First 30 g reef tank

[Unrealreality]

Hello!

I started the tank in June 2020, first reef tank for me, it's a juwel rio 30g.

It has the following equipment:
- built in filter area with heater, return pump and space for media
- Tunze 9004 DC skimmer
- Tunze ATO 5017
- koralia pump
- 2 x AI prime 16 HD


I have four fish from newest to oldest:
- lownmower blenny
- sixline wrasse
- bicolor dottyback
- oscellaris clown

I moved the rocks around to diminish the aggressivity when I introduced the sixline and after that again for the lownmower.

Still trying to have stable parameters.
Last full measurememt gave the following (03/01/2021):

KH 9.3 dKH
Ca 420 ppm
Mg 1350 ppm
PO4 0.1 ppm
NO3 10-25
Temp 25°C
Salinity ok
PH 8.5 - 8.7 ( need to recalibrate probe)

I have some algae, ciano and dino going on. I'll need to figure a way once I know how to influence my water parameters.

I keep up the cleaning with a weekly 5g WC.


Here is a near FTS. On the other side I still need to finish the aquascape.

 

[reef_ninja]

Looks nice, seems like your corals are happy and there's some nice coloration. Welcome to reefing!

 

[Unrealreality]

Thanks reef_ninja !

Here is a close up of the first micromussa lordhowensis I got.

Just lost a head due to my camel shrimp (Rhynchocinetes uritai) he is now in isolation. He ate through nearly 3 heads of caulastrea and a piece of favia before I was able to identify he was the one going wild on the corals.

 

[Unrealreality]

Close up of the seriatopora caliendrum.
It has a nice fluffy aspect but hasn't grown much yet.
I just moved it to the top so it gets more light after noticing the lower part loosing polyps. In white on the bottom left of the photo.

 

[Unrealreality]

Yesterday I added some copepods and rotifers to the tank to increase the biodiversity and hopefully diminish the quantity of cyano and dino bacteria. Lets see.

 

[Unrealreality]

Good news is parameters have stabilized. Bad news is the blenny didnt make it. I tried all sorts of food by he kept on getting slimer.

 

[Unrealreality]

I am battling cyanobacteria. I have had some for the past few months. I am spacing out the WC to see if there is an effect. Other than having the parameters stable i blast it roughly every two days.

 

[Unrealreality]

I got this gorgeous chalice frag at the LFS, not sure what it is though, echinophyllia aspera, echinopora ?

 

[Unrealreality]

End of March

 

[Unrealreality]

One year !

 

[Unrealreality]

One month later

 

[Unrealreality]

A few macro shots

 

[Unrealreality]

September 2021

 

[jhuntstl]

Beautiful reef. You've done a fantastic job!

What's in store for the future?

 

[Unrealreality]

Beautiful reef. You've done a fantastic job!

What's in store for the

Beautiful reef. You've done a fantastic job!

What's in store for the future?

Thks !
I would like to try acropora, but first i want to find a way to get the bubble algae and majano anemones under control.

 

[jhuntstl]

Thks !
I would like to try acropora, but first i want to find a way to get the bubble algae and majano anemones under control.

That's probably a good plan. I just got a couple Pitho crabs to help with the little bit of bubble algae I'm dealing with. I have no experience with Majanos. I wish you the best of luck!

 

[Unrealreality]

A new update after moving the tank 2-3 weeks ago, we took the sand out during the process so it is now bare bottom.
Here a few macro shots.

 

[Unrealreality]

And a full tank shot

 

[Unrealreality]

It’s been quite a while since I last posted. Changed home and had to move the tank.
It went well at first, we removed the sand and things looked bright. I then decided to diminish the frequency of water changes. That and lack of sand created instability.
The tank is now in better shape due to regular WC. The adventure continues.

 

[Unrealreality]

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