Ghost's 30 gallon low maintenance mixed reef

[Ghost25]

30 gallon tank, just over two years old.

Equipment:
Aquamaxx HOB-1 skimmer
Tunze Osmolator 3155 ATO
MarsAqua 300W LED
1x Jebao PP4 powerhead
1x Koralia 425 powerhead

Current stocking (fish):
2x Darwin misbar Ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
1x Yellow clown goby (Gobiodon okinawae)
1x Tailspot blenny (Ecsenius stigmatura)
1x Hector's goby (Koumansetta hectori)
1x Ocellated dragonet (Synchiropus ocellatus)

Current stocking (invertebrates):
1x Tuxedo urchin (Mespilia globulus)
1x Diadema urchin (Diadema setosum)
2x Sexy shrimp (Thor amboinensis)
1x Gold maxima clam (Tridacna maxima)
1 Skunk cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)
1x Blue linckia sea star (Linckia laevigata)
1x Peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni)

various snails and hermit crabs

Food/feeding schedule:
LRS Reef Frenzy (~1/2" square 1-2x day)
New Life Spectrum Marine Fish Formula 1mm Sinking Pellet (small pinch 1x per day)
Reef Chili (1-2 small scoops 3-6x per week)

Water change/dosing/maintenance:
5-6 gallon (~15-20%) water change every 3-6 weeks (Instant Ocean salt)
Kalkwasser + white vinegar in ATO: current dose 42g kalkwasser + 203g vinegar per 5 gallons
Clean skimmer every 3-5 weeks or as needed

My initial attraction to reefs was corals, I am a gardener and enjoy keeping succulents and although corals are not plants I saw them as similar but significantly more strange and interesting. As a result my tank was initially mostly focused on corals, and to some extent inverts which I also find very interesting. I tried to build my tank as cheaply as possible (used tank, used skimmer, used ATO, chinese LED etc.) I struggled for a long time with low nutrients, too much white light, and new tank instability which I now blame largely on dry rock. My tank is currently fairly stable though as a result of previous swings is largely LPS and softies with only the few tough or most recent SPS surviving.

I have recently been increasing the number of fish in the tank, consciously selecting small peaceful nano fish such as gobies and small blennies hoping that they will have minimal territorial issues and that my oversized skimmer will deal with the nutrients.

I made some YouTube videos about the tank setup and progress (also a microscopy video) which you can view here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZHmaCMT2c1S92sI4y8jyI1caClMvyXFg

Here are some progress pics:

28 days:

85 days:

162 days:

342 days:

760 days:

I think that covers it, any questions just ask!

 

[NY_Caveman]

30 gallon tank, just over two years old.

Equipment:
Aquamaxx HOB-1 skimmer
Tunze Osmolator 3155 ATO
MarsAqua 300W LED
1x Jebao PP4 powerhead
1x Koralia 425 powerhead

Current stocking (fish):
2x Darwin misbar Ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
1x Yellow clown goby (Gobiodon okinawae)
1x Tailspot blenny (Ecsenius stigmatura)
1x Hector's goby (Koumansetta hectori)
1x Black-ray goby (Stonogobiops nematodes)

Current stocking (invertebrates):
1x Tuxedo urchin (Mespilia globulus)
1x Diadema urchin (Diadema setosum)
1x Tiger pistol shrimp (Alpheus bellulus)
1x Harlequin brittle star (Ophiolepis sp.)
2x Sexy shrimp (Thor amboinensis)
1x Gold maxima clam (Tridacna maxima)
1 Skunk cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis)
various snails and hermit crabs

Food/feeding schedule:
LRS Reef Frenzy (~1/2" square 1-2x day)
New Life Spectrum Marine Fish Formula 1mm Sinking Pellet (small pinch 1x per day)
Reef Chili (1-2 small scoops 3-6x per week)

Water change/dosing/maintenance:
5-6 gallon (~15-20%) water change every 3-6 weeks (Instant Ocean salt)
Kalkwasser + white vinegar in ATO: current dose 42g kalkwasser + 203g vinegar per 5 gallons
Clean skimmer every 3-5 weeks or as needed

My initial attraction to reefs was corals, I am a gardener and enjoy keeping succulents and although corals are not plants I saw them as similar but significantly more strange and interesting. As a result my tank was initially mostly focused on corals, and to some extent inverts which I also find very interesting. I tried to build my tank as cheaply as possible (used tank, used skimmer, used ATO, chinese LED etc.) I struggled for a long time with low nutrients, too much white light, and new tank instability which I now blame largely on dry rock. My tank is currently fairly stable though as a result of previous swings is largely LPS and softies with only the few tough or most recent SPS surviving.

I have recently been increasing the number of fish in the tank, consciously selecting small peaceful nano fish such as gobies and small blennies hoping that they will have minimal territorial issues and that my oversized skimmer will deal with the nutrients.

I made some YouTube videos about the tank setup and progress (also a microscopy video) which you can view here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZHmaCMT2c1S92sI4y8jyI1caClMvyXFg

Here are some progress pics:

28 days:

85 days:

162 days:

342 days:

760 days:

I think that covers it, any questions just ask!

Nice progression shots! Looks great!

 

[Ghost25]

Got some new stuff: blue linckia sea star, a dragonet I think Synchiropus ocellatus, and a banded pipefish.

 

[Ghost25]

Pipefish, hi fin goby, and pistol shrimp all disappeared without a trace. Harlequin brittle star lost its legs and died. preceded by cleaning and readjusting powerhead and skimmer. Decided to increase water changes to 5 gallons every two weeks. Acros were suffering and seem better after water changes. I think 4 weeks was too long. Changed lighting schedule to be 12 hours of blues and 6 hours of whites. Built a frag rack.

 

[Bee0877]

Have you ran into any more issues with your stocking? I currently have a 90 running and will be setting up a 34 gallon soon really want to stock similar to your tank

 

[NY_Caveman]

Pipefish, hi fin goby, and pistol shrimp all disappeared without a trace. Harlequin brittle star lost its legs and died. preceded by cleaning and readjusting powerhead and skimmer. Decided to increase water changes to 5 gallons every two weeks. Acros were suffering and seem better after water changes. I think 4 weeks was too long. Changed lighting schedule to be 12 hours of blues and 6 hours of whites. Built a frag rack.

Sorry to hear about your losses. Some may be hiding still perhaps.

 

[Ghost25]

Have you ran into any more issues with your stocking? I currently have a 90 running and will be setting up a 34 gallon soon really want to stock similar to your tank

The two problems I've encountered have been bullies and fish disappearing.

My tailspot blenny bullied the hi-fin goby but no one else. I had a orchid dottyback for a bit that bullied my clowns. I gave away the dottyback and my hi-fin goby disappeared.

I had a royal gramma, pipefish, and hi-fin goby disappear without a trace. Best guess is they were eaten by my anemones because they didn't jump and I never found a body.

 

[NY_Caveman]

The two problems I've encountered have been bullies and fish disappearing.

My tailspot blenny bullied the hi-fin goby but no one else. I had a orchid dottyback for a bit that bullied my clowns. I gave away the dottyback and my hi-fin goby disappeared.

I had a royal gramma, pipefish, and hi-fin goby disappear without a trace. Best guess is they were eaten by my anemones because they didn't jump and I never found a body.

That is a reasonable theory. I would suspect crabs too, but you did start with dry rock if I recall.

 

[Katrina71]

Beautiful tank.

 

[Ghost25]

A closer look at some of my inhabitants.

https://giant.gfycat.com/ImpureElaborateCockroach.webm

https://gfycat.com/AnguishedAdoredKronosaurus

https://gfycat.com/gifs/SlimyFrenchBobwhite

And here is the new frag rack under blues. Mostly mushrooms, hollywood stunner chalice, and a few acros. I bought some plastic coated neodymium magnets that I glued to the egg crate, then use another magnet on the outside. Really like this solution.