First Timer IM 15 AIO Cube

[Cyprinodont]

That just looks like diatoms to me! 

 

If there are bubbles getting trapped under it, might also be some cyano mixed in. It's pretty normal for new tank imo. Dinos looks a lot different, more pink. And with these little peaks. 

[crestier18]

13 hours ago, Cyprinodont said:

That just looks like diatoms to me! 

 

If there are bubbles getting trapped under it, might also be some cyano mixed in. It's pretty normal for new tank imo. Dinos looks a lot different, more pink. And with these little peaks. 

Awesome news. I was thinking it was probably just dinos and maybe cyan but wanted to make sure I got a head start in case it was dinos.

[crestier18]

I've decided I hate the filter sock. I was trying to give it a chance but I'm over it lol. I want to switch to a media basket, probably inTank since they're the most commonly recommended. They have the full multiple tier basket or the one that just holds the floss. Which would you all recommend?

 

I was also taking a look at the little fuge basket they have and was wondering if anyone had experience with it? Would it even be beneficial for a tank this small? I'm used to freshwater planted tanks where more plants=better lol.

[less than bread]

10 hours ago, crestier18 said:

I've decided I hate the filter sock. I was trying to give it a chance but I'm over it lol. I want to switch to a media basket, probably inTank since they're the most commonly recommended. They have the full multiple tier basket or the one that just holds the floss. Which would you all recommend?

 

I was also taking a look at the little fuge basket they have and was wondering if anyone had experience with it? Would it even be beneficial for a tank this small? I'm used to freshwater planted tanks where more plants=better lol.

Intank stuff is awesome for the IM tanks. Get the multi tier one, you can take the dividers out if you want. I wouldn’t fuss around with a fuge just yet. Let the tank settle and see where your nitrate and phosphate hang around with your regular maintenance and more importantly, how your animals look. If they are still growing and happy, you shouldn’t need to change anything. Things like fuges/reactors/scrubbers/skimmers come into play more when you have a higher bio-load and/or feed a lot and water changes won’t cut it.

[crestier18]

11 hours ago, less than bread said:

Intank stuff is awesome for the IM tanks. Get the multi tier one, you can take the dividers out if you want. I wouldn’t fuss around with a fuge just yet. Let the tank settle and see where your nitrate and phosphate hang around with your regular maintenance and more importantly, how your animals look. If they are still growing and happy, you shouldn’t need to change anything. Things like fuges/reactors/scrubbers/skimmers come into play more when you have a higher bio-load and/or feed a lot and water changes won’t cut it.

Thanks so much! I ordered the multi tiered one since it gives me more flexibility on adding media if I need to in the future.

[crestier18]

My husband is the best.

 

I've been talking his ear off about this tank and he absorbed some of it (mainly how much mixing saltwater by hand is) and got me a wave maker for Valentine's Day. He got the hydro koralia nano and as soon as I put it in the tank a bunch of junk that had settled behind the rocks came flying out and was sucked into the overflow. Eventually I will have to find a 3d printed cover to keep critters out of it, but for now it's awesome and it'll make mixing saltwater much easier.

 

I added a bag of carbon because the tank had a very fishy/beachy smell that was overpowering and it seems to have helped a lot. My inTank media basket will be here tomorrow so I'll probably rub some carbon in that when I get it installed. I also found a tiny feather duster that hitchhiked on one of my corals.

 

I'm hoping to get one or two nassarius snails next time I'm at my LFS to churn up the sand bed. I'm also very impatiently waiting for my local guy to find the fish I want to add lol.

 

On the note of additions, is this tank too new to add sexy shrimp or rock flower anemones? I've seen people say they added after 2 weeks and some say wait until after 6 months. If anyone has any resources on when to add certain corals or inhabitants, I'd love to see it.

[crestier18]

I got my possum wrasse in! He's a cute little thing but still pretty shy. I also added a nassarius snail. Things are moving very smoothly.

 

I've been feeding about a half cube of brine shrimp every 2-3 days. Is this okay for this tank with only 2 fish or should I bee feeding more/less? My sexy shrimp would be here within the next two-three weeks.

[crestier18]

Any recommendations for this algae?

[crestier18]

Unfortunately, I have been visited by dinos:(. I ordered a UV sterilizer, started a blackout, and upped my water changes to twice per week. Hopefully my corals will be alright and these will be behind me.

[less than bread]

16 hours ago, crestier18 said:

Unfortunately, I have been visited by dinos:(. I ordered a UV sterilizer, started a blackout, and upped my water changes to twice per week. Hopefully my corals will be alright and these will be behind me.

With dinos you’ll want to up your nitrate and phosphate. Increasing water changes will make them worse.

[crestier18]

9 hours ago, less than bread said:

With dinos you’ll want to up your nitrate and phosphate. Increasing water changes will make them worse.

My nitrates are at 20-40 ppm or higher, so I’m doing water changes to drop them down some and suck the dinos out.

[crestier18]

Unfortunately, things are not progressing as I’d hoped. I added the UV sterilizer and it helped but there’s still some sort of algae that looks like dinos on the sand. I also lost my ricordea mushroom when it detached from its rock during a water change and refused to reattach. I got covered in algae and disappeared. I also lost my chromis. Not sure how, but I haven’t been paying this tank nearly enough attention this past week since I’ve been bedridden with COVID. Hopefully things look up soon because I’m feeling pretty dejected about this tank right now.

[debbeach13]

I hope you feel better soon.