AFTER 8 WEEKS....

[Spiderman]

.....my system's running well. I have a 25G SWFO tank, 7# of live rock, using an Eclipse sponge/bio-wheel system. I have 4 fish (royal gramma, 2 small tank-bred clowns, a banggai cardinal), 2 hermit crabs, one small emerald crab, a cleaner shrimp, and 5 assorted snails. I change the water 10-20% every week. I have water tests done every weekend - nitrates are a bit high (12.5). Alkalinity is 7.0 (I'm in Madison Wisconsin). Temperature's stable at 76F, and I feed them twice daily. They're all copacetic.

How do I effectively reduce nitrate levels?

Should I add more cured live rock to my system?

Should I add more circulation? An external power filter? A protein skimmer? If you have a similar ECLIPSE system, is this even possible?

In roughly a year's time, I'll upgrade to a 75G tank, and will add a bicolor blenny, a six-line wrasse, a blue tang, a valentini puffer, and a red flame angel, in that order.

What can I do to prevent my system from crashing?

PS I plan to keep a yellow watchman goby and a pistol shrimp pair in my current 25G tank later on. Or maybe just a picasso trigger?

 

[lando]

for a fish only tank your nitrates are not too bad. When you do water changes and top-offs are you using tap water or RO/DI? Tap water can be high in nitrate adding to the problem. What is your feeding schedule? Cut back to light feedings once every day or every other day and that will help to. Yes, more LR would be beneficial. Shoot for between 40 and 50 pounds in a 25 gal. I would skip the trigger if you have inverts in your tank. They will become dinner.

 

[quarryshark]

You are pretty well stocked for a 25 gallon. I wouldn't add any more fish. You could also add a hang on skimmer, that may help.