Doubling Down-My 30L Build

Ferrell · Dec 30, 2019

Hello, I’m a reef-aholic. But seriously I’ve wanted a 2nd tank for sometime and rolled across this 30L with APS stand upgraded media basket, pump and a pair of AI primes for a steal. Really wanted a shallow cube but could not have even bought the stand for that price. Coat of paint on the stand (hate white), scrubbed out all the funk and grime and viola...

This is my first nano tank so any suggestions are welcome!

So I hit it just right with the Black Friday sales just right and upgraded to a Sicce 2 pump, got some shelf rock and sand, another box of salt, Tunze osomolator and a few other “necessities”. I’ve spent the last couple of days accessing power, making shelves, back boards and various upgrades to the cabinet, arranging rocks and making water.

Finally decided on a rockscape that I was satisfied with. I tried to achieve something with more of a plateau look, lots of area for frags and plenty of room for growth.

As a side note, I made the scape lower and more shallow reef like than my 75. I think in my 75 mixed reef I achieved the rock structure I was looking for but it’s been more of a challenge with placing corals plus I think I built the structure too high. It was my first... but I digress. With this build I wanted to stay below the 1/3 level and have plenty of different levels for placement of frags. Sometime during the lightless cycle I will borrow a par meter from the club and map out the tank.
Now, I’m a bit undecided on which way to go, LPS or SPS only reef. My original thought was LPS (Acans, Euphyllia, Leptos, and Chalices) but the draw of SPS is strong. Anyway I’ll have a while to decide.

I’m putting together a stocking list. I’m going to go with a goby/shrimp pair (undecided on which one yet, Randall’s or hi fin), diadem pseudochromis or two, maybe a flametail blenny, pajama cardinal. haven’t decided yet.
That’s about it for now. Enjoy and feel free to throw out some suggestions about running a nano, this is my first.

Cory · Dec 30, 2019

Nice what a steal of a deal. Looks clean too!

Ferrell · Dec 31, 2019

Thanks Cory. I paid 400 for everything but the rock sand salt and auto top off. As soon as he shot me the price I was all in site unseen. But it did take a few days cleaning, making shelf and painting. That’s fun stuff though and free. Totally worth it!!! Thanks for checking it out

Ferrell · Dec 31, 2019

12/31 update:
Hooked up the osomolator. I think I’m gonna like it over the ATK. Time will tell. Have to get in the cabinet and do some cable management soon but for now it’ll work.
Forgot to mention I will be connecting this to my apex at some point in time. I bought a EB832 on Black Friday. But it will require some crawling around in the crawl space of our hundred year old house and about 30 ft of extension Apex USB cable. Ugh. That’s for another day. For now it’s old school control.

Ferrell · Jan 7, 2020

Tank is cycling along good. Had to swap out the new return pump for one I was using in my make up water. Thing started making a crazy loud noise on first day. Who knows, replacement is on the way.
Been keeping the parameters stable while it cycles. Have had a few fluctuations in salinity, mainly up. The Auto too off (Tunze) is working fine but have had to take 2 pints of salt water out and let top off lower salinity. It’s now at 35 ppt, Alk 8.0, Ca 435, Ph 7.9. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrates running their course. Had the tank running since 1/1/20 so it’s in its 6th day. Going to do it fish less for a month or two until I get a couple fish and put them through QT. Haven’t decided on what to add first but meeting with LFS to work out a trade for some leathers for a couple of starter fish. Can’t decide what to start with though. Hmmm. Thinking maybe one of these to start with

TheWB · Feb 17, 2020

Ferrell said:
Tank is cycling along good. Had to swap out the new return pump for one I was using in my make up water. Thing started making a crazy loud noise on first day. Who knows, replacement is on the way.
Been keeping the parameters stable while it cycles. Have had a few fluctuations in salinity, mainly up. The Auto too off (Tunze) is working fine but have had to take 2 pints of salt water out and let top off lower salinity. It’s now at 35 ppt, Alk 8.0, Ca 435, Ph 7.9. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrates running their course. Had the tank running since 1/1/20 so it’s in its 6th day. Going to do it fish less for a month or two until I get a couple fish and put them through QT. Haven’t decided on what to add first but meeting with LFS to work out a trade for some leathers for a couple of starter fish. Can’t decide what to start with though. Hmmm. Thinking maybe one of these to start with

Following along. I really like what you did with the scape. These long shallow tanks can be kinda tough.

Ferrell · Feb 17, 2020

I borrowed the our club, Big Blue Reef’s, par meter this weekend to map out the par after I get the lights set up.
my set up is two AI Prime HDs running the AB+ program. I tested the program with the basic spectrum settings from BRS Recommendatiin befor settings 119, 119, 86, 86, 4, 4, 18. I then adjusted each setting proportionately to 119 max, 100, 75 and again at 119 with flow off.I am shooting for that 75-150 blend for LPS. Here are the results.

AB+ at full strength = 119%

Map of the sampling

the columbto the right is settings at 119%.To the left is 100% then 75%. I think I’m probably going to start out about 90-100% with acclimation mode when I add corals.

Ferrell · Feb 17, 2020

TheWB said:
Following along. I really like what you did with the scape. These long shallow tanks can be kinda tough.

Thank you!!
I’ve added to it over the last couple weeks from rocks that have bee cycling in my big sump. I think I’m finally happy with it.

najer · Feb 17, 2020

Nice work, looks great.

Ferrell · Feb 17, 2020

My LFS, into the Blue Aquatics, is supposed to order me a pair of percula clowns for their addition at the end of the month. Then I’m think a high fin goby or one of the shrimp gobies next month.
I’ve been scraping the coralline off my wetsides off the other tank as I clean them In hopes of seeding it. Well we will see.
prob won’t start turn on the lights full time till March.
that’s about it for now. Thanks for the look.

Ferrell · Feb 17, 2020

najer said:
Nice work, looks great.

Thanks buddy. Trying to be patient and follow the WWC recommendation for cycling it 4 months before lights and corals. We’ll see how it goes.

Ferrell · Mar 7, 2020

It’s been 2 months and 1 week and the tank finally has life!!! I’m a sucker for Percula Clowns, nothing fancy just clowns. Got a pair from my LFS @IntotheBlueAquatics in Georgetown KY. He stocks ORA captive breeds and got me a mated pair, Cheddar and Cheeto (my bride gets to name them). They are the beginning of what will be a select LPS tank of mainly chalices, acans and zoas. No lights for another month to try and deter the algae. Been dumping all of my coralline cleanings in in hopes of getting a good base going. Next fish(s) will be some sort of blenny and a goby shrimp pair just haven’t decided on which yet. Gladly take suggestions. So without further ado, the new kids...

Ferrell · Mar 27, 2020

Everyone is doing great!! Parameters are as follows:
8.1 dkh Hanna Checker
0.0 Hanna Phosphate Checker
10 Nitrate Red Sea
34 ppm salinity
Turned the lights on this week. Have a little bit of hair algae and coralline is spotting the tank. (Seeded it every time I scrape my mp10s)

Ferrell · Apr 6, 2020

Its been a while since an update so while Im in QT myself I've been muddling over things and trying to keep my mind occupied. Mostly un-reef related things like gardening and catching up on household chores BUT have been getting to enjoy the tank more lately and watch the progression of the 30 into the uglies. My two little clowns are doing great but even though they were tank raised, ORA fishes they do appear to have some sort of internal parasites and I have started treating them with food soaked in GC and Focus for the next 15 days. Thanks @@HotRocks for your sticky thread on treating this. Outside of that Ive been trying to decide on which little fishes to add next. I've got it narrowed down to a Starry Blenny and a Wheeler's Shrimp Goby with Shrimp... Any suggestions would be welcomed.

I also bought a used Tunze 9001 Skimmer which I think is working out ok. It was a little cumbersome to get installed but seems to be skimming now that it's settled in. Not real thick gunk that Im used to on the 75 but still removing some.
And the AI Primes Im running for the first time are producing some nice effects and I am using a program I got from a fellow reefer and AI user and after a few adjustments seem to like the program. Here is what I am running at the moment.

It is producing a nice even spread of 100-140 par throughout the tank which is perfect for an all LPS, chalice, hammer, micromussa, zoa tank. I have resisted adding any corals at the moment until I can get the nutrients, algae and parameters stable enough that it will run on it's own with regular dosing and maintenance.
That's about all for now. Will probably throw out a few more updates while in QT myself...
Peace Out and be safe

Ferrell · Apr 6, 2020

And the uglies have set in. I have brushed and picked the rock the last couple of water changes and it just keeps returning. The coralline is still growing but the algae is relentless. It was the same with the last tank and Im sure my location near an east facing window (reflection in background) is not helping but in this old house that was the only place we could find... If only I could move into my wifes sewing room and... well that's a whole nuther thing... Anyway here is a picture of my uglies in all it's glory. The little white rock in the center is a piece of birdsnest that I broke off the other night when I was moving it in the other tank... I have no luck with Birdsnest smh, the mother has since RTNd and is merely a decoration on a shelf now, but this little trooper lives on.

ramona · Sep 4, 2020

How is the tank doing now? Any updates?

Ferrell · Apr 23, 2021

Sorry for no updates in a while, work and life just get in the way. Tank was chugging along just fine, no major growth to speak of but was getting a nice collection of micromussa and the chalices and zoas had noticable growth. Then the trouble started... just got through a bit of algae outbreak and slime filling the tank from one of my wifes poorly placed air fresheners that I couldn't smell until things began receding and covering in slime. This was Nov and not realizing right away what it was i continually blew crap off the rocks, picked off algae, changed socks and did water changes. Then I saw what now I believe was bryopis. I tried vibrant for six weeks and hair algae and film algae got worse. Finailly tried Reef Flux and I was able to make it around the bend but took about 5 months to get things to what I call normal and stable... So it is as it sits now with lots of pictures of the babies. I lost a number of micromussa, a chalice and some acan lords during the ordeal, some are pretty pathetic now and Im trying to get them recovered and growing again but not sure theyll make it. Otherwise really pleased with the tank and corals. Would like to get another fish or two as the clowns stay in the corner for the most part and the starry goby only shows himself when it's time to eat.
I will try and be more diligent in my postings in the future but no telling what will happen.