Boomer's IM 20G Nano

[Nick Steele]

You’ll be surprise at what montis can do. I’ve seen a friend kill his on 3 different occasions like completely white with zero polyps and to this day it’s still in his tank looking beautiful just slightly bigger then when he got it.

Keep on trecking through. It will become better in time! Mine is still getting better weekly after beating Dino’s over a month ago.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

You’ll be surprise at what montis can do. I’ve seen a friend kill his on 3 different occasions like completely white with zero polyps and to this day it’s still in his tank looking beautiful just slightly bigger then when he got it.

For sure!

 

[boomeraudio]

You’ll be surprise at what montis can do. I’ve seen a friend kill his on 3 different occasions like completely white with zero polyps and to this day it’s still in his tank looking beautiful just slightly bigger then when he got it.

Keep on trecking through. It will become better in time! Mine is still getting better weekly after beating Dino’s over a month ago.

Thanks for the encouragement. Did my first dose of DinoX on Saturday and it is ALREADY working. Fingers crossed here. Looks like this might be the solution!

Also keeping the temperature at 80 degrees. Hoping for the best!

 

[boomeraudio]

UPDATE - ever feel like just giving up?

Seems like DinoX has helped significantly. Sand is cleaning itself up. However, my coral continues to fade quickly. It's so frustrating. Parameters are fine. Everything I've tested falls into the scope of what it's 'supposed to be'. I've kept a 2-month long log of EVERYTHING I've done day after day. I can't even keep candy cane coral alive HAH. It is embarrassing and frustrating.

I'm nearly done. On the brink of selling it all off.

See pics of coral. Any advice is more than welcomed.

 

[Nick Steele]

Sadly there are a few accounts of dinox harming corals. One of the reasons I could never bring myself to use it.

If Dino’s are clearing out I say stick it out man! You are coming up to the turning point. My corals that were doing horribly bounced back quickly after Dino’s were gone. Like within 1-2 days my euphyllia/blastos and plates were fully opened again. Within a week or two corals that had some die off where recovering.

 

[boomeraudio]

Sadly there are a few accounts of dinox harming corals. One of the reasons I could never bring myself to use it.

If Dino’s are clearing out I say stick it out man! You are coming up to the turning point. My corals that were doing horribly bounced back quickly after Dino’s were gone. Like within 1-2 days my euphyllia/blastos and plates were fully opened again. Within a week or two corals that had some die off where recovering.

It doesn't look like these are too far gone? Should I stop the DInoX now? There's still a bit of browning in the sand.

 

[Nick Steele]

Corals don’t look to far gone to me. Still see plenty of flesh on them.

Honestly that is I to you. If it’s working and you don’t mind losing some corals or possibly just having them look bad for a little longer then keep at it.

 

[boomeraudio]

Corals don’t look to far gone to me. Still see plenty of flesh on them.

Honestly that is I to you. If it’s working and you don’t mind losing some corals or possibly just having them look bad for a little longer then keep at it.

Woke up this morning and my shrimp is dead. Just tested the water and something happened...both nitrates and phosphates are SKY HIGH.

Literally changed in a day and half from normal levels (Nitrate 5ppm, Phos .08ppm) to Nitrate reading close to 35ppm and Phosphate reading .19ppm! what the heck IS GOING ON?! AGH this hobby is massively frustrating.

 

[Mashbox]

I run two similar tanks, 14Nuvo and 25Nuvo...

Be very careful using floss with the InTank media baskets, I run it temporarily after a water change but the InTank baskets are so perfectly sized for the Nuvo tank it could cause a backup and overflow the tank. It’s happened to me twice even with changing out filter floss every 36 hours.

I’ve found best practices is to use media basket in one overflow and a piece of equipment in the other overflow.

Best of luck!

How much filter floss were you using? I've been running it in my InTank with zero issues since day one and I only have a single overflow. You can't pack it in there or sure, it'll block up eventually. But if you only use a modest amount and spread it out within that little top chamber, even if it gets 100% clogged ther water is just going to push around it regardless.

 

[Nick Steele]

Woke up this morning and my shrimp is dead. Just tested the water and something happened...both nitrates and phosphates are SKY HIGH.

Literally changed in a day and half from normal levels (Nitrate 5ppm, Phos .08ppm) to Nitrate reading close to 35ppm and Phosphate reading .19ppm! what the heck IS GOING ON?! AGH this hobby is massively frustrating.

Oh man sorry to hear!!!

It’s a possibility that with the die off of Dino’s and possibly some algae that those nutrients were released back into the tank. I’m not sure about shrimp but those levels shouldn’t kill fish or corals (might make some corals unhappy and change colors but that should be it).

I would do a water change and then throw some carbon and gfo in there to bring the levels down a little bit but keep a close eye you don’t want to bottom out.

 

[boomeraudio]

Oh man sorry to hear!!!

It’s a possibility that with the die off of Dino’s and possibly some algae that those nutrients were released back into the tank. I’m not sure about shrimp but those levels shouldn’t kill fish or corals (might make some corals unhappy and change colors but that should be it).

I would do a water change and then throw some carbon and gfo in there to bring the levels down a little bit but keep a close eye you don’t want to bottom out.

Just did a water change - shrimp is barely hanging on. Might be too late for him. I'll update in a couple days. Trying to stay positive. I'm at my wit's end.

 

[JBKReef]

How much filter floss were you using? I've been running it in my InTank with zero issues since day one and I only have a single overflow. You can't pack it in there or sure, it'll block up eventually. But if you only use a modest amount and spread it out within that little top chamber, even if it gets 100% clogged ther water is just going to push around it regardless.

It was covering I’d say 90% of the base, but not even fully covering the top “shelf”

anymore I use a piece that covers about 75% of the open area and it still needs swapped out every 2-3 days but doesn’t mess with waterline

 

[Mashbox]

It was covering I’d say 90% of the base, but not even fully covering the top “shelf”

anymore I use a piece that covers about 75% of the open area and it still needs swapped out every 2-3 days but doesn’t mess with waterline

Gotcha! I know what you mean, one time I thought putting in more was better but within 24hrs it was just pooling back there in the chamber. Its insane how quickly that floss gets packed with nasty crap. I actually just ordered a 12' roll of blue bottom filter pad, going to try that instead.

 

[Mashbox]

Just did a water change - shrimp is barely hanging on. Might be too late for him. I'll update in a couple days. Trying to stay positive. I'm at my wit's end.

I've been having a dino outbreak due to low levels, and have started dosing NeoNitro to elevate my levels. I also ordered a UV sterilizer, I've heard that is the best cure for free floating algae like Dinos. Have you thought about getting one?

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Any update?

One thing i started using is chaeto grow... looks like trace elements that macros supposedly need.

I will say while my nitrates are near zero all of the time (icp and salifert) my phosphates range from 0.08 to 0.2.

But since adding chaeto grow for a few weeks:

I also dose live phytoplankton but phosphates never dropped this low before even with phyto... the macro does grow much more vigorously..

Maybe that could help get macro going to out compete the dinos?

 

[boomeraudio]

Any update?

One thing i started using is chaeto grow... looks like trace elements that macros supposedly need.

I will say while my nitrates are near zero all of the time (icp and salifert) my phosphates range from 0.08 to 0.2.

But since adding chaeto grow for a few weeks:

I also dose live phytoplankton but phosphates never dropped this low before even with phyto... the macro does grow much more vigorously..

Maybe that could help get macro going to out compete the dinos?

Shrimp is still alive - was barely moving for a couple days and now it moving around and eating again. Insane to see him survive, but I'm glad he did.

I'm seeing some stringy dino in the sand during the day and was considering hitting it with DinoX again tonight...not sure. Parameters are still good...zoas are opening again. Looks like the candy cane and monti are growing flesh back.

Talk about a wild ride this has been.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Looks like the candy cane and monti are growing flesh back.

Talk about a wild ride this has been.

Glad to hear. The more I read or listen to other people's experiences with dry rock--i do not think you are alone... "Wild ride" i think describes the first year or so of dry rock for a lot people it seems.... Stick with it! Just part of the process.

 

[boomeraudio]

Glad to hear. The more I read or listen to other people's experiences with dry rock--i do not think you are alone... "Wild ride" i think describes the first year or so of dry rock for a lot people it seems.... Stick with it! Just part of the process.

That's for sure. Seems like the tank is holding nutrients a bit better. Just tested again today - both Salifert Tests.

Looks like Nitrate around 15ppm and Phosphate around 0.1ppm. I'm afraid to do a water change because I don't want the tank to bottom out and bring back the dino's in full force again.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

That's for sure. Seems like the tank is holding nutrients a bit better. Just tested again today - both Salifert Tests.

Looks like Nitrate around 15ppm and Phosphate around 0.1ppm. I'm afraid to do a water change because I don't want the tank to bottom out and bring back the dino's in full force again.

Sure... I think the biggest thing is not so much whether there is bottoming out or the numbers... it's getting animals, bacteria, and plants, etc., soaking up nutrients and growing/stable populations... Whatever the numbers are they are... you just need animals and plants in sufficient volume and growth to out compete dinos, IMO...

For example, my tank has had nitrate between 0 and 2ppm and phosphate between 0.04 and .2ppm during the last five months or longer. The tank looks the same regardless of the numbers... The growth is the same... It's just whatever the levels settle in at they settle in at... The only numbers i would really monitor is alkalinity and PH. Keep alkalinity stable is the biggest thing and if PH is below 8 then use kalk morning and night or steady drip/dosing pump to both keep alkalinity stable and raise pH.

That said--i am sure we don't know everything about reef tanks and the "wild ride" could continue no matter what you do--even if perfectly... so patience is key and you've done amazing there!!

On that train of thought, if it was me i would add as many easy corals and macro and phyto into your system as you can or can afford... I have some gorgonians and digitata and easy zoos you can have here in a bit.. the plugs are still encrusting in the frag tank (that tank is new and no rock at all so slower growth).. those corals grow well and have tolerated abuse well. ..

I'll be transferring my 20 gallon tank corals and fish into a 50 gallon lagoon EXT in the next week or two.... tired of fragging corals every couple weeks.... That will technically be a "new" tank... But because the inhabitants (and light layer of SAND!) are established, i doubt i will have problems... we'll see...

 

[Nick Steele]

Very glad to see that your shrimp is still kicking!!!

Just keep doing what you are doing and Dino’s will die off and you will start seeing a much better tank! If possible try and step back from putting you hands in the tank. I let my tank go for about a month no water changes no messing with corals left algae on the glass and everything. Only thing I did was feed fish everyday or two.