It's been 5 months since Matthew set up the tank and stand for this build series. He's shown how he's built and maintained this tank along the way, but surely it hasn't been all smooth sailing, right?

Learning from other reef keepers is without a doubt the best way to avoid similar issues in your tank that can harm your livestock and leave you frustrated.

Today, Matthew is here with an update on the tank, breaking down some of the problems he's encountered along the way and how he's fixed them.

Five month update full tank shot of Matthew's beginner reef aquarium
Adding GFO Media

High Phosphate Levels

With so many animals in this tank, especially filter feeders that require heavy feeding, it's not surprising that the phosphate levels in this tank have been elevated. Even with a wide goal range of 0.05 to 0.1 ppm phosphate, keeping them in check has been challenging.

How Matthew Tackled This Problem:
  • Testing twice per week.
  • Changing out filter socks twice per week.
  • Adding smaller amounts of GFO, but replacing the media more frequently.
  • Keeping up with regular water changes.
Duncan coral with dead head

Fish, Coral, and Invert Issues

Keeping a living ecosystem in an aquarium isn't easy. You're bound to have issue with fish, corals, and invertebrates at one point or another. Knowing how to deal with the problem is key.

Livestock ISSUES:
  • Scissortail Dartfish: One of the three dartfish was found next to the tank, likely jumping during tank maintenance while the screen top was removed.
  • Porcelain Crab: One death, cause unknown.
  • A Few Snail Deaths: Cause unknown.
  • Purple Candelabra Gorgonian: Matthew noted that this one has been struggling since it arrived with some of the tissue pulling away. Attempts to cut away the affected tissue to try to save the coral were unsuccessful.
  • Duncan Corals: Matthew admits that he's always seemed to have problems with duncan corals, even though they're often considered a beginner coral. He's had one head die off while the rest of the heads are holding on for now. He suspects a neighboring coral touching the duncan colony as the cause for this problem.
  • Orange Fungia Coral: This coral was moved and it was unhappy with the increase in flow in the new spot. After moving the coral back to it's original location, the coral has rebounded.
  • Anemones: The anemones are healthy, but moving around and stinging corals in their path. This is one of the risks of adding anemones in a reef tank. Matthew will monitor the other corals for now.
Algae on rockwork in saltwater aquarium

Nuisance Algae

While there has been some nuisance algae in this tank, as is common for new setups, these issues have been limited. A few patches on the rockwork and some growing on one gorgonian coral. There was also some diatoms growing on the sandbed at one point, which is very normal for a new tank. A small amount of cyanobacteria also popped up.

How Matthew Tackled these Problems:
  • Manually removed the small patches of algae.
  • Sand Sifting Goby helped clear up the diatoms quickly by keeping the sandbed turned over.
  • Cyanobacteria came and went on its own without need for intervention.

This update is a reminder that even when a tank looks great from the outside, there is always work happening behind the scenes. 

The key is not avoiding problems entirely, but learning how to identify them early and respond with a clear plan. Every issue Matthew faced in this build is something most reefers experience at some point.

Five months in, this tank is still thriving, not because it has been perfect, but because adjustments were made along the way. If you are running into similar issues, stick with it! Test consistently, keep up on your maintenance, make small changes when necessary, and give the tank time to respond. Stability and patience almost always win in the long run.