Budget Beginnings

[Euphylliaphyle]

Mounted my Sicce Shark 300 protein skimmer.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Parameters Check-In

○ Ca: 465 ppm
(target: 400-450 ppm)
per Salifert titration

○ Alk: 8.45 dKH
(target: 8-12 dkH)
per Salifert titration

○ Mg: 1,320 ppm
(target: 1,250-1,400 ppm)
per Salifert titration

○ pH: 8.2
(target: 8.1-8.4)
per API colorimetric

○ Salinity: 1.0266 SpG/ 35.7 ppt
(target: 35 ppt)
per TropicMarin hydrometer
(Topped off w/ RO/DI after test)

○ Temperature: 78.9°F
(target: 73-84°F)
per Weber digital therm.

○ Nitrate: 31.6 ppm
(target: 5-50 ppm)
per Hanna Checker

○ Phosphate: 0.66 ppm
(target: 0.06-0.3 ppm)
per Hanna Checker
(Installed nano protein skimmer
03 JAN 2025, small positive effect,
but also had to remove a decent
sized rock and replace with two
much smaller dry rocks to
accomodate the in-tank skimmer,
so lost a chunk of established
biology, probably offsetting some
gain from the skimmer
temporarily.)

Tank looks happy, except for my Toadstool Leather, which is shedding and grumpy:

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Phosphate at 0.81 ppm. I'm not happy, but the Turf Algae seems to be.

At least I have a skimmer now. Next step: PhosGuard in a mesh bag.

 

[X-37B]

Three months ago, my wife suggested we finally set up that reef aquarium we have always wanted. We were actually talking about getting rid of the tv in the living room and replacing it with a tank. Social norms prevailed, and we set about looking for a small tank for a very narrow wall that we could both still enjoy from our assigned seats without making us a tv-less neighborhood pariah.
Two months ago we bought a cheap-o 36 gallon bowfront on sale from PetSmart. The lid was black molded plastic with a totally useless, single row white LED light bar. Step 1: Throw away supplied lid. Step 2: Fabricate a clear polycarbonate lid from a repurposed COVID-era countertop sneeze screen someone had discarded with nary a scratch on it.
Step 3: Dry-installed a Fluval 207 canister filter
We'll call this Day 0.

Love the cover!

 

[X-37B]

Parameters Check-In

○ Ca: 465 ppm
(target: 400-450 ppm)
per Salifert titration

○ Alk: 8.45 dKH
(target: 8-12 dkH)
per Salifert titration

○ Mg: 1,320 ppm
(target: 1,250-1,400 ppm)
per Salifert titration

○ pH: 8.2
(target: 8.1-8.4)
per API colorimetric

○ Salinity: 1.0266 SpG/ 35.7 ppt
(target: 35 ppt)
per TropicMarin hydrometer
(Topped off w/ RO/DI after test)

○ Temperature: 78.9°F
(target: 73-84°F)
per Weber digital therm.

○ Nitrate: 31.6 ppm
(target: 5-50 ppm)
per Hanna Checker

○ Phosphate: 0.66 ppm
(target: 0.06-0.3 ppm)
per Hanna Checker
(Installed nano protein skimmer
03 JAN 2025, small positive effect,
but also had to remove a decent
sized rock and replace with two
much smaller dry rocks to
accomodate the in-tank skimmer,
so lost a chunk of established
biology, probably offsetting some
gain from the skimmer
temporarily.)

Tank looks happy, except for my Toadstool Leather, which is shedding and grumpy:

I love that you have posted ranges and focus on keeping them in range. Everyone should have set ranges. It has a direct effect on stability. Nice

 

[X-37B]

Leathers are cool. Here are 2 leathers and a goni in my 15g system. Pic from yesterday.

 

[X-37B]

Had to have an angel. Opted for the reef-safest angel I could find, Atlantic Pygmy/ Cherub Angelfish (Centropyge argi):

Whatch the pygmy. I had to relocate mine in my old 120. Fine for 6 months then became a constant nipper. Its always hit or miss.with them
I have a flame back in my nem system but only 4 nems and a large hammer in my 35.

Only real safe angel I have found is the swallowtail angel.
I have one in my 150.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Whatch the pygmy

Will do. Thanks.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Re-tested phosphate today. After 8 days of 1/2 label dose of PhosGuard and the last 4 days of the 8 with the second 1/2 dose in addition, it has dropped to 0.60 ppm. Will check it again in 4 more days.
Just for giggles, I tested the RO/DI I get from the LFS. It measured 0.10. I'm not crazy about that and will discuss with them. I'm pretty sure 0.10 is outside of measurement error for Hanna ULR Phosphate Checker. I'll check it a couple more times before I do, just in case. I also need to buy the Hanna calibration standards for this Checker.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Raising the difficulty bar a bit today. Added my first Gorgonian and first NPS (a Dendro). For the sake of my animals, wish me luck! Advice welcome, especially on the Gorgonian. I know they are a diverse group with widely varying needs, but I don't know what species I have here. Because of the muted coloration, I'm thinking it's an Atlantic sea fan and not NPS. With that assumption, I have it in moderate lighting to start, with intent to move it up over time. It's in moderate flow now as well. It's final home will have pretty heavy flow.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Feb 7 2026 tests:

● Transitioned to AFR 2/1/2026
● Tests are post-today's AFR dosing

○ Ca: 475 ppm (nc/7d)
(target: 400-450 ppm)
per Salifert titration
○ Alk: 9.3 dKH (+0.4/7D)
(target: 8-12 dkH)
per Salifert titration
○ Mg: 1,305 ppm (-45/7D)
(target: 1,250-1,400 ppm)
per Salifert titration
○ pH: 8.0 (-0.2/7D)
(target: 8.1-8.4)
per API colorimetric
○ Salinity: 1.02625 SpG/ 35 ppt
(target: 35 ppt)
per TropicMarin hydrometer/&
Weber digital therm.
(Topped off w/ RO/DI last night)
○ Temperature: 77.9°F
(target: 73-84°F)
per Weber digital therm.
○ Nitrate: 35.6 ppm (-0.8/14D)
(target: 5-50 ppm*)
per Hanna Checker
○ Phosphate: 0.50 ppm (+0.01/3D)
(target: 0.06-0.3 ppm)
per Hanna Checker

Turkey-basted rock crevices hard, cleaned glass. Rinsed canister filter, rock rubble inside it and few remaining sponge media using siphoned-off aquarium water to remove excess waste but preserve life therein. Completed 5-gal water change.

0.50 phosphate, 0.2 desired.
5 tbsp RowaPhos needed per calculator:

RowaPhos calculator

Started with half-dose (2.5 tbsp) 2/8/26.

Replaced Fluval phosphate sponge as well in my 207.

Adding 3 tbsp BRS Rox 0.8 Carbon per BRS calculator. Gorgonia and Toadstool Leather both shedding.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Re-tested phosphate, four days post-remediation.

○ Phosphate: 0.28 ppm (-0.22/4D w/ 1st half-dose RowaPhos, plus new Fluval phosphate sponge on 2/8/26)
(target: 0.06-0.3 ppm)
per Hanna Checker

Very happy to be here! This was my first-ever phosphate test result within my target range (just barely, but trying to go slowly so as to not stress corals or overshoot). Will re-test in four more days.

 

[X-37B]

Re-tested phosphate, four days post-remediation.

○ Phosphate: 0.28 ppm (-0.22/4D w/ 1st half-dose RowaPhos, plus new Fluval phosphate sponge on 2/8/26)
(target: 0.06-0.3 ppm)
per Hanna Checker

Very happy to be here! This was my first-ever phosphate test result within my target range (just barely, but trying to go slowly so as to not stress corals or overshoot). Will re-test in four more days.

After many years of running po4 @ <.1 I now run .1-.2. I adjust with gfo down to .1 when it gets to
2. Has worked quite well and visually there is no difference.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

After many years of running po4 @ <.1 I now run .1-.2. I adjust with gfo down to .1 when it gets to
2. Has worked quite well and visually there is no difference.

Thanks! My plan is to get to 0.2 then maybe add some Chaeto in a reactor instead of a GFO product.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Added a small handful of red Dragon's Breath macro to the DT. Its too pretty to hide in a reactor! If you’re not familiar, its more of a blood red than this pic shows:

Also added to my CUC, specialty members of which have been difficult to come by around here, especially since the 18" (read: earth-stops-rotating-cataclysmic-level-for-here) of snowfall we received last week. Added a couple of Ninja Star Astria snails and a purple & white urchin. Meet Jeeves, my distinguished and well-dressed reef butler:

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Had to have an angel. Opted for the reef-safest angel I could find, Atlantic Pygmy/ Cherub Angelfish (Centropyge argi):

Whatch the pygmy. I had to relocate mine in my old 120. Fine for 6 months then became a constant nipper. Its always hit or miss.with them
I have a flame back in my nem system but only 4 nems and a large hammer in my 35.

Only real safe angel I have found is the swallowtail angel.
I have one in my 150.

To clarify, by "constant nipper," do you mean of polyps or fins or both?

 

[X-37B]

To clarify, by "constant nipper," do you mean of polyps or fins or both?

Coral nipper, never bothered other fish. I have a flameback angel in my 35 but it's a nem system with one large hammer. It's hard to get a pic of this angel.
It swam into the pic when I was taking a pic of an acro.
My favorite fish at the moment.

 

[Roatan Reef]

Interesting... a mini sump. Maintenance costs will go down as well - those filter pads add up! Thank you for the tip!

NP....regardless the tank looks clean. If it was mine, I would replace all (except top one to the motor) the filter/sponges etc in the 407 and replace with live rock rubble. It will cut done on your cleaning, along with creating a semi-cryptic zone, and don't buy into anyone on this forum telling you you can't keep corals with a canister......

Yep, absolutely, I used to go round and round in hete arguing with people about canister filters. They can be great, and you can get creative with them.

I have about a pound of crushed coral in one tray, another tray has chunks of live rock from my tank or other tanks that have been taken apart and last tray has bio media, carbon, chemi pure blue and a thin layer filter pad. That's it. It works amazing, and when I do clean it out, ( like every 3 months) its barely dirty. Awesome budget tank BTW, @Euphylliaphyle I have a 40GB.

 

[Euphylliaphyle]

Yep, absolutely, I used to go round and round in hete arguing with people about canister filters. They can be great, and you can get creative with them.

I have about a pound of crushed coral in one tray, another tray has chunks of live rock from my tank or other tanks that have been taken apart and last tray has bio media, carbon, chemi pure blue and a thin layer filter pad. That's it. It works amazing, and when I do clean it out, ( like every 3 months) its barely dirty. Awesome budget tank BTW, @Euphylliaphyle I have a 40GB.

Thank you!!!