My Tank Build 36g Corner Reef

[stephenwjr]

Need HELP deciding what to use for ALK, CAL and MAG.

My tank is still doing great and have been doing research for when I add my lighting and coral in May. I want to know what is the easiest way to keep my ALk, CAL and MAG up? I am considering using the BRS two part with the balling method with regular weekly 10% water changes.

Please help me out here.

Thanks,

1NC0GNIT0

 

[stephenwjr]

Update: Added lighting - Relassy 300W dimmable Coral Reef LED Light($85) and I have it turned all the way down with mainly blue LED's on. Added one coral to see how it reacts.

First shot is with mainly blue and lowest red/green and white setting. also the lowest intensity setting.

Second shot is all all blue/red/green and white LED's on.

Third shot is all blue. You can see the coral glowing at the center bottom.

Tank inhabitance at the moment are:
1 Hermit Crab
1 Emerald Crab
1 very small Star fish that I have no idea where it came from.
1 Turbo Snail
1 Astrea Snail

The Emerald Crab ate my Pistol Shrimp that was alive yesterday.

I did remove all of the fish because I want to stock
1 Yellow Watchmen Goby
1 Green or Blue Mandarin Dragonet
and have not decided what other fish can benefit my tank at this moment. Maybe 2 Maroon Clown. If anyone has a suggestion please let me know.

All tank parameters are good.
Last readings were

Temp 78 F
PH 8.3
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrates 0 according to my API test kit. Will get another more accurate test kit soon.
Phosphate 0.074 (Hanna ULR)
Alkalinity 9.6 (Hanna)
Calcium 420 (Red Sea)
Mag NA no test kit yet. Any suggestions?
Copper 0

Again I am also running a Fluval 306 canister filter with Carbon and Cuprisorb that gets cleaned twice a week. Normally the day after feeding the tank.

Tips/Hints/Suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,

1NC0GNIT0

 

[TheXpander]

Hi, I’m really interested in the lid of your tank and how you made it? I have a similar tank but want to ditch the stock lids and lights for some decent lighting?

 

[stephenwjr]

Hi, I’m really interested in the lid of your tank and how you made it? I have a similar tank but want to ditch the stock lids and lights for some decent lighting?

White Egg Crate Styrene Lighting Panel cut to fit. works great.

 

[stephenwjr]

Update 9-4-24

Tank has been doing very well. I only do water changes ~40% a week.
Upgraded the lighting to AI Blade RY-103% B-111% CW-82%

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Update 9-4-24

Tank has been doing very well. I only do water changes ~40% a week.
Upgraded the lighting to AI Blade RY-103% B-111% CW-82%

Love the toadstool in your tank!

 

[stephenwjr]

Update 1-27-26. The hairy mushroom, green polyp and green stylo are taking over the tank.

 

[stephenwjr]

Update and Questions. As you can see the tank has done well with only water changes(about 20 gallons a week). I do not dose and only monitor my salinity. Questions to follow.

 

[stephenwjr]

I would like to clean up my tank and remove the bristle worms and flat worms. My plan was to start a new tank and move over only what I want, like the torch, hammer and frog spawn. I will of course use the standard protocols like dipping. I would also what to know if anyone else has tried this and how successful would I be trying this?

 

[Impunitus]

I understand the flatworms, but why the bristleworms? They are great members of a clean up crew.

If you have large ones you want to remove, why not print/buy s bristleworm trap and remove them that way?

As for the flatworms what kind(s) do you have? Do you know if they would respond to something like Flatworm eXit?

 

[stephenwjr]

I understand the flatworms, but why the bristleworms? They are great members of a clean up crew.

If you have large ones you want to remove, why not print/buy s bristleworm trap and remove them that way?

As for the flatworms what kind(s) do you have? Do you know if they would respond to something like Flatworm eXit?

You can see them on the base of my Leather. I have been actively removing them durring my water changes and recently lost my ACAN due to what I think was the flatworms releasing toxins into the tank during removal. They look alot like this but smaller.

 

[Impunitus]

You can see them on the base of my Leather. I have been actively removing them durring my water changes and recently lost my ACAN due to what I think was the flatworms releasing toxins into the tank during removal. They look alot like this but smaller.

I'd try seeing if the respond to Flatworm eXit after you remove some during a water change. If they do, then you could use it in the tank, siphon out the dead and perform a water change. You would want to run carbon too. As you mentioned, they release toxins when they die.

Alternatives are a complete teardown, dip everything, and you probably still wouldn't get them all.