Building out a Red Sea Nano

[Genetics]

Years go by quickly... So much so the hobby has changed drastically. No longer needing bulkheads or hours measuring and piecing together parts has simplified much on my end.

For this being my first build in awhile it will take me awhile to get all the parts around. I found a RedSea Nano Reefer that should work. Spent today plumbing in and running electric cords.

Aquarium : RedSea Nano Reefer ~28gal
Lighting : Noo-Psyche k7 v3 with diffuser
Salt : Reef Crystals
Protein Skimmer : Icecap K-1 100
Return Pump : Jebao MPD-6000 Vectra S2
Internal Pumps : MP10wQD x3 lagoon mode
ATO : Tunze
Kalk Rx : Geo kalk reactor 6 x 18
Controller : Neptune Aquacontroller 3 (circa 2009)
UV sterilizer : Aquashine 13w (runs for 1hr/day)
Ozonizer : ZO-30 Ozone Generator (runs 5 minutes every four hours)
Heater : Finnex 300w
Doser : Jebao using Randy’s Three Part (in four parts)

Fish
Onyx Percula x2
Midas Blenny
Sixline Wrasse
Green Mandarin Goby

Current Pic:

The beginning:

 

[Reefing102]

Looking really good!

 

[Genetics]

Got around to adding some Fiji Pink Aragonite. Afterward added water to cover the sand overnight to let all the particulate settle out. In the end much of the particulate floated to the top and coagulated in a gel that was easy to skim off and toss.

Popped in CaribSea Life Rock the next evening and currently working on topping off water by end of the night.

 

[Reefing102]

Looking good so far.

 

[Genetics]

Came up about two gallons short on RO water. Will finally get water circulating tonight. Found an Neptune Aquacontroller 3 for a fantastic price. Logged in, updated firmware, set parameters for temp and plugged heater into energy bar. Pretty easy to do and these controllers pay for themselves when the heater control unit goes bad (they always do).

 

[Reefing102]

I love my Apex. Super simple. Which light is that?

 

[Genetics]

I love my Apex. Super simple. Which light is that?

I didn’t think I was going to be smitten by the Neptune system but once you figure out the instructions it’s amazing.

LED is a MicMol Aqua Mini. Unsure of the years they were produced.

 

[Genetics]

Letting the tank settle in. Noticed some precipitation when trying to bump my pH to 8.3. Was concerned that my pH probe was miscalibrated and ordered calibration solution for the probe.

After calibration found it was 0.12 off but pH still sitting low with noticeable precipitation. Currently 8.07. After thinking about this I realized I’m using IO salt and remember they had issues with magnesium levels. Wonder if that’s still an issue?

 

[kharmaguru]

Letting the tank settle in. Noticed some precipitation when trying to bump my pH to 8.3. Was concerned that my pH probe was miscalibrated and ordered calibration solution for the probe.

After calibration found it was 0.12 off but pH still sitting low with noticeable precipitation. Currently 8.07. After thinking about this I realized I’m using IO salt and remember they had issues with magnesium levels. Wonder if that’s still an issue?

Once you have precipitation unfortunately that seeds more precipitation. Getting your magnesium (or even strontium) up can break the cycle. I actually keep magnesium in my ATO water instead of Kalk ( I dose kalk with a doser now). When I had kalk in my ATO I got precipitation on pumps and heaters like crazy. With magnesium in the ATO I get no precipitation or accumulation on hot items at all. I check it once every couple months and I'm always 1400+ ppm which is where I like it.

What's your stocking plans for this tank?

 

[Genetics]

I feel if it’s low magnesium that upping the level will help break the cycle.

As for stocking, I have 12 SPS picked out and a few torches. Looking at a pair of perculas in the near future and if possible maybe a Chicago sunburst BTA. Just depends on what is available around here.

 

[Genetics]

Test kits arrived today.

Calcium 380ppm
Mg 1230ppm
dKH 7.0
NO3 3ppm
PO4 0.07ppm

Not ideal numbers. Maybe IO wasn’t the way to go. I think this could be corrected by adjusting the Mg level. Now just need to dig up an article on how much magnesium per gallon.

 

[kharmaguru]

Test kits arrived today.

View attachment 32376287

Calcium 380ppm
Mg 1230ppm
dKH 7.0
NO3 3ppm
PO4 0.07ppm

Not ideal numbers. Maybe IO wasn’t the way to go. I think this could be corrected by adjusting the Mg level. Now just need to dig up an article on how much magnesium per gallon.

Perhaps mix up some fresh IO for a bank of tests to see what is IO's fault and what is caused by the precipitation.

You've got nitrate and phosphate with no inhabitants? (perfect numbers though )

 

[Genetics]

Perhaps mix up some fresh IO for a bank of tests to see what is IO's fault and what is caused by the precipitation.

You've got nitrate and phosphate with no inhabitants? (perfect numbers though )

I did culture the tank with coralline cultures and supposedly it comes with nitrifying bacteria. My guess is phosphate is either from leach in live rock or from the sand. Either way seems the tank has cycled.

Another oddity is my skimmer is skimming a light brown skimmate the past few days.

 

[kharmaguru]

I did culture the tank with coralline cultures and supposedly it comes with nitrifying bacteria. My guess is phosphate is either from leach in live rock or from the sand. Either way seems the tank has cycled.

Another oddity is my skimmer is skimming a light brown skimmate the past few days.

I've always found new setups with live rock will skim something if the skimmer is not an oversized beast.

 

[Genetics]

Using the magnesium calculator available I added some mag to the tank to bring up levels to 1340. Need to test today and see where we sit but overnight pH settled in at 8.24.

 

[Genetics]

Alright. Retest on magnesium is looking good. Test number put it at 1400ppm. Guess I overshot levels based on a total water volume of 30 gallons. dKH is now 8.1. And pH is 8.38. Looks like it’s time to add some organisms to bring that pH down.

 

[Reefing102]

Those numbers are looking good. What are you using to dose magnesium?

 

[Genetics]

Those numbers are looking good. What are you using to dose magnesium?

Mag flake and epsom. Found a calculator that told me how much to add of both.

 

[Genetics]

Found a Geo Kalk reactor on the secondary market. 8 x 18. Had to do a few repairs but it’s up and running. Holds roughly 4 gallons for a 28g nano.

Just waiting on Black Friday sales to ship on a day I’m home!

 

[Genetics]

First batch of orders arrived today! Well packaged with a little warmer. Using CoralRx I noticed I knocked off a few bugs that made the trip.

Letting corals get settled in overnight before figuring out their resting place. Not sure how to overcome this white balance issue. May need to get my old camera out and play with some settings.

Also decided IO wasn’t going to work with my kalk reactor. pH kept drifting down towards 8.00 with calcium stuck at 380ppm and dKh of 7.8. Nothing against it but continuing issue with precipitation and sub par numbers made me go out and splurge of some reef crystals salt. Did a 6g water change yesterday and values are much better with precipitation slowing or stopped. Current values;

pH - 8.22
Temp - 78
Ca - 430ppm
Mg - 1280ppm
dKH - 9.5
N03 - 3ppm
PO4 - 0.05ppm