Maggie's 20g long Nano build

[Mhamilton0911]

Will the bta looks like it survived the night, is clinging nicely on the side of the box. I'm making a box for it to hang out in our of the craft mesh and sewing it together with fishing line. It's smaller than the box is in now which will block less light below, and it's for more flow so the bta should be happier.

Question, should I feed the anemone directly? Or would that harm it in this condition?

 

[Funston07]

Will the bta looks like it survived the night, is clinging nicely on the side of the box. I'm making a box for it to hang out in our of the craft mesh and sewing it together with fishing line. It's smaller than the box is in now which will block less light below, and it's for more flow so the bta should be happier.

Question, should I feed the anemone directly? Or would that harm it in this condition?

Going to follow along since you just stumbled across my build thread as well and maybe we can use idea's from eachother. That sump would really help with your BTA not getting sucked into an intake lol so that's another plus of eventually adding one.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Going to follow along since you just stumbled across my build thread as well and maybe we can use idea's from eachother. That sump would really help with your BTA not getting sucked into an intake lol so that's another plus of eventually adding one.

Yes, no sump here either, although I have been looking into it. This tank has been my test dummy to work out kinks before I commit to switching my 75g to salt.

I'm currently testing canister filter use vs. Hob filters, and I definitely prefer the canister so far, but there are still issues that a sump would fix, things like not making anemone sushi. I underestimated the suction of that intake. I have since added foam and mesh to my powerhead.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

I think I'm losing my nem. Last few days I thought it's doing OK, stuck on the side, the remaining tentacles looking good.

This morning, it was tentacles down, I flipped it over, and it left a chunk of flesh. At this point I'm worried it's melting. Makes me so sad.

 

[ChrissFishes01]

I think I'm losing my nem. Last few days I thought it's doing OK, stuck on the side, the remaining tentacles looking good.

This morning, it was tentacles down, I flipped it over, and it left a chunk of flesh. At this point I'm worried it's melting. Makes me so sad.

Nice tank! You're doing great, especially for your first salty build!

You can see if the nem recovers - sometimes they'll come back from the brink. Personally, once it starts melting around the mouth/foot, I'd say it's probably done. In a smaller tank, you run the risk of a pretty big nutrient spike if it begins to rot and decay in there!

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Nice tank! You're doing great, especially for your first salty build!

You can see if the nem recovers - sometimes they'll come back from the brink. Personally, once it starts melting around the mouth/foot, I'd say it's probably done. In a smaller tank, you run the risk of a pretty big nutrient spike if it begins to rot and decay in there!

Hay!!!

Yes, unfortunately the nemmy did melt, but I had it in isolation and was able to remove it soon enough. All remaining corals look good, with great polyp extension, so I guess I made it out ok. Really sad the nem didn't make it, I really wanted it to pull through.

 

[ChrissFishes01]

Hay!!!

Yes, unfortunately the nemmy did melt, but I had it in isolation and was able to remove it soon enough. All remaining corals look good, with great polyp extension, so I guess I made it out ok. Really sad the nem didn't make it, I really wanted it to pull through.

Unfortunately, they can be finnicky little things, especially if the one you got was bleached so badly. I've had a couple do the same thing.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Unfortunately, they can be finnicky little things, especially if the one you got was bleached so badly. I've had a couple do the same thing.

Yes, sadly I won't try another nem in this tank, but I have been looking at a few of the AIO tanks and thinking of a dedicated anemone tank so it can be safer for them. (Oh no, another reason for another tank, lol). Sourcing a good local anemone might be the hardest part.

I do have 2 rock flower anemones in there that are super happy and haven't moved from thier original placement, so that's good I guess.

 

[danieyella]

Love the scape you assembled for this tank! Sorry about the nem I had one in my 20, that transferred to the 90, then split into 5 who all slowly got pulled and relocated because - no. No more. I'll stick with rockflowers & minimaxis instead.

Following along!

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Love the scape you assembled for this tank! Sorry about the nem I had one in my 20, that transferred to the 90, then split into 5 who all slowly got pulled and relocated because - no. No more. I'll stick with rockflowers & minimaxis instead.

Following along!

Yes, I learned my lesson the hard way. I do love, LOVE, my rock flowers though! I'll have to try a mini maxi, they look awesome as well!!

 

[Mhamilton0911]

I took some pictures this morning, so I'll update the thread!! A bit of uglies happening right now, long strands of brown something, maybe cyano? I have 0 nitrates/phosphates always so I suspect this to be my cause. I've been researching dosing those, but I mull over every thing, so I'm so undecided still. I just remove by hand what I see, scrub a little, siphon it out. I've been dosing phytoplankton for about 3 months though, which I feel has limited my uglies, giving nutrition to 'pods and hopefully beating out unwanted algea. However this might be why I'm nutrient limited, live phytoplankton uses avaliable nutrients like nitrate or phosphate I've read.

Ps. I don't know what I'm doing, lol.

Pps. I'm going to paint the back of my tank, I'm tired of seeing my textured wall in every picture.... and say hello to Ms tailspot blenny, poking her head out,

 

[ChrissFishes01]

Corals look great!

You may want to try this dinos test: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/helpful-method-for-identifying-dinoflagellates.216508/page-2

When you're so nutrient limited, you tend to have more issues with dinos than cyano, IME (unless the cyano pre-dated the nutrient limitation, and cause the limitation itself).

You know that I tend to run "dirty" tanks - I'd at least have my nitrates around 5 PPM and my phosphate around .05-.1, personally! Gotta follow that Redfield Ratio

 

[danieyella]

I too prefer "dirty" tanks, though my numbers are higher, still holding that redfield. Feed a little heavier or increase fishload before you start dosing for phos/nitrates imo

 

[Mhamilton0911]

I try to feed often, frozen and flake, but I do water changes once a week at 2 gallons, if I do less than that, my parameters drop from coral uptake. I'm trying to avoid dosing by replenshing through waterchanges. I had good nitrates before, but around the same time I started dosing phyto, added pods and a bunch of corals.

 

[ChrissFishes01]

I try to feed often, frozen and flake, but I do water changes once a week at 2 gallons, if I do less than that, my parameters drop from coral uptake. I'm trying to avoid dosing by replenshing through waterchanges. I had good nitrates before, but around the same time I started dosing phyto, added pods and a bunch of corals.

Hm. It may be easiest to dose a one-part additive by hand, but I'm not sure which would be best. I've made my own with Potassium Nitrate and Flourish (which in tiny amounts is a super easy way to spike your PO4), but it's been years and I don't remember exactly which measurements I used.

Whenever I feed Reef-Roids, my NO3 and PO4 spike pretty hard until things in the tank consume it all. That may be an easy solution, if a little less predictable.

 

[danieyella]

Second this, maybe if your alk & calcium consumption are balanced look into Tropic Marin all for reef? I use that for my 4g pico

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Thanks guys! This is such a balancing act!! I do have the ABC red sea supplements, haven't used yet since I've been managing with waterchanges, but it's on hand so if I extend the waterchanges I'll have something. I'm currently using Kent reef salt. Alk and calcium do definitely drop together. I'll check out the 'roids. (Ha, never thought I'd say that, lol)

 

[ChrissFishes01]

Thanks guys! This is such a balancing act!! I do have the ABC red sea supplements, haven't used yet since I've been managing with waterchanges, but it's on hand so if I extend the waterchanges I'll have something. I'm currently using Kent reef salt. Alk and calcium do definitely drop together. I'll check out the 'roids. (Ha, never thought I'd say that, lol)

It certainly does seem like a lot until you get used to it!

Your tank is still young, though. I think I mentioned this in our PMs, but the first year or so is always the toughest. Once you get things figured out, it really runs itself for the most part - or it seems to. Then again, I'm not one to have two separate 3-part regiments and tons of reactors, either - KISS!

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Well after lots of reading I think I've developed a plan. I did do the 'dinos test' and I'm pretty sure that's at least part of what I'm dealing with, possibly run of the mill cyano as well. I typically don't like adding tons of potions and the like to my tanks, which includes dosing nutrients. If I can find a simple or natural way, usually by water changes, I go that route. However in a dinos situation, more waterchanges stripping my nutrients to nothing, will not help.

So my plan is to combination increase feeding, reduce water changes, and dose nitrates and phosphate. Testing parameters daily to measure increasing and decreasing numbers. Fully prepared to dose, have on hand red sea 3part ABC, and using brightwell nitrate and phosphate currently at 1ml each per day. This is probably too little, but I wanted to start slow with those.

Testing this morning is showing nitrates finally, but about .05 . Just barely showing pink from the side view on the salifert test. No phosphate yet. Alk and calcium still holding, not much decrease yet.

So I'll continue this for a week at this rate and see what happens.

 

[ChrissFishes01]

Well after lots of reading I think I've developed a plan. I did do the 'dinos test' and I'm pretty sure that's at least part of what I'm dealing with, possibly run of the mill cyano as well. I typically don't like adding tons of potions and the like to my tanks, which includes dosing nutrients. If I can find a simple or natural way, usually by water changes, I go that route. However in a dinos situation, more waterchanges stripping my nutrients to nothing, will not help.

So my plan is to combination increase feeding, reduce water changes, and dose nitrates and phosphate. Testing parameters daily to measure increasing and decreasing numbers. Fully prepared to dose, have on hand red sea 3part ABC, and using brightwell nitrate and phosphate currently at 1ml each per day. This is probably too little, but I wanted to start slow with those.

Testing this morning is showing nitrates finally, but about .05 . Just barely showing pink from the side view on the salifert test. No phosphate yet. Alk and calcium still holding, not much decrease yet.

So I'll continue this for a week at this rate and see what happens.

I've only dealt with dinos a couple times, and in both scenarios it took a couple months of extra nutrients for them to go away, with a couple relapses in that time. That's part of the reason I run my tanks so dirty now - getting rid of them is a pain, IME.

I think you're on a good track! I hope it goes well. The small, incremental changes you're making will be much more effective than a couple large ones.