Requesting help... 15 gallon AIO Reef tank debacle
- Thread starter Antho446
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Nano_Tuners
2500 Club Member
before using temperature controls I would double check the heater with a kitchen thermometer, you'd be shocked how off they can be.
yeah making sure the basics (temp/salinity) are stable and right first would be where id start. look forward to update!
slogan315
Well-Known Member
Don’t let the Hanna brand and price tag fool you on the salinity tester. My tank had a turn around when I realized my calibrated Hanna salinity monitor was very wrong. Salinity was at 1.030
I purchased this off Ebay and waiting for arrival, It has a salinity tester aswell so ill be double checking. (200 dollar score)
Just my experience, but a standard refractometer calibrated with calibration fluid is still quick, but much more reliable than the Hanna.
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Antho446
New Member
Calibrated refractometer with distilled water and tested my tank salinity - 1.026.
I had an extra power head I forgot about that pushes 560gph from a previous freshie tank, installed that.
I assume the acro is cooked and won’t be coming back but I just plopped it towards the top and we’ll see what happens.
I did a toothbrush run on the rocks to break up some of the growth and swapped my floss.
I’ve added an auto feeder and will set for every 12 Hrs = x2 auto feeds and 1 manual feed from me.
Need to go buy a thermometer to get temps.
I’m holding off on a water change until I get a bump of any kind on my parameters, no use just flushing.
I had an extra power head I forgot about that pushes 560gph from a previous freshie tank, installed that.
I assume the acro is cooked and won’t be coming back but I just plopped it towards the top and we’ll see what happens.
I did a toothbrush run on the rocks to break up some of the growth and swapped my floss.
I’ve added an auto feeder and will set for every 12 Hrs = x2 auto feeds and 1 manual feed from me.
Need to go buy a thermometer to get temps.
I’m holding off on a water change until I get a bump of any kind on my parameters, no use just flushing.
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Tahoe61
10K Club member
I would add more flow to the tank. The Hygger Mini Wave maker 1600 would work well. I have one on my IM 14 gallon.
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Antho446
New Member
So I added one per my last post and this is where I’m at in the moment accordance to flow. I’ll go for a lower profile one later, addressing my issues as they come.
Sw33tdave
Community Member
That's a crazy good deal! Was this a dedicated dealer on ebay?
I purchased this off Ebay and waiting for arrival, It has a salinity tester aswell so ill be double checking. (200 dollar score)
sushiboss
Active Member
I run a 15g mixed reef with similar setup and less fish and I run a very similar maintenance as you do.
How are you testing phosphate and nitrates?
I’d find it impossible that you are at 0 with a clarkii and 3 other fish in regards to nitrate and phosphate.
Especially considering you are over a year.
I am doubtful.
Surprised no one has said anything in regards to how your testing etc and what tests are you running.
If your Cheeto isn’t growing and it’s likely not doing much if anything.
I’m not saying I don’t believe you haha. I am just doubtful.
I have the IM 15g with only the return pump as flow and have anemones sps etc but I do not run a refugium or a protein skimmer. Just good ol fashioned 4g water changes weekly and a good clean up crew consisting of mainly urchins and blue leg hermits. I use blue chemipure and change filter floss 2 times weekly sometimes more sometimes less.
However if you are actually bottoming out then I’d start first by removing the chaeto as it’s consuming it too quickly.
For me I use a 1” black foam and cover my rear aio from light and no longer have any algae issues in the rear compartment.
Personally I think you are way overstocked to not have nitrates and phosphate. I’d highly recommend you get a second test going on these parameters before you make any changes.
And lastly before your chaeto begins regressing I’d remove it before it leeches back into your water column.
Personally If I were you I’d choose one lane for maintenance and do it well vs choosing multiple areas. Meaning if you plan on doing water changes do this.
If you plan to use a refuge do that.
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Antho446
New Member
Wonderful set up, I've been keeping fish for a while in the freshwater aspect and water testing isn't new to me. If you see what I have in my list of equipment/ test methods, I've been using the API system and just today I received my Hanna kit. My parameters are listed as I keep a notebook with dates.
I ran my tests again 3 hours ago with the same double zero with API (ill be testing every other day). I have to test out the Hanna equipment that I just bought to make sure its calibrated and functions.
I also removed my chaeto following that test and cleaned out my back compartments of any debris/ algae, also I pulled my skimmer yesterday morning.
I like that idea with the black foam and will most definitely take that out of your play book :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes: .
I absolutely over did the refugium and water changes... I'm going to dial back on things and give it some time.
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Antho446
New Member
I've been hunting for a full kit/ semi full kit from someone leaving the hobby and this was the best I found on my hunt for them. Definitely not a dedicated dealer though.
sushiboss
Active Member
API is not known for its credibility in the saltwater game.
You purchased a Hanna nitrate checker.
I’d imagine you also got a phosphate checker.
Test them and post results.
I’d be surprised if they show as low as the API kit does considering the tank and rock is 1yr and 6months.
Not impossible just wildly unlikely given the stocking.
Like I said I have a 15g aio and I do weekly 4g water changes and change filter floss a few times a week as my maintenance and after 9 months my phosphate is .2 nitrates remain stable in the 14-18 range consistently on a weekly average. I only have two younger smaller clowns and I feed only 5 times a week.
I’m using the same light ai prime 16hd as you are.
We’re almost using identical setups. I’d be shocked if you were bottoming out which I believe is due to bad testing kits.
For reference I use Hanna checkers for everything except mag and calcium (salifert all the way)
Digimes
Well-Known Member
TBH, I only cycle about 10-15% of my water monthly and just top off with R/O to maintain salinity and feed twice a day. I also don't use a lot of additives other than Seachem Fusion 1&2. Be careful you don't start chasing the numbers and less is more for stability.
sushiboss
Active Member
Is that with expired reagents?I got acquainted with the testers, a lot of the reagents are expired (Ordered new ones) but was able to test ULR Phos and nitrate.
That’s crazy if those are accurate
4 fish in the 15g and still that low in nitrates is impressive.
Haha. Wild stuff.
Phosphate is perfect but ideally you want to bump that nitrate I’d say to 7 to keep your parameters at a 10/1 ration of nitrate to phosphate and that’ll eliminate most algae issues going forward.
Wild. Are all your fish tiny? When you said Clarkii I imagined a 3-4” clown fish haha
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Antho446
New Member
Sorry should have clarified, the nitrate and phos testers were not expired, but calcium, salinity 35ppt packet, and alkalinity are done and ordered new. My Clarkii is about 1.5-2”, he’s coming out and will be swapped for something else for his aggression is just out of hand and won’t pair off with another clown (can’t blame him I know the tank is rather small).
sushiboss
Active Member
Surprised it’s the clown and not the damsel that’s ticked. Honestly I’d just stop skimming and remove the chaeto and skip 2 water changes and see where your at.
Even more I’d be more interested in different stocking from the ground up cardinals are boring and damsels can be *****.
If I could redo my 15g I’ll be moving to something like court jester gobies or yasha goby pistol combo and a clown goby
But max out at 3 fish in total.
Currently I just have my 2 ******* clowns that already killed my Yasha goby smh
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Antho446
New Member
The regal dams is skidish and hangs out with the clarkii a lot, the cardinals just hop from corner to corner weaving around eachother. My LFS is ready to take trade ins and have thought about changing them up.. the biggie is if I can catch them, how the rocks are set up, that’s a whole cave with 4 exits so I’m not going to go crazy chasing them ripping up my tank. I hate my rock work but it’s cool seeing them pop up through the exits here and there.
I did exactly that, pulled the skimmer, pulled the Chaeto today and cleaned the Refugium. While waiting for time tell its tale I’ll be focused killing that Aptasia
sushiboss
Active Member
Don’t even bother. Go to the lfs and ask for a peppermint shrimp and get a single one.
In a few weeks the aiptasia will be completely gone.
Peppermints made very quick work of my aiptasia
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Antho446
New Member
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Antho446
New Member
It has been 1 week from the time I posted this. Here is my update. These are the most recent tests taken today. .
I have tested every 2 days and and nitrates are hanging at 1.6 :angry-face:
As expected algae had increased, I am looking for better food alternatives, I fed fresh hatched brine shrimp supplemented with spirulina power today. I believe the is the issue resides in my food. I went ahead and purchased reef roids to experiment with and will be looking for a frozen food to add in my feedings.
I am waiting for all my reagents to come in for all other tests still.
I've also began to address my flow issues properly, I purchased this powerhead for fact it has an adjustable flow rate (definitely making a bigger tank one day), temporarily I've added the one in the picture above.
So far the only things I've added chemically wise is:
(Dosed on 1/7/2025)
-Dr.Tims nitrifying reef bacteria (had left over and just added the rest in)
-Neophos .25ml
-Neonitrate .5ml
I recall chemi pure blue was mentioned in a previous post, I know this product well, if my phosphates peak and nitrates are still low, would it be logical to add a nano packet into the caddy to lower phosphates and allow nitrates to increase and not changing the water until it reaches a peak point?
Ill hold off on a water change until next week and maintain testing over that time period in 2 day increments as well as creating a graph to make a visual representation to refine my schedule.
Also added a peppermint shrimp into the refugium to kill the aiptasia, lazy SOB shrugged it off :dizzy-face:.
Added 3 more blue hermits to pick at the algae for the mean time...
I have tested every 2 days and and nitrates are hanging at 1.6 :angry-face:
As expected algae had increased, I am looking for better food alternatives, I fed fresh hatched brine shrimp supplemented with spirulina power today. I believe the is the issue resides in my food. I went ahead and purchased reef roids to experiment with and will be looking for a frozen food to add in my feedings.
I am waiting for all my reagents to come in for all other tests still.
I've also began to address my flow issues properly, I purchased this powerhead for fact it has an adjustable flow rate (definitely making a bigger tank one day), temporarily I've added the one in the picture above.
So far the only things I've added chemically wise is:
(Dosed on 1/7/2025)
-Dr.Tims nitrifying reef bacteria (had left over and just added the rest in)
-Neophos .25ml
-Neonitrate .5ml
I recall chemi pure blue was mentioned in a previous post, I know this product well, if my phosphates peak and nitrates are still low, would it be logical to add a nano packet into the caddy to lower phosphates and allow nitrates to increase and not changing the water until it reaches a peak point?
Ill hold off on a water change until next week and maintain testing over that time period in 2 day increments as well as creating a graph to make a visual representation to refine my schedule.
Also added a peppermint shrimp into the refugium to kill the aiptasia, lazy SOB shrugged it off :dizzy-face:.
Added 3 more blue hermits to pick at the algae for the mean time...
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