Boomer's IM 20G Nano

[Tahoe61]

What size is your tank? I have 3 in my 20G & my sand looks so so. I rarely see mine off the rocks.

Usually keep 6-8 hermits in my IM 40, the very small variety, nothing goes unbeaten.

 

[boomeraudio]

How’s the flow around the corners once it’s hitting the front glass? I think that would determine placement better. Also have you tried turning it up some? When I had one pump I had to set to 70% and only dead spot was right under the pump because of the Rockwork.

The Nero 5 at around 35% rips haha. I just moved it to the side of the tank as opposed to back middle to see if that helps out. Also poked through a section of the sand today to stir it up and clean it.
I’ll test nitrates tomorrow and see where we are at. Last test was 20-25ppm. Kind of high but from what I understand, really clean water isn’t good.

 

[boomeraudio]

Quick update 7/25/20.

The tank is about 8 months old now! Starting to see some coralline algae grow which is awesome.

Main issue I have right now is reducing nitrates. Both the Salifert and API test kits are showing 40ppm which is way too high. I’ve recently done a 10% water change and another 25% water change 72 hours after the first. Nothing has changed. In addition I’ve treated the new water with 1ml of Prime and just dosed 2ml of Prime this morning after testing high again.

My thought is to do a 50% water change after 48 hours if I don’t see a decrease. Ammonia is 0, Nitrites are 0, PH is 8.0 and Phosphates are 0.

Running a UV Sterilizer on the left and a 3 chamber InTank media basket on the right wil floss, chemipure blue, and floss.

I’m guessing the nitrates are what’s causing the algae in spots around the tank. I’d like to see them around 5ppm.

Any advice is welcomed! Hope everyone is doing great!

 

[Nick Steele]

Weird water changes should drop them. If you don’t see a drop with a 50% water change I’d take a sample to a lfs and have them run the test.

How’s the pump working on the side vs the back?

 

[boomeraudio]

Weird water changes should drop them. If you don’t see a drop with a 50% water change I’d take a sample to a lfs and have them run the test.

How’s the pump working on the side vs the back?

Pump is doing awesome on the side. I increased the % as well. Perfect.

Looks like I made some progress. Down to 25ppm according to Salifert test kit (image below).

I’m going to do another 4 gallon change today to try and cut them down to 10ppm or less. Hoping that helps! This has to be part of the algae issue.

I was so afraid to do a water change after my first one because I ended up with Dino’s but the tank was so new. It didn’t fully cycle.

It’s definitely established now. Haven’t added anything new. Want it to be fully stable before investing more $$ in it!

 

[boomeraudio]

Just finished a 5-gallon water change once again!

Here's a video of the tank after ward with an up-close of some of the rock work. I tried to scrub everything with a brush and eliminate any algae I could. Replaced the filter pads and the UV Sterilizer is still rocking. Any ideas if the algae on the rocks is normal?

Thanks!

 

[Nick Steele]

Can’t see video

 

[boomeraudio]

Can’t see video

How’s this? Sorry about that.

Try this link out:

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

How’s this? Sorry about that.

Try this link out:

I also have algae on the rocks like that. You might want to beef up your clean up crew a little if dropping your nitrates doesn’t fix things.

 

[boomeraudio]

I also have algae on the rocks like that. You might want to beef up your clean up crew a little if dropping your nitrates doesn’t fix things.

Good news! I just placed a clean up crew order with ReefCleaners yesterday. Should be here this week!

 

[Nick Steele]

Much better. Yeah I get that algae on my back wall from time to time. I believe it’s standing out more because you probably disturbed your sand bed and the algae got covered in that dust. Happens to me when I turkey baste my sand.

 

[zuri]

Good news! I just placed a clean up crew order with ReefCleaners yesterday. Should be here this week!

long journey but you made it gratz . you should prob take a toothbrush to that rock there is only so much a clean-up crew can handle. Tech we are the biggest part of the cleanup crew.

 

[boomeraudio]

long journey but you made it gratz . you should prob take a toothbrush to that rock there is only so much a clean-up crew can handle. Tech we are the biggest part of the cleanup crew.

I have a long brush I use but it doesn’t seem to take it off. It’s weird.

Nitrates down to 15ppm after recent water change. Going to do one more this weekend.

 

[zuri]

more elbow xD some times u just gotta work it

 

[boomeraudio]

more elbow xD some times u just gotta work it

Ha ha well I'm at a point where I think the dinos came back. Makes 0 sense. Did a water change 1.025 salinity with RODI water...

Here's pics - can someone help identify and let me know what you think I can do? Not sure why this keeps happening...

 

[revhtree]

Ha ha well I'm at a point where I think the dinos came back. Makes 0 sense. Did a water change 1.025 salinity with RODI water...

Here's pics - can someone help identify and let me know what you think I can do? Not sure why this keeps happening...

Kinda hard to tell! Do you have a microscope?

 

[boomeraudio]

Kinda hard to tell! Do you have a microscope?

I don't - here's a few pics in natural light. I thought maybe diatoms because of water changes, but this looks to be darker than that. So frustrating. Just tested nitrates and came back at around 15ppm via Salifert.

None of this was here before my water change this past weekend. Had to lower the nitrates though so a water change was necessary. I have a UV Sterilizer as well and am using RODI unit water with Fritz salt when I do my water changes.

Any help is much appreciated. I don't want to throw in the towel but this vicious algae cycle has been exhausting.

 

[Nick Steele]

Are you positive it’s Dino’s? It might just be algae that you have to deal with.

 

[boomeraudio]

Are you positive it’s Dino’s? It might just be algae that you have to deal with.

Not entirely sure, no. I have more clean up crew coming today. I would guess that they will take care of it, assuming it's regular algae. I don't see the bubbles on the end of the algae (which is normally a strong dino indicator) so that's good news.

I'm also leaving for the week on Tuesday and my sister in law is watching the tank. She does a good job, but when I come back there's always TLC and in tank cleaning that needs to be done. I'm confident the fish/shrimp will be fine. Maybe I'll just have her leave the light off the entire time I'm gone and do regular salinity, temperature checks and feedings...

 

[Nick Steele]

Maybe also check at night a few hrs after lights out to see if it’s gone. Some Dino’s will go into the water column during lights out.