15g nano reef-initial thoughts?

[Fishbike13]

I’d get a pair of clowns if I were you. It won’t be overstocked at all. The fish typically pair up right away.

Even better, though i am a bit worried about bullying the firefish, maybe a pair of clowns will keep eachother occupied?

My lfs has a decent selection of snowflakes, but it seems that should ich become a reality then i would not be able to identify it due to the lack of contrast.

 

[ScottR]

Even better, though i am a bit worried about bullying the firefish, maybe a pair of clowns will keep eachother occupied?

My lfs has a decent selection of snowflakes, but it seems that should ich become a reality then i would not be able to identify it due to the lack of contrast.

I’ve had various clowns. Each has their own personality. They will bother other fish. Sometimes each other. Sometimes bother corals. Sometimes they’re just pleasant.

Typically you’ll want to QT your fish in a separate tank before adding them in to watch for signs of parasites or diseases. Clowns can get a nasty parasite called Brooklynella (clownfish disease). Some people treat them with copper just in case when getting new fish. And any fish can get ich. Seems like tangs are the most susceptible to it. But you can’t keep a tang in a small tank like yours.

 

[Fishbike13]

I’ve had various clowns. Each has their own personality. They will bother other fish. Sometimes each other. Sometimes bother corals. Sometimes they’re just pleasant.

Typically you’ll want to QT your fish in a separate tank before adding them in to watch for signs of parasites or diseases. Clowns can get a nasty parasite called Brooklynella (clownfish disease). Some people treat them with copper just in case when getting new fish. And any fish can get ich. Seems like tangs are the most susceptible to it. But you can’t keep a tang in a small tank like yours.

Yeah i was planning on doing the firefish first to let him get situated, as well as being a light bioload to let the tank stabilize, however im not sure what to do for qt. I have a spare 5.5 gal tank that i can use, but not sure what to do about filtration, or if the small size will be stressful in and of itself.

 

[Fishbike13]

A little update for interested parties:

The cycle is coming along well, less than a week later the tank is processing 2ml (.25 ppm) of ammonia to 0ppm in less than 24 hrs, nitrites are still above 5ppm, however nitrates are steadily skyrocketing, up to around 25ppm currently. i think i will stop dosing ammonia for around 48hrs to let the nitrite levels stabilize and start to come down, then once they are back on a measurable scale i will begin dosing ammonia again until nitrites are 0 and ammonia is processed completely to Nitrate over night.

While i am very aware of the trouble associated with the API test kits, a trick i learned from the FW nitrate issues, is to tap the #2 nitrate test bottle on a desk, table etc and shake for 2 minutes prior to testing. This ensures any concentrated elements that settle in the bottle are properly mixed and greatly helps to produce consistent test results.

Going forward I plan to transition to hannah testers for calcium, alk, and phosphate because i already know this wont be my only reef tank by this time next year.

 

[Westoncase]

“ i already know this won’t be my only tank this time next year” haha haha same [emoji23]

 

[Ursala]

Nice looking nano!

 

[Fishbike13]

Nice looking nano!

thanks!

 

[Fishbike13]

2 weeks in and still working on the cycle. Ammonia is converted to nitrite very quickly now, however it seems that the nitrite to nitrate conversion is much slower. Nitrite is still showing >5ppm while nitrate is showing >160ppm. I have read that with such high levels the process can slow down, so i think i will do some water changes to get them back in a more productive range.

Also a question about quarantine for my first fish-red firefish. Will a 5.5 gallon tank with an AC 30 and some pvc pipe elbows be sufficient for a few weeks of QT? i plan on some sort of copper medication during the QT process.

 

[Fishbike13]

Picked up the first tank inhabitant today. hes currently in the QT tank with the sponge that has been cycling for the past month (verified with testing) where he will be for at least 3 weeks. 1st week for observation and feeding, second week will be a copper treatment, then a 3rd week of running carbon to remove meds and further observe him.

any reccomendations for getting this little guy into the tank are welcome.

Also not sure if i need a cleanup crew/should get one, as the tanks been dark so i dont really have any algae. if i leave the lights on for a day theres a good amount of diatoms that form on the rockwork though

 

[Fishbike13]

Its been a while since ive posted here, but yesterday i added someone new. Picked up this little cleaner shrimp from my LFS who finally re-opened after moving locations, will hopefully pick up the first coral soon as well, once i can find a nice small hammer or frogspawn head for a price im willing to pay. EDIT: the red firefish is still in there, hes just in his little hole.

Also i need some help identifying this algae and the best way to get rid of it.

It looks like some sort of clear hair algae and is growing on some of the rock work, as well as in the sand bed. I will be upping the water change frequency, but i am also considering removing the matrix and purigen from the AC70, and turning it into a fuge instead.

I am also considering adding a 15g sump to the setup to be able to either run a skimmer, or a bigger fuge, as well as removing all the cluttered equipment. it will be a bit of an undertaking, but shouldnt be too bad.

 

[Fishbike13]

Ive decided to go ahead with adding a sump to this, and picked up the 20 long that i will be using to do so. had some spare 1/4" glass and i cut it into some baffles. this setup is super simple, i dont plan on running a filter sock, but could easily do so by making a holder and slip it under the drain in the back left corner. Will be using the fiji cube 400gph overflow box with the herbie style plumbing, and a sicce return pump (~250gph output to a 3ft long return pipe.)

first section is 6" wide x10" tall, and will be the drain from the tank, and a nano skimmer eventually. middle section is 17" widex 8" tall and will be the fuge/heater etc. This section alone will hold 50% as much water as the display. the return section is 5" wide and i will keep it at 6" deep to start and play around with raising the pump for overflow protection if both drains should fail. The emergency/trickle drain will dump into the fuge.

Is there anything i should change/add? all input welcome. The main reason i am doing this is to add water volume to the system, and to move my equipment out of the display so i can ditch the big aqua clear hanging on the side of the tank. It moves the sand around very slowly no matter what impeller im using, and is an eyesore. I will also be able to use the sump should i decide to upgrade the DT size in the future.

 

[Fishbike13]

Making some progress on the sump system, which has turned into a 20 long setup that i will be moving everything into.
Ive finished the sump and built a stand:

And drilled the tank/ installed a fijicube overflow:

Will have to decide if i want the add bulkheads for the returns, or if i want to run hang over the back return nozzles.

 

[Fishbike13]

Got everything plumbed, and moved over. Still have some cable management to do, and a new powerstrip on the way.
Will add a skimmer and a fuge as the bio load increases, and need to add a second light for the extra width, and find an ATO setup that is reliable.