Filter media question

[Biochembob]

I have a 20 gallon tall tank that has been running for 5 weeks. I started with just my HOB filter with filter floss only and heater until I got to a stable temperature. Then I added 17 pounds of live rock from my LFS and 5 pounds of Caribsea live sand.

The ammonia and nitrites dropped to 0 in three days and I had ~1ppm nitrate. A week later I added my 1000gph wave maker, 2 snails (turbo and nassarius), 2 small hermit crabs, and turned on my lights (blues for 10 hours whites for 2).

I began lightly feeding the small CUC and after my nitrates got to 5 and my ammonia and nitrites we're still 0 I pulled the trigger on a skunk shrimp and small ocellaris clownfish.

Everyone seems happy (except the thousands of pods my clown has eaten in the last 3 days) and the tank looks good but it seems weird that I'm only running filter floss.

I have carbon from my brackish water tank and I don't have my phosphate test kit yet (coming soon). Do I even need chemical filtration? Should I just keep testing and changing water when my nitrates get above 10 (until I get coral) or every two weeks whichever comes first?

Equipment:
Topfin 70 pro with skimmer
Hygger wave maker 1000
Fluval 150 watt heater
nicrew 32 watt marine led light with blue /white timed channels

Critters
1 ocellaris clown
1 skunk shrimp
2 hermits
1 turbo snail
1 nassarius snail

May's purchase goals
1 tailspot blenny
1 small GSP frag
1 small mushroom?
2? more hermits
2 Astraea

 

[CoralB]

I’m sure your tank isn’t completely cycled but the addition of live rock is your filter at this point keeping nitrates and phosphates in Check . I wouldn’t add anything more for at least another few weeks while checking your parameters often . And when you do add one fish at a time to allow the bacteria to beef up on the rock to accommodate the new addition . Carbon is fine , I’m more concerned with your nitrates zeroed out .get them up to between 5-10 ppm and phosphates should also never be zeroed out , keep them around 0.03 and 0.05 . Make sure your other parameters are in check as well . Also I would add bacteria especially during cycling like microbacter 7 . It would be beneficial to have your water flow aimed at your rockwith the return of you hang on the back filter and or a powerhead . Good luck

 

[Biochembob]

I’m sure your tank isn’t completely cycled but the addition of live rock is your filter at this point keeping nitrates and phosphates in Check . I wouldn’t add anything more for at least another few weeks while checking your parameters often . And when you do add one fish at a time to allow the bacteria to beef up on the rock to accommodate the new addition . Carbon is fine , I’m more concerned with your nitrates zeroed out .get them up to between 5-10 ppm and phosphates should also never be zeroed out , keep them around 0.03 and 0.05 . Make sure your other parameters are in check as well . Also I would add bacteria especially during cycling like microbacter 7 . It would be beneficial to have your water flow aimed at your rockwith the return of you hang on the back filter and or a powerhead . Good luck

Sorry I had a letter wrong. Nitrites we're zero. And I dosed bacteria with every thing I've added (3 times love rock, CUC, clown& shrimp). My nitrates have crept up to ~5.5ppm over 5 weeks.

 

[CoralB]

Sorry I’ve been fighting a sinus infection and was tired last night but I really wanted to help you with your question . Your nitrites and ammonia at zero is good , I have a mixed tank that loves nitrates between 15 -20 ppm . I never let it go over 20 . As far as the floss it’s ok as it pulls out larger particles so no worries there . if you want to keep using it and as I said before your bio bed is basically in your rock and sand . I have rock in my sump as well as my tank ,I also value the use of a skimmer plus regular water changes . If I didn’t have a skimmer I would be doing more water changes per week as I feed my corals three days a week plus my fish gets fed twice a day . In my situation I couldn’t see myself without using a skimmer . Your critters and fish will be fine with your current nitrate levels it’s when you get your coral that you want to practice stability whether you keep it at 5 or 20 ppm .you listed mushroom and gsp coral as what you plan to get . Mushroom coral like the higher nitrates 10 - 20 ppm if you add other coral like sps and lps you will want to lower your nitrates a bit . my Sps and lps that I have in my tank has slowly over time adapted to the higher nitrate and I might not get the faster growth out of them but they grow . I have a lot of bounce mushrooms in my tank which love the higher number. Another piece of advice is to keep your phosphates between 0.05 - 1.0 . Never let your phosphates or nitrates zero out . Hope I’ve helped . Good luck !!