New guy here

[Jhart010]

Hello all. I've recently started my first saltwater reef tank. A 13.5 Fluval that's about a month old ( Live rock and live sand ). I had a typical diatom bloom about a week in, CUC took care of most of it. However, after my first water change I think I made a few newbie mistakes. Vacuumed a small portion of the gravel, rinsed out sponge and biomedia along with my 20% WC. Afterwards I had a slight spike in ammonia and what looks like more diatoms. I did another 20% WC and added some Fritz 9. Ammonia is back down, my fish seem ok but a few of my corals seem pretty agitated. Hammer and Sympodium will not open fully. Also, I have dosed Reef Roids twice and I feel that this may have contributed to the algea growth as well?? My livestock list, upgrades and parameters are as follows, plus pics. Any advice or tips would be appreciated, I may be a little paranoid, I just want to avoid any other new guy mistakes. Thank yall!!

Parameters
Ammonia: 0 ( I think?? See pic )
Nitrite: 0
PH: 8.2
Nitrate: 5
Alk: 7.7
Calcium: 380
Phosphate: 0

Livestock/CUC recommended by LFS:
Clown
Fire fish
Mandarin goby
2 blue leg hermit
1 conch snail
1 tuxedo urchin
2 peppermint shrimp ( had one aptasia)
2 margarita snails ( for GHA on live rock )

Upgrades:

-Eheim 1000
-Intank chamber 1 with filter floss, chemipure elite, purigen and biomedia balls
-2nd chamber has original sponge and another bag of bio balls
-Jebao OW wavemaker

 

[Redfoxtang]

Testing with API kits seem to be skewed and im sure your ammonia is not there that you are seeing. As for other parameters i would try and bring your nutrients up so you get a reading. Bad things happen with your N03 and P04 fall to 0!

 

[WIReefer]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[fishguy242]

hi welcome to the reef going to love it here!!
lots of fun/info/fun/help/fun....

 

[Raege]

Welcome to R2R
Good tests kits to trust a must. True zero on nitrates or phosphates and your reading Dino threads or other algae disaster cases. Read up and check on good kits available. Is your mandarin tank raised and eating frozen and or pellet food? Beautiful fish but can be tough guys to keep
Look forward to seeing your tank progress lots of folks here with exp. to help you succeed and get the most from the hobby

 

[NashobaTek]

Welcome to the team!

 

[4FordFamily]

Welcome home, you will love it here! I am no expert in this subject matter but I wanted to say hello and nice tank!

 

[Jhart010]

Testing with API kits seem to be skewed and im sure your ammonia is not there that you are seeing. As for other parameters i would try and bring your nutrients up so you get a reading. Bad things happen with your N03 and P04 fall to 0!

Thank you for the feedback. Tips on getting the nutrient levels up??

 

[Jhart010]

Welcome to R2R
Good tests kits to trust a must. True zero on nitrates or phosphates and your reading Dino threads or other algae disaster cases. Read up and check on good kits available. Is your mandarin tank raised and eating frozen and or pellet food? Beautiful fish but can be tough guys to keep
Look forward to seeing your tank progress lots of folks here with exp. to help you succeed and get the most from the hobby

Tank raised on the Mandarin, I was told that was best for my Nano! Pellets for now, thoughts? Any recommendations on a good test kit? Thanks so much!!

 

[rwreef]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[BackToTheReef]

Welcome!

 

[Redfoxtang]

Thank you for the feedback. Tips on getting the nutrient levels up??

Feed more frozen foods is the easiest. You could also dose N03 and P04. But i would suggest just feeding more frozen foods!

 

[Jhart010]

Feed more frozen foods is the easiest. You could also dose N03 and P04. But i would suggest just feeding more frozen foods!

I can do that!! What should I expect my N03 and P04 levels to stay around??

 

[Raege]

Tank raised on the Mandarin, I was told that was best for my Nano! Pellets for now, thoughts? Any recommendations on a good test kit? Thanks so much!!

Perfect for Mandy as for test kits nitrates I like salifert and phosphate hannah checker. Cost weighs in lots or good options used research before as well

 

[Redfoxtang]

I can do that!! What should I expect my N03 and P04 levels to stay around??

General guide lines would say N03 under 10ppm and P04 under .05 but each tank is different just dont want the nutrients at 0.

 

[Glass Algae]

4 months in my self same tank. I'd personally say don't rinse your bio media in change water till about 6 months.

I'd also reccomend acclimating your lights to lower diatom bloom. I didn't have mine till 3 months in and it was VERY manageable with a handful of snails.

Api was the worst investment I made. Only tests that line up are Ph and my calc ironically enough.

I'd invest in saliferts and if u have the cash Hanna coloromiters

I agree with the other posters ur ammonia is probably not where it says it is but your tiny spike could be the lack of beneficial bacteria in your media not being established and then being rinsed.

Also from one Fluval owner to another look into a different media basket that foam block is a nutrient prison and will give you high trates or Phos by month 3. I reccomend intank. Literally fixed my bloom and algae in 3 weeks and regulated my Phos back to norm.



I wish you all the luck in your Fluval adventures! Welcome to R2R and the Salinity Side!

 

[FlexingFishSticks]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[BeltedCoyote]

Welcome to R2R!!

 

[Jhart010]

Testing with API kits seem to be skewed and im sure your ammonia is not there that you are seeing. As for other parameters i would try and bring your nutrients up so you get a reading. Bad things happen with your N03 and P04 fall to 0!

4 months in my self same tank. I'd personally say don't rinse your bio media in change water till about 6 months.

I'd also reccomend acclimating your lights to lower diatom bloom. I didn't have mine till 3 months in and it was VERY manageable with a handful of snails.

Api was the worst investment I made. Only tests that line up are Ph and my calc ironically enough.

I'd invest in saliferts and if u have the cash Hanna coloromiters

I agree with the other posters ur ammonia is probably not where it says it is but your tiny spike could be the lack of beneficial bacteria in your media not being established and rinsed.

Also from one Fluval owner to another look into a different media basket that foam block is a nutrient prison and will give you high tritaes or Phos by month 3. I reccomend intank. Literally fixed my bloom and algae in 3 weeks and regulated my Phos back to norm.



I wish you all the luck in your Fluval adventures! Welcome to R2R and the Salinity Side!

Great feedback, I will absolutely invest in the Hanna checkers. Seems to be the most trusted! I also forgot to mention that I DO have the intank chamber 1 media basket! I installed it yesterday so we will see. I felt the same way about the sponge. Doesnt seem to be doing very much filtering. Ha! And I will definitely make sure I keep my biomedia intact for a while! Thank you so much!!

 

[Glass Algae]

Great feedback, I will absolutely invest in the Hanna checkers. Seems to be the most trusted! I also forgot to mention that I DO have the intank chamber 1 media basket! I installed it yesterday so we will see. I felt the same way about the sponge. Doesnt seem to be doing very much filtering. Ha! And I will definitely make sure I keep my biomedia intact for a while! Thank you so much!!

Grats on that intank upgrade I wish it was my first upgrade.

In order top form bottom I got
Filter floss changed every Monday
Next level is carbon replaced once a month and under the carbon bio pellets that came with the tank.

Also reccomend putting that little stopper into the display hole to chamber 2. Really helps that intank do its job!

If you have any hiccups feel free to message me I'll help best I can.

Alot of members baby handed me through my tank and I will more than happily extend the favor to the best of my knowledge!