Michael's Mixed Reef 3x2x2

[michaela]

Introduction:
System Objectives: I have just moved to a smaller place, so I had to downgrade from a 4x2x2 to a 3x2x2 and start all over again. I’m looking forward to this because my last tank was running for a long time. Although it looked good there were always things I wish I had or hadn’t done… I'm renting and will likely move in the next 6-18 months, so my aim is to keep what I have happy, add a few corals and fish if they catch my eye and experiment with supplements before I start a long term tank in a couple of years. This setup will be cheap (second hand tank, cheap equipment [or existing equipment]).

System Type: Mixed Reef

Display System:
Strike up Date: Started cycle 08-Dec-2014

Display Tank: 3x2x2

Display Lighting: 2x EcoTech Radion Pro

Stand and hood: Pine

Sump: 2 chambers

Support systems:
System Water: Red Sea salt

Display Water circulation: 1x EcoTech MP60 w Battery Backup

Return Pump: Tunze Silence 1073.040

Skimmer: AquaMedic TF 1000

Evaporation Top Up: Tunze Osmolator nano

Chemical Support:
Dosing pump:GHL 4x

Calcium Addition: Seachem Reef Advantage Ca with Sr and Mg

Alkalinity Addition: Soda Ash

Extras: Seachem Iodide, Vinegar

GFO/GAC: RowaPhos (TLF 150 reactor), TLF Hydrocarbon (bag)

Current Water Chemistry: 23-Mar-2015
Nitrates: 2 ppm
Phosphates: 0.04 ppm
Alkalinity: 7.7 dKH
Calcium: 450 ppm
Specific Gravity: 1.026
Magnesuim: 1290 ppm

Livestock:
1x Yellow surgeonfish - Zebrasoma flavescens (been with me for ~10 years)
2x Clowns - Amphiprion percula (happy couple, also been with me for ~10 years)
1x Mandarin - Synchiropus splendidus (female, eats frozen food 2x daily)
1x Coral Beauty - Centropyge bispinosus
1x Green coral goby - Gobiodon atrangulatus
?x Turbo snails
1x Strombus snail

 

[michaela]

Filling the tank




Under the hood (excuse the rubble)




Tank was cycled and the fish + anemone went in on 18-Jan-2015




Added some corals and a clam from my old tank on 8-Feb-2015







Full tank shot 23-Mar-2015




It's now time to get the phosphate and nitrate lower and stable

I have noticed my sps frags are encrusting so I'm ready to add my first test Acropora colony as soon as I have time.

 

[michaela]

Some before pics (3 years ago) of the Euphyllia and T. squamosa

 

[michaela]

Carbon dosing

Carbon dosing

Previously I have used Seachem Matrix (~8 L) to keep low nitrate levels.
I think it works well, although I only had 4 fish in my 4x2x2.
This time I want a pretty decent amount of fish so I'll be trying vinegar to keep nitrate low.

The story so far...
starting NO3− 10 ppm post cycle levels (20% water change each 2 weeks)
4-Feb-15 - started with 5 ml daily (NO3− 5 ppm)
9-Feb-15 - increased to 10 ml daily (NO3− 5 ppm)
15-Feb-15 - increased to 15 ml daily (NO3− 5 ppm)
19-Feb-15 - increased to 20 ml daily (NO3− 2 ppm)
3-Mar-15 - increased to 35 ml daily (NO3− 0 ppm)
7-Mar-15 - kept at 35 ml daily (NO3− 0 ppm)
23-Mar-15 - reduced to 28 ml daily (NO3− 0 ppm, I noticed my water was a bit cloudy)
25-Mar-15 - kept at 28 ml daily(NO3− 0 ppm, water is much clearer at this volume of vinegar)

There's a good chance that some of this decrease is from natural cycling and water changes. I still have ~4 L of Seachem Matrix in this tank so there is the opportunity for anaerobic bacteria to reduce the nitrate levels. The goal is to keep the nitrate this low and add more fish.