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Big C's 65 gallon marineland!

This is a mixed reef I've had for 7 years. I am a 16 year old reefer trying to pursue my dream.
Introduction
I am 16 and have been in the hobby for 7 years, it is one of the only things I can enjoy! I have also gotten others my age into the hobby.
Do you have a video of your tank?
This is a mixed reef I've had for 7 years. I am a 16 year old reefer trying to pursue my dream.

Aquarium Profile and Equipment

What type of saltwater aquarium is this?
Mixed Reef
Total Water Volume
65
When did you start this tank?
Jan 24, 2019
What is your aquarium made of?
Glass
Aquarium Length (inches)
48
Aquarium Width (inches)
12
Aquarium Height (inches)
24
Aquarium Overflow/Drain
No Overflow
Aquarium Sump
NO Sump
Sump Water Volume
0
Aquarium Stand
Black wood.
Aquarium Controller
NO
Protein Skimmer
YES
Protein Skimmer Make and Model
AquaMaxx 1.5 Hob
Aquarium Reactors
  1. None
Return Pump
Hygger 800GPH
What types of equipment are you using for water flow and circulation?
  1. Powerhead
Water Flow and Circulation Equipment List
Two Hygger Gyres.
Aquarium Lighting
  1. LED
Lighting Equipment List
ReefLED 90s 2x.
Lighting PAR and Goals
I want to be able to keep LPS and softies comfortably together. Maybe some montipora later.
Dosing Equipment
  1. Alkalinity
Auto Top Off or ATO
NO
Aquarium Heating and Cooling
  1. I am using a heater or heaters
Water Temperature
79
Heating and Cooling Equipment Detail
1x Sicce titanium heater
Additional Equipment Detail
N/A

Aquarium Water Chemistry and Parameters

pH Level
8.2
Specific Gravity
0.025
Nitrate or NO3
15PPM
Phosphate or PO4
0.01
Calcium
410
Alkalinity
10
Magnesium
1190
Salt Brand
Instant Ocean
Trace Element Dosing
none
Water Chemistry Detail
High nitrates constantly, low alk is common as well.

Aquarium Natural and Mechanical Filtration

Substrate
Sand
Substrate Level
Deep
Live Rock
78
Live Rock Type
Carib Sea Reef dry rock mixed with live rock
Nutrient Export
  1. Refugium
  2. Protein Skimmer
  3. Floss
  4. Carbon
Water Changes
YES
Water Change Details
Suction out 5-10% of the water from the tank.

When I can get water I always do a WC
Nutrient Export Details
NO-POX daily 5 ML
Additional Maintenance Details
I scrape the glass nearly every day

Aquarium Tank Inhabitants (fish, coral, invert etc.)

Fish List
  1. Basslet
  2. Blenny
  3. Clownfish
  4. Hawkfish
Total Fish
6
Coral List
  1. LPS Coral
  2. Soft Coral
  3. Mushroom Coral
  4. Other
Total Corals
8
Invert List
  1. Anemone
  2. Starfish
  3. Shrimp
  4. Snails
  5. Urchin
Total Inverts
19
Livestock Detail
4 Top crown snails
1 strawberry conch
1 serpent star
10 blue legs hermits
4 nassarius snails
1 whelk
10 astrea snails
2 ninja star astrea snails
2 turbo snails
1 peppermint shrimp
2 fuzzy chitons
2 trochus snails
1 Tux urchin
1 Pincushion urchin
Livestock Quarantine
  1. Other
Favorite Fish
Marble wrasse
Favorite Coral
Devils Hand
Favorite Invert
Serpent star

Aquarium Nutrition (fish, coral, invert etc. feeding)

Fish Feeding Frequency
One Daily Feeding
Coral Feeding Frequency
Do Not Feed Coral Directly
Fish and Coral Feeding
  1. Pellet
  2. Frozen
What brands of foods are you feeding?
NYOS wild goji. LRS Feeding frenzy
Auto Feeder
NO

Additional Aquarium Information

What do you think are the keys to your success in reefing?
Patience. Finding how to do things your way instead of following all the ways of everybody else. Taking time to find what works for you, your time, budget etc. I do think that Reef2Reef however has taught me this. Members like Tbrown and KingRanch have taught me to do things my own way. I credit them for that.

Otherwise keep your head up and don't quit when times get hard. Trust me i've been there!
It would be easier to see with a little less blues but what I can see looks really nice!
Thank you. It's only now starting to explode. I need help though. I walked into my fish room and my hammer has been partially closed for about a month now. I thought it was branching but now it is being discolored and I'm very worried. No pests that I know of any thoughts?
 
I see a few things with your parameters that could use adjusting. You need to get your nitrate up to 10-15., specific gravity up to 1.026. My torches , hammers and frogspawn thrive with magnesium around 1400, yours is very low. You want medium flow and light.
 
I see a few things with your parameters that could use adjusting. You need to get your nitrate up to 10-15., specific gravity up to 1.026. My torches , hammers and frogspawn thrive with magnesium around 1400, yours is very low. You want medium flow and light.
Alright. I need a real water test. I think I'll get my grandparents to take me to the fish store as my parents don't even support my hobby (at least anymore) these aren't my real parameters this is just where I've been told its recommended to keep them at and plus I wanted to finish the form. Im going to try my best to get a water test for two threads that need it!
 
Alright. I need a real water test. I think I'll get my grandparents to take me to the fish store as my parents don't even support my hobby (at least anymore) these aren't my real parameters this is just where I've been told its recommended to keep them at and plus I wanted to finish the form. Im going to try my best to get a water test for two threads that need it!
Whoever told you to keep your tank at a salinity of 1.020 has zero clue and you should probably not listen to anything else they tell you.

I’m sorry you don’t have a ton of support from your parents with this hobby, but they probably understand that reef keeping can be a pretty massive undertaking and costly so maybe being cautious. I wish you the best of luck. It may be wise to make your next purchase or gift request to be an RODI system so you can make your own water. I heard you mention not having a ride to get water from the LFS to do water changes and that makes me wonder how you are managing top-off for evaporation as well.

This hobby is so much fun and I think it is awesome that you are getting into it at a young age. You sound like a real smart guy and if you stick with it, I’m sure you will have a stunning tank someday. You have an uphill battle though with probably little to no income and dependent on parents/relatives for rides to the LFS. Be patient and you will be 16 before you know it. I wish I had such productive and healthy hobbies when I was your age!
 
Whoever told you to keep your tank at a salinity of 1.020 has zero clue and you should probably not listen to anything else they tell you.

I’m sorry you don’t have a ton of support from your parents with this hobby, but they probably understand that reef keeping can be a pretty massive undertaking and costly so maybe being cautious. I wish you the best of luck. It may be wise to make your next purchase or gift request to be an RODI system so you can make your own water. I heard you mention not having a ride to get water from the LFS to do water changes and that makes me wonder how you are managing top-off for evaporation as well.

This hobby is so much fun and I think it is awesome that you are getting into it at a young age. You sound like a real smart guy and if you stick with it, I’m sure you will have a stunning tank someday. You have an uphill battle though with probably little to no income and dependent on parents/relatives for rides to the LFS. Be patient and you will be 16 before you know it. I wish I had such productive and healthy hobbies when I was your age!
You would of been better giving him the correct parameters so he has something to work off

Salinity 1.023 upto 1.026
My own choice is 1.025
Any thing you need a hand with just reach out you are the next generation of reef keepers so when I am in a old folks home you will be at the top of your game in reefing all you need is a bit of dedication to the hobby. Enjoy your journey
 
Whoever told you to keep your tank at a salinity of 1.020 has zero clue and you should probably not listen to anything else they tell you.

I’m sorry you don’t have a ton of support from your parents with this hobby, but they probably understand that reef keeping can be a pretty massive undertaking and costly so maybe being cautious. I wish you the best of luck. It may be wise to make your next purchase or gift request to be an RODI system so you can make your own water. I heard you mention not having a ride to get water from the LFS to do water changes and that makes me wonder how you are managing top-off for evaporation as well.

This hobby is so much fun and I think it is awesome that you are getting into it at a young age. You sound like a real smart guy and if you stick with it, I’m sure you will have a stunning tank someday. You have an uphill battle though with probably little to no income and dependent on parents/relatives for rides to the LFS. Be patient and you will be 16 before you know it. I wish I had such productive and healthy hobbies when I was your age!
I have a RODI system I make it on the weekends. Ive fixed my salinity as well its up to 1.024 water change was just done so nitrates will begin being lowered.
 
Excellent!
Light turned back on. The bulb is dimmed though it did happen and was fine the next day. Ill leave it off for the rest of today.
 
Sorry for the late update!
Tank is having nitrate issues above 80ppm clownfish death and starry blenny death. Soon my coral beauty will die as she is under a rock suffering from high nitrates. I have done a 15 gallon water change and put in a aquavitro nitrate pad as well. I am also battling hair algae. Any tips?
 
Sorry for the late update!
Tank is having nitrate issues above 80ppm clownfish death and starry blenny death. Soon my coral beauty will die as she is under a rock suffering from high nitrates. I have done a 15 gallon water change and put in a aquavitro nitrate pad as well. I am also battling hair algae. Any tips?
Do you run carbon in the tank? And what CUC do you have to combat hair algae?
 
Do you run carbon in the tank? And what CUC do you have to combat hair algae?
Yes running clear blue carbon just put in 2 days ago CUC: astrea snails, top crown snails, 1-3 em crabs and that’s it. Most of my CUC was destroyed by my wrasse. All that’s left is top crowns astreas some other weird snail zombie snails about 3 and 1-3 em crabs. My wrasse has calmed down on the invert eating now so what should I put in there?
 
Yes running clear blue carbon just put in 2 days ago CUC: astrea snails, top crown snails, 1-3 em crabs and that’s it. Most of my CUC was destroyed by my wrasse. All that’s left is top crowns astreas some other weird snail zombie snails about 3 and 1-3 em crabs. My wrasse has calmed down on the invert eating now so what should I put in there?
I recommend you put a tuxedo urchin, a few blue leg hermit crab, 2 or 3 Mexican turbo snails, astrias
 

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