20 Gallon Long Reef Tank (NEW)

[csvengal]

Update - the clowns aren't fighting anymore, the one is
still hosting the anemone, the blenny and all the inverts are doing well, thriving.
I am feeding small portions twice daily, a variety of foods.
Water looks and smells good. The brown algae doesn't seem to be growing as fast as it was
previously. The little magnetic cleaner works okay (was pricey), but
even better is the razor blade on a plastic stick for 2 bucks
So I am close to the 3 month mark, and last week's tests
were all good except for calcium. I got a reading of 380.
My book says I should be over 400...
What would you recommend to bump it up 20 or 40 ppms? (or do I want it like 500 or so?)
good safe product or technique please
rest of the tests are
NH3: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 15-20
PH:8.2
PO4: .25
dKH: 10
KH: 179
Temp: 75
SAL: 1.025
Only recent equipt change is that I went from the little penn-plax HOB filter to a marineland penguin,
hoping that with treating the polymer and chemi-pure will lower nitrates more.
Again, any suggestions please

 

[yannifish]

Sounds like everything is coming along nicely! I think some pictures are in order though.
Can't help you with the calcium.
Are you running a skimmer? That would help with the nitrates.

 

[1guydude]

I have "reef complete" by seachem and ive only used it like several times and added about half a lid full....for ur 20 i would add a 1/4 of a lid full and test in a couple hrs....imo
btw it should be between 420 and 500 i thinks...i dont think 20ppm is really gonna make a diff...
this is just the happy meadian for coraline algae to grow. Some corals suck up the calcium like my candycanes but not really enough to read i dont thinks...it only has 3 heads.
Get a skimmer dude...tunze nano or remora C nano imo...

 

[csvengal]

thanks dude, yannifish
yes I run a skimmer 24/7 since the first batch of live rock was added
I will post new pics too, I have a lot of red and purple coraline algae now,
it is even growing on hermit's shells
I will look into the seachem additive!

 

[csvengal]

Hi, I ended up going with aquavitro calcification for reefs (its a seachem line) it was not expensive and hopefully it will do the trick!
After fiddling with the camera settings I ended up with some more pics for you

 

[yannifish]

Looks great! You have a very nice looking tank.

What kind of skimmer?

 

[csvengal]

thanks yannifish
the skimmer is an aquaticlife internal mini skimmer 115
it was less than 70 bucks and it seems to be quite durable
and efficient, once I got the bubble column adjusted to the proper level -
not too noisy either.

 

[csvengal]

Unfortunately, one of the clowns went carpet-surfing over the weekend
I will just have to keep the cover on all the time I suppose.
Kinda bummed, hate losing any pet, but I know it's part of the hobby.
If I got another one, it should be smaller than the one I have now, correct?
I went to the LFS and they only had two, much larger and kinda rough looking
clarkiis, so I passed. I may try ordering a small one from SWF when they have one..
If not, what would go well with a blenny and a single clown? Keep in mind I don't have a fine substrate
it's live sand made up of lots of shell fragments.

 

[yannifish]

Sorry to hear it.

You could maybe do a goby or something, I don't think there would be issues with the blenny. Verify this with someone else on here though before you get one, if you choose to.
I personally would get another clown. I know with ocellaris and percula clowns you get a smaller one, and normally it works out fine. I'm not sure about clarkiis though, you'll have to get information about them from someone else.

 

[csvengal]

I really want another clown, but I haven't found any around that are small enough yet. I wonder if a small yellow clown goby would get along with my blenny and clown? I do have small snapping pistol shrimp, after 3 months I finally saw one of them and ID'd it. I think I may end up
getting rid of most of my blue legged hermits and getting more snails after all. You guys are right about the hermits, there is one in particular that has killed a few of his smaller kind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by yannifish http:///forum/thread/384710/20-gallon-long-reef-tank-new/60#post_3388872
Sorry to hear it.

You could maybe do a goby or something, I don't think there would be issues with the blenny. Verify this with someone else on here though before you get one, if you choose to.
I personally would get another clown. I know with ocellaris and percula clowns you get a smaller one, and normally it works out fine. I'm not sure about clarkiis though, you'll have to get information about them from someone else.