My (used to be) budget nano tank: 20 gal of mixed reef delights

[mizimmer90]

Tank is coming along nicely! My red grapes are slowly coming back in, however, hair algae is coming in faster! So far I've been able to stay on top of it with weekly maintenance.

I've added more livestock.

Fish: lawnmower blenny and a Hectors goby

Coral: black light torch from a LFS and a bunch of beautiful zoas from @Queen City Corals

The blenny is super happy eating all the algae on my rocks! And it's super fun watching the Hectors goby graze all day long.

 

[Queen City Corals]

Tank is coming along nicely! My red grapes are slowly coming back in, however, hair algae is coming in faster! So far I've been able to stay on top of it with weekly maintenance.

I've added more livestock.

Fish: lawnmower blenny and a Hectors goby

Coral: black light torch from a LFS and a bunch of beautiful zoas from @Queen City Corals

The blenny is super happy eating all the algae on my rocks! And it's super fun watching the Hectors goby graze all day long.

Tank Is looking great, happy to help fill it up!

 

[Subsea]

The lawnmower blennie should eat gha on Bartacladia. consider getting more grazing snails to reduce his supply of film algae.

 

[mizimmer90]

The lawnmower blennie should eat gha on Bartacladia. consider getting more grazing snails to reduce his supply of film algae.

Yes!! Planning on getting some more snails soon. I've been trying online but everyplace I look says the ones I want are sold out! I got a LFS to order some bulk dwarf cerith snails for me

 

[pshootr]

Tank looks nice, good job. I like what you did with The Rock.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I really like your aquascape in your tank!

 

[mizimmer90]

Tank looks nice, good job. I like what you did with The Rock.

I really like your aquascape in your tank!

Thank you!!

I designed it with a focal point in the middle for my torch. It's an elevated cliff so the torch is far away from other corals in the nano tank. Also I have flow going in both directions at this center point so the torches movement is very pretty!

 

[pshootr]

Thank you!!

I designed it with a focal point in the middle for my torch. It's an elevated cliff so the torch is far away from other corals in the nano tank. Also I have flow going in both directions at this center point so the torches movement is very pretty!

That's a good creative way to set up the torch. I wish I could see the video but it won't play. Uggh

 

[mizimmer90]

That's a good creative way to set up the torch. I wish I could see the video but it won't play. Uggh

So sad the video is not playing! It's my torch flowing in the currents

 

[pshootr]

That's a good creative way to set up the torch. I wish I could see the video but it won't play. Uggh

I just got it to play, and it looks really nice!

 

[mizimmer90]

Everything in my tank is growing happily!

However, there has been some struggle, hair algae and bryopsis were starting to take over: I used ReefFlux for a week to help out. The hair algae and bryopsis all died off quickly! Unfortunately, so did most of my red grape algae . I ended up stopping the treatment because my torch was looking unhappy.

Afterwards, I noticed some bubble algae that I removed (it was very satisfying to grab and remove lol). Lately, I've been battling some mild dinos. Although, this past week I turned off all white lights (using only the blues) and the dinos seem to have vanished!

Throughout everything I've continued my weekly maintenance of a 20% water change and cleaning all pump parts.

My hard work is paying off because the tank is looking nice and everything is happy / growing like crazy!

So many new heads on my Duncans, hammer, and zoas

 

[mizimmer90]

A few more pics!

Alveopora is looking happy and slowly growing off its pedestal.

Leptastrea is looking nice and fuzzy!

Duncans getting a ton of new heads!

My red grape algae is growing back too, and this time without hair algae all over it!

 

[GossG]

Had a question for you about your UV. I’m looking at adding one onto my tank. Been running for just under two years. Do you like the aquatop? Trying to decide between the same 5w you are using or the universal aqua shield from innovative.

 

[mizimmer90]

Had a question for you about your UV. I’m looking at adding one onto my tank. Been running for just under two years. Do you like the aquatop? Trying to decide between the same 5w you are using or the universal aqua shield from innovative.

Yeah, the Aquatop is pretty nice! I got it because it was the smallest UV I could fit in the rear of my tank. I leave it on 24/7. I don't have a strong comparison because this is my first reef tank and I started it pretty early, but my tank seems to be doing well!

My only complaint is that the sides glow bright and it can shine through the back paint lol. I was considering getting some kind of black tape or something to go over it but I quickly accepted it and my mind ignores it pretty well haha.

 

[mizimmer90]

All the corals in my tank are still growing nicely! At this rate they might outgrow their spots!

I feel like my tank is maturing and I'm only doing a water change every 2 weeks. Now I get to sit back and enjoy watching everything grow!

Here's a FTS:

My LMB is getting soo large and is a joy to watch as he darts around tye tank and slinks between the rocks

Dragon's breath algae looking nice and fiery!

My phone photos don't capture it, but the tank feels like it's filled with life!

And I'm so happy that my grape algae is growing back

 

[mizimmer90]

A rare capture of my YWG and pistol shrimp out and about

 

[mizimmer90]

Welp, it's the beginning of the end for this tank... I trusted my partner with taking care of the tank while I was on a business trip; the filter got clogged and she kept filling the return chamber and didn't notice water pouring over the top for a few days. The particle board stand got considerable water damage she feels terrible

After a couple of days, the stand was bowing and cracking. Door opened but couldnt close. A large crack was running on the board underneath the tank. You could stick a whole finger between the stand and the bottom of the tank! Truely the stuff of nightmares.

In a panic I bought a new stand, drained the tank, and then moved it over. So relieved to have made it through this without breaking a tank!!

However, the current stand is not a long term solution. I am starting to plan for a new tank with a metal stand! Might as well increase in size too! I'm thinking of a custom build 36" long tank with a metal stand and a sump with ATO and emergency drains to prevent this from happening again lol. My partner is also relieved at the thought of not having to take care of the tank when I'm gone! I'm going to plan the new tank over the next few months and move everything over. This tank has been amazing and everything is still growing so well! It will be sad to break it down.

Any suggestions on the new build are welcome!

 

[mizimmer90]

Still looking pretty on the new stand! It'll only be temporary but I'll still enjoy this while it lasts!

My red grape algae has made a full recovery from last year

 

[mizimmer90]

Tank is still coming along nicely! My cat just noticed the tank for the first time and is now obsessed. Has spent the past month sitting infront of it. He specifically wants the lawnmower blenny and lunges at the tank anytime he sees him. I think the blennie knows it too.

But... I'm upgrading the system to a 55gal custom waterbox within a month. Sad to break down the rockscape but am beyond excited for the upgrade!

Starting a new build thread for it:

After a year of getting my feet wet in a 20 gal AIO (figuratively and literally), I can definitively say that I'm obsessed, arguably addicted. I've read multiple books on marine biology, and find myself spending all my free time on this forum/perusing websites for corals.. I am leaning into this addiction and upgrading my system! I want as big of a system that I can afford (or the true bottleneck, that my partner will let me buy lol). So here's the final plan:

Custom Waterbox 55 gal with metal stand and sump
Dimensions: 36" x 19" x 18" with internal overflow
Cabinet: 36" x 19" x 34" made with 20/20 aluminum frame
Sump: 30.3" x 16.5" x 15" with glass panels

Sump designed with 5 chambers: The inlet chamber, skimmer chamber, refugium, return, and ATO reservoir. For plumbing, I will have a manifold with 2 lines; one for a carbon/GFO reactor, and another as a possible UV light. Expected delivery date is end of October / Early November!!

I've already started buying equipment for the tank and here is the plan.

Equipment (purchased already)
Lights: 2x Radion XR15 Pro 6th gen with tank mount arm
Wavepump: 2x Redsea Reefwave 25
Fleece roller: Redsea Reefmat 500
Return pump: Sicce Syncra SDC 6.0 wifi
Dosing pump: Kamore X1 pro wifi
Reactor: BRS mini reactor
Heater: 200W BRS titanium
Temperature controller: Ink bird ITC 306a

Equipment (desired)
Skimmer: Akula UKS-160
Refugium light: Neptune GRO light
Monitoring: Hanna pH/Temp/Salinity monitor (does anyone have one of these? Does this track changes in an app or is it all just instant viewing only?)

I am starting with dry rocks and have been cycling them using Fritz ammonia in a 10gal brute for the past month. I have a 75W heater in there with 2 AC pumps (though the water doesn't seem to be moving around much because of the rocks obstructing flow ). Been testing the water regularly and it looks like it's cycled!! I added a couple bottles of coraline algae; no idea if this will help seed the rocks but figured it's worth a shot lol.

I've been thinking a lot about what I want as far as corals/inverts/fish inhabitants. Corals will be mostly LPS, Zoas, a RBTA, and mushrooms (carrying over a hammer, cristata torch, Duncans, acans, trumpets, and leptastrea, a variety of zoas), but I’m interested in getting into some more SPS (other than a small monti frag I’ll be carrying over as well). My current livestock that will be carried over will be:

Livestock (current CUC)
2x turbo snails
3x Cerith snails
5x hermit crabs (3 red legs, 1 blue legged, and 1 scarlet)
1 emerald crab
Mico-brittle sea stars
Bristleworms (to me, these guys are pests though and I wouldn’t mind something to eat the jerks!)

Livestock (current)
2x clowns
1 lawnmower blenny
1 yellow watchman goby / candy cane pistol shrimp pair

As far as new inverts, I like the idea of a cleaner shrimp, or either an arrow crab or coral banded shrimp! I actually really love the arrow crab but am scared it will nibble my CUC (anyone successfully keep one without it bothering smaller hermits/snails?).

For future fish, my top pick is a Mandarin goby! I’m hoping the refugium will supply enough copepods for this guy once the tank is established (I will wait ~6 mo to a year until I make this addition). Another possible peaceful fish would be a clown goby! I would love a wrasse, but similarly to the arrow-crab, I don’t want it eating my CUC . Perhaps a fairy wrasse or flasher, but these seem less exciting to me. I also want a type of schooling fish. I am between 2 options for future additions:

Definite stocking
2x clowns
1 lawnmower blenny
1 yellow watchman goby
1 mandarin goby
1 clown goby

And either

Option 1
4-5 cardinal fish
Fairy wrasse

Or Option 2
4-5 blue-green chromis
1 orchid dotty back (will this be aggressive enough to put a school of chromis in line yet peaceful enough to not bother other inhabitants?)

There will not be much room for storage, so I have been planning to add baskets on the inside of the doors, along with hooks to hold foods/equipment. I have been drawing up sketches (everything is to scale!) to lay out the position of baskets/controllers. I also have fish in the tank for these sketches to get a feel for how it might look!

I’m so excited and absolutely can’t wait to get this thing up and running! I’d be interested to hear if anyone has comments or suggestions on the build!

 

[PizzaIan339]

Wow that is awesome I can not wait to see what you do with the new tank after what you did with this tank!