r/ReefTank • • 2d ago

No judgment questions zone - October 19, 2026

1 Upvotes

Here is the place to post questions about pest ID, coral/fish ID, your cycle, or any other questions that generally wouldn't start up a conversation. If you have an interesting or unique question please create a new thread so everyone can discuss it in length!

Pest ID guide

BRS pest guide

BRS beginner resources

BRS 52 weeks of reefing YouTube series


r/ReefTank • • 8h ago

2.7 Gallon Pico Reef

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

87 Upvotes

This tank has gone through a lot of changes but I think I’m finally satisfied and don’t plant on changing it much more. Most recently I upgraded my lighting, reorganized, added things from other tanks and pulled out all of the macroalgae as it was growing so thick that it was crowding out corals and trapping tons of detritus causing the tank to be very dirty and encouraging hair algae.

Corals

Soft - GSP, Pipe Organ, Kenya Tree, 11 varieties of Zoa/Paly

LPS - 2 varieties of Frogspawn, Hammer, Torch, Acan

Fish/Inverts

Collonista Snails, Zero the Hectors Goby and Caveman the Emerald Crab


r/ReefTank • • 11h ago

Who needs a fleece roller when you have a porcelain crab ?

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

95 Upvotes

r/ReefTank • • 10h ago

[Pic] Will never start a tank without this stuff! Tampa Bay Saltwater always the best hands down. Unless you prefer the whole dead and dry method. But who wants that...

Post image
40 Upvotes

r/ReefTank • • 52m ago

One month update..

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

• Upvotes

Tank is settled down and coralline algae is blooming..


r/ReefTank • • 11h ago

DIY RODI controller

Thumbnail
gallery
30 Upvotes

Wiring it was mega fun, so tidy so organized brain so happy so satisfied.

It basically flushes the membranes automatically for an X amount of time and it constantly monitors a tank (which will sit on top of the washer once it arrives) and fills it once the water level gets below a certain level.

The best thing is that it have 220VAC tds meters!!! No more stupid LG44 batteries!!!!! I hate those little shits.

Sadly the power supply’s voltage didnt match the listing so i cant turn it on until i get my new PSU :( but its done.

Only need to plumb the filters but im waiting on a few things to arrive.


r/ReefTank • • 6h ago

Maxspect gyres

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

11 Upvotes

These gyres are sick!!! Picked up a pair of jump 315s for $150 this one is on speed 5 on my im200 penn. Putting in work!!


r/ReefTank • • 2h ago

[Pic] Branching Cyphastrea (ft Asterina starfish)

Post image
6 Upvotes

r/ReefTank • • 22h ago

[Pic] In case anyone was wondering about Hewbie…

Post image
157 Upvotes

In case anyone was wondering about Hewbie…

In the event anyone was wondering about Hewbie.🐡☺️ He is my porcupine pufferfish who I posted a few months back who got sick and went to the vet and was treated for an internal infection. He is eating and his energy is up which are both good things. But…he is still skinny which is super unhealthy for his size. I have over the past few months since the beginning of August tried to fatten him up. Feeding him multiple times a day did not seem to help appease his appetite and led to a decline in water quality. And if I overfed him he just sulks in the corner in a food coma and gets super unhappy. Like when you are stuff on Thanksgiving Day.😂 The vet really wants me to weigh him once a day for a week. I have not done this…yet because I think it would be too stressful for him to take him out of his tank daily especially being a pufferfish. I am still on the fence about whether or not if or when I do this because it would be a better comparison rather than me just looking at him and comparing photos. That being said…I am doing an experimental test of probiotics meant for fish. It is my opinion/evidence supported in aquacultured fishies that prolonged sickness and antibiotic treatment can lead to malnutrition/malabsorption. And it could have killed the good bacteria in his gut similar to what happens with humans. Even though it cured or seemed to have cured/fixed the issue that caused him to go upside down which I/his vet team will never know the exact cause. My biggest fear is he is actively dying or in a deficit or has some other unknown disease or factor then all of this would be for nothing and he could just end up dying anyway. I hope not! He is a fairly young puffer only guesstimated to be around 6ish…3 and a half of which I have had him for the rest of his time was in the big blue sea. My plan is to continue to use these probiotics it has only been a few days. I also will be sending his water out for sequencing to get a better idea of the microbiome and what is living in it as a whole. A better picture than what an ICP-OES or standard aquarium testing can reveal which was insignificant. I may send his DNA sample out too simply for my own curiosity. Thank you for all those who are invested in and adore this fish. He truly is the best! I will update if/when I remember to.🐡❤️


r/ReefTank • • 1h ago

[Pic] Is he okay?

Post image
• Upvotes

I literally just got this Royal Gramma two hours ago and he’s just been chilling there not moving or anything. I’ve read they’re behavior can be shy and they chill in weird positions but this guy just doesn’t do anything lol. Do you guys think he’s okay?


r/ReefTank • • 5h ago

Progress.

Thumbnail
gallery
4 Upvotes

r/ReefTank • • 4h ago

Any chance of recovery?

Thumbnail
gallery
3 Upvotes

I stupidly unplugged the power bar for my tank yesterday while doing a water change and adding copepods, meant to plug it back in after 30min-1 hr after adding them, but I fell asleep. My temperature ended up dropping quite significantly and I woke up to my fish laying in the sand bed, and my toadstool and Kenya tree coral drooped over. The power bar was plugged back in as soon as I woke up and the temp is almost back at baseline.

The fish have since perked back up and are acting completely normal, but unfortunately no signs of improvement for these two corals. Are they unfortunately done for or could they still bounce back?


r/ReefTank • • 9h ago

Help w/ Ph & Alk on new build

Thumbnail
gallery
6 Upvotes

I have a new build I am working on and I need some advice from the reefing community. Here are some basic stats about my system:
Total tank volume is approx. 220 gallons
Age, just a little over two months old
Started with dry rock and did a fish-less cycle
Added a small handful of fish/inverts/pods but no coral yet
Systems currently in place: Protein Skimmer, Calcium Reactor, Ozone Generator (with air dryer), CO2 scrubbers (at skimmer and air dryer inputs), Media Reactor filled with extra calcium reactor media, Refugium with big ball of Chaetomorpha, Auto Water Changer (doing a 3 gallon water change per day), Kalkwasser Stirrer (dosing 350ml every hour)
Calcium Reactor effluent, Ozone Output, and Recirculated air passing through activated charcoal and a CO2 scrubber prior to going into the Protein Skimmer input
Fans to the top of the display tank as well as the sump to help with gas exchange
Water parameters:
Ammonia 0.17 ppm
Nitrite 13 ppb
Nitrate 0.08 ppm
Phosphate 0.0 ppm
Calcium 474 ppm
Magnesium 1515 ppm
Salinity 1.024 sg
CO2 levels (in room) 450 - 650 ppm
When CO2 is active in Calcium reactor:
Ph 7.6 - 7.7
Alkalinity 9.5 dkh
When CO2 is turned off:
Ph 7.8 - 8.01
Alkalinity 6.7

I am chasing down a Ph/Alkalinity issue. I wanted to make sure my parameters were on par before introducing any corals. My goal is to have a Ph of 8.3 and Alkalinity of 9-10 dkh since this will be a SPS dominated tank. I have maxed out my Kalkwasser dosing to match my evaporation (so my auto top off never actually runs). I have tried turning off the CO2 on my calcium reactor to help reduce the CO2 in the water since I really don't have anything consuming calcium or magnesium. That helps boost my Ph, but causes my Alkalinity to crash. I have also recently calibrated my ph probes as well ad used multiple sources to make sure my numbers are accurate.

Does anyone out there with a similar sized system have any additional advice for how to help boost the Ph and Alkalinity? The tank has now matured enough to get past the ugly phase. I really want to start adding corals, but I want to give them the best possible environment before I do.

Any advice helps. Thanks in advance.


r/ReefTank • • 39m ago

[Pic] Anything to worry about?

Post image
• Upvotes

I’ve had it for about a month. It’s had some nice growth. This dead spot happened in the last 3 days.


r/ReefTank • • 57m ago

[Pic] Zoa ID

Post image
• Upvotes

Middle bottom and right bottom


r/ReefTank • • 10h ago

[Pic] Space invader chalice eating.

Post image
6 Upvotes

r/ReefTank • • 1h ago

Jbj 45 dimensions please!

• Upvotes

Does anyone have the jbj rimless flat panel 45 gallon? Not the curved one. If so can you please post your actual tank measurements?

Their website says it's 26.5" x 22" deep, and also their website says it's 26.5" x 21" deep. I need to know which it is to get started on a stand build.

https://www.jbjaquarium.com/aquariums/rimless-flat-panel/

Also their website:

https://jbjaquarium.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/techDims-RF-45.pdf


r/ReefTank • • 1h ago

Cycle advice

Thumbnail
gallery
• Upvotes

I’m a former reefer getting back into it after about 8 years and currently 2.5 months into a cycle that started fishless, looking for any advice even if it’s just be patient.

Since 3 weeks into my cycle, my levels have been very stable without any fluctuations that I’ve observed;
0-0.2ppm Ammonia
0 nitrite
0-2ppm Nitrate
8.0pH
0ppm Phosphate

Everything started great, I’ve added a few fish and a few “canary” soft corals that have all split at least once. I recently added a small “canary” torch but it is starting to bleach. Right around the same time, my water has been really cloudy and I’m getting hair algae and cyano as well. It could be my flow which I tried to tweak directionally and turned up al the way. These seem like red flags but my levels are fine so I’m thinking it’s flow or lights.

80 gallon AIO (Innovative Marine SR80)
2x Red Sea GL115 full spectrum lights
Flow is just included pumps/nozzles
Comline DC skimmer 9004 (slightly under powered but I’m planning on having a smaller bioload)
Filter media caddy with filter balls, carbon and ferric oxide

What should I be doing differently to deal with the water clarity and algae bloom? I’m assuming my LPS was just added prematurely.


r/ReefTank • • 2h ago

[Pic] Wrasse for 90G tank

Post image
0 Upvotes

Currently in the stocking faze of my tank currently I have

2 Springeri Damsels
3 Neon goby
2 clownfish

Soon to come
3 chalk bass
1 cherub Angel
1 yellow eye Kole tang

I’ve tried to stock the tank with as many Caribbean species as possible. But who can have a tank without a pair of clownfish? The Springeri well they are the least aggressive working damsels I could find so they were a shoe in.

My goal for the tank was

#1 Caribbean themed
#2 Peaceful tank mates

But I’ve run into the same problem deciding on a wrasse the Atlantic species of wrasse that are reef safe and will do well with the current stocking plan.

If you don’t know of or recommend an Atlantic species what would be the best wrasse for a 90g display.


r/ReefTank • • 10h ago

Is this too much flow?

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

5 Upvotes

Is this too much flow for my juvenile clownfish? I added a hygger mini wave maker and turned it down to the lowest setting it goes and they still look like they are struggling to swim. The weird thing is that sometimes they swim normally for a little then start swimming fast again. Is the wave maker too strong for my tank? I have a Fluval EVO 13.5. Thanks!


r/ReefTank • • 1d ago

1 month update

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

50 Upvotes

Added fish after I saw no trace of ammonia in the tank, corals are doing fine so far


r/ReefTank • • 16h ago

Anemone ❌ dead rock ✅

Post image
9 Upvotes

I love my porcelain crab little cute ass fella (lady)


r/ReefTank • • 6h ago

New hammer from WWC, will it survive?

Thumbnail
gallery
0 Upvotes

Just got a hammer coral from WWC, do we think this can pull through and make it or is this not enough flesh?


r/ReefTank • • 1d ago

[Pic] Rarest fish I’ve held in a while a hybrid lemon peel X eibli angelfish.

Post image
279 Upvotes

Leopyge


r/ReefTank • • 6h ago

[Pic] New to reefing

Post image
1 Upvotes

I’ve had this toadstool leather for almost 3 months. It took a while for it to fully open but finally did. It’s been happy and healthy ever since. Does this look like shedding?