Finally started 20G all in one tank

[Martin in China]

After often looking into the marine tank shops next to the fresh water tank shops, where I often come for my planted tank, I finally found some space in my home to place a 20 Gallon reef tank. I had to design it myself so it would fit nice and it could only be an "all in one". For easy maintenance I had the filter part made to the right side instead of it being at the back, this way I could also keep an eye on things that are happening in the filter.

Most hardware and testers.

Layout (it has changed a little bit)

 

[Martin in China]

I was planning to use the middle compartment of the filter as refugium, but found that the extra light was to disturbing.

 

[lhof]

Interesting design with the filter to the right. At first glance my feelings were mixed, but it makes for an nice corner of the room tank and could see more people using a design like this.

I particularly like the rock scape. Good luck with it!

Btw let us know how the maxspect works out. It has always been on my short list of led nano lights.

-Larry

 

[Martin in China]

Some close up pictures of the LR.

 

[Martin in China]

The tank cycled really fast (only 2 weeks), but I still waited before getting some corals.

The few as we look at the tank for the most part of the day is from this angle.

Few from the front (notice the filter part on the right)

Here is the filter in full few. The open space on the cabinet next to the tank is for placing a chiller if needed, I'm trying to keep the tank cool with a fan.

 

[limpert]

Nice tank, good size

 

[Martin in China]

Thanks Limpert and Larry.

 

[homer1475]

I really like the idea of he filter/sump section on the side as opposed to the back. Make for much easier access. Great thinking!! :thumbsup:

Tank looks good too. I like the 2 outcroppings of rock, nice aqua scaping.

 

[Martin in China]

Help! my Nitrates and Phosphates are to high

PO4 0.25
NO2 0
NO3 20
NH4 0

pH 7.7
Mg 1410
KH 7.7
Ca 430

Salinity 1.025
Temp. 26 Celcius

 

[Martin in China]

Someone out here got any idea where those Phosphates come from? I got no fish and I'm not feeding.
Also would like my pH higher (8.1 - 8.4)

 

[svynx]

Most likely the phospates are leaching from the rock.

 

[Martin in China]

Most likely the phospates are leaching from the rock.

What is the best action for me to do now?
More WC?

 

[svynx]

I use Chemi-pure Blue Nano. My tank is only 8 gallons, but they have larger versions. GFO/carbon/phosban...there are a number of medias you could use to help with things.

 

[Martin in China]

I've got some Clear FX Pro and some Purigen in the filter. I will do 2 or 3 water changes until the Phosphate level is better.
Would that be enough for now?

 

[svynx]

That's what I would do. Since you don't have livestock in there yet, you could do a 50% water change and let it go for a week. Test a few times to see how much the phosphate levels rise, and if they get to where they are again, do another 50% change. If they only come up a little, lower the amount of water you change. Keep running some sort of phosphate remover and you should be good.

 

[rjkrejci]

You could go back to the original plan and put some Chaeto in the middle compartment for a while until things stabilize. Will bring both Phosphate and Nitrates down and easy to remove. You can run the lights 24/7 until things stabilize and then only when it doesn't bother you afterwards.

I use the JBJ fuge light and put a light blocker (black construction paper) around it to minimize stray light. More than plenty of light, in fact had to move it a few inches from the glass.

 

[Martin in China]

You mean that Chaeto works even better and faster than Clear FX Pro and some Purigen?..
If so, than I will get some and indeed put it in the middle compartment instead of the other stuff.

 

[rjkrejci]

Not sure which would be faster, but it's a better long term solution IMO.

Some Corals need some nutrients in the tank, just at low levels. When chemically filtering them out, you are also keeping the nutrients from the bacteria in the Live Rocks, the corals as well as the algae. And if the chemical export mechanism is saturated or becomes less effective, the other parts of the biological system may be less capable of handling the excess. If it is stripping too much, then your corals may suffer and youyr bacteria colonies may not be quite as resilient.

IOW, you have to balance "too much" and "too little" with the chemical filtration, which is further complicated by the fact it's not constant with fresh media vs. old.

Even very efficient macro fuges or algae scrubbers allow some nutrients to exist in the water column, and can react to larger or fewer nutrients more or less automatically by their growth rate. And when you trim your algae, you are completely exporting those excess nutrients. I find the balance to be easier. And my chaeto has all kinds of little critters running around in it, so more "stuff" to be in the water column for the corals and even fish to eat. I'm experimenting with a SantaMonica DROP .6 algae scrubber right now (which would address the excess light issue), but it's too soon for me to say whether that's more or less effective than chaeto.

Certainly things can go wrong with either system, I guess I'm just a bigger fan of a more natural approach. And if you're skimming already to remove the dissolved organics, then the fuge would be about all the additional filtering you really need.

 

[Martin in China]

My filter as it is now....

I think it's better to take out those ceramic and foam filter thingies and go for Chaeto there, maybe some floss to filter bigger parts out of the water...??

 

[homer1475]

Your water goes up through the filter floss last? That is basically defeating the purpose of floss as a large particulate catcher. Everything has already gone through your media before it hits the floss.

You could wedge the purigen in the baffles between the second and last chamber and also run chaeto in the middle section by ditching the media rack.