15g nano reef-initial thoughts?

[Fishbike13]

SO ive been keeping a few FW tanks (african cichlids and a planted blood parrot tank) for a few years, and lately they have booth been spawning pretty often which tells me the fish are quite happy, so i decided to dive into the saltwater side for real this time.

i have this 15 gallon tank and hope to do a relatively simple reef tank.

equipment consists of an AC50 HOB, koralia 240 nano powerhead, 100w heater, 11 lbs of cured liverock from my LFS, and i plan to pick up an aquaknight LED light from amazon, or maybe a kessil a80 when the time for coral comes.
Also, what would anybody reccomend i run in the HOB? i was thinking of sticking a small block of marinepure in the bottom, then ? on top of that.

The tank is just set up and the live rock added, sitting at 78 degrees and salinity is at 1.024 using a hydrometer. I plan on cycling by dosing ammonia to 1 or 2ppm once my test kit is delivered until the tank is able to convert the ammonia down to 0ppm in less than 12 hours. (this is the process i use with FW tanks with great success)

As far as hitchhiker die off on the live rock due to ammonia, this rock arrives at the store as dry rock, and is put into a tank which is rock only until cured and sold, so i dont think there will be too much if anything that comes out of the rock.

Basically i am looking for some constructive criticism before i get too deep in bad habits, and can set myself up for success.

Stocking plan i hope to eventually have is at least 1 ocellaris clown, some sort of shrimp, maybe a peppermint, and either a red firefish, or some type of sand sifting goby.

Corals will be simple consisting of different colored hammers, frogspawns and maybe a RBTA

 

[flchamp89]

15g is one of my favorite standard tank sizes. I'd get an intank basket for the AC. I'd throw up a black background and add 2 pieces of rock in front for diversity and as small islands. Great start I really like it.

 

[Fishbike13]

15g is one of my favorite standard tank sizes. I'd get an intank basket for the AC. I'd throw up a black background and add 2 pieces of rock in front for diversity and as small islands. Great start I really like it.

Not familiar with what you are talking about as far as an in tank basket for the aquaclear, and it doesnt really show up in the picture due to the back being covered in dust from the sand settling, but the back of the tank is painted with black plasti-dip.

And yes, i would agree, some smaller bits at the front for rockwork will definitely be added to maybe corral a frag of GSP if i decide to add it, or maybe the RBA.

Thank you for the kind words!

 

[flchamp89]

It's going to be a killer Nano. Good luck

 

[Fishbike13]

Just googled the baskets, Definitely adding to the list.

 

[Fishbike13]

received my API kit today, dosed ammonia to .25ppm just to allow any inaccuracy in the api tests.

Is there a possibility that the live rock is fully cultured well enough for a single fish right from the store? Obviously i will let the tests show me this, but do i absolutely have to wait for an algae bloom? Does the algae bloom signify anything more than a constant source of excess nitrates?

 

[flchamp89]

It looks like LIFE rock by Caribsea? Was it in water when you bought it?

 

[Fishbike13]

It looks like LIFE rock by Caribsea? Was it in water when you bought it?

It wasnt branded, the store owner told me that it arrives as dry rock, and they cure it in store, yes, she helped me select the pieces from the giant pile that is in the tank.

 

[flchamp89]

Looks like life rock. It's a man made rock with painted on bacteria to help start the cycle process. I'd add some bottled bacteria to help the cycle. Whether you want to add fish right away is your porogitive. I cycled mine in about 25 days with the same rock, Fiji pink and bacteria.

 

[Fishbike13]

Looks like life rock. It's a man made rock with painted on bacteria to help start the cycle process. I'd add some bottled bacteria to help the cycle. Whether you want to add fish right away is your porogitive. I cycled mine in about 25 days with the same rock, Fiji pink and bacteria.

It was sold to me as live rock, and she did acknowledge the difference between live and dry. But i will add a bottle of bio spira, seeing as it can't really hurt anything. Sand is a 20lb bag of fiji pink arag-alive. So theoretically after the biospira, there will be 3 sources of bacteria that I've added and will likely see a large ammonia spike from die off, then a huge bloom. Thanks for the help so far, still trying to work out what carries over from my fresh water experience.

 

[flchamp89]

It was sold to me as live rock, and she did acknowledge the difference between live and dry. But i will add a bottle of bio spira, seeing as it can't really hurt anything. Sand is a 20lb bag of fiji pink arag-alive. So theoretically after the biospira, there will be 3 sources of bacteria that I've added and will likely see a large ammonia spike from die off, then a huge bloom. Thanks for the help so far, still trying to work out what carries over from my fresh water experience.

That's how I cycled mine but I doubt you'll see die off from the rock but it's possible. The arch you have I used the same one lol

 

[Fishbike13]

That's how I cycled mine but I doubt you'll see die off from the rock but it's possible. The arch you have I used the same one lol

Makes more sense now haha. I was having a hard time understanding how the rock was all covered in what looked like coralline when the only lighting was ambient room lights. At least i didnt over pay too much.

 

[flchamp89]

Makes more sense now haha. I was having a hard time understanding how the rock was all covered in what looked like coralline when the only lighting was ambient room lights. At least i didnt over pay too much.

On the top left is an arch

 

[Tamberav]

In the HOB I would just run disposable floss and maybe a small amount of carbon in a bag (helps with soft coral's toxins or unknown contaminants, just don't run too much as you don't want to strip the tank). I mostly try to keep my nano's simple. I don't use the marine blocks as I find myself struggling to keep nitrates up once the tank has settled in and coral is growing using up the Nitrate.

Skip the peppermint, they have been known to harass hammer corals or even eat them. I would recommend a cleaner.

I would also skip the sand sifting goby, they need a much larger sand bed than your tank has, tend to bury corals, and grow large. I shrimp goby + pistol would be a nice alternative.

No experience with that light but I know it is deceivingly small. I usually see them over 10g-ish cube tanks with softies. If you are on a budget, maybe consider a Chinese black box, there are controllable ones I believe around $100 and you will be able to grow anything you want and for sure have enough for the BTA.

 

[Fishbike13]

In the HOB I would just run disposable floss and maybe a small amount of carbon in a bag (helps with soft coral's toxins or unknown contaminants, just don't run too much as you don't want to strip the tank). I mostly try to keep my nano's simple. I don't use the marine blocks as I find myself struggling to keep nitrates up once the tank has settled in and coral is growing using up the Nitrate.

Skip the peppermint, they have been known to harass hammer corals or even eat them. I would recommend a cleaner.

I would also skip the sand sifting goby, they need a much larger sand bed than your tank has, tend to bury corals, and grow large. I shrimp goby + pistol would be a nice alternative.

No experience with that light but I know it is deceivingly small. I usually see them over 10g-ish cube tanks with softies. If you are on a budget, maybe consider a Chinese black box, there are controllable ones I believe around $100 and you will be able to grow anything you want and for sure have enough for the BTA.

Awesome, thanks for the advice!

I still have a lot of research on shrimp and inverts to do, because i know next to nothing about them other than what color they are haha.

As far as the aqua knight goes, it seems to be well liked from what i have seen, and at half the price of an a80, im hopeful. The only reason i was considering the kessil instead was so that i would only have to buy a light once, rather than replace a unit that died.

 

[Tamberav]

Awesome, thanks for the advice!

I still have a lot of research on shrimp and inverts to do, because i know next to nothing about them other than what color they are haha.

As far as the aqua knight goes, it seems to be well liked from what i have seen, and at half the price of an a80, im hopeful. The only reason i was considering the kessil instead was so that i would only have to buy a light once, rather than replace a unit that died.

I probably wouldn't do an A80 either. Weak lights I think lol at least compared to Chinese boxes and they lack control out of the box. Don't even think they come with a mount? I would just step up to a prime if getting serious.

 

[Fishbike13]

I probably wouldn't do an A80 either. Weak lights I think lol at least compared to Chinese boxes and they lack control out of the box. Don't even think they come with a mount? I would just step up to a prime if getting serious.

Good to know, ill try the knight for 60$, with a mount, and adjustable intensity with good blue spectrums from the par tests ive watched on youtube (for whatever thats worth)

I think it will be a month or two before i get to the point where i need more powerful lighting, just focused on tracking the cycle, then letting the tank stabilize with the first livestock additions.

 

[Robg139]

Good luck same way I cycle my rank but I used fritz been up and running nicely for 3 months now best of luck

 

[Fishbike13]

Good luck same way I cycle my rank but I used fritz been up and running nicely for 3 months now best of luck

Thanks. 24 hrs after i added ammonia, no change. So i guess theyre just selling rock sitting in water. Oh well, added the bio spira to do it the right way.

 

[ScottR]

I’d get a pair of clowns if I were you. It won’t be overstocked at all. The fish typically pair up right away.