Back after 7 years..... Nano 10g

[Reefing102]

For fish, either could likely work though a damsel may be pushing it aggressive wise and just be sure if adult size as many damsels can grow fairly large.

As for HOB skimmers, I have a Biocube skimmer (very finicky) and I have an in sump Reef Octopus. For your tank, I’d possibly look at a Tunze Nano (it’s an in tank skimmer though) or maybe an IM NuvoSkim Desktop (appears to be internal as well)

 

[DustanT]

Ya just read on the damsel being iffy so that's out, I found some Nano CO2 scrubbers wonder if that would work for my PH. I live at 7000' so this may be a new issue since my last tank was at low elevation.

Nano Protein Skimmer

The Reef Glass Nano Skimmer is a high quality air pump driven protein skimmer specially designed for nano reef aquariums. It is based on the traditional air-driven method using limewood airstone with many improvements. The unique design is very simple, yet elegant and functional. Features...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[DustanT]

Added a new fish and got some help with my PH levels. Tank is doing remarkably well. after PH is in check I'll start to add some corals.

 

[griss]

Added a new fish and got some help with my PH levels. Tank is doing remarkably well. after PH is in check I'll start to add some corals.

Looking good.

 

[DustanT]

Anyone have trouble keeping the PH above 8? after dosing it drops to 7.8 within 24 hours. Trying to get it stable before coral but this is something I don't understand.

 

[Reefing102]

I have no issue with PH but I don’t run a CO2 scrubber or any of that. Mine bottoms out at about 8.27 and peaks around 8.4-8.5 during the day

 

[kharmaguru]

Anyone have trouble keeping the PH above 8? after dosing it drops to 7.8 within 24 hours. Trying to get it stable before coral but this is something I don't understand.

Ph is directly affected by the CO2 in your home and thus the CO2 dissolved in your water. Using Marine Buffer is increasing your alkalinity and that's limited again by the CO2 concentration in your water regardless of what the buffer promises. If you are not measuring your alkalinity I would stop adding that product. Opening a window near the aquarium will have a greater positive affect on your PH.

Using kalkwasser for calcium, adding a CO2 scrubber, drawing your skimmer air from outside, increasing surface motion and thus gas exchange will all help PH.

 

[DustanT]

Ph is directly affected by the CO2 in your home and thus the CO2 dissolved in your water. Using Marine Buffer is increasing your alkalinity and that's limited again by the CO2 concentration in your water regardless of what the buffer promises. If you are not measuring your alkalinity I would stop adding that product. Opening a window near the aquarium will have a greater positive affect on your PH.

Using kalkwasser for calcium, adding a CO2 scrubber, drawing your skimmer air from outside, increasing surface motion and thus gas exchange will all help PH.

Thanks for the information, I have not tested the alk so I will test it tonight and see where I'm at. I live at a high elevation 7000+ feet so not sure if that has an effect or not. I don't have a skimmer but do have good surface motion as the pic show's. Where I live its hard to have doors or windows open between weather changes and how dry it is here. I don't have much room as you can see to add equipment but I could add a HOB skimmer on back. Currently only running an aqueon 50 filter with charcoal and filter foam and a 50gph pump.

 

[kharmaguru]

Thanks for the information, I have not tested the alk so I will test it tonight and see where I'm at. I live at a high elevation 7000+ feet so not sure if that has an effect or not. I don't have a skimmer but do have good surface motion as the pic show's. Where I live its hard to have doors or windows open between weather changes and how dry it is here. I don't have much room as you can see to add equipment but I could add a HOB skimmer on back. Currently only running an aqueon 50 filter with charcoal and filter foam and a 50gph pump.

I'm guessing your location of Northern Michigan needs updating then.

Respiration of your aquarium inhabitants also effects PH. Corals (via their zooxanthellae) and algae consume CO2 during the day raising PH, but they release CO2 at night lowering PH. People offset this by having a refugium running on an opposite lighting schedule to keep consuming CO2 and helping to reduce the daily PH fluctuation. So a refugium is an option that could help as well. The fact that you have no corals or algae reinforces the idea that the problem is CO2 exhaled by your fish and the inhabitants of your home.

 

[DustanT]

I'm guessing your location of Northern Michigan needs updating then.

Respiration of your aquarium inhabitants also effects PH. Corals (via their zooxanthellae) and algae consume CO2 during the day raising PH, but they release CO2 at night lowering PH. People offset this by having a refugium running on an opposite lighting schedule to keep consuming CO2 and helping to reduce the daily PH fluctuation. So a refugium is an option that could help as well. The fact that you have no corals or algae reinforces the idea that the problem is CO2 exhaled by your fish and the inhabitants of your home.

Indeed it does thanks for bring this to my attention lol. For a sump I did a temper test and found the sides are tempered so no drilling on this tank. My tank inhabitants are a clown, Blue Damselfish, 3 hermits and 2 nassarius snails. Maybe I can run a air stone at night.

 

[kharmaguru]

Indeed it does thanks for bring this to my attention lol. For a sump I did a temper test and found the sides are tempered so no drilling on this tank. My tank inhabitants are a clown, Blue Damselfish, 3 hermits and 2 nassarius snails. Maybe I can run a air stone at night.

With what you currently have, adding kalk to your top-off would be the easiest PH help. You would need to mix it in a seperate vat, let it settle then use just the clear water in your setup. It would still gum up the orifice eventually so you would need to keep an eye on it to prevent an overfill.

The airstone idea might help and it doesn't hurt to try. If you can get the airpump's air from outside somehow that would be ideal.

 

[DustanT]

I think the ugly stage is over, going to add some frags next weekend.

 

[griss]

I think the ugly stage is over, going to add some frags next weekend.

Looking great

 

[DustanT]

Well my first fish casualty ever. Clown fish was dead when I got home after work today. Checked ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and PH.
0 ammonia, 0 nitrate, 0 nitrite, 7.8 PH.

 

[zachts]

I ran a similar hang on power filter and a prism hang on skimmer on a 10g for many many years(over 10 in total), grew a massive anemone and a pair of clownfish in there happily for the last 2 or 3 years of the tanks life. that skimmer was kind of garbage but it worked well enough.

 

[DustanT]

Thinking about upgrading to a bigger cube once I move into my house, this tank is heavy on the maintenance side.

 

[DustanT]

So I put a wood air block and pump in and let it run for 24 hours and the PH has not moved from 7.8, I left the door open a few hours before the test this is strange. The water looks cleaner tho so idk.

 

[DustanT]

Well it was sorta fun but I think i've been beat at the nano tank. I've tried everything the PH is now below 7.8 and no matter what I do nothing will help. I've lost a fish and now my coal are dying. Everything looks good I even have the light at 8%.

 

[Reefing102]

Don’t give up yet! Have you had your water tested? Are you going through any ugly phases of algae?

 

[JohnL]

Ya just read on the damsel being iffy so that's out, I found some Nano CO2 scrubbers wonder if that would work for my PH. I live at 7000' so this may be a new issue since my last tank was at low elevation.

Nano Protein Skimmer

The Reef Glass Nano Skimmer is a high quality air pump driven protein skimmer specially designed for nano reef aquariums. It is based on the traditional air-driven method using limewood airstone with many improvements. The unique design is very simple, yet elegant and functional. Features...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

It might be worth trying a skimmer such as this