TheKernel's IM10 Reef

[TheKernel]

Greetings, 

I'm TheKernel and this is my first marine tank, let alone reef tank.  

I previously owned a 35 gal hex freshwater planted.  Wonderful tank. 

I had to move a bunch so I left it with a friend.  Who eventually took it down.   

So now I'm ready for a marine tank, been wanting to for a while.  I didn't have enough room to do a large tank, so I'm doing a 10 gal for now as it's what I have space for.  I'm super new so I'll appreciate any suggestions and help I can take!  I'll try to keep this post updated with the latest. 

 

Established: 6/3/2017

 

Latest Image (album)

 

Equipment

IM10

Custom Caddy 20 (Live rock rubble + media balls + fine white sand)

Kessil A160

IM Desktop Skimmer

Carbon Bag + (right now media balls, but looking to switch to floss, not sure the best setup for the media tray)

Custom Media Holder (course sand + Cheto and red stuff)

Custom cut glass top

(Soon Robo-Tank shipped today 6/8)

Atlas Scientific pH probe (Does ORP help? I've read you can determine ammonia levels with it)

Robo Tank (probably switch to Reef-Pi once I help get some hardware to work)

 

Tank Elements

Substrate: Black Hawaiian

Local marine shop cured live rock

 

Coral

Purple/Green stuff (Thanks Ranjib!)

Flowery looking thing (Same as above)

 

Fish

Green Chromis

 

Invertebrates (other than coral)

Blue something Hermit Crab

Burrowing Snail (haven't seen him since I threw him in)

 

 

 

[Ranjib]

Tank looks awesome. Keep us posted

[TheKernel]

Thanks! 

Having a little issue with the coral though.  Some is sucking in and algae covering it. The levels seem fine, but my KA is basically 0, i did a water change ~  a week ago.  Dosed with Reef Fusion 2 and they started coming back, but when I check the KA levels after I dose a bunch its still 0.  The rest of my levels are fine (calcium, ammonia, nitrates and nitrites).  I'll do another waterchange tonight, but Ranjib seemed to think something's odd for my KA to go down so fast.  

 

I think maybe my KA test is bad.  I just did a water change, and after some time I checked my KA and it was still 0 (1 drop turns the water blue), its the API test kit.  

-- update --

Actually my test wasn't bad, it was the problem between the instructions and the test tube... ;-P  I was looking for the wrong color change.  Right now I'm @ 7 - 8 KA. 

They are actually starting to do better, I also think it might have been my water temperature.  Its summer and i've been keeping the tank around 27C.  I think its a bit high.  I've moved the avg to 26 and limiting my swings.  Just installed a water chiller (peltier + heatsink + waterblock + pump)  I built my own then realized they sell pre-made ones.