A Year Ago I Set Up a Nano Reef Tank and This Happened

[@DannysAquariums]

*Want a nano reef like this? 🪸 I recommend getting the 12 gallon kit from Reef Casa:* geni.us/NanoReefTanks (As an affiliate of Reef Casa, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.)

[@owenreaney6864]

Do you have a patrion

[@owenreaney6864]

Not sure how to spell it sorry

[@DannysAquariums]

@@owenreaney6864 I do have a Patreon yes, however, I’m not active on there. The best way to support the channel is by becoming a channel member: kzbin.info/door/XemjF1MZJhjshBeFdlU4ugjoin

[@kyawthuta9058]

Is epoxy really suitable for aquarium use?

[@FdragonK]

what do you feed your coral?

[@lorenwbrown]

I love that you show how much work the tank is to maintain. It might discourage people from setting up a system they don't have time to keep healthy.

[@Teeb2023]

Me, at the start of the video : _"Wow, that's beautiful, must get one."_ Me, at the end of the video : _"Wow, I have neither the time nor dedication."_

[@עבודתהאלייעשה]

Honestly I thought abt getting one but to test my commitment I got two guinea pigs as a start to something bigger let’s just say I get inconsistent sometimes due to my busy life but I still manage to take care of them it almost scares me because they are super easy to care for so imagine getting this whew I don’t think I could

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

@@Teeb2023 Forget that. It's the money.

[@jasonfeek6284]

@@Teeb2023 right there with ya mate

[@jayyrod1]

Nothing good comes easy, so they say.

[@TheDestillers]

This was always going to end with murder, the music gave it away all along.

[@DannysAquariums]

Hermit crabs, snails, fish... not everyone made it to the end alive... haha ;)

[@JaydenLawson]

Damnit - where's the spoiler alert man?! haha (serves me right for reading the comments!!)

[@pewpin1039]

They failed their mission. It was inevitable that their replacement would take their lives.

[@eligebrown8998]

🤣🤣

[@majstealth]

this music gave me a flashback ptsd to nge1.0 mixed with elfenlied...

[@HeavensMemory]

Hard to believe, that coral are animals. On closer inspection they look so weird and alien, but also cute how they wave their tiny arms around.

[@aleksanderlenartowicz5659]

Tiny mouths ;)

[@aleksanderlenartowicz5659]

@@hneemann they are pure animals. Closely related to jellyfish. They have nothing to do with plants. Sedentary lifestyle has no impact on this. Corals can be best understood like huge colonies of very small jellyfish. The reef is not the organism its a City. Photosynthesis is made by their symbionts, which doesnt make them plant-like either. There are other, motile, animals that do that to.

[@phantomkrel2374]

@@hneemann most corals and anemones that live in tropical reefs usually have symbolic algae in their cells, this does not make them plants. Algae produces sugar and they use that as food. 100% animal.

[@asmolbean9300]

*hey look at me* *HEY OVER HERE*

[@a1be31s8x9]

@@hneemann There's no such thing as a plantanimal. They're animals.

[@meatybtz]

Honestly this, and all salt water tanks really, are a great example of how hard it is to create a balanced micro-ecosystem. Humans like X, Y, Z but nature tends to punish such limited biomes and getting it balanced and keeping it there takes a lot of input and energy. Large aquariums spend most of their money just keeping the salt-water tanks clean and functional.

[@petecabrina]

Find your comment a little ironic since limited and poor biomes punish humans as well, kind of freaky thinking that similar processes are taking place inside of us daily.

[@Odo-so8pj]

God is great.

[@derp195]

@@Odo-so8pj Not sure how you got that from "micro-ecosystems are extremely fragile".

[@Odo-so8pj]

@@derp195 He runs all ecosystems easily. We just copy.

[@BiggyBoyB]

@@Odo-so8pjTell him I said thanks for the disease wrecking havoc on the reefs he "so easily manages", I guess.

[@psyjinx]

It's truly amazing that all of this occurs naturally. Tanks of all kinds really teach you about the aquatic ecosystem, while also showing you how specific living conditions for each organism really play a role; Where if one thing isn't right, they just don't make it out alive. While everything may be seem to be going to hell in this world, there's beauty in life itself. Just like taking care of a tank, remember to treat yourself right, and keep your heads up out there

[@Goldenkarats]

and it will give you stress lol

[@s0012823]

Exactly why we shouldn't mess with eco systems. We have no clue what is going on.

[@glutenfreegam3r177]

A close friend of mine had a 100+ gallon salt tank and it sure was beautiful! Over time I realized how much work (and money) he put in to that living work of art and decided that fish in tanks were not for me. Nice tank mate!

[@DannysAquariums]

Thanks man!

[@creativestudio4873]

No reason you cant go with fresh water fish. Maybe not as colorful but, still beautiful.

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

Reef is NOT about fish. It's about the plethora of inverts that we rarely see.

[@creativestudio4873]

@@princeofcupspoc9073 but, if someone isn't willing to go through the effort of a reef tank. Whether its time or money. A fresh water set up if far more easier and less expensive. Inverts as you say are the main Idea of a reef system ...in fresh water there isnt much . So freshwater fish is a easier option. Just saying

[@1SaG]

Wasn't looking for an aquarium-video, but I'm glad I followed YT's suggestion to click on it. Feeling so... relaxed now. Thanks! :)

[@Dwightstjohn-fo8ki]

aquariums can be very Zen. !

[@samiam619]

@@Dwightstjohn-fo8ki They can also be Heartbreaking…

[@Truth1561]

My dad had a straightforward aquarium ( quite a large one) when I was child in the 60s and I remember how much time he spent on it (drove my mum mad!) but nothing like this. So beautiful , I could sit and watch the coral swaying all day!

[@peregrinemendicant4758]

that sounds beautiful!

[@Truth1561]

@@peregrinemendicant4758 it was - unfortunately my mum won and made him remove the whole fireplace that it was built into . Such nice memories though - I remember my dad telling he that if I sat close and kept quiet for long enough I would hear one of the fish flushing their toilet lol- wasted hrs on that as a very small child, but I daresay it gave my parents some peace and quiet 😬

[@sdqsdq6274]

ermm in the 60s , there no internet

[@dinkymak]

Thanks, I wasn’t into corals before but they really brings out the colors and vibrancy of the entire place. I watched through the whole thing and respect your dedication for corals.

[@iangillen3061]

I'm big into nano tanks and also am pursuing a career in film and production. This was by far one of the best videos I've watched on KZbin. Subject material and pacing, music, and shooting.

[@fastbreak0822]

Every individual aquarium is unique. The degree of difficulty increases dramatically with less water volume... The two obstacles one will have with minimal H2O volume will be temperature and nutrient load... Reef Aquariums 20 gallons or less must rely on a consistent ambient room temperature as a chilling device is rarely utilized. Excess undigested foods and waste will cause many micro algae blooms and Cyanobacteria blooms to flourish.... Utilizing nature’s cleaning crew whilst creating as perfect an ecosystem possible is the ideal. This video was a great microcosm example of what one will encounter along the journey of keeping a nano reef... Well done

[@Chimera_Photography]

When it comes to medium sized freshwater tanks, I’m more than partial to the Pleco for keeping it clean. Not large tanks tho 😂 they tend to grow to prehistoric sizes and then THEIR poop becomes the issue

[@piccalillipit9211]

I did a nano reef tank back in 1994 - it was really difficult to begin wiht and then it just settled down and was bulletproof. When I sold the set up a red sponge that had seemingly never grown had actually grown to the size of the tank behind the rock - out of sight. Im guessing this was doing most of the filtering. My shrimp used to spawn every full moon :-D

[@kingofcastlechaos]

The coral aficionado in me lives vicariously through you. It's a lot cheaper this way, and extremely fulfilling. Thank you!

[@TheAffeMaria]

Through the love you put into making this video, I was able to see these creatures the way you see them, with love and joy and kindness. Thank you!

[@robwoodring9437]

I'm astounded by the levels of esoteric knowledge required to keep any of these creatures alive. Well done, even if they all eventually snuff it.

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

There is NOTHING esoteric. See Delbrook and Sprung.

[@banditrevolver459]

the feeding part was really cool. i didnt realise they would react like that when you give them food

[@justjane2070]

No idea how I arrived here (KZbin algorithm) but I’m glad I did. How beautiful. Did not know that this existed as a hobby. Will subscribe.

[@DannysAquariums]

Welcome, Jane!

[@moodberry]

First time here. You did a superb job of documenting everything and it was done in such a tasteful manner! THis just proves how an aquarium is a COMPLETE ecosystem. Leave out one thing and it all falls apart.

[@thomasrilling3812]

You can tell you really put a lot of work into this tank as well as your video. This is my first time coming across your page so the KZbin algorithm gods are doing something right lol. Hope to see your page blow up with subscribers man, you deserve it!

[@ParadoxHDi]

The "As you can see, I'm not very good at gluing things" and "There's more glue on my hand than on the coral" is so relatable it hurts, I am so so so so bad at using both the putty and the glue haha.

[@zackerylauwers7853]

Your video has been amazing for getting our little one to sleep. The combination with the music and the reef tank completely calms him down. Thank you, also if you have an update would love to see your tank now.

[@1Nadster]

I usually don’t listen to the music in the background of the videos …but I’m in love with this absolutely beautiful music you chose for this video and of course I really enjoyed the video..

[@TheFiown]

For me aquariums were always large murky tanks full of plastic castles with some sad fish hiding in corners owned by people who would know the difference between a sardine and a prawn. THIS is way something else ! Gorgeous and so educational thank you.

[@momlikesmemore]

It’s amazing how much work it takes to keep sea life in balance, nature does it so effortlessly. We need to take better care of our oceans, Thank you for sharing.

[@KZ.Ellis1]

Danny, you have always impressed me in so many ways. Thank you so much for your channel. I admire your skill very much, not only in fish/reef keeping but your photography as well. (Formerly kz Ellis)

[@DannysAquariums]

Thank you so much! Great name haha!

[@illusion2719]

This was a great video and really helpful as I have never done a reef tank. The music though I kept thinking its sad music everything in the tank is going to die. The ending where it all worked out (well except for the snails) was actually a real surprise.

[@Threepwood74]

You seem to really understand how to make a pleasant and relaxing video. The pace, photography and choice of music are all very nice too. Thank you! I enjoyed this.

[@DannysAquariums]

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed this!

[@garaldtao1801]

That looks amazing Irene... you and Tim must be very proud.

[@DannysAquariums]

I’m sorry, who are Irene and Tim? This is my aquarium, Danny’s aquarium.

[@maple1255]

This is so cool, a real labor of love. The coral garden bloomed and looks wonderful!

[@lovenote1336]

Soothing sound man, beautiful

[@WaterspoutsOfTheDeep]

I found turbo snails actually eat algae and significantly. They are very effective and quickly clear a tank of algae on rock. The only problem is their size. So for a nano a person would want to find small ones. A small diamond goby is also extremely effective at keeping the sand clean. Those were the main tricks I found with my 12g nano along with mountains of zeolite(denitrate) to stabilize the tank, used as biological not chemical so never removed. Perfectly sized holes for anaerobic bacteria.

[@doodoodoodle]

My dad had a mandarin goby in his large tank They're the cutest lil fish frog looking things

[@katrinkasanfranciscobayare7364]

This is absolutely breathtaking! They say that a lot of the coral reef is dying off and it has a lot to do with the chemicals in sunscreen.

[@Uncuepa]

The amount of sunscreen is nothing compared to microplastics, Co2 and ocean acidification

[@katrinkasanfranciscobayare7364]

@@Uncuepa Absolutely, I totally agree with you. All of that is a contributory Factor. I appreciate your message. Thank you and have a great day

[@Ogsonofgroo]

What a wonderful creation, great job!, its almost another year down the line and it would be nice to see an update on this amazingly beautiful project! Kudos, it near gives me hope that there might be methods here for the possibility of restoring dead reefs around the world since there has been such a massive die-off over the last few decades, but even if not its still very cool.

[@DannysAquariums]

Thank you! This tank is no longer running, I had to teat it down to make room for a bigger aquarium. It is now set up in my living room with some other corals: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZquQpIShd6Z6jJI

[@samiam619]

@@DannysAquariums I found that tanks are like sail boats and telescopes: No matter what size you start with, pretty soon you want a BIGGER one!

[@-M0LE]

@@samiam619 my ex gf had that same idealogy

[@nickwilliams4025]

Inspirational! I love the concept of a underwater coral garden, its so dope. Add to that the fact that apart from a few 'seasonal workers' you got in to do some maintenance, I like that its not a 'fish tank'. Nothing against fish lol though its just a preference. What I really appreciated though was the candid commentary. More important than the inspiration is the successes, failures and acknowledgment of your own inattention etc within the context of this little world.

[@sandramorey2529]

Your tank is gorgeous. A long time ago in another life, I had a salt water tank. Since it was way before taking critters out of the ocean was not ok, we set it up by the book. A friend who was an aquarist at the Academy of science in SF gave us a telia anemone and took us to Moss Landing. We came home with some lovely small creatures from the tide pools. It was a learning experience. It did quite well. Unfortunately, we always managed to get a rock crab in the water so we were constantly shuttling them back to the Moss Landing tide pools. Had it for a couple of years and I liked to watch the action with my morning coffee. Takes a lot of work, but well worth it.

[@johnkruton9708]

What amazed me was the healthy look compared to what I’ve seen on some sailing channels that show barren dead overfished coral reefs in the Caribbean. Truly amazing work you have done and educational too!..(not sure how tropical this tank is)

[@Jsaves1]

Very nice. I used to custom build tanks (large) as a hobby and had my own now and then. Never had an issue and ran a mini reef system with an over flow in either one or both back corners of the tank. All plumbed from underneath. Favourite fish Clown Trigger, Dragon moray and a few others. Not so much live corals but may try that now that I live in Australia.

[@Chris.from.1950]

Thanks for such an honest, detailed look at the development of this reef tank! 🔥

[@harryhalfmoon]

Could you share the playlist? The music is so beautiful.

[@jaysrealreefuk]

It's great to see the journey of your nano tank after 1 year. It looks stunning. Hope mine can get close to that 👏. Loved the video.

[@DannysAquariums]

You can do it! Good luck!

[@fishels3895]

@@DannysAquariums what size is this aquarium

[@Armis71]

@@fishels3895 looks like the 32 gallon version

[@-beee-]

This was delightful. I love the beautiful scenes and your sense of humor as well.

[@DannysAquariums]

Thank you!

[@MeanLaQueefa]

I’ve seen red blooms in the ocean, that’s when you can’t harvest shell fish for a while. That’s all I know, red algae + shell fish can be deadly. I use to eat mostly off the sea

[@cbretonlaw]

Those hermits will start to munch on the zoos if you get the wrong type or they don't have enough to eat. Keep an eye on your zoanthids. Also consider adding a singly piece of well cured live rock to jump start the organisms on your rocks and in the sand bed. Then you won't need to stir up the sand as much cause it will do it on its own.

[@alysonbuttonstone]

Such a fine balance you show us. I cried (mostly) happy tears. I am also so fearful. Thank you for this project; it's a revelation.

[@CarloswithFaith]

The music made me think that the tank was leading into its demise 😞. I am glad that you pulled through! Beautiful btw

[@howardkerr8174]

Almost by accident I clicked on this, but it did pique my interest. Absolutely fascinating but as others here commented: extremely time consuming. Thank you for the very absorbing video. Oh, and very beautiful, too.

[@MalshiDog]

Its a big responsibility to own a reef tank. There is so much science to being able to maintain the health of the tank and all livestock over many years. I truly love reef tanks, my next tank inhabitants will be only from secondary sales or from captive breed/cultured sources. And your tank is very nice

[@whereisthemoney1]

This is the most calming video I have every seen. It is beautiful!

[@FalconWing1813]

It amazes me how much effort and work it takes to make a tank stay in balance. But in nature , if we leave it alone it all happens automatically.

[@Steampunksaly]

Until we muck it up with our pollution

[@MG-im8ku]

I remember reading articles when the worldwide lockdowns started due to covid. The oceans were thriving during that time. Coral, fish, the big mammals, everything. Since we weren't polluting our oceans, they were able to recover from our damage a bit. I have family in Venice, Italy who said dolphins were swimming in the canals. Something they had never seen in their entire lifetime because cruise ships would deter them.

[@charlieireland5422]

Beautiful setup and corals. I couldn't keep up with mine because of my back problems. Keep up the good work

[@ann53090]

I cant wait to buy a house and stop moving across the country to get back into reefing. Its been 7 years and 3 months since I sold my reef tank and corals in PHX, AZ. 😢 This is so beautiful. Thank you for making this content.

[@amatulic4229]

This video illustrates exactly why I've never had a saltwater tank at home. I used to work in the aquarium building at a large zoo, and I know firsthand the effort needed to maintain the marine exhibits. I've had freshwater tanks most of my life. You can find colorful freshwater fish, but unfortunately not the invertebrates that grace the marine tanks.

[@georgealderson4424]

You are a very knowledgeable and inspirational young man. Thank you. Blessings and peace

[@DannysAquariums]

Thanks for the kind words, George! I really appreciate it. :D

[@joejackson4202]

This was real art, man. Great presentation.

[@JordanBeagle]

Kudos mate, I don't think I'd have the patience to keep up a tank like that

[@lizzykay9912]

Beautiful. The world would be so much better if we all learned to tend our world with such love and care. #TeamSeas

[@athomenotavailable]

One tip, you can get a angled stainless steel straw and attach it to the end of a hose when you suck out the debris or algae. Great for scraping algae off the glass too, but that will need some work with pliers and file to create a tiny flat razor edge, or else gluing a small piece of scrubbing pad to the tip of the straw

[@moisted]

Love the video, love the music... Reminds me of my first salt-water tank, it was a sump-less too. I miss it.

[@stevel379]

I had to watch to see if I missed reef tanks after giving them up a few years ago. I see that I haven't missed a thing. You have to be devoted to the hobby 100%, and don't plan on taking a long vacation and having a friend feed for you. I tried every size from 20 gal up to 200, and everything in between. After a many years and many thousands of dollars, I had enough. I found that spending time around fish and corals in nature is preferable to having them in your home.

[@selenacordeiro1458]

Such hard work taking care of those little critters 🥰.

[@trwilliams22]

Beautiful tank. I wish I still had one. Growing zoas was really rewarding.

[@Josephine111096]

Calming videos like these aid me in falling asleep and I really enjoy learning about these ecosystems! 1 downside is the bluelight (I think) is preventing me from sleeping so I usually watch green plants instead. enjoyed this nevertheless! Also I wouldn't mind taking any recommendations on relaxing tank videos/channels ;)

[@ronburg6914]

man i loved this video the music was so relaxing and it was nice that you explained what was happening

[@Anna_Stetik]

I had a 40 gallon fresh water tank several years back. It took forever for everything to settle before I could put fish in. Finally, I was able to put fish in, but they died after some months....RIP little fishes. Eventually, I put in live plants, then later, more fish and just let things happen. Turned out to be the best aquarium I ever had. (Only had to give it away as I was moving across the U.S.) So, imagine trying a salt water tank - that is probably 100 times more difficult to get going and maintain. But, once it hits that sweet spot, and you're on top of the care, it's a beautiful thing to have.

[@dereksandoval5483]

I will always like the format of your videos 👌🏼 and the tank is just beautiful 🤩

[@DannysAquariums]

Glad you like them!

[@sariahseare3753]

Thank you for picking decent music.

[@owenreaney6864]

I love the elegance in the system!

[@owenreaney6864]

I’m pretty sure it’s an elegence please let me know if I’m wrong

[@DannysAquariums]

It is an elegance indeed! :D

[@picklemetimbers3003]

I have been in the hobby over a decade now. Have over 300 gallons of reef aquaria. You may have already, make a video about how you conquered the red cyanobacteria. It is one of the harder challenges to overcome. Dinoflagellates and green hair algae would be next up. Your tank looks great. I'm in the process of breaking down 2 nano setups and combining them into a larger setup. Much easier to maintain! Life gets busy...

[@annettefujii7331]

I used an inline ultraviolet light in my 55 gallon salt water tank and voila! It was very healthy with minimal maintenance. Vacuuming and maintaining water level along with salt water density gauge, plus a heater was it. It was healthy and I sold it when I got ill and could not do maintenance anymore.

[@annettefujii7331]

I did not put in any living coral. Had a cone shell, a black crab, long nosed butterfly, a raccoon butterfly, a cleaner wrasse, a red flame angel, and a niger.

[@yukinoshita5788]

incredible gardening effort

[@bluerider0988]

Thanks for the video. It's amazing how much the corals grew in a year.

[@DannysAquariums]

Yeah, it amazes me! :D

[@IronBhoy]

KZbin algorithms brought me here. I really enjoyed watching this. Always liked the idea of having a fish tank but I can see there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye.. 👍

[@orionbennett7343]

I applaud the effort, and yet it seems like a lot of work to replicate a natural environment ....

[@JordanBeagle]

Love the simple complexity!

[@pershundasmith4102]

You are a great parent to your aquarium family.

[@exit7070]

Your tank is pretty. I face my own problems in my tank too.The algae runs riot and some coral don't bloom well. Now I know I can get hermit crabs to solve my first problems. Thanks~

[@jostafew]

Great, now you've got me thinking about getting back into SW.... Still don't have the time (and I know that), but it's got me thinking... Thanks for the video though, and for including some of the not so pretty times as those WILL happen!

[@MrSaemichlaus]

I would sit and stare at this if I had it in my living room. I wouldn't emerge from my room until I ran out of food myself.

[@TimTams_64]

Put yourself in the tank and become the food.

[@MrSaemichlaus]

@@TimTams_64 Immersion +100 Health -100

[@KMCA779]

I had a freshwater tank growing up that I'd just sit in the living room and read beside for hours on end. I'm thinking about getting into salt water tanks now... although I hear micro tanks are a bit harder so I'm considering something a bit bigger in the 30-60 gallon range.

[@randalljames1]

Nice job... been doing marine tanks for about 20 years... started with a nano myself... teaches a lot about bio loads and water changes... I did add an extra circulation pump to my nano (also anemone home)...

[@Steampunksaly]

Bravo 👏🏻 absolutely stunningly beautiful! Thank you for sharing your work of art

[@78matt]

Nice, thanks for sharing not only the good times, respect.

[@lucv13]

Wow that was awesome and a quick reminder of how much work it is to maintain a marine tank. I really enjoyed your video and applaud you on showing the problems you encountered. I think I'll stick to my Cichlids though... :)

[@DannysAquariums]

Thank you!!

[@Bamacher59]

I have a 25 gallon cube coming tomorrow getting ready to set it up, thanks to your videos

[@DannysAquariums]

Nice! Keep me updated on your build.

[@BriMarteen]

just beautiful well filmed and love the soundtrack

[@xeniavader]

awesome... I've been down this road so many times. almost in the same exact order. Nano tanks take a ton of work. (any reef tank I should say). Amazing hobby.

[@prestonnicodemus9336]

We keep going the way we are this will be the only way we can appreciate the delicate balance of our oceans...

[@tammywilmot9162]

Very interesting and informative. I enjoyed this video. I've heard it's extremely hard to keep a reef healthy. It seems every problem leads to another problem! Thanks for sharing!

[@larryvilledude9415]

Beautiful tank and a totally excellent sound track!

[@darylh8657]

The best way I found to control algae is the Plecostomus. I once put two into one of my tanks. Only one survived, and he lasted quite a few years. Then I dismantled my tank and found a healthy 6" Pleco happily hiding under the filter grate. They kept the algae problem well under control. Snails. I cringed when you introduced them to the tank. I always had a problem with retail stores selling snail-contaminated plants. Thankfully you introduced the hermit crabs.

[@Val_Halla777]

Man I sure hope you’re feeling more youthful and positive than that piano music implies;). LoL. I was beginning to think the vid would end with everything 💀. Jokes aside..Awesome Nano man!..and really nice job documenting your tank’s developments. That was superbly shot and well edited. Cheers m8.

[@yackfou2412]

Ich lach mich tot ! 😂

[@tiredbitch2183]

Lol the music made the video seem tragic😂

[@GNRLTEC]

Everything looks great! RIP snails though (Haven't ran into that issue yet).

[@DannysAquariums]

Thanks man!

[@coldlogic800]

I knew that tube worm was as good as dead as soon as I saw it. You're amazingly lucky to have had so few deaths. Yes it helped to buy hardy type corals but damn. I could write several huge books with what you don't know about reefkeeping. Good luck and keep those mushrooms in check.

[@banditrevolver459]

they are so beautiful and alien, it would look stunning in anyones home. hopefully they can save the coral reef

[@eligebrown8998]

Thats awsome. I may start one up after I get out of truck driving next year

[@leenorthcutt8421]

Absolutely Beautiful, what a labor of love! Natures Art

[@AstroMartine]

It's so beautiful, I could cry

[@benlee1199]

So calming and beautiful to watch

[@robestey5628]

A beaut of a tank. Wow - alotta work.

[@fergusferguson4782]

I had a fifteen gallon reef tank, and access to clean seawater. It dominated my life for about five years. It was magnificent, until it wasn't. Never again.

[@Calamity_Jack]

Same here. Several years ago I had a 55g reef tank at home and a 10g nano-reef in my office. My biggest mistake was adding "just a little bit" of macro algae to the nano-reef tank. Six months later I had to come into the office practically every weekend to pull out fistfuls of the stuff off the rocks. I couldn't have enough fish in there to eat it all. And the water chemistry has to be pristine or you get cyano blooms and coral die-off. When you own a reef tank, it's very difficult to go on any trips for very long because you have to find people to take care of it, and it's not easy. So many frustrating stories. I made it about 6 years, then I was done. Reef tanks are lots of fun, beautiful and fascinating to own, but boy, what a maintenance headache!

[@herrakaarme]

@Joshua Langley The problem with evolution and natural selection is that as long as the environment stays more or less unchanging, highly specialised species will beat the more adaptive ones, so you could say evolution favours specialisation. Unfortunately evolution is blind: It doesn't head toward any particular goal, nor does it learn from past mistakes. When the environment does change, the specialised ones may simply drop dead. To maintain stability, for the specialised species, in an aquarium can be difficult, although I only have personal experience of simple fresh water ones. But even those can be ruined.

[@Calamity_Jack]

@Joshua Langley lol! Probably so!

[@fergusferguson4782]

@Joshua Langley I have a feeling that someone is in the process of pulling the tank down right now.

[@blueneptune5860]

Have fun poring 5 gallons a day in that evaporation chamber. I use a 5 gallon water jug behind that same tank that lasts about three days . Hard to keep parameters steady with that.