Castle136's Nano 20G

[Castle136]

Hi everyone!

 

I'm a new reefer in the Arlington, VA area of the WMA. I've wanted a reef tank since I was a kid but the cost was always a precluding factor. Now adult-me gets to get the dream going. My brother-in-law was a member of this group before he went overseas and recommended I join. Huge shout-out to those on here who helped me get some chaeto and also get my second clown out of my nano after realizing I had a potential aggression issue in my future. Figured I'd post on here as the tank has been up and running since June 2025. Anyway, really appreciate the community and have learned a ton! Part 1/2 for file size.

 

-Castle136

[Castle136]

Part 2/2.

[YHSublime]

Hey there! Thanks for posting up! It looks great! I love nano tanks!

[gastone]

Tell us more about the tank?  Size, lighting, filtration, et al.  Looks great 

[Castle136]

3 hours ago, YHSublime said:

Hey there! Thanks for posting up! It looks great! I love nano tanks!

Thank you! I'm really happy with it (and have two more coral that I just got off WWC's Black Out Week haha...I have told my wife that it's for sure the last additions - until it's stable enough for Acro's that is).

[Castle136]

 

45 minutes ago, gastone said:

Tell us more about the tank?  Size, lighting, filtration, et al.  Looks great 

Absolutely!

I’m going for an LPS Dominated tank but final stage will be mixed reef with a few Acros. It’s the Red Sea Max Nano G2 glass 20 Cube AIO. Dimensions are 17.7 inches cubed.

I got the tank wet on June 17, 2025 and I’m using the A3 Apex Aquarium Controller System - Neptune Systems with no protein skimmer. I turned the back sump area where the protein skimmer was supposed to go as a fuge. I got 100% TBS live rock and sand to kickstart it since it’s a nano and my first tank ever and wanted to give it the best chance of success.

I’m dosing carbon constantly as a means of mechanical filtration between the chaeto and my return chamber along with sponges in between the fuge and then return chamber. 

My flow is the standard Red Sea pump that came with the tank and I’m using one VorTech MP10mQD.

The lighting is one Radion XR15 G6 Blue LED Light Fixture for the DT and the Tunze light bar for my fuge. I’m running my XR15 on the program from WWC’s website that is Leah’s 20. So it’s mostly blues and very little white light on a 12 hour cycle with my fuge back light on 14 hours on the opposite schedule. 

I’m using the BRS 2 Part Doser to dose All For Reef at 3.2mL per day right now spaced out over 8 periods. And I’m using the Tunze Osmolator 3 Auto Top Off with a 5-gallon jug below my tank.

My parameters are:

pH Level: Range has been mostly 8.1-8.25 over the last few weeks as it’s starting to stabilize out.

Salinity: 1.025

NO3:1ppm

PO4: I’m aiming for between 0.03-0.1. This has been a roller-coaster for me. When I first got the tank setup it was as high as 0.3. Finally, I have it under control with the time and a bit of GFO in a sock which is only as needed. And it’s been in my range.

Calcium: 450

Alkalinity: Aiming for between 8.2-9. Currently at 8.2.

Magnesium: I haven’t tested this yet.

Salt Brand: Tropic Marin

 

 

Stocking list:

1 x Snowflake Clown

1 x Helfrichi Firefish

1 x Neon Blue Cleaner Fish

1 x Possum Wrasse

1 x Yellow Watchmen Goby and Tiger Pistol Shrimp

1 x Urchin

6 x Blue Leg Hermits

2 x Trochus

1 x Nassarius Snail

2 x Porcelain Crabs (hitchhikers on the rock)

1 x Peach tipped torch

1 x Gold torch

1 x Future ex-girlfriend splattering hammer

1 x Candy cane

1 x Hail Hydra Goni

1 x Jewel Thief Goni

1 x Florida squeeze clove

1 x AOI zoa

1 x Golden eye zoa

1 x Magician zoa

1 x Zoa I forget the name of haha

1 x Fruit loops zoa

1 x Superman blasto

And I’ve got the Rainbow hammer and headless horsemen mushroom that will be here next week!

I feed once daily with either TDO pellets or Mysis shrimp.

 

[Castle136]

**7 Feb 26 Update**

So long time without a post again, hectic holidays and trying to let the reef grow out. I had to do some modifications, the dosing line calcified within the last two weeks (my fault for having it be really long and not cut to size), so that dropped my alk a bit but we are bouncing back! Still dealing with some hair algae on the rock with two of my zoa frags and I've been toying with micro-dosing GFO in order to try and dial in the PO4s. I've been bouncing between .02-.09 and trying to hone in how much I can get in to sustain. I added a pincushion urchin to try and help and it has a ton! It cleared off my AOI zoa frag that was starting to get buildup too. I also saw some vermetid snails and have been able to bone cut and epoxy over two of the big ones and then I've added bumblebee snails to help get the ones I can't see.

Anyway, here are some updated pictures! My candy cane coral has split and my your future ex-girlfriend hammer has also split! Super excited to see the growth and hoping to add some fuzzy sticks in the near future!

[Castle136]

Part 2 photos.

[gastone]

Tank is looking great.  Both times I've started with TBS rock I've eventually gotten pretty hellacious caulerpa outbreaks that I've had to attempt to reign in.  Still love it for the diversity.

[Castle136]

Thank you! Yeah I've been a big fan of the diversity TBS has come with! And the friendly hitchhikers have been super cool to see thus far! No caulerpa yet and fingers crossed haha!

[YHSublime]

Looking good, thanks for the update!