How To Maintain A Nano Reef Aquarium 

You guys do an exceptional job. Such a lovely atmosphere in Maidenhead Aquatics and the store looked incredible. Love your growing saltwater section. Both you and Keiran are a credit to the business. You will always be my go to for live foods. 🙌✨. Thanks for watching and commenting it really helps my channel. See you again soon - Maidenhead Aquatics Findern Derby 🙌 🙂

Got to appreciate both sides of the hobby 🙌 There are some beautiful plants and fish on the freshwater side too. Welcome to saltwater. With your freshwater experience it will really help aswell. What tank have you gone for? What are your plans for your reef, Softies, LPS corals, SPS corals or a mixed reef? Hope to see you in the next video? Take care.

@@jaysrealreefuk my first salty tank is a standard 10 gallon not sure bout the liters. But it's simple hang on back filter, and some softies. I upgraded to a Waterbox 45.2 and it's been running for over chunk a year now, mixed reef mostly SPS and LPS. Some acropora, stylo, bird nest. My favorite LPS is my cynarina coral. Im actually setting up a frag tank mostly for LPS like my hammers and torch. They are tagging my SPS and i don't think it's good hahaha. Been watching for a long time. I don't comment all times but I try, love the weekly streams with ste!

It's a fantastic little reef tank. You are going to love it. So glad the video has helped you out. If you want to ask anything else at any point just drop me a comment. Thank you for watching 🙂

An all in one nano aquarium like mine is definitely the place to start as a beginner. I'd never had any fish tank before starting, so you have a head start on me. With regard to RO water, I cheat and buy mine from Spotless water and then mix up the salt like you can see in the video. People in the aquarium hobby are brilliant and will always help you when you need advice. I've documented every step with my nano on this channel, so that might help you as well. Thank you so much for watching. Hope to see you in the next video. Keep me posted on your salty journey. 🙂

😂😂...thanks mate 🙌 top viewer - 48 minutes! Not sure how you did that mate 😂Hope you make it back for another watch.

Makes it so worth while making the videos when you get amazing comments like this. 🙌. Algae is a problem in most tanks. I struggled with algae for the first 14months. I manually removed as much as possible each week, using the scrapper, Syphon and toothbrush for the rocks. I also increased my number of herbivores (cuc) such as snails, hermit crabs, copepods and the best one an urchin. Once you get into a regular routine, this will help with stability and your tank will turn a corner. 🙂. In my opinion, if you have corals you need a doser. Corals absorb the foundation elements each day for growth and without these being replenished it creates swings especially in alkalinity that will kill your corals. I wouldn't be without dosing. Test your allk, cal and mag using a standard test kit. Dose a very small amount of each element (1ml to start with) over a 24 hour period. Test at the same time the following day. If you to make sure you have the same reading as the day before. If the readings are lower, up the dosing and test again the following day. It will take a good week to dial it in. When your corals grow out or you had lots of new coral, you will need to up the dosing. It's about testing and then dialing the dosing in to keep the parameters stable over the 24 hours. Hope that helps 🙂. If I can help, just ask. Thanks for watching and commenting 🙂

@@jaysrealreefuk thankyou so much for the comment back, I will keep this in mind and let you know how I get on. Thankyou

We are so lucky with our Maidenhead Aquatics. Lots of choice of fish and the staff are brilliant. My tank went through an algae stage between 3 to 12 months I did a lot of manual removal with the Syphon and scrubbed the rocks with a toothbrush. You could also add more snails and copepods to help graze the algae. Do you have an urchin? If not mate, I would strongly recommend you get an urchin. Super easy to look after. It will get straight to work on the algae. Palys look beautiful, but they contain dangerous toxins, so they are difficult to remove without releasing toxins that are poisonous to other corals and to humans. You have to wear gloves and eye safety goggles if you do remove them. Loving your Instagram content with the wild camping. I love the outdoors too. Thanks for your loyal support of the channel. If I can help you in any way, just ask mate. Got a lot of time for you 🙂

@@jaysrealreefuk mate you have been a huge help already I would have been lost with out your videos. The hair algae is manageable I have been manually removing it every week. I have loads of red and brown film algae all over the sand and rocks would an urchin eat that ? I don't want to get an urchin if there is not enough food in the tank. I am dosing copepods weekly, I have been getting them inline from reefphyto when I get my phytoplankton. Still can't find the mangrove mud though lol. Are the palys worse than zoa's I have always wore gloves (most the time) and wear glasses anyway. I am going to be moving the rest of the zoa's onto rocks later this week. I love the outdoors struggling with the filming side though it's all seeming very samey so just going out with out my cameras for just now. I have a video half way through edit but not looked at it for months.

Haha 😂😂😭.. so sorry mate. You are not the first viewer that's asked me to do that 😂. Have a lovely Sunday and thanks for your comment.

Bloody love this hobby mate 😂. I do like to do a thorough clean of the rock, corals and glass each week. Hate feeling rushed if I'm doing the tank maintenance. Thank you for being a great follower of the channel and hope to see you for the 3rd anniversary livestream on Friday. 🙏 Hope you can win something. Take care and have a lovely Sunday. 👍

Phyto 🙌. I would love to be able to culture my own fresh Phyto one day. Appreciate the comment and hope to see you in the next video 🙂

Dollar store LED strip wrapped around a dollar store 2L square kitchen food storage container with Dollar store smart timer outlet. Fits right in the tank cupboard and my two yield 4L every 2 weeks. Air pump and airline too to keep them moving. @@jaysrealreefuk

So glad you enjoyed it. I always look for videos for my Sunday morning cup of tea and a biscuit. Sunday mornings are made for reefing. Thanks for the comment 🙂 see you in the next video. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

Nice one Jay x 👏

Thank you AAC 🙌

Mate, you know it. Wavemaker chucking water everywhere 😂😂. Always gets me! Thank you - wanted to make a video to help beginners into this cracking hobby. See you Friday - hope you can win a freebie 🙏.

Thank you 🙂. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Have a lovely Sunday.

Mate...I didn't even spot that 😳😂. Not reef safe then 🤔😭. Thanks for the comment.

Welcome to the hobby mate 🙌. A fellow Derbyshire reefer. We live in a great area for the hobby. There aren't many videos for beginner reefers on RU-vid, so I'm glad it's helped. If you need anything, just contact me through Instagram. I do like the Aqua One tanks. Hopefully you can join us for the Friday Night Livestream. Keep in touch, I would love to follow the journey of your reef. Thanks for the comment. See you in the next video. 🙂

Thanks for the watch, hope you enjoyed that one on your way to work 🙂😂. Looking forward to the 3rd Anniversary livestream. Catch-up on Friday. Take care mate. 🙂

Hey up mate. Yeah it was great bumping into you both at Signature Frags. Hope your corals have settled in well? Thanks for the comment aswell 🙂. Try and join us on Friday for the livestream.

Haha 😂😂. I wasn't sure any would be able to watch 48 minutes of me talking about reef tanks! Nice to know people like the longer format. This is the longest video on the channel 😳. I find it hard to keep my step by step videos shorter. Really appreciate the watch. Hope to see you in the next one. Thanks.

@@jaysrealreefuk oh yeah, I always look forward to watching your videos especially a long one I can playback whenever I get some time while doing my own matinence. Have a good one!

@@MrGarciaJr Same here. Love a podcast style video to get me through testing water parameters. 😭 I will make some more longer ones on the channel. Take care. 🙂

Thank you for the tips and advice on starfish. That's brilliant..I think I will pick up a starfish in the next few weeks 🙂. Thank you.

your welcome, I loved seeing the local lfs, thank you.@@jaysrealreefuk

Wow...shout out to New Zealand - thank you. Wonderful to know the channel content reaches that far. Appreciate your support 🙂. Hope you can join us for another video soon.

@jaysrealreefuk9961 I'll try to catch a Friday night live, it's Saturday morning for us in NZ.

Great point. Long term I will need.to purchase the more reliable Milwaukee. 🙂 Need to get one, as I'm calibrating the pen every 2 weeks. Thanks for the tip.

Would love a bigger tank in 2024, just saving up 😭😂. What's your new tank mate?

Reefer 425! Got it second hand. Really a dream coming true for me. I posted a video of it on my channel how i moved my nano inhabitants :) what tank do you want?

Thanks mate for being a great follower of the channel and livestream. Catch-up Friday on the livestream, hope you can make it and win something aswell 🙏.

@@jaysrealreefuk I be there as nomal best Friday nite going lol. Great catch up u guys top Friday nite love it keep it going

@@tekkersreefer8055 🙌 see you Friday mate.

Didn't know they only did freshwater Maindenheads, feel lucky now. Apparently, they have Reef keepers, which are just saltwater. Yeah, I wanted to make a video that would help newbies on the channel. Hope you can make the Friday night livestream this Friday coming? Take care mate.

@@jaysrealreefuk I’ll be there lurking in the background on Friday 😁

@@ukm120 🙂 see you there.

Cheers mate. Yeah, I added a few little upgrades, but the Red Sea Max Nano is a great tank. I agree, fresh Phyto makes a world of difference to coral health and pod populations in a reef tank. As soon as mine runs out I have to get some more as you can see in the video. The mangrove mud can be tricky to get hold of if you are in the UK, but that's as good as Phyto aswell, especially for LPS corals. Have a great Sunday and hope to see you in the next one. 🙂

Thank you for the tips on starfish. Really interested in a red star. That fairy wrasse was a beautiful fish. Thanks for commenting and hope to see you in the next video 🙂

I agree, it's a very well run Maidenhead Aquatics store. It's brilliant for freshwater and the saltwater section keeps growing aswell. Hope your tank is going well? Thanks for the watch and comment. 🙂 Hope you can join us for the Friday Night Livestream this week. 🙂

@jaysrealreefuk9961 My tanks ticking along. Haven't done much to it decently. Got a new Jecod wave maker couple of weeks ago too. Definitely value for money 💰 Hope to join you and the guys on the 3rd year anniversary live stream 👏🙌

Thank you for watching mate. Appreciate it. 🙂

Thank you for watching. I'm also a bit OCD. I would prefer a clean back wall, but the film algae and coraline are an important food source for my urchin and starfish. In this little tank they would starve otherwise. I was advised to keep one panel dirty so I chose the back panel. It also looks natural...like a harbour wall 😂. Thanks for watching and commenting. It really helps the channel. 👍

@jaysrealreefuk ah that makes sense. I did think there was a reason to it. Iam trying to buy this tank on ebay but I live in Scotland and its located at the bottom of the UK 🙈 if only the seller would allow courier collection I coukd have somthing like yours lol

@@staceyismine keep in touch. Excited to hear about your new tank. If you have any questions, just get in touch. Thanks

Hopefully I can grow the channel. I really enjoy making content. You are right, I need to get into a routine with a set slot each week for filming and editing. It's just challenging to find lots of content with a mature reef system. Not much changes on a weekly basis - thankfully 🙂. Hope to see you in the next video. Have a lovely Sunday.

@@jaysrealreefuk Well you don’t even need to film and edit once a week. Like I said, do it all in one day and upload them to RU-vid and schedule them so RU-vid automatically releases the video on say, every Friday. Ultimately though, whenever you decide to post, I’ll be watching nonetheless. You’re a great RU-vidr!

@@mediaspindle thank you for the advice and support 🙂. Definitely, try and bring some more content to the channel. I absolutely love this hobby.

@@jaysrealreefuk Your audience can tell that you’re passionate. That’s the key to being successful on RU-vid I think. You and Paul Cuffaro might at the moment have different subscriber numbers, but your passion is the same. It’s that passion of yours that will keep growing your channel views and subscribers.

@@mediaspindle thank you for being a great follower of the channel 🙌🙂.

Thanks for the advice mate...I'm so tempted to get one. They look incredible 🙌✨

No worries@@jaysrealreefuk , Do you think you'll ever get a bigger tank? It looks like you're due an upgrade ;)

Would love a bigger tank and then document the journey on the channel each week, but can't quite afford it yet. One day 🙂. Have a good weekend mate.

Fantastic to have US reefing friends following the channel. Yeah, it's nice to have the saltwater aquarium stores in the garden centres, it makes a lovely half day trip with the family and always nice to stop for afternoon tea - lovely cakes and sandwiches. 😂. Hope your reef is going well? Have a lovely Sunday and hope to see you in the next video.

Thanks for the advice and guidance on starfish 🙂. I would love one and it thinks I would really add to the biodiversity of our reef. They look fantastic.

Thank you - appreciate that 🙂. Makes it all worthwhile when people enjoy the video and comment. Hope your reef is going well?

It's running OK but could be a lot better,looking at the figi mud you use where can I get some from,I can't find any for sale in the UK. can you do the same with the eco miracle mud as you do with the figi

Our reef tanks go through cycles, so it will be on the up in the next few weeks mate. Erm...not sure where you can pick up the mangrove mud now in the UK 🤔. Not sure about the eco reef mud, but it could work the same. Does it just mineralise the water?

It's a refugium mud but I believe it's dry from the container unlike the figi which is wet

Ahhh 🤔. Yeah, that's different stuff mate. If I see anymore around, I will let you know. I want to keep hold of mine to help with any new tank in the future and my stash is running low after dishing it out in the love2reef car park last year. 😂😂

Super kind - thank you for the comment 🙌

Wondered what they were for, but that makes sense now. Thank you for taking the time to comment. 🙂

Thank you 🙂. Hope to see you in the next video.

Welcome to this amazing hobby. You are going to love it. Phyto is an essential building block for all life in natural reefs, it will feed your copepod and amphipods (micro fauna), but also the corals. It's the first step of the reef tank food chain. It's so important if you ask me. Thank you for watching. Hope to see.you in the next video. 🙂👍

@@jaysrealreefuk Cheers mate will have to get some then. Thank you. Im putting 💯 effort in to my nano and anything that can help i will try. Cheers.

@@jamanemaraashollington8760 make sure it's live Phyto. You will need to keep it in the fridge mate 👍

Haha 😂😂....good spot! It all happens during a water change! Never straightforward as you know mate. I think I should make a bloopers video.

Thanks for Watching. This is the 20 Gallon version of the Max Nano. 🙂

Great to see you Tony 🙌 Erm, usually it's linked to getting too much light. I would definitely reposition the goni to an area of low to medium light. Hope you can join us for the 3rd anniversary livestream this Friday. 🙌 Take care mate 🙂. Thanks for the comment.

Haha...😂😂. Doesn't get more local than that! 😂

@@jaysrealreefuk the LOCALEST!! 😆😆

I've always run the return and two wavemakers on low speed. It's more for the variations in flow patterns for the corals rather than the output power. My LPS corals seem to like it. I only have all 3 running in the morning and evening to shift the detritus from rock, sand and corals. Thanks for commenting. Have a lovely Sunday 🙂

Good point 🙌. I've heard that accuracy can drift. I calibrate mine every 2 weeks, which to be honest is not ideal. I think I need to purchase the Milwaukee refractometer. Thanks for the advice. 🙂

I run the Radion Gen 5 Blue on the LPS template setting at 51% intensity. Hope that helps. Thank you for watching and commenting.

Yeah, great point. The salinity pen is not the most accurate at times, I know some reefers have moved away from it. Mine hasn't been an issue yet, but I do calibrate it every other time I use it. Calibration fluid is only £2 per sachet, so well worth doing. I love the ease of use though 🙂. I will continue to use it, but frequently calibrate to ensure accuracy. Also making sure each time I rinse it off in RO water. Are you planning to stick with yours?

@jaysrealreefuk9961 I also keep a good stock of calibration satchets! I'm calibrating each time I use them which is a bit nuts. I do try and keep up with monthly icps which give me a good indication how salinity is going. I always loved the hanna checker but am quite surprised how quickly they adjust. Watching the reefdork videos made me double check them! I would like a digital version, Milwaukee/ Hanna but wow so expensive. Great videos mate

@@jonathanstephens7804 yeah I love to follow Reef Dork and his lives. I would love the Milwaukee salinity tester, but like you, they are so expensive. 😬 Long term I need to get one though.

What one of those red ones 😳. They look so cool. Are they easy to keep. Do you know what they are like with hermit crabs?

Yeah an orange finger starfish 😂 Well so far so good with him but only time will tell. As only had him about a week. Not had any problems with the hermit crabs so far 😅

@@OnlyFins202 I might get one 🤔. I do really like starfish. I think I need to do some reading first. I will wait to see how you get on first 😂😂

@@jaysrealreefuk I'll be the lab rat😂

@@OnlyFins202 😂😂😂 bang on.