KISS 15g standard

[Moltenchicken]

FTS: 11/18/2019

TANK PLAN:
- Simplest setup as possible with a heater, a powerhead and a light.
- Keep it stocked lightly and do weekly 2 gallon water changes.


EQUIPMENT:
- 15 gallon Deep Blue tank (24x12x12) I have the water filled above the black rim so no waves are visible and I love it.
- 75w Eheim Jäger Heater Tank is running at 78.5
- MP10 EcoSmart powerhead running at reef crest 60%
- Radion XR30 Gen3 Pro running at 25% Coral Lab from noon to 10pm. Using Radion Mount so light is about 8.5 inches above the water.
- 12 pounds (dry weight) of dry rock that has been sitting for a long time from a previous build.
- 1inch to 1.5 Tropic Eden sand (50/50 mix of reef flakes and mini flakes) maybe more because kids keep telling me to add more.
- 2 rocks from fish store that kids just had to get that will be removed after cycle.

MAINTENANCE PLAN:
- Weekly 2 gallon water changes. I estimate there is 12 gallons of water so this is about a 16% weekly change.
- Stir 1/3 of sand prior to weekly water change.
- RedSea Pro salt at 1.025
- Minimal daily feeding
- Manual top off (so far this has been about 20oz a day)

LIVESTOCK PLAN:
- 2 clownfish have not decided on the breed but something with a little more black in the body.
- Maybe a yellow watchman goby and Pistol Shrimp. (feel I may be straying from the lightly stock idea already)
- 1 Cleaner Shrimp
- 1 Pom-Pom crab
- 1 porcelain crab
- 1 brittle star
- 1 or 2 Trochus snails
- 1 Cerith snail
- 2 Nassarius snails
- 2 to 4 small hermits

CORAL PLAN:
- Mostly LPS especially of the euphyllia type.
- Various Zoas
- Little to no SPS. I think that it will be hard to keep the parameters required for this. Maybe a birds nest though because I love those.
- I will most likely ask for recommendations because I don't know whats out there.

FUTURE PLANS:
- Add ATO for more stability.
- Remove some sand
- Mesh top to hold in the jumpers.

HISTORY:
- 10/20 - WATER IN TANK!! also rocks and sand. Sand had been washed many many times. Rock was not washed (should not have been lazy)

- 10/21 - Added 6 caps full of Dr. Tim's One and Only. Added 50 drops of Dr. Tim's Ammonia per instructions of 4 drops per gallon to raise to 2.0.

- Between 10/21 and and 10/29 - Measured Ammonia at 1.5 using Salifert test kit. Nitrite present but don't recall value and have since stopped measuring for it.

- 10/30 - Bought more Dr. Tim's from a different retailer because I had seen no change in ammonia. Added a few more capfuls and added 25 more drops ammonia to try to get it up to 2.0 because the instructions said it should be there. Ammonia did not change from 1.5 to 2.0 and I decided to not add any more.

- 10/31 Nitrate measured for first time between 10 and 25. I think that this is at least partially due to the reused rocks.

- Between 11/1 and 11/6 - No change in Ammonia(1.5) or Nitrate(10 to 25). I am currently fighting an urge to test multiple times a day in the hope that Ammonia will finally start to go down. I almost observed what I believe to be a minor diatom bloom, very minor, and now see some green algae of some sort on one of the "live" rocks. I am running the light during the cycle because I like looking at the tank.

- November 12th - Posted a new thread that I have extremely high Nitrates(400+). I had just done an 80% water change and this confused me. It turned out that this was caused by the presence of Nitrite. Maybe my cycle was not over after all. Since them I have not added anything and have been watching Nitrite.

- November 18th - Nitrite finally measured zero. Nitrates measured 5. Added more ammonia to see if it can now process 2ppm in 24 hours.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Nice start! Looking forward to your progress!

 

[virtual reality]

Looks good so far.

 

[Moltenchicken]

Nice start! Looking forward to your progress!

Looks good so far.

Thank you. I will be holding myself back from making impulsive decision. I didn't have a thread like this for my last tank and I think that it will provide a sounding board until I have developed good habits.

I know that I have impulsive tendencies and this is the main of the reason that this tank is going to be done as simple as possible. No mechanical filtration No Chemicals No dosing No controller (well maybe a controller ) just patience, good husbandry, and water changes.

 

[Moltenchicken]

What color is this? I feels its darker than 0.5 not as yellow as 1.0 and not as dark as 1.5

If it is 0.5 should I wait until it is zero and then add more ammonia or add more now to bring it up and then see when it goes back down?

EDIT: Nitrite measures 0.5

 

[Moltenchicken]

Yesterday I ended up adding another 2ppm (50 drops) and I think I am nearing the end of the cycle.

Today I measured Ammonia at 0.5 and Nitrite at 0.2

I measure tomorrow morning and if Ammonia has gone down at all I will add another 2ppm(50 drops), wait 24 hours and test again.

 

[Moltenchicken]

Tank is cycled so I added 2 Trochus, 1 blue leg hermit and 1 red leg hermit to deal with the small amount of algae I have.

The red leg is bigger than I though so I will keep and eye on him.

 

[Moltenchicken]

Nitrites finally 0 after I incorrectly though the cycle was completely over. Nitrates now measuring 5 instead of 100+.

Currently have what I believe to be a Dino issue. Nothing huge. Not the best image but there is wispy brown strings and small bubbles. The two hermit crabs have survived and I hope they deal with it somewhat.

 

[Katrina71]

Have you considered a uv light for Dinos?

 

[Moltenchicken]

Have you considered a uv light for Dinos?

Tank is only a little over a month old. I am not that worried. I also want to keep the whole thing as simple as possible. no extra gadgets.

 

[Katrina71]

I understand.

 

[CasaReefer]

Welcome to R2R and Looks Great... Awesome Start