3 gallon set up, born 10/10/2013

Don't use test strips! They're garbage! Invest in a good quality master test kit like Salifert or Seachem.
 
Have you considered using purigen and chemi-pure elite in the hob filter instead of carbon?

I've been wondering about that... doing some research now. Also looking into Amquel Plus, shaving brush plants, and skimmer build plans.
 
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Brandon,

I've been reading and researching. I watched a video (can't find the link at the moment, the guy references you, and you commented on it) of a full water change. Maybe that is the way to go. It would be similar to the tides down in the keys. I used to watch them everyday when I lived down there, so I suppose I shouldn't be scared to try the same thing in my little cube.
 
Brandon,

I've been reading and researching. I watched a video (can't find the link at the moment, the guy references you, and you commented on it) of a full water change. Maybe that is the way to go. It would be similar to the tides down in the keys. I used to watch them everyday when I lived down there, so I suppose I shouldn't be scared to try the same thing in my little cube.

I think he had access to fsw though.
 
Oh! Ok lol. All of our changes are done with synthetic water.

Even my own gallon reef gets full water changes off water made at my pet store, and they change mixes every few months or years. Harmless. For the first three years of my tank they were using reefcrystals. Then for two years after that they switched to oceanic brand I think it was, then for these last three years its either kent or esv salt. At any point in one of my big water changes, I might be inputting all new salt mixes with varying levels of params.
Don't care. Even my two part dosing isn't adjusted afterwards.

In this 3 gallon tank that is new, again I want to stress my recommendations are for preventative maintenance its not like if someone doesn't do big changes their new pico would die. You can do little switch ups, anything to be different from the masses with short term tanks destined to be an algae farm. Such as, do normal partial water changes for one week, a full change the next. Even though full changes are best, you are working with three times the volume of my tank and thats three times more wiggle room than I have. Changing three gallons out a week is a lot of water to go through, so counter balance my obsessive advice somewhere in the middle between what el fab proved worked and was rather simple to what I do on a tank that i am determined will never die unless a power outage zaps me tonite having said that lol

All I'm recommending is to pre empt algae invasion and this is a key part. Its more for exporting waste than it is for ion balancing, as simple two part dosing or kalk can fix that.

Of course there are any number of adsorption media pads, gfo reactors, nitrate reducing media, ats scrubbers, that can do the work instead of a water change. Those are on 90% of the pico reefs set up right now that will still be dead of algae long before 2015 so to me that technology doesn't mean much.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fk8R3clElQ

Here is one of my big changes

Reef sits empty for 15 mins while I put in a bunch of 35% peroxide. Ignore that part we aren't there yet lol I just wanted to show you a drain method. 300 of these have been done on my tank. This video is boring, its simply a review of a big water change and peroxide blasting. So imagine the sheer safety of doing a full water change on a tank 3x bigger, with an eighth as much coral, and not putting in a strong oxidizer. Large changes are a cakewalk for a standard tank.

This video is embarrassing because I normally prep the tank carefully for photos, its filled with water to hide a decade of scratches inside the tank (used to scour algae out before being shown the peroxide method which saves me from ever having to scour again) but this was the real deal. My shrimp flops around helplessly until the tank is refilled, on and on lol.

This is the roughest dang treatment you'll ever see a reef go through, just to show what is possible. Somewhere in the conservative middle of what I do vs the public at large is probably safe for your brand new 3 gal tank lol.
 
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Watch for this thread to evolve on the subject of water change volume. Take notice of who is posting in here.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2336061

These are seasoned dudes. Bills reef practically owns this site if not literally lol I don't know but the point is, if anyone posts something dumb in this thread, or in the chem forum, they will experience various degrees of justified and hearty evisceration that will make them not want to post again :)
I get my willing share of beating by inserting myself into chemistry arguments about peroxide use while not being a chemist...but in the end, I want the staunchest least crap taking people evaluating what is done or typed and if these dudes don't shoot down the properly done large water change then again you have powerful evidence mainly backed by their years of experience.

Nobody in that thread except the guy with the little tank bothers or needs to do large changes, but see what they say about the science of doing so should someone have the need. Effects on bacteria are discussed and challenged, basic chemistry questions, the common reasons not to do large water changes are evaluated by powerful aquarists.

Its my opinion most of these guys run their tanks with such a command that large water changes aren't needed, but you can tell by reading if it needed to be part of their repertoire they wouldn't bat an eye to pull it off. Just know that large water changes, even back to back ones that really flush your system well, are great. Try to engineer ways to do them less so you can evolve the hobby, but if you get off track, they work. They correct many things from the fearful possible ammonia spike, to the day you accidentally overdose 2 part and wonder what to do, to the day some friend accidentally dumps 3x feed into your tank.

Having the power to do them accurately and with command is the most important aspect of a large water change, thats your reset button.
No matter what anyone says my reef will get them weekly its come too far to change up now, but I'll enjoy watching other techniques evolve as people use their $$ as the testbed and find ways to help us conserve reef water better than we do currently.

If i owned a three gallon tank I prob would not do all of it entry single week, too much water. But I'd do prob 50-75% on lazy weeks and then a 9 gallon back to back power cycle at least every 6 weeks for starters, that's not too much work to accomplish something that would allow me to sustain a thousand dollars worth of frags and eventual colonies. Imo its preferable to all the tedious machinery that may work well for someone else.
 
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Oh good, another great thread to follow.

My concern is my lack of knowledge. I've been researching researching and researching, and the more I learn the more I realize I need to learn.

I believe the bit about the water not being a significant host to beneficial bacteria. But should the mucus on the corals really be removed? if so, how do they do it in large tanks?

If I do large water changes, are there any techniques I should use to make sure my parameters match and I don't shock anything? What about making sure I am replacing key nutrients and elements? Any thoughts on brands, additives, food, etc? How do I make this painless? Any and all tips are appreciated.
 
In my opinion its nothing to worry about regarding coral mucous they have methods to handle it themselves as well as silt rejection etc, all things they perform in the wild. I wouldn't dose currently, wait a while and el fab never did its one of the benefits of large water changes. I only match temp and sg nothing else when changing

Regarding feed everyone has their fav. Mine is rods food coral mix and frozen Cyclopeeze bars. I ran my tank for about 5 yrs on Cyclopeeze and mysis alone.
 
it only hurts fish, so, with no fish, no harm.


It doesn't hurt snails or shrimp? I haven't added anything yet apart from what came in the live rock. What kind of shrimp or crabs do you recommend? Snails?

Also you have been warning against allowing algae to exist. I'm really interested in macro algae. Is there a type that would be alright?

There is some algae that came in on the rock. It's growing. When I do my first complete water change tomorrow, shall I dip it in the old water and scrub with a toothbrush? I don't wanna hurt the coralline. Should I put a snail on it instead? Chitons (we think) have been feeding on it but they aren't holding it back.
picture.php
 
This is a good crossroad for your developing technique. There was another thread here in the beginning forum where we talked today about the peroxide technique but his tank only had low lying micro algae common to new tanks and we did not treat. What you show in my opinion needs to be removed before it even gets that big, as you can see its increasing. I literally hate filamentous algae in any pico and that's only my opinion, others leave it be.

If you want it gone, lift the rock out of the tank and apply peroxide right on the bad spot, let sit for three mins then rinse off and put back in tank. It will be dead in four days. You can burn it with fire alternatively

pico reef pest algae challenge thread has every detail about peroxide and its a headache long read lol

Its all about whether you choose a hands on or hands off method. I'm so hands on its borderline looney :) but my one gallon is on its eighth year while the maximum average you can see from all these threads is 3-4 years (pico reefs) and that's a total of like three people on the whole Web :) maybe that helps evaluate the efficacy of a hands on method heh
 
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One time i remember getting a response from a poster 'that's a bandaid and if it weren't for peroxide your reef would be dead. '

To that I replied:

Why yes, what an accurate summary!

Do I seem to care what anyone thinks about my technique :) anyone with an older pico using a non bandaid technique is welcome to chime in any time*

I swear if I found a clean up crew that worked I'd stop using the stuff.
 
or my chiton. Who cares about these things... me and the gf. We love our tiny tiny creatures. They are so weird and small and able to withstand insanely high nitrate levels...
 
2006 started, 6 inch deep sand bed with tracks from hundreds of worms and pods etc

Target application is best and can be amazingly controlled to preserve non targets

At all times using peroxide or any other power remover, you choose between loss of target and loss of non target at all times. You can see however in the thread the element of control we have, pretty good. The school of thought that is hands off and nutrient control, clean up crew based gets to preserve all non targets. Their method has positives and is the backbone of reef keeping, the only reason I don't use it is this

I got tired of losing tanks, period.
 
If that rock was mine I assure you the treatment would be carefully applied and zero collateral death would occur

Being out of water hurts nothing I know of in pico reefing for the brief periods we work

Not live rock sponges, pods, fan worms

tons of tiny chitons exist in my tank and i don't even do external treatments

But I'll tell you a negative

Peroxide cannot be ruled out in the death of my five year old boxer crab, the ecosystem gets the final say, not an individual

Of course that's a weakness. Someone should find a way to get the best of both worlds. I'm a decade into it and slowly doing less experimenting and focusing more on preservation at all costs. Rc drone work takes up all my time now
 
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