Nuvo 20G reboot!

[Nick Steele]

Okay so I’ve had this tank for 3.5 years now and had many ups and downs documented in the old thread (Here). I wanted to move away from the bad and we just moved into new apartment so I figured I’d start a new thread!

Equipment list

Tank: 20G Nuvo Fusion
Light: AI 16HD x2
Filtration: IM UV on right side (usually off), filter floss caddy on left side, 3-4 lbs of rubble rock in remainder of chambers.
Return pump: Sicce 1.5 with random flow generators
Heater: IM Helio 100w
ATO: Tunze 3155 ato with a 5 gal bucket
Powerhead: AI Nero 3

Stocking List
1 black ice clowns
1 hector’s goby
2 tuxedo urchins
Various hermits and snails

Tank at its prime right after a RIP clean and bare bottom.

Day after move (acclimated lights and corals weren’t completely happy)

Current Full tank shot.

 

[Nick Steele]

So I will slowly be bringing this tank back to a mixed reef over the next 6 months or so. Currently I am working to get rid of the GHA (hermits and snails are working hard). I’m planning to add some euphyllia first and then work more towards sps.

I haven’t had time to test the tank since the move but I’ll be doing a water change tonight to get rid of the waste all over the tank and I’ll test tomorrow for Memorial Day!

During the move I upgraded a few things to make life easier.

First I went to a Nero 3 powerhead to see what the hype was about and I have to say so far I love it! Super wide flow pattern and even though it’s turned up to 40% it’s very gentle on the corals.

I also went back to the sicce 1.5 return pump and RFG I used before but I’m running it by itself this time and it too is working wonders for the flow in tank.

As for inhabitants sadly my female clown died right before we moved so I’m debating on what to add or just replacing clowns altogether and getting different fish since I plan to do a BTA and clown tank for my daughter. I also added more hermit crabs and snails to help with the GHA (so far they are doing awesome!)

All these frags were covered in GHA just like the one in front and the hermits are doing work cleaning them!

This guy is doing great and I’ve never noticed the specks on the tentacles before we moved.

Oh also since the move I have noticed that a lot of my bristle starfish are much more active exploring the tank. Constantly see them on the glass now which I never did before. It’s cool I just hope they aren’t stressed.

Overall corals seem happier and now I just need to get rid of the GHA and add some corals and the tank will be back on track.

 

[Nick Steele]

Okay so did my first water change at the new apartment and have a little update!

Got around to finally testing my water and I was a bit surprised! Below are results

Alk 9.0
Calc 440
Mag 1440
Nitrate 1-3(hard to tell more than 0 less than 5)
Phos .02
pH 7.4 (right before lights on)
Temp 79.0
Salinity 1.025

So I was very surprised that my big 3 were in a very good range! Is very encouraging for the future of this tank! On the flip side I’m a bit confused to how my pH is 7.4! I meant to check this later on the day to see if it went up at all but with an infant time got away from me. I’ll need to check it again soon. There is plenty of surface agitation so I’m thinking might be an influx of co2 in the new apartment. Hopefully this isn’t an issue but we’ll see.

Corals overall seem to be doing better day by day. I’m pretty sure I can see the flesh on some of the acans growing Over the past two weeks. Duncan is coming out day by day depending on if the clownfish is harassing it or not. Trachy is doing what it’s always done being fluffy and happy! Looking to add a few corals on the coming weeks when I can find some good deals.

Lone SPS left in the tank. Monti spongodes hope it comes back strong and branches! Looks to have a branch starting towards the bottom middle.

Caught this hermit ontop of my trachy! I have no clue what he was doing but I think he got lost as he wasn’t there long and wasn’t eating when I took pic.

 

[Nick Steele]

Okay so life got in the way but I am back with a vengeance and will be battling this GHA everyday for the foreseeable future! Wife commented how tank looked crappy and that struck home so I will be taking a few hours a week to kick this GHA and get the tank going again!

Yesterday marked day 1 of battle and I have to say I can finally see what my rock work looks like again!

Current full tank shot after pulling a ton of algae! Yes still much more to go!

Tons of bright GHA. Could have pulled more but arm was getting stiff so called it a night.

 

[Nick Steele]

I received reef flux yesterday and will be starting my dose tomorrow afternoon after a nice 5G water change! Will definitely add some before pics tomorrow before I dose to keep track.


So it’s been two weeks since I’ve been cleaning the tank 2-3 times a week and it seems I’m starting to get somewhere! Crabs are much more active on rock work picking at algae.

Sadly I lost my two urchins in the span of 24hrs. I checked my numbers and everything seems good (numbers below). I expected a nice spike in nitrates since algae isn’t growing back nearly as much and there isn’t that much in tank atm but I was still at 1-3ppm. I’m at a lost on the urchins but we shall move forward.


Other than plucking algae and turkey basting my rocks tanks been on auto pilot until we get algae taken care of! I might add a pincushion urchin instead of tuxedo to try and help. We shall see.


Tank parameters
Alk 9.5
Nitrate 1-3ppm
Phos .01pm
Calc 420
Mag 1340
Ph 7.4 (pretty standard with my tanks)
Temp 79.0

 

[Lebowski_]

Mollies are excellent for hair algae control!

 

[Nick Steele]

Mollies are excellent for hair algae control!

I don’t really like mollies but I’ll keep that in mind if this reef flux doesn’t work out!

 

[PR_nano]

Hey Nick nice seeing the new thread. Have you considered emerald crab?

I had some GHA that keep coming back even after manual pulling. I believe that between the emerald crab, a pincushion, and heavy scrubbing with toothbrush while performing water change I managed to get it out for good. I bought some reefflux but was hesitant about using it after reading some thread here.

 

[Nick Steele]

Hey Nick nice seeing the new thread. Have you considered emerald crab?

I had some GHA that keep coming back even after manual pulling. I believe that between the emerald crab, a pincushion, and heavy scrubbing with toothbrush while performing water change I managed to get it out for good. I bought some reefflux but was hesitant about using it after reading some thread here.

I’m hesitant on the emeralds due threads on here lol. I am thinking of a pincushion soon if I can find one around here. I’m starting reefflux here later tonight and will let it run its course for three weeks maybe 4 (hears it’s longer for GHA) and see how it goes. I’ve been scrubbing and turkey basting the rocks two to three times a week. Seems to have helped some and hopefully this reefflux kicks it’s behind and it’s gone for good!


Also thinking of adding a tailspot blenny as my algae issue started when my old one passed. It should be fine from what I’ve heard just haven’t gotten around to it yet.

 

[Nick Steele]

Well life always seems to get in the way! Had another hiccup and didn’t get around to dosing reffflux till tonight. Tank sat idle all week and algae is definitely growing back. Tonight I did a quick water change and dosed reefflux. I’m on the hunt for a pincushion urchin and a tailspot blenny at my lfs.

Oh sadly my court jester goby has passed. He was just getting skinny and lethargic although he was eat both algae and mysis I feed to to tank. I don’t know what was up as by the time I seen he passed my crabs and bristle stars ate him down to the skeleton.


Here are some before pictures of the tank so I can document if the reefflux works at all! I’m not proud of the tank at the moment but documentation is a good thing so here it goes.

 

[Ben549]

Well life always seems to get in the way! Had another hiccup and didn’t get around to dosing reffflux till tonight. Tank sat idle all week and algae is definitely growing back. Tonight I did a quick water change and dosed reefflux. I’m on the hunt for a pincushion urchin and a tailspot blenny at my lfs.

Oh sadly my court jester goby has passed. He was just getting skinny and lethargic although he was eat both algae and mysis I feed to to tank. I don’t know what was up as by the time I seen he passed my crabs and bristle stars ate him down to the skeleton.


Here are some before pictures of the tank so I can document if the reefflux works at all! I’m not proud of the tank at the moment but documentation is a good thing so here it goes.

Keep up the fight! I know it can be frustrating!

I love a blenny, you can't go wrong with a blenny.

 

[NevilleCYK]

Hi, may I share my 100L sps tank here, which has been established for over 1.5 years…

 

[Nick Steele]

Keep up the fight! I know it can be frustrating!

I love a blenny, you can't go wrong with a blenny.

Yeah blennys are nice additions! I’m still in this but if this doesn’t work I’m going for all new rocks as next steps!

Hi, may I share my 100L sps tank here, which has been established for over 1.5 years…

Nice tank! Should start your own build thread.

 

[Ben549]

Yeah blennys are nice additions! I’m still in this but if this doesn’t work I’m going for all new rocks as next steps!


Nice tank! Should start your own build thread.

As a step before you replace the rock, you could drain it down and squirt hydrogen peroxide onto the bad algae areas.

 

[Nick Steele]

As a step before you replace the rock, you could drain it down and squirt hydrogen peroxide onto the bad algae areas.

Bad areas are 80% of rockwork lol. I did peroxide syringe on some spots when still full with water and no flow but it did nothing at all.

Maybe I could saturate some of the rock during a water change and see what happens. But would that just introduce the peroxide when I fill it back up?

 

[Ben549]

Bad areas are 80% of rockwork lol. I did peroxide syringe on some spots when still full with water and no flow but it did nothing at all.

Maybe I could saturate some of the rock during a water and see what happens. But would that just introduce the peroxide when I fill it back up?

You don't have to do it all at one time. Maybe 25% of the rock each time. At the right concentration, it will dissolve the algae.

You would want something like this for the order of operations:
drain tank
manually remove as much algae as possible
use a pipette to apply the hydrogen peroxide
wait 30sec-2min for it to work, you should see bubbling, if you don't, it's not working
use something disposable, like a paper towel to soak up the hydrogen peroxide and dissolved algae
refill the tank

 

[Nick Steele]

Well 4 days after dosing reefflux and I think I am seeing some of the GHA turn grayish white!! I will need to get some pictures tomorrow when I get a second to do so but im in high hopes for this to work out!

On the other hand with the corals I’ve noticed that my acans seem to be much happier now! They are nice and fluffy! They were happy before dosing but seem extra happy now so I’m curious if algae is already dying and releasing some nutrients into the tank (will have to test tomorrow also).

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Well 4 days after dosing reefflux and I think I am seeing some of the GHA turn grayish white!! I will need to get some pictures tomorrow when I get a second to do so but im in high hopes for this to work out!

On the other hand with the corals I’ve noticed that my acans seem to be much happier now! They are nice and fluffy! They were happy before dosing but seem extra happy now so I’m curious if algae is already dying and releasing some nutrients into the tank (will have to test tomorrow also).

Glad to see it is starting to go away!

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

@Nick Steele How did it go with the Reef Flux? Any adverse reactions?