3.7 gal pico nano lighting

[trlotlo]

Hello folks! I am getting back into the hobby after being out for many years. So much has changed it’s crazy to me.
Anyway… was gifted a 3.7 gal AIO tank and decided to make it a reef. Was planning to do the normal cycle of 4-6 weeks with a piece of raw shrimp as I did 15 years ago or so. But was told about Dr Tim’s and decided to do it with a clown.
I got to hurried and added a hammer, 2 zoa frags, a Duncan, daisy polyps, and a Galaxea frag.
Of course I forgot about the diatoms and all the things that must happen. Water parameters have are fine. But I lost my hammer and my zoa aren’t opening. However I do have a zoa that hitchhiked on my LR and it’s doing great. All other corals are doing great. Just not these two zoa frags and the lost hammer. Last time I had any detectable nitrate or nitrite was Dec 21
My current water is as follows.
Ammonia 0
Trites 0
Trates 0
Dkh 7
Ph 8
Phosphates 0
Salt 36 ppm

I feel like I over feed but everything is 0
I do have seachem matrix and carbon in the filter set up

Current light is
Aquarium Light - 35 watt Reef Light with Timer Sunrise and Sunset with Screen Display and Touch Control Dimmable LED Aquarium Light for Nano Tank https://a.co/d/91lF8Sq

First question is do you think this light is too much? I feel like the algae is starting to grow a lot. Also I don’t think I have enough flow. I did upgrade to a pump that goes to 159gph and it’s all the way up. I am getting a little surface scum.
What else can you guys suggest or is it just because new tank? I feel like it’s new tank and because it’s so small. I have previously had 150 gal and a 29 gal. But again it’s been a hot minute.
Thoughts and comments are appreciated

 

[reefing102]

Everything looks great (except the closed zoas but I’ve never been able to keep zoas) Best I can tell is you’re going through the ugly stages of a new tank.

That said, I don’t think you have too much light (maybe for the zoas but that really depends on par. I might add a small power head (like a hygger mini) and try to get your phosphates and nitrates up (the days of wanting all 0’s are pretty much gone)

 

[trlotlo]

So just to make sure... the Hygger Mini Wave maker I am seeing is 1600 gph
My tank is only 3.7 gallon with probably a gallon of that being the media/return area. So I don't have that much room for flow. I feel like that might be crazy flow and blow sand everywhere?? Is that the powerhead/wavemaker you are speaking of? That is the smallest I have ran across though. Also should I lower the lights? I am currently running them at 20% with blues only hoping to help with the algae, but they do run 12 hours a day 6:30am - 6:30 pm. Tank does get some direct morning only sunlight for about an hour or so. Picture below shows current direct sunlight and 20%blues.

 

[griss]

A couple things.

Regarding the Zoas, they like a little Nitrate and Phosphate so, if your readings of those are truly zero that could be an issue as Shane mentioned.

The Hygger, if memory serves, can be adjusted so it’s not running at 1600 gph. That said, I had one in my 5 gallon fuge a while back (until the controller got knocked into the fuge and fried the controller) and the flow was extremely gentle.

 

[reefing102]

The hygger is adjustable. It maxes out at 1600gph. It comes with a default setting but the instructions were pretty simple. At 20% you should be fine. I wouldn’t worry about that. I wasn’t sure what percentage you had them at. Blasting at 100% would be significantly different.

 

[trlotlo]

Thank you both for the information. So far water parameters are still 0 but my calcium is 500 and my dkh is 7. Should I just chill or do a water change?

 

[reefing102]

Thank you both for the information. So far water parameters are still 0 but my calcium is 500 and my dkh is 7. Should I just chill or do a water change?

For me the dkh is a little low but nothing terrible. Most run between 8-12. I’m not sure on the exact science of it but Alk, Ca, and MG I believe are all interrelated.

 

[Dustin07]

how are your zoas doing? for a long time I grew to think that my zoas would always need days or weeks to adjust when I bring them home and put them in a new tank, but lately my new zoas are opening up very fast, like within an hour. When they do close up, I have learned mostly to ignore them. if tank parameters are good, they always seem to open up in due time.

I had some palys I thought I lost. they closed up entirely and turned bone white. I just let them sit on their frag behind a live rock but in good view of the direct light so they wouldn't be an eye sore but still received good water and light. I forgot about them then one day noticed their color coming back. I moved them to a higher position closer to quality light and they have all come back and even added new polyps.... they were closed and white I bet for 6 months.