Nutrient Control for Nano Tank

[Operator Wrasse]

Good evening, everyone. My wife has a 20G AIO that is overrun with GHA each time between weekly water changes. I know why this is happening; I use a homemade food that broadcast feeds our other 75G reef. Essentially, the FOWLR is flooded with nitrates and phosphates every time I feed. The feeding issue is being corrected this week, but I'm afraid of controlling excessive nutrients in the future.

For those of you with small AIOs, what do you do for nutrient control? My wife won't accept any refugiums or skimmers that stick above the rim of the tank. The tank is in our bedroom, so keeping a clean look and quiet system is important.

 

[JosephM]

Not super small tank or AIO but chemi pure elite worked great for me... too great. lowered my phosphates from 0.13 to 0.02 and nitrates from 5-10 to 0-5 in less then 24 hrs. I don't know much about AIO tanks but maybe you could fit that in some high flow area. I do have an OP Fuge and skimmer so I'm sure that aided the chemi pure a lot but still saw significant decrease with it in

 

[WetSquiggle]

You could try one of those low profile upflow air driven ATSs like Joey King of DIY on YouTube likes so much. They are very compact and effective.

 

[fade2black]

More frequest water changes and find and control the source of these nutrients, which it sounds like you have found. I would try that first before resorting to any chemical cures. For me and my nano's in the past, chemical cures was my absolute last resort.