What next?! Advice wanted on next steps.

[ReefRookie22]

So I'd love some advice on what to do next. I'm stuck at a crossroads.
Tank is 4 months old.
28 Gallon budget Frankenstein tank.
Cheap Internal filter (with some ceramic media, carbon pad and a small sachet of nitrate/phosphate media), v cheap internal surface skimmer, Hygger powerhead, stock (non-reef) light with Tetra Starter line tank.
Started with dry rock and live sand.
2 Ocellaris, Midas, Flasher wrasse, yasha+shrimp, 3 hermits, 3 nassarius, 1 trochus. Only lost one pistol shrimp so far, COD unknown.
20% water changes (self made RODI) every 10 days. Feed mysis, marine mix, Hikari pellets am and pm.
Nitrate 20ish
PO4 0.5.
Just added a Fluval PS1 internal skimmer to try and reduce nutrients (might return it though as it is definitely NOT whisper quiet and keeps splitting open and leaking microbubbles into my tank).
Lights have always been low.
Starting to see some diatoms and the beginnings of what looks like calcareous algae on the rocks.
Would love to get some soft corals but here's my catch 22...
I'll need more light for corals but my nutrients are high. I don't feed loads and it mostly all gets eaten. I've got a skimmer but I think it might be overpowered for the tank as skimmate looking v lean. (Admittedly only had it 2 days).
If I get a more powerful light at these nutrients levels I anticipate algae problems. I'm also starting to feel like my tank is getting quite noisy and equipment heavy.
I'm only after some softies like GSP, Xenia, shrooms, toadies and some cloves.
I also prefer to keep things on the budget side as I never feel as much satisfaction when you solve a problem by throwing money at it.
I guess my questions are.
How would you reduce nutrients?
Would corals reduce nutrients at all or would nutrients this high be a problem for soft corals?
Would macro algae in the tank be beneficial? (Always intrigued why noone has macro algae in saltwater tanks).
Is it best to switch to a tank with a sump?
Canister filter? (Some people have said they love them, others say it's a nitrate factory).
Heterotrophic bacteria?
Wait for the calcareous algae to become more established to prevent nuisance algae?
More trochus?
I'm open to any and all advice.
Happy to provide more info if needed.

(Love it when he's sat on his sofa).

 

[Elira_6301]

I love it honestly. Take replacing equipment 1 at a time. I have the Fluval Marine Bluetooth lights. I use a fluval canister filter and I love it. Nitrates stay low. I have super cheapo power heads, hey, as long as they do the job. No sump, no skimmer. I do keep a uv sterilizer for added circulation, filtration and to kill stupid algae. Doesn't get all of it. But helps tremendously. All my parameters are perfect.

Id build some of those rocks up all nice and pretty like an arch or something. And add macro. Its not hard to care for.

Now in my Octo tank, I have a lot of Macroalgae, no coral. And I love it. I have hermit crabs, fiddler crabs and emerald crabs. And 1 lawnmower blenny. And of course an octopus.

In my seahorse tank, I only have Macroalgae and live rock.

I think Macroalgae is underrated. Its beautiful and does a good job keeping nitrates n stuff down. Id say go for it so you dont have to worry about all the flow control and lighting for corals. One good light should be good.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I feel your tank is fully stocked, and it seems like your filter has no ability to export nutrients. thats why the high nitrates IMO.

I feel there is not enough rock in the tank, I would add more IMO. Should have 20-35 lbs of rock in there.

The fluval ps1 is not very good unfortunately, but I don't think I would buy a skimmer for this size tank.

That means water changes are the only form of nutrient export, and I would go with more frequent water changes.

Soft and lps corals will like that level of nitrate IMO. However, you will need a light, I would get a 100 watt light for that size tank, I use a nicrew 100 watt on my 32 gallon. Don't get a cheap 50 watt light or you will regret it later.

Personally the tank doesn't look 'alive' and seems kind of empty, I would turn the lights on and get some micro algae's growing, get some snails and crabs and other inverts to make the tank more lively.

Just my 2 cents, good luck

 

[Elira_6301]

What numbers for nitrate & phosphate?

I read your tank journal thread and will comment here. Sand inoculated with nitrogen fixation bacteria is not live sand. Your dead shrimp was as good a source for bacteria. Your best source for biodiversity would be diver collected live rock.

https://gulfliverock.com/premium-deco-live-rock
https://gulfliverock.com/hitchhiker-id


Yes, macro algae in your display will lower nutrients. Even fast growing macro algae can be maintained in lower light conditions.

Check out this free guide on macro algae:

https://www.marineplantbook.com/

Thanks for this guide. I needed it add a few more plants. You da best.