish?

[ArcticReef]

The monti area came out pretty good except for that greenish looking one just below the purple one. The turbo snails keep knocking it off the shelf its sitting on.

Right now I have only a sixline wrasse in there. Not sure what else I can put in there. Any ideas? Anyone know of any type of small fish that will eat some of that fern looking algae thats growing?

I plan on adding a nice fan worm, a pom pom crab, and some bumblebee snails.

[InLimbo87]

I'd be afraid to put anything in with a sixline in a tank that small. I had a sixline in my 30 and he was a terror. I couldn't put any new fish in after him or else he'd harass them to death.

[ArcticReef]

Yeah, I figured that when I put him in. Maybe I'll spear him and replace with friendlier fish. j/k (spear) He's in there till he kicks it.

I'm going to get my kicks from inverts and such for livestock I think.

[lcstorc]

Beautiful tank.
The colors are awesome!!

[ArcticReef]

Changed the stock pump(160gph) to a maxijt1200(295gph). Much better flow now and I think it should be enough for the tank. Also bought a yellow feather duster and a yellow goby for the tank.

A couple more pictures of some of the corals.

Blue Kiss Zoanthids


Carribean Blue zoos


Radioactive dragon eyes


Blue/Green Ric

[GeeWizzItsMe]

Ooh! I have that same mushroom that is in the radioactive dragon eyes pic! (I only have 2 corals, so I get excited). All of the corals in this tank are real jems, and good luck with the new fish!

[michael_cb_125]

I would be careful with the pompom Crab, His lil' Nems could sting your coral as he mops up food with them. Also I have heard that if not provided with enough food, Bumble bee snail can turn "non-reef-safe", eaing coral polyps and such. This species of snail is more of a scavenger than a true algea eater. And scavenger is another way to say oppourtunistic. Just a thought-Michael

[ArcticReef]

Thanks for the info Michael. It's going to be tough finding them up here anyways.

I have been a little more careful with this tank in a few aspects because it is less volume than i'm used to. I think with a smaller tank there are a few more things you need to be more concerned with. For instance, I think cleaning your hands well before putting them in the tank is very important. Also watching out for aerosal sprays in the same room as the tank. During water changes, its more critical that the change out water matches the tank water more closely than when I changed out water on the 90. Especially temperature. I do a 50% water change every week and I test salinity(ofcourse), temperature, PH, Gen Hardness, and calcium level of the new water before putting it in the tank.

The new additions, a feather duster and a yellow goby.

[michael_cb_125]

I like the little goby.

[ArcticReef]

Thanks, he's doing well. I'm not sure what he's eating though??

[lcstorc]

Love the yellow clown goby. I have one in each tank and they are loads of fun.
Sometimes it takes them a bit to get eating. Try mysis. Mine love that. I've seen the one in the reef steal mysis out of a tang's mouth repeatedly. Very entertaining since he is so small and the tang is so big. I don't think the tang knows what happenes.