Nutrient control in smaller tanks

[Formulator]

Thank you for confirming, I’ve been reading more about it recently, seems like the people who get it to work love it.

I loved it for a couple years but eventually couldn’t keep up with the nitrate dosing to keep it from bottoming out.

 

[Formulator]

On small aio systems keep it simple.
18" nano cube.
Esv 2 part
DSR ez trace
Phosgaurd in a nylon bag when
needed for po4 control.
Carbon in a nylon bag.
2g WC a month.
Gfo works to but I have used Phosgaurd for 8 years now and its not messy like gfo.
Changing both is simple and easy.
This is the only non sump system I have ever had and the easiest system I have ever maintained in 30+ years.

Beautiful tank!!!

 

[JustAnotherNanoTank]

Been looking at that a lot, but with that I believe you need to be running a skimmer. I currently am not using a skimmer so I don’t think that would work for me. But also I may be wrong on the skimmer part, not sure. If you have any good resources about that I would definitely like to check it out!

I can’t answer the skimmer part either.

Look into Tropic Marin Elimi-NP and see what you thing. Then they have bacto balance.

 

[JustAnotherNanoTank]

You are correct that you must skim with carbon dosing. Another point I would add is that carbon dosing is very effective at lowering nitrate. It may have a small impact on phosphate, but often can have the opposite effect by bottoming out nitrates. With a nitrate limited tank, phosphates cannot be metabolized and can build up over time creating a worse problem than you started with. Ask me how I know… :grimacing-face:

That’s great info!

 

[etcee]

Hey etcee, the coral snow keeps it away or just your water changes?

Just my water changes. I don't spot feed any corals or broadcast feed any reef roids or additional particulate foods. Since no 2 tanks are the same this method obviously may not work for you. I find in my 20 gallon, it's incredibly easy to end up with excessive nutrients and so the more frequent water change seems to be a benefit to my tank. I primarily focus on feeding my fish and exporting nutrients with frequent water changes.

 

[toddb93]

I can’t answer the skimmer part either.

Look into Tropic Marin Elimi-NP and see what you thing. Then they have bacto balance.

Ok great, thank you for your Input! Always appreciated!

 

[toddb93]

Just my water changes. I don't spot feed any corals or broadcast feed any reef roids or additional particulate foods. Since no 2 tanks are the same this method obviously may not work for you. I find in my 20 gallon, it's incredibly easy to end up with excessive nutrients and so the more frequent water change seems to be a benefit to my tank. I primarily focus on feeding my fish and exporting nutrients with frequent water changes.

Thanks for clarifying!

 

[William Chiavetta]

Here’s a shot of the tank!

A 38 gal with a blue tang? I love the tank but is there a reason he's in a 38 gal?

 

[toddb93]

A 38 gal with a blue tang? I love the tank but is there a reason he's in a 38 gal?

Happy wife, happy life lol. Honestly
I will be transferring it soon, my wife bought it when it was the size of a quarter. But it’s about time to get it a bigger home.

 

[William Chiavetta]

Happy wife, happy life lol. Honestly
I will be transferring it soon, my wife bought it when it was the size of a quarter. But it’s about time to get it a bigger home.

lol. If he gets any bigger it looks like he won't be fit to live in the tank. Great tank tho

 

[toddb93]

lol. If he gets any bigger it looks like he won't be fit to live in the tank. Great tank tho

Thank you! And yes agreed, it definitely needs some more swimming space.

 

[Hellraizzor]

I use coral snow few times a week and seems to keep phos and nitrate balanced. Also use carbon reactor if water starts turning a little green. Use no other type of mech filtration.. Im 50g lagoon and 30g sump.

 

[toddb93]

I use coral snow few times a week and seems to keep phos and nitrate balanced. Also use carbon reactor if water starts turning a little green. Use no other type of mech filtration.. Im 50g lagoon and 30g sump.

Nice, thanks for sharing. So just curious, when you use the snow, what is collecting everything that it helps to pull out? Do you run a floss temporarily?

 

[Magellan]

On small aio systems keep it simple.
18" nano cube.
Esv 2 part
DSR ez trace
Phosgaurd in a nylon bag when
needed for po4 control.
Carbon in a nylon bag.
2g WC a month.
Gfo works to but I have used Phosgaurd for 8 years now and its not messy like gfo.
Changing both is simple and easy.
This is the only non sump system I have ever had and the easiest system I have ever maintained in 30+ years.

This. Pretty much exactly this! I change out 10g on my 40g maybe once a month or so, I have my dosing locked in and try to stay out of the tank. I’ll clean the filters and skimmer, run purigen and sometimes phosguard, and have a lot of bio media. Also a variety of CuC, and plenty of coral is a must!

 

[Hellraizzor]

Nice, thanks for sharing. So just curious, when you use the snow, what is collecting everything that it helps to pull out? Do you run a floss temporarily?

No filter media. I have lots of filter feeders and bottom dwellers that eat it up, I'm assuming. If I do not use it, my phos and nitrates go up, so that's why I think it get gobbled up. But filter floss in the overflow would work also when using it.

 

[Thunderrap]

Do a 5 % water change every two weeks and you will be good to go. I had a 28 gallon biocube and this worked perfect. I now have a 20 gallon nuvo pro and do the same with good results. No skimmer just filter socks and swap those out every Friday. Bought a six pack of those

I don’t get this, I have a 15g tank and I do an about 33% (around 5gal) weekly water change and it doesn’t budge my phosphates. They were up to 1.1 ppm and doing my water changes had no effect. I tested my source water and there wasn’t any major levels in it so it wasn’t that. I’ve been running rowaphos for about two months now and it’s consistently 0.25 ppm even with the same water changes. I’m about to add more rowaphos to get it down below 0.1. I will say since running the rowaphos my coral growth has improved!

 

[jayala12]

I don’t get this, I have a 15g tank and I do an about 33% (around 5gal) weekly water change and it doesn’t budge my phosphates. They were up to 1.1 ppm and doing my water changes had no effect. I tested my source water and there wasn’t any major levels in it so it wasn’t that. I’ve been running rowaphos for about two months now and it’s consistently 0.25 ppm even with the same water changes. I’m about to add more rowaphos to get it down below 0.1. I will say since running the rowaphos my coral growth has improved!

To be quite honest I don’t even test my tank at all. I make sure Salinity and temp it’s good and let er go lol. Just do my water change every other Friday I’m off and that’s it. Well change my filter floss and sock too. I feel like if I chase numbers I just get myself in trouble.

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

Set your wavemaker(s) to deliver at least one good disturbance each day. If you don’t have programmable wavemakers you can go old school and use a turkey blaster or small powerhead. Make sure your mechanical filtration is efficiently capturing the grunge.

Water changes are great but in many ways they don’t attack the source of problem which is detritus accumulation on substrates.