My (used to be) budget nano tank: 20 gal of mixed reef delights

[mizimmer90]

Tank is coming along nicely! My red grapes are slowly coming back in, however, hair algae is coming in faster! So far I've been able to stay on top of it with weekly maintenance.

I've added more livestock.

Fish: lawnmower blenny and a Hectors goby

Coral: black light torch from a LFS and a bunch of beautiful zoas from @Queen City Corals

The blenny is super happy eating all the algae on my rocks! And it's super fun watching the Hectors goby graze all day long.

 

[Queen City Corals]

Tank is coming along nicely! My red grapes are slowly coming back in, however, hair algae is coming in faster! So far I've been able to stay on top of it with weekly maintenance.

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I've added more livestock.

Fish: lawnmower blenny and a Hectors goby

Coral: black light torch from a LFS and a bunch of beautiful zoas from @Queen City Corals

The blenny is super happy eating all the algae on my rocks! And it's super fun watching the Hectors goby graze all day long.

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Tank Is looking great, happy to help fill it up!

 

[Subsea]

The lawnmower blennie should eat gha on Bartacladia. consider getting more grazing snails to reduce his supply of film algae.

 

[mizimmer90]

The lawnmower blennie should eat gha on Bartacladia. consider getting more grazing snails to reduce his supply of film algae.

Yes!! Planning on getting some more snails soon. I've been trying online but everyplace I look says the ones I want are sold out! I got a LFS to order some bulk dwarf cerith snails for me

 

[pshootr]

Tank looks nice, good job. I like what you did with The Rock.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I really like your aquascape in your tank!

 

[mizimmer90]

Tank looks nice, good job. I like what you did with The Rock.

I really like your aquascape in your tank!

Thank you!!

I designed it with a focal point in the middle for my torch. It's an elevated cliff so the torch is far away from other corals in the nano tank. Also I have flow going in both directions at this center point so the torches movement is very pretty!

 

[pshootr]

Thank you!!

I designed it with a focal point in the middle for my torch. It's an elevated cliff so the torch is far away from other corals in the nano tank. Also I have flow going in both directions at this center point so the torches movement is very pretty!


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That's a good creative way to set up the torch. I wish I could see the video but it won't play. Uggh

 

[mizimmer90]

That's a good creative way to set up the torch. I wish I could see the video but it won't play. Uggh

So sad the video is not playing! It's my torch flowing in the currents

 

[pshootr]

That's a good creative way to set up the torch. I wish I could see the video but it won't play. Uggh

I just got it to play, and it looks really nice!

 

[mizimmer90]

Everything in my tank is growing happily!

However, there has been some struggle, hair algae and bryopsis were starting to take over: I used ReefFlux for a week to help out. The hair algae and bryopsis all died off quickly! Unfortunately, so did most of my red grape algae . I ended up stopping the treatment because my torch was looking unhappy.

Afterwards, I noticed some bubble algae that I removed (it was very satisfying to grab and remove lol). Lately, I've been battling some mild dinos. Although, this past week I turned off all white lights (using only the blues) and the dinos seem to have vanished!

Throughout everything I've continued my weekly maintenance of a 20% water change and cleaning all pump parts.

My hard work is paying off because the tank is looking nice and everything is happy / growing like crazy!

So many new heads on my Duncans, hammer, and zoas

 

[mizimmer90]

A few more pics!

Alveopora is looking happy and slowly growing off its pedestal.

Leptastrea is looking nice and fuzzy!

Duncans getting a ton of new heads!

My red grape algae is growing back too, and this time without hair algae all over it!

 

[GossG]

Had a question for you about your UV. I’m looking at adding one onto my tank. Been running for just under two years. Do you like the aquatop? Trying to decide between the same 5w you are using or the universal aqua shield from innovative.

 

[mizimmer90]

Had a question for you about your UV. I’m looking at adding one onto my tank. Been running for just under two years. Do you like the aquatop? Trying to decide between the same 5w you are using or the universal aqua shield from innovative.

Yeah, the Aquatop is pretty nice! I got it because it was the smallest UV I could fit in the rear of my tank. I leave it on 24/7. I don't have a strong comparison because this is my first reef tank and I started it pretty early, but my tank seems to be doing well!

My only complaint is that the sides glow bright and it can shine through the back paint lol. I was considering getting some kind of black tape or something to go over it but I quickly accepted it and my mind ignores it pretty well haha.

 

[mizimmer90]

All the corals in my tank are still growing nicely! At this rate they might outgrow their spots!

I feel like my tank is maturing and I'm only doing a water change every 2 weeks. Now I get to sit back and enjoy watching everything grow!

Here's a FTS:

My LMB is getting soo large and is a joy to watch as he darts around tye tank and slinks between the rocks

Dragon's breath algae looking nice and fiery!

My phone photos don't capture it, but the tank feels like it's filled with life!

And I'm so happy that my grape algae is growing back

 

[mizimmer90]

A rare capture of my YWG and pistol shrimp out and about