First tank - 32.5g

[Benogan]

Hi all,

 

I started my first tank about a week ago and am looking forward to my first experience in the hobby. It's the 32.5 fluval flex with life rock and sand. I did a fast cycle with 2 clowns who both seem to be doing well. 

 

I've been testing for the past few days since adding the clowns and all looks good, but the ammonia levels according to the API kit seems to be hovering between 0 and .25, I'm hoping the cycle has been successful and will keep monitoring.

 

More to come!

[Jon Lazar]

Welcome to the hobby and to WAMAS!

 

I would get a Seachem ammonia badge for your tank.  It enables real-time monitoring of ammonia.

[kingrowland1217]

Welcome. Nice rock setup. You can have a good mix of sps and softies. Look forward to what you do with it.

[Yachaq]

Welcome to WAMAS!!!

Nice setup and cute pair of clowns.

+1 on the Seachem ammonia badge. It can tell you when things are really bad.

If you are not doing it already, monitor Nitrite and Nitrate. It will inform you on the progress of your cycle.

[Benogan]

Thanks! I'll look into the badge. I am monitoring nitrate so I can see the cycles been successful. Just trying to move pretty slow on adding anything else to avoid a spike.

 

[Yachaq]

2 hours ago, Benogan said:

Thanks! I'll look into the badge. I am monitoring nitrate so I can see the cycles been successful. Just trying to move pretty slow on adding anything else to avoid a spike.

 

You have already discovered the recipe to success in this hobby: going slow with a pinch of patience.

[Benogan]

Thanks all. Does anyone have a recommendation for a powerhead? Flows only at about 250gph right now.

[Yachaq]

11 hours ago, Benogan said:

Thanks all. Does anyone have a recommendation for a powerhead? Flows only at about 250gph right now.

What are your goals for the system? Are you aiming to keep SPS corals at some point? and above all, what is your budget?

Here are 3 powerheads I have experience with:

1. I used to have the Nero 5s and liked them a lot. Great power heads and simple to work with. Good compromise and overall good value for the money.

2. I have the Jebao OW-25 in my NUVO10G. It does the work although not as controllable and easy to clean as the Nero. Cheapest of the 3. Had it for about 6 months so far with no problems.

3. Vortech MP-10 (I have the MP-40s). Great pumps, you can grow with them and good resell value. Fantastic control and very quiet. If you get an extra wet side, you can swap them and take your time cleaning the dirty one. Very expensive though.

Hope this helps.

 

[Benogan]

Well I'm coming up on 10 months and have had some highs and lows with the tank. A few losses here and there but the clowns and goby I put in first have made it the whole 9 months and the corals have done great. One thing I'm struggling with is keeping up with the algae growth. Any suggestions for what to try next are appreciated!

 

 

Edited May 9, 2021 by Benogan

[ReefAddict]

Clean water (low nitrates and phosphates) obviously helps with keeping algae at bay, however, I’ve found clean up crew to be the most beneficial.  If you can’t have a small tang, I’d get an blenny and I’ve also had great success with urchins.  Tuxedos are my urchin of choice.  Maintaining levels of hermits and snails help as well. 
 

Really dig the scape btw!

Edited May 9, 2021 by ReefAddict

[Benogan]

Yeah I just restocked some snails this week. I haven't tried an urchin yet. I have been thinking about adding a protein skimmer as well cause I've gone without it and I expect it would help quite a bit.

[DaJMasta]

Urchins can eat a lot and can also eat coralline and pickup and move corals around, but they can certainly do a good job.  I find that some clean up crew crabs and snails will do a pretty good job when water parameters are good.

 

A protein skimmer is not a requirement, but it can definitely help.  Do you have any nutrient export systems in place?  I say the vague version because that can be a skimmer, algae scrubber, refugium, or even chemical filtration (chemipure or something) or a heavy water change schedule.  Having one or more of those will help keep the water clean while you continue to feed everything, which often speeds up growth or lets you keep things that have to eat regularly.

I don't know what your testing capability looks like, but something like nitrate, phosphate, and alkalinity test kits in particular could be useful in troubleshooting water quality issues.  The first two are big for nuisance algae and sort of general health, but the alkalinity test kit should help in particular for growing stony corals, since alkalinity is consumed more quickly than calcium and other elements when building their skeletons, so it can be a good measure of when to dose or do a waterchange to keep the needed elements up.

[Benogan]

I have a magnetic scrubber for the glass, and I've been using a baster to blow off some from the rocks if it gets too much. I do about monthly water changes.

 

I'm just using the default sponge, carbon and biofilter that comes with this aio, but I actually have been looking into an alternative because the flow through the media is pretty lousy and someone with my tank recommended one from intank. I was planning to order a few chemipure blue bags with it for the chemical media. Unless anyone has other recommendations. This is the intank media basket replqcemrnt replacement: https://intankaquatics.com/intank-media-basket-for-fluval-flex-32-5-fluval-flex-123l/