NakiFantaki's Nuvo 20 first time reef tank

NakiFantaki · Jan 13, 2017

Been a little bit.. thought Id throw an update up..

Had a little scare with my midas blenny...About a week ago I saw some white spots on him... I watched it closely for the next few days and it seemed to getting worse. My clowns and coral seems fine. I opted for a quick freshwater bath on the midas and then put him back in the display.. He was ticked for the next day or so but then he went back to acting normal.. and the spots are gone.
My diatoms are finally starting to clear up.. They are still pretty bad but not as bad as about a week ago so I am happy about that.

Ill do a water change on Sunday and try to suck up as much of it as I can.

NakiFantaki · Jan 20, 2017

Ahhh... finally.. those horrible diatoms at 99% gone! That was rough! I am seeing more and more purple coralline popping up on the rocks everyday. Fish are happy.. coral is happy and my water is all in check. However I still feel there is another obstacle right around the corner. Lol

I've decided to get an anemone this week probably. My clowns are sick of being homeless and holding up signs asking for change. This will be my first time caring for one and I will take any tips I can get. I was thinking I should get a bubble tip because from what I've read those seem to be the easiest ones and the clowns seems to host it well. I am open to other types as well. My plan is to cover my powerhead with some pantyhose and maybe I'll figure out a way to cover the overflows the same way. Just until the new finds its spot and then I will take them off.
I'm excited. I will post a pic of the tank tomorrow when the light are on.

Anyways.. hope everyone has a great weekend

ZachP · Jan 20, 2017

Hey my algae is finally about all cleared up too! Weird how we're both on the same exact schedule haha. Be careful with a nem in this small of a tank. I've never had one in a nano, I'm too worried about them stinging all my corals

NakiFantaki · Jan 20, 2017

NakiFantaki · Jan 20, 2017

Just some updated tank shots!

NakiFantaki · Jan 20, 2017

ZachP said:
Hey my algae is finally about all cleared up too! Weird how we're both on the same exact schedule haha. Be careful with a nem in this small of a tank. I've never had one in a nano, I'm too worried about them stinging all my corals

It's so funny.. I use your build as my reference all the time. I'm a little worried about the nem as well.. but I think it's a risk I'm willing to take. I don't have much coral in here now so I'm thinking I will let the nem settle and add around it.

ZachP · Jan 20, 2017

NakiFantaki said:
It's so funny.. I use your build as my reference all the time. I'm a little worried about the nem as well.. but I think it's a risk I'm willing to take. I don't have much coral in here now so I'm thinking I will let the nem settle and add around it.

Well I'll be waiting to see your nem! I plan on having my tank jam packed with coral eventually or else I would want one too. Clowns hosting a nem is awesome, something I've always been jealous of in other tanks.

NakiFantaki · Jan 22, 2017

So I picked up an anemone today.. it's a small rose bubble tip... wish me luck! In the same tank there was a tiny piece of another anemone that was bright orange/green and that the owner gave me for free... he said it might come back... it's was better looking then the rose one so I'm hoping..

I tried to get pics of both.. the small one is so hard to see.. how does the big one look? Okay so far?

NakiFantaki · Jan 22, 2017

Some better pics. Anyone know what this little one is? A RBTA too?

Marlon2024 · Jan 22, 2017

Nice pick up my old clown would host my bbta but when I got ich he didn't survive the tank transfer method. I bought 2 snowflake and 1 didn't make it past quarantine so I'm left with one and looking to add one more asap. My new snowflake was hovering over my elegance coral to try to host it and I did not want him anywhere near it!!! I would shoo him away with a net and he finally decided he liked the gsp rock. It's weird there is a perfectly nice orange and green bubble around the corner but he won't take to it like my old one did. As long as he doesn't go to the elegance I'm ok

NakiFantaki · Jan 22, 2017

I eventually would like my clowns to host it... but right now I'm just focused on getting it attached to its happy spot!

NakiFantaki · Jan 26, 2017

Just doing a little bit of reflecting on my tank and my overall experience so far... all in all this has been a very fun and rewarding hobby and I'm extremely happy with the progress I have made so far. A big thanks for this forum for all the help and advice!
I set up my tank on 11/10/16 so it's been up and running for almost 4 months. My water parameters are been pretty much on point since the cycle completed and I feel like I've done my absolute best on trying to be patient and add things slowly. Lol. My fish and corals have been very happy for the most part as well... knock on wood!! I'm starting to see lots of coralline now which makes me happy.

My next addition in a few weeks I think will be either an acan or maybe a blasto.. I'm really trying to avoid anymore green coral... if anyone has a awesome colored frag for sale let me know!

I was messing around with my iPhone camera tonight and took a few shots.

Anyways I just wanted to say thanks to all of you for answering all of my redundant questions. I wouldn't of had a clue without this forum.

Have a great night guys.

NakiFantaki · Feb 1, 2017

I think I've hit another case of the uglies... this time it's really fury brownish algae. Everything has been stable and fishes and corals look good. Even the nem seems to be coming along little by little.
I have been reading a lot about phytoplankton/zooplankton.. can anyone tell me why/when I would need to add it?

NakiFantaki · Feb 1, 2017

I guess I am also thinking my next addition...not in any big hurry but I really have no idea what I want to add next. Anyone have any suggestions? Really thinking about a coral instead of a fish... I just don't know what to pick or where to put it.

What and where? Help!

NakiFantaki · Feb 1, 2017

I'm on this phase now... normal? How long should I be riding it out for?

NakiFantaki · Feb 5, 2017

Got some new corals today and completely changed up my aquascape. Not sure if I like it yet.

I think the matron/orange is a encrusting Lepthastrea and the acan has lots of blue and white and purple.
There is also some pink zoas that haven't opened up yet.

NakiFantaki · Feb 6, 2017

Here is shot of the zoas

NakiFantaki · Feb 10, 2017

Just an update.. been a little bit.

Had to re-home my cleaner shrimp that we called "whips" [emoji12] That little guy was a greedy SOB.... constantly harassing my nem and corals.. stealing every bit of food he could from them. I'd even feed him a big piece of his own food first and he still went to steal food from everyone else! If I had a bigger tank I would of kept him but with the small 20 gallon I decided he would be happier somewhere else. I found a guy on my local reefer FB page and I traded whips for a nice frag of branching hammer coral. I stuck it in a rock about halfway up my tank and so far it seems super happy. I love the vibrant green and purple colors and it adds such great movement to the overall tank. I can't wait till it grows a bit bigger.

I'm already planning my upgrade.. that took all of.. 4 months lol. I am really digging the shallow/long type tanks. Not even sure where I am going to put it in the house yet but my wheels are turning for sure. I promised my wife a seahorse tank first so I have to convert the freshwater tank we have into a pony tank... THEN I can really plan my upgrade. [emoji16]

Does anyone know any companies that custom make pre drilled tanks? I was looking that those Red Sea reefers and then looks super nice but the price seems a bit steep. I really want to build the tank myself and collect all the pieces parts and create it. To be honest I have ZERO knowledge on how to do any of the plumbing for a bigger tank like that... so maybe an all in one would be better?

Decisions decisions