Fluval 13.5 Nano Reef Tank Build

[dsagerman]

I have a Fluval 13.5 nano that has been cycling for 6 weeks. Excited to keep it going and add some clownfish and BTA in near future!

Water Parameters

-Salinity: 1.026
-Alkalinity: 190 ppm (≈10.6 dKH)
-Calcium (Ca): 430 ppm
-Magnesium (Mg): 1440 ppm
-Nitrate (NO₃): 7.2 ppm
-Phosphate (PO₄): 0.05 ppm

Current tank inhabitants:

-1 Cleaner Shrimp
-1 Gramma Fish
-1 Tuxedo Urchin
-5 Top Crown Snails
-2 Nassarius Snails
-2 Trochus Snails (Small)
-1 Duncan (Growing fast)
-1 Zoa frag
-1 Firework clove polyp

 

[painter1982]

Way too soon for a bta. You haven’t got to the ugly stage yet. Are you dosing? What testers are you using? Some parameters seem a bit on the high end imo.

 

[dsagerman]

Not dosing yet, having just been doing 10-20% water changes every 2 weeks. Using Hanna alkalinity, Nitrate and Phosphate and Salifert for Magnesium and Calcium. Bought some All for Reef to use once I get a few more corals in next couple of weeks if needed. Started with live sand, rocks and re-cycled water. Thanks for the reply, would you think getting 2 clowns a couple of months before a BTA would still be ok or wait on both?

 

[dsagerman]

Way too soon for a bta. You haven’t got to the ugly stage yet. Are you dosing? What testers are you using? Some parameters seem a bit on the high end imo.

Not dosing yet, having just been doing 10-20% water changes every 2 weeks. Using Hanna alkalinity, Nitrate and Phosphate and Salifert for Magnesium and Calcium. Bought some All for Reef to use once I get a few more corals in next couple of weeks if needed. Started with live sand, rocks and re-cycled water. Thanks for the reply, would you think getting 2 clowns a couple of months before a BTA would still be ok or wait on both?

 

[painter1982]

I would wait to add a bta until you have coraline algae growing. Month 4 or so it should start. Maybe get past the ugly stage before adding too many more fish. Looks like your nitrate is already coming up. Let it all stabilize and see where it settles. I have the same tank with bta’s and a couple skunk clowns. I drilled it and have a sump with a refugium and skimmer. My water volume is 24 gallons total. I use a kessil a160 light. The tank gets pretty small for bta’s once they start multiplying. I have 5 in it now. Started with one. Looks like you’re off to a solid start though. The dkh is a little high for my liking. Doesn’t give much room if it starts rising. I’m around 9. Gives me a safety net of 2 either way. Also it’s what I keep my sps tank at. If I transfer something from that tank into the little tank I don’t acclimate. Regular water changes should be all you need to keep your parameters good for now. I use AFR too. When your alkalinity consumption start to increase and drops dkh from coraline growth you’ll definitely want to start dosing. Probably be around 2 or 3ml per day at first.

 

[painter1982]

Also looks like you need some surface agitation. That’s where the gas exchange takes place. You’ll need something more to provide current. Those tanks don’t provide it with the return.

 

[dsagerman]

Also looks like you need some surface agitation. That’s where the gas exchange takes place. You’ll need something more to provide current. Those tanks don’t provide it with the return.

Yeah I re-positioned on of the return heads more towards the surface, have found that hard with the nano since when I add an additional power head the flow seems to be to much for the tank.

 

[Nano_Man]

Go slow my friend in this game going fast spells problems . But you have a great little tank very nice. Your little tank needs to mature and that takes time.

 

[kevgib67]

I see you joined yesterday, welcome!

 

[kennyry83]

What light are you using?