Brief Reef Tank Journal #1

The tank is doing generally well although I think I am still struggling to get decent growth from my corals.

Here is the current stock:

Fish:

• 1 Royal gramma
• 1 Orchid dottyback
• 2 Black storm clown fish
• 1 While belly wrasse

Clean-up Crew:

• 1 Strawberry conch
• 1 cleaner shrimp
• 1 Fire shrimp
• 2 Emerald Crabs
• 3 Red Hermit crabs
• 5 Nassarius Snails
• Numerous Trochus snails

Corals and Anemones

• 2 Blastomusa
• 1 Flavia
• 1 Organ Pipe Coral
• 5 Zoas
• 1 War coral

The trochus snails are breeding and the tank has numerous baby snails, predominantly on the back wall and in the corners, where cleaning is a little more challenging.

Issues:

• Corals are not growing
• Corals are sometimes dying with no apparent reasons

Possible issues:

• Tank and Processes are not stable enough.
• Do I feed enough? Do I feed too much ?
• High nitrates
• High Phosphates

Routine:

• Daily
  • quick visual inspection of tank and cabinet
  • feed thawed frozen food twice
  • dose 5ml All-For-Reef
• Weekly
  • Test water parameters (Salinity, Alkalinity, Ph, NO2, NO3, NH3 + NH4, Phosphate)
• When Phosphates or MO3 are just too damn’ high
  • Change 20% water
• Every 6 weeks:
  • Change Carbon and Phosphate Minus from reactor

Next Steps / ideas:

• Put PhosGuard the filter cup in the back chamber in order to reduce Phosphate
• Add Zeo Mix to reactor in order to reduce ammonia and therefore reduce Nitrate
• I’m not sure the TMC frozen food I currently use is of the best quality. I have a bit of a nutrient film. Maybe I should test the AquaForest food.
• Should I add another fish?!?!? maybe a bicolor blenny.
• Maybe another powerhead on the other side would increase and randomise flow.

Please put comments and questions on fosstodon.