24 Gal Cube SPS nano reef tank

Tank front shot. I went and added two fish (blue damsel (being harassed by both the clown and purple sorry back who was mean to the clear shrimp. Plucked his whisker off once). So only two clownfish in the LpS tank. I hope they mate or something.

IMG_1712.jpeg

Minor changes due to removing water to catch the fishes.

IMG_1734.jpeg

Only thing I’ve added from the LPS tank is the brain coral.

IMG_1719.jpeg

IMG_1713.jpeg

IMG_1717.jpeg

I will be adding new white sands in both tanks. Very reason I hate color line algae and the amount for calcium deposits and the amount of work I am doing to clean, I think I will add sand. Will get 20lb bag and add 5lbs to the small tank and 25lbs to the 48.

IMG_1704.jpeg

I have not finished scraping off the coralline algae. Will finish some other day.

IMG_1708.jpeg


My parameters as of now. Cleaned out the probes best as I can few hours ago and added back. (Unable all the probes and soaked it on a conifer water for about 45mins. Cleaned. Added back and waited 30mins and re enabled. I don’t know what changed but I think my pH is definitely lower than before.

IMG_1735.png


At 6AM: the Alk was at below. And Nitrate at 0.6 and phosphate at 0.0.

I added some coral booster and 20ml of liquid nitrate (10ml twice). I will go add 10ml of liquid phosphate now. And test tomorrow at 6am and adjust accordingly.

IMG_1699.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1732.png
    IMG_1732.png
    108.1 KB · Views: 1
What is that large orange/green/yellow coral covering the rock in the dead center of that Front Middle photo?
 
Surprisingly the evaporation isn’t too bad. About a gallon atm.

IMG_1752.jpeg

Passed power outrage test.

IMG_1758.jpeg

Tank shot from the stair :)

IMG_1739.jpeg


At 6am: Nitrate at 2.2. Phosphate at 0.37 alkalinity at 9.8

IMG_1740.jpeg

IMG_1741.jpeg

IMG_1742.jpeg

Tigrio pod culture in 5Gallon vessel
IMG_1756.jpeg



IMG_1755.jpeg

IMG_1753.jpeg

IMG_1754.jpeg
 
Today’s test results

Phosphate is down from 0.37. I didnt add any phosphate source directly. I will wait for this number stabilize and adjust accordingly,
IMG_1766.jpeg

Nitrate is up from 2.2 to 3.6. I’ve added total of 20ml of liquid Ammonium chloride mixtures for a day. (On automatic dose for 15ml starting today. Test and adjust with more feeding and adding fishes etc.)

IMG_1767.jpeg

dKH is up from 9.8 to 10.1. That’s with adding EXTRA 2liters of saltwater and 1 EXTRA liter of kalk solution and EXTRA 10ml of ESV part 1. 2pt is off line as of yesterday. Will re start ESV within next few days.

IMG_1768.jpeg


2 bought 2 x 20lb bags of Reed Sand from LFS. I will add it once the tank is settled for few days.

Planning on adding 3-4 possibly 6more fishes. He
 
Test results today: (But before I do, I must mention that I’ve added 20lb of reef sand AS WELL AS, adding 3 new fishes. (Tomini tang, Miss Mccosker and black leopard wrasses).

Phosphate is down to 0.12. No additional phosphate was added. I will like to maintain this number. So, I’m going to add about 10ml of liquid phosphate on top of my feeding to see if it will raise or maintain or fall.

IMG_1780.jpeg

Nitrate is down to 2.8. So adding 15ml of liquid nitrate on top of my regular feeding is somewhat maintenaning the Nitrate. Adding sand will decrease the nitrate (allowing more feedings as well). Which I want to so I can stop dosing nitrate and phosphate source. So, I will continue dosing 15ml of liq ammonium chloride.

IMG_1781.jpeg

My Alk is down to 8.9. I wasn’t expecting this number to drop already. But seems about right. With having extra volume of water (3times more than before), alkalinity consumption will be decrease as much.

I will start adding about 20ml of ESV 2pt starting today. And adjust accordingly. (I was adding about 45mls of each 2parts per day on the nano on top of fully saturated kalk solution (For those who like numbers x.x)

IMG_1783.jpeg

Tank shot
IMG_1776.jpeg

IMG_1777.jpeg


IMG_1778.jpeg
 
Today’s testing:

Alkalinity is stable (down 0.3. So maybe it will be down another .03-.05 tommorow?!?) , nitrate is up, (has doubled over night) (Expected as feeding has increased and am only feeding frozen as always has) and phosphate is down. So, I will continue with extra feeding and lower ammonium chloride to 10ml. Eventually wing off it. Phosphate, I’ll be adding powder coral food to maintain the phosphate were it is.


Happy reefing <><

IMG_1800.jpeg

IMG_1801.jpeg

IMG_1802.jpeg

Today was the last day to test consecutively the 3 big test. I will test once a week for nitrate and phosphate and two times in the week of the water changes. Once on the day of the water change and once day after the water change). Alkalinity test are always the done the most and will be every 2-3 days. Sometimes daily~.
 
Front tank shot: I’ll probably take the newest island pillar with clam from the LPS tank and put it on the left side front.

IMG_1913.jpeg

Little kitties caught a large Mexican turbo. (Added little kitties on the island. Lol.)
IMG_1908.jpeg

IMG_1912.jpeg


IMG_1878.jpeg


LPS tank front shot. I be removing the front left pillar to the bigger tank since it’s just two clownfish in this tank. Small hygger pump is back on the pump.


IMG_1914.jpeg


Sps left: showing much dust layers on the sand as well as no in the glass atm.

IMG_1911.jpeg

Spa middle
IMG_1910.jpeg

SPS right
IMG_1911.jpeg


I’ll be adding 4x 24” T5 Light bulbs to this SPS tank soon. I miss t5’s and now I have tank long enough for em. 🥰
 
Thank you~ I am using AF reef salt we got from the group buy. I've Used Fritz RPM initially for about 1.5yrs~
I am really liking that salt, myself. Water is clear before it ever even gets to temp, much less waiting an hour or two, like I remember doing in the past.

Boy oh boy is it hygroscopic as heck though. Glad it comes in smaller bags instead of just one big one, but I could wish they were resealable... or slightly smaller so they could fit into a large zip-loc or something. That stuff sucks up atmospheric moisture like nobody's business.
 
Right! I used tons of brand salt in the past and most of them had brown stuff building up. I Havnt had that happening with these salts.

I like that this Aqua forest reef salt is ready to use within 30mins. I think the instruction says like 15mins or something.

I put my salt in the 5Gallon bucket with lid once I open them. (I’m using blue Lowe’s bucket). The original cardboard box is not easy to move around and can get wet as well. Store in cool dark area. Mine is inside the closet in the bathroom. Rest of the salt is in the garage in the cool area.
 
24“ 4bulb aquaticlife’s T5 to the tank.

I will be increasing the light by 5mins each day (I know it’s tedious to reprogram it daily but this light fixtures non dimmable and like to have on for 5hrs a day eventually. Which will take 60days to achieve it).

IMG_1944.jpeg

Before: Only Radion 30

IMG_1954.jpeg

Ya Buddy!

IMG_1953.jpeg


I went and added 2nd set of redsea wave 25’s. I could get the same flows as this with single 45’s but perhaps this will be more useful. The tank starts to have Dino outbreak I had when I started the tank. UV wasn’t affective. The flow was limited and noticed much more when t5’s were on.

Getting the flow right first and will start adding the extra lights
IMG_1968.jpeg

IMG_1969.jpeg

Dinoflagellates on the sand bed. Definitely due to nutrient imbalance. Phosphate is definitely running low atm.

IMG_1967.jpeg

Just wanted to see the nitrate and phosphate level while adding the light and the flow.

Might add automatic feeders to get extra feedings?!

IMG_1961.jpeg

IMG_1962.jpeg
 
Took a top down shot while doing a 5G WC on the LPS tank this morning.

IMG_1990.jpeg

SPS

IMG_1991.jpeg

IMG_1997.jpeg


IMG_1998.jpeg

LPS

IMG_1999.jpeg

IMG_2001.jpeg

IMG_2002.jpeg

Dino are everywhere. Including drag plugs, and pretty much every spot it can cover.

Unfortunately I am going to be away for 7days and took all the pre caution filling all 3pt/nitrate/phosphate/carbon, activated carbon are also added.

Wife will be feeding twice a day but more than a usual. I’m hopping for the best. I have feeling I will be returning to either tank covered in diatom (as wife won’t be doing anything other than feeding the tank) OR….

Maybe it will be nice and clean. lol.

IMG_2010.jpeg

Somebody took the dang fishing pole from the kittie. Lol.

IMG_2011.jpeg
 
Cleaned up the area before heading out of the town~
My tank usually does much better when I’m out of the town. Except for last few times with return pump issues.

IMG_2007.jpeg

IMG_2008.jpeg

IMG_1992.jpeg


My largest mini colony of tri color (In the middles) has been RTN/STN from the tank upgrade. I’m just going to leave it as it is.

IMG_1993.jpeg
 
Unfortunately the engineers goby jumped the ship and wife flushed him down the toilet -.- (my fault). He was swimming against the window for few days and was gone for two days and back out for few days and now gone. Sorry fish.

I was going to see about saving him or at least let him die and become nutrients to the tank. (She says everything else seems good). My wife is so wonderful :). I am having her shift the sand in the afternoon at least and she did say some micro bubbles were coming out still).

IMG_2029.png
IMG_2034.png
 
Back
Top