JBJ45 Media Basket Filtration options

[aggrofish]

So my "new to me" tank has been running for the last couple of weeks and everything seems to be going well. I had a jumpstart by purchasing an up and running established aquarium. There were a couple hours where the tank had no water but the sand and rock (where the bacteria lives) was kept in water. The tank came with a few fish so it wasn't the most ideal, but everything is alive.

Ammonia - zero
Nitrite - zero
Nitrate - ~10PPM (those colored API tests are hard to tell)
Calcium - ~380
Phospate - .25
Magnesium - no test kit yet I have one coming
PH - 8.2 - 8.4 (again with stupid colors)
Dkh - 11

I'm trying to get all the parameters in order before adding anything but cleanup crew. It's an AIO with 2 overflows. One side has a filter sock and the other has a media basket that only contains the black foam that came with it. I left it in because I needed to set it up quick and because of beneficial bacteria.

I have media bags, GFO, carbon, some ceramic media (don't know much about them) and probably bio balls somewhere. I'm looking for setup suggestions. I know calcium is low because I'm FOWLR right now and SG is 1.023. I'm figuring GFO in a bag won't be as good as a media reactor, but better than nothing at removing phosphate? I should also mention that it came with a eshopps nano skimmer running in one of the back chambers.

I plan on slowly raising the salinity by letting some of the water evaporate and topping off with saltwater. That should raise calcium, but I might still need to add a supplement. Need to address phosphates.

Ideas?

I would like to add some soft coral and LPS down the road when I can get it staple for X amount of time.

 

[Flippers4pups]

The media area can be used for what you have started. Your P04 can be managed to some degree with water changes and limiting the amount of food placed in the tank. If GFO is used, use it in small amounts as it can strip water clean of phosphate and you need some.