15G Nano Reef Tank (of Doom)

[vidextreme]

After 120+ days of my very first reef aquarium, I'm happy to present my humble tank to sgreef-ers.

WARNING: Some of the following details may shock you(or some just 'meh').

- No water change (or atleast minimal like 1 time)- During the 120+ days, I only did partial water change once. (well techinically it was twice) Yes, folks, I think I did it! Proving my lazy-bottom and keeping a nano reef aquarium can live in harmony. With all the 120+ days, I estimated it's only 20% total water changed. It happened when I experimented using sugar for Nitrate reduction. One conclusion, I will never try that again.

- Ammonia and Nitrite untraceable the live rock I got from Iwarna helped alot during the cycling period.

- Nitrate level is... wait for it... wait for it... its 80-160ppm! Yes folks, I am torturing my fishes and corals. Haha... but seriously, it's either they are suffering while smiling or they are just 'high' with the nitrate levels. I know its too high, I guess that's why I tried the sugar technique(don't do it by the way). Trenta, my very first SPS coral, seems to be happy. Small polyps budding out on the tips every now and then. So I guess it acclimated. No corals death so far. (confirmed this with two different test kits)

- pH 7.8-8.0 I'm pretty sure its my tank cover causing this.

- dKH is 13 and 400ppm Calcium level

- Aquarium: Boyu TL-450 15gallons

Here's the videos and pics...

Trenta...

Oh, btw, regarding the Nitrate level. It was stable to 160ppm for weeks. After I started adding Brightwell Aquatics Microbacter7 and Reef Biofuel, the nitrate level is slowly going down. Now the test kit reads now its close to 80ppm but still above it.

So, what do you guys think?

[samuel88]

wa, i just posted a post about all my previous tanks everytime crash, and yours never crash at all even without water changes. what about water evaporation top offs? how often you top off and what kinda water you use tap or RO or distilled?

[vidextreme]

wa, i just posted a post about all my previous tanks everytime crash, and yours never crash at all even without water changes. what about water evaporation top offs? how often you top off and what kinda water you use tap or RO or distilled?

Hi. I top-off distilled water. I placed two markers on the side of my tank, one for optimal level and the other below it is my need-to-top-off level. Everyday, I check the level and top-off when needed.

This isn't my first time to do marine and I've always use distilled water. But this is my first time to have reef aquarium. My first tank was 2+ years without water change. It crashed though when I accidentally poured some acidic juice when I was topping off half asleep with a container that I thought was distilled water but didn't know my father used it for that previous night party to make some cocktail drinks. t's kinda sad but it's my fault really. The lesson, don't top-off half-asleep.

[desideria]

whatever works for you although I admit my eye lids did rise up reading you hardly do any WC but I suppose every system is different.

my main tank is also chock full of nutrients as I love to feed my fishes and watch them gobble up all those mysis! LOL

so I"m 150,000% sure my nitrate is hitting 50ppm from the last testing I did 2 weeks ago but I do a weekly WC Of about 80L out of my 700L tank capacity for my own personal gratification and habbit.

[ambystoma82]

is there any issues in the 1st place with the water change? I was thinking u could cut down on the dosing.

u got to be very careful with the prata exposed skeleton.. once algae grows on it its very difficult to heal..

better remove the majono anemones.. sicne your tank is only 4 months

[vidextreme]

is there any issues in the 1st place with the water change? I was thinking u could cut down on the dosing.

u got to be very careful with the prata exposed skeleton.. once algae grows on it its very difficult to heal..

better remove the majono anemones.. sicne your tank is only 4 months

thanks for the advice. What about the majano anemones, btw? The 'prata' corals I got it for a bargain. I guess its because it has some exposed skeleton already. And it looked worse when I first bought it.

[desideria]

they are pest anemones and will overrun your tank.