29g w/ Coralife Marine Protein Skimmer

[Ben]

I'm doing a budget tank with a Coralife Marine Filter (it's a HOB filter with protein skimmer for around $40) as my main filtration.

I started with an Aqueon 20g long because I wanted to do a shallow nano reef.

But... I found out that the Coralife Marine Filter intake touches the bottom. I made a call to Coralife and they said I'd have to make my own custom mods to put an L in the intake or put foam over the intake or go with a bare bottom tank.

So... I went out and bought a 29g for $9 more. Sigh... I was hoping to do a shallow reef, but I guess this way I'll be able to stock more in my tank.

 

[Ben]

I got the Coralife marine filter from Marine Depot. I also ordered from them AquaMaxx Eco-Rock Dry Live Rock - 10 lbs. Here are some pics of the unboxing and pieces.

Coralife Filter: $38.48
Eco-Rock: $26.49
Aqueon 29g: $29

 

[Ben]

Coralife Filter creates massive amounts of microbubbles. It's been about 10 days and there are still tons of bubbles. I've read a comment somewhere that the break in period is about 2 weeks and hopefully the bubbles will stop and the skimmer will start working properly.

Added an ocellaris clownfish from Petco in Piscataway.

 

[Ben]

I stuffed Seachem Matrix in a media bag into my coralife hob filter.

Guess what I found in my Matrix? Obsidian, which I believe is not very porous. I guess they don't have time to check all their rocks. Keep the pumice, toss out the obsidian.

 

[Ben]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I tried very hard to repurpose my Ikea Kallax 2x2 for the 29g. I stood on it and jumped on it and it seemed fine. But when I filled up about 5 gallons of water into the 29g, I noticed that my bookshelf was starting to change shapes. Here's the height compared to the Kallax next to it.

I stopped and went out and bought a $39 Imagitarium Brooklyn Metal Tank Stand to go with my 29g. Assembly not easy b/c threads didn't line up well... had to use impact driver. Had to empty the tank to transfer the tank over. What a pain.

You can see my substrate in this picture. I chose the Caribsea Arag-alive Bimini Pink from Amazon. $22 for 20 lbs.

 

[diana a]

i would send Seachem the photo of the obsidian mixed in with the pumice.
The hob skimmers seem to take two weeks to break in. I have had two different brands. Good luck with your build!

 

[Ben]

i would send Seachem the photo of the obsidian mixed in with the pumice.
The hob skimmers seem to take two weeks to break in. I have had two different brands. Good luck with your build!

Thanks for the affirmation that it takes time to break in the hob skimmer.

I contacted Seachem but didn't hear back from them. It's been 2 days.

 

[Ben]

Added 3 more clownfish, a turbo snail and 2 nassarius snails. The snails were an impulse buy... I don't know if they have anything to eat in my tank!

The clownfish were part of the same tank at Petco. I moved all clownfish into a bucket and had them hang out there while I rearranged the tank a little to keep the clown that's been in the tank for about a week from being territorial. It seems to have worked.

Petco in piscataway orders their clownfish from ORA.

I'd like to get an anemone for these clownfish... anyone have one for sale near piscataway?

 

[Trio91]

don't do a nem yet as I do not think your tank is mature enough. I also feel (IMO) that this build is a tad rushed if it's only been running for about 10 days. I'm pretty sure that it hasn't finished cycling yet so your clowns could be at risk and an anemone defiantly won't make it.

are you testing water cycling parameters? Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle (from fishlore.com)

 

[Ben]

don't do a nem yet as I do not think your tank is mature enough. I also feel (IMO) that this build is a tad rushed if it's only been running for about 10 days. I'm pretty sure that it hasn't finished cycling yet so your clowns could be at risk and an anemone defiantly won't make it.

are you testing water cycling parameters? Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle (from fishlore.com)

My water parameters right now:

Salinity: 1.026
pH: 8.0
Ammonia: <0.2 ppm
Nitrite: 0.50 ppm
Nitrate: 0 ppm

I'm using Seachem Stability (daily) and Seachem Prime (every other day). Supposedly Prime detoxifies ammonia and nitrite and nitrate for at least 24-48 hours so the fish should be ok. Do you think that's not good? Anything I need to watch out for?

 

[Wilson]

Prime and Stability may detoxify the ammonia, but you'll need to give the natural bacteria time to grow in your substrate and rock.. they'll take care if your ammonia the old fashion way and you won't have to rely on chemicals..

Maybe slow it down a little. I know how exciting it is and how easy it is to just jump right in stable water is key to keeping everyone happy and healthy!

 

[Ben]

Painted the back of the tank yesterday without moving the tank (had about 4 inches of space). It was so painful but it turned out well.


I'm starting to see some Coralline algae spots and brown spots on the rocks and substrate. Diatoms? Should I be worried? I'm using RO water (no DI) and the water is about 10 TDS (no idea what's in the 10 TDS).

 

[Ben]

Should I be worried about these brown spots?

 

[diana a]

Totally normal start of the "ugly stages"...
It is diatoms for sure..

The ugly stages are typically diatoms then green hair/film algae then even cyanobacteria.. Usually in that order..

And as long as you maintain the tank properly they will all pass with time and should be accepted as normal and tolerated.

Here is a website to check out Reef Cleaners

 

[Ben]

Totally normal start of the "ugly stages"...
It is diatoms for sure..

The ugly stages are typically diatoms then green hair/film algae then even cyanobacteria.. Usually in that order..

And as long as you maintain the tank properly they will all pass with time and should be accepted as normal and tolerated.

Here is a website to check out Reef Cleaners

Ok, normal is good! Thanks Diana!

Do the purple spots look like Coralline to you?

 

[diana a]

Ok, normal is good! Thanks Diana!

Do the purple spots look like Coralline to you?

Cyano

 

[Ben]

I have GHA growing slowly and some algae growing on my frags. I'm running carbon and GFO in a bag, but I still get algae growth. I'm pretty sure nitrates are low but the phosphates are the problem. I'm using the API test kits (yeah, I know), and I have 0-5ppm nitrates and under 0.25ppm phosphates. From what I've read, I need to stay under 0.1ppm, preferably around 0.03ppm to prevent algae growth? Will a better test kit help me dial in on how much GFO to run?

 

[diana a]

It looks like a new tank. Just let it run its course. It has to go through its ugly phase

 

[Ben]

@diana a it's been 6 months and here's some additional details. the 29 gallon is stocked with 3 clownfish, 1 yellow tang, chromis, blue velvet damsel, six line wrasse, yellow watchman goby, pistol shrimp, skunk cleaner shrimp, rbta, and green bta.

i also only have 10 lbs of live rock so there's actually about 25g of water. i had matrix before but stopped to put carbon and GFO in the HOB filter.

do you still think it the ugly phase that i need to wait out?

it's probably overstocked but i just want some advice on how to keep this going and my corals happy and growing until i setup my reefer 450.

 

[diana a]

Overstocked isn't the word for it. How long have you had all those fish in the 29g?
Have you been testing your water?
Ugly phase will continue for a while.