jmarinacci
New Member
Hello all! So I have had reef tanks before always 75 gallon and larger and they seem to be a lot more forgiving! I have my first nano tank. I have always used the Berlin Method for filtration and my parameters seemed to fall into place and hold well. With my nano setup (about 14 months old), I am really struggling to get my levels to even back out. I have also switched from API test kits to Red Sea to get more accurate. The tank inhabitants are 2 clowns, a 2 Rhodactis Mushrooms, a zoa colony of maybe 10 heads, a little sea fan (was a hitchhiker) and toad stool leather, Teal Ricordia, Idaho Grape Montipora, Rainbow Ricordia, blue Slimer. There is about 6 hermits, 3 nassarius snails, an emerald crab, and 4 big turbos. I had a little aptasia issue but got 4 Berghia Nudibranch and it is almost gone. (I am trying to get them out before they die off from limited food source now).
25 Fusion Lagoon AIO Aquarium
little over 35 lbs of rock and 25-30lbs of sand
Lighting is AI Prime HD Aquarium LED
two return pumps (the one that comes with a tank and matching one)
Current USA eFlux Wave Pump Kit with two heads each 660GPH (one on wave on on surge - full power/50% Frequency)
Two small heaters
I dose Poseidon feast 5280 (like the live food aspect) once a month, ocean magic daily (I have been cutting back cause I feel this might be part of the problem). I once or twice a week add a cap full of Seachem Reef Zooplankton. I do feed once or twice a week one cube from San Francisco Bay Brand Frozen Saltwater Multi-Pack. Usually just once a week.
I don't dose any additives or anything like that since I have never had to before.
I do a 25% water change twice a month
I know I am a little heavy on the corals so I wanted to test Ca, Mg, and Kh which I have never done in the past. My readings are as follows (red sea test kit - first time using it):
Salinity: 1.026
PH: 8.1
Kh is over 14dKh (didn't get the change over until I put in 40 drops with 10ml water)
Nitrate: 20
Nitrite: 1 (maybe a little less but not .5)
Ammonia: .2
Ca: I couldn't get a reading it was so low
Mg: 1600
Any advice. I am assuming do a water change soon. The toad stool is partially extending, but they are temperamental to begin with and he is only about 2 weeks old in the tank. I had another zoa that dissapeared but I think I put it in to high of a light level area it was a single head. The fish look happy and active although the female is definitely mean to the little male which is pretty normal in my experience until they acquainted. They are starting to warm up to each other now after about a month of staying on opposite sides of the tank and the only interaction being trying to start a whirlpool. Now they will eat from the same cube and occasionally swim near one another. I digress though.
My main question is if I should be worried about the levels and is there a way to get my Ca, Mg, and Kh straightened out?
Any insight will be greatly appreciated. I do intend on adding a sump and was hoping to setup a little Kalwasser a reservoir from my top off. I don't really intend on anymore fish but want a real nice coral tank with mostly softies if I can. This is my first tank with no sump and I want to add some water volume any way I can so I am going to set one up for sure.
Thanks in advance for the insight!
25 Fusion Lagoon AIO Aquarium
little over 35 lbs of rock and 25-30lbs of sand
Lighting is AI Prime HD Aquarium LED
two return pumps (the one that comes with a tank and matching one)
Current USA eFlux Wave Pump Kit with two heads each 660GPH (one on wave on on surge - full power/50% Frequency)
Two small heaters
I dose Poseidon feast 5280 (like the live food aspect) once a month, ocean magic daily (I have been cutting back cause I feel this might be part of the problem). I once or twice a week add a cap full of Seachem Reef Zooplankton. I do feed once or twice a week one cube from San Francisco Bay Brand Frozen Saltwater Multi-Pack. Usually just once a week.
I don't dose any additives or anything like that since I have never had to before.
I do a 25% water change twice a month
I know I am a little heavy on the corals so I wanted to test Ca, Mg, and Kh which I have never done in the past. My readings are as follows (red sea test kit - first time using it):
Salinity: 1.026
PH: 8.1
Kh is over 14dKh (didn't get the change over until I put in 40 drops with 10ml water)
Nitrate: 20
Nitrite: 1 (maybe a little less but not .5)
Ammonia: .2
Ca: I couldn't get a reading it was so low
Mg: 1600
Any advice. I am assuming do a water change soon. The toad stool is partially extending, but they are temperamental to begin with and he is only about 2 weeks old in the tank. I had another zoa that dissapeared but I think I put it in to high of a light level area it was a single head. The fish look happy and active although the female is definitely mean to the little male which is pretty normal in my experience until they acquainted. They are starting to warm up to each other now after about a month of staying on opposite sides of the tank and the only interaction being trying to start a whirlpool. Now they will eat from the same cube and occasionally swim near one another. I digress though.
My main question is if I should be worried about the levels and is there a way to get my Ca, Mg, and Kh straightened out?
Any insight will be greatly appreciated. I do intend on adding a sump and was hoping to setup a little Kalwasser a reservoir from my top off. I don't really intend on anymore fish but want a real nice coral tank with mostly softies if I can. This is my first tank with no sump and I want to add some water volume any way I can so I am going to set one up for sure.
Thanks in advance for the insight!
