Fluval 13.5 questions/concerns

[ethnchrstnsn]

This tank has been up for almost 6 months. I bought this light maybe a year ago (CoraLife 30”-36”). Tank size - 13.5g fluval 13.5
I found out recently that I can set a (rise/fall) to mimic the sunrise and sunset. The lights are on for 10 hours (including mimicry)
I have a simple reading on my parameters (test strips) which is probably why I have all assortments of algae
Salinity ~ 1.25 ppt
NO3 ~ 20 ppm
NO2 ~ 0
KH ~ 280ppm
PH ~ 8
In the tank;
Yasha goby

Clown

Tailspot Blenny

skunk cleaner

porcelain crab and pink diamond eating

sexy dancing shrimp

I have a conch somewhere for substrate cyano control.
I have a few questions.
1. how often should I be doing a water change, should I be vacuuming the substrate? I have substrate algae
2. What are the best foods for spot feeding coral, should I be dosing anything other than fuel once a week. Fish foods?
3. I have small circular white spots on the rock and Aptasia, how do I exterminate?
4. Do these corals have a chance of survival?
Chalice was face down when we came back from a short vacation. Lepto was stung by a Kenya tree

if anyone has a fluval 13.5 I was looking for a wave maker/ power head. Any information and or response will be greatly appreciated

Thanks,

 

[blaxsun]

1. Typically 10% every 1-2 weeks is fairly common. You can vacuum the substrate, but sometimes this causes more issues with disturbing stuff. My preference is just to get a good cleanup crew (conches, nassarius snails and cerith snails).

2. I like Red Sea ReefEnergy AB+ and Reef Roids, but use Reef Roids sparingly (1x weekly at half or less of the recommended dose is plenty).

3. I will let someone else advise on this.

4. Maybe. All you can really do is maintain stable parameters and keep an eye on them. I've had corals come back from virtually nothing as well as corals that seemed really healthy die overnight.

 

[ethnchrstnsn]

1. Typically 10% every 1-2 weeks is fairly common. You can vacuum the substrate, but sometimes this causes more issues with disturbing stuff. My preference is just to get a good cleanup crew (conches, nassarius snails and cerith snails).

2. I like Red Sea ReefEnergy AB+ and Reef Roids, but use Reef Roids sparingly (1x weekly at half or less of the recommended dose is plenty).

3. I will let someone else advise on this.

4. Maybe. All you can really do is maintain stable parameters and keep an eye on them. I've had corals come back from virtually nothing as well as corals that seemed really healthy die overnight.

I’ve heard great things about ab+. how do you balance your salinity when adding salt water after a water change? Any suggestions for Aptasia eating invertebrates.

 

[blaxsun]

I’ve heard great things about ab+. how do you balance your salinity when adding salt water after a water change? Any suggestions for Aptasia eating invertebrates.

Myself, I don't do water changes. So for me it's fairly easy to keep salinity in-check by just topping up when needed.

 

[NickMontes]

I got the same tank myself, been running for three years now.
1 - I used to do 10% every week and vacuum the sand bed. Now I test my nitrate and phos to determine when I need to do a water change also I don’t touch the sand bed anymore
2 - I dose AB+ just about daily and spot feed reef roids about once a week
3 - I myself use Aptasia F when I see one, was debating getting a peppermint shrimp that eats them but decided not to.
4 - I usually just test my parameters and try to keep them as stable as possible.

 

[ethnchrstnsn]

I got the same tank myself, been running for three years now.
1 - I used to do 10% every week and vacuum the sand bed. Now I test my nitrate and phos to determine when I need to do a water change also I don’t touch the sand bed anymore
2 - I dose AB+ just about daily and spot feed reef roids about once a week
3 - I myself use Aptasia F when I see one, was debating getting a peppermint shrimp that eats them but decided not to.
4 - I usually just test my parameters and try to keep them as stable as possible.

What do you test with? Any strips or test kits I should know about?

 

[NickMontes]

I use Hanna checkers