24G Nano Cube DX Nano Reef Setup

[steelhealr]

Cyano/red slime algae maybe under control. I did a 10% water change tonite. I used the turkey baster technique and the cyano floated right off and I suctioned it out. My astrea were picking on it, so, at least I have found a way to keep it under control. I readjusted my pumps as below.

Nano Cube Mod Change and Macro Note

Well..sometimes you have to learn that experience is the best teacher. I had placed a smaller pump in the third compartment to increase flow. Some people had said that the 3rd chamber would'nt handle it. Well..they were right. The water level was dropping too low and the heater was becoming exposed. Also, I was using a Maxijet 400, much lower flow. And...I got cyano. So...went back to the drawing board. I pulled the Maxijet 400 (106 gph) pump out and switched back in the stock pump (295 gph). I modified the outflow tubing and used softer tubing where it goes over the chamber walls. I placed my pump in chamber one at the bottom and put my media above it. BIG DIFFERENCE IN FLOW and all levels are excellent. Now I have an excellent clockwise water movement. My other reason for doing this is my first corals will arrive tomorrow (with trepidations). Here's the pic of the changed mod:

Interesting note on the macro (halimeda)...it continues to be very green in the back refugium. However, the small amounts I put in the main tank are turning white. Go figure..now I'm back to thinking that maybe the quartz submersible IS working. SH

 

[sammydee]

Looks awesome, stealhealr, I thought the macroalgae would do well with that spectrum of bulb. Very neat mod too

I really liked reading through your whole diary again and seeing how your tank progressed, well done

 

[steelhealr]

Thanks Sammydee. I started it for two reasons..one....gathering the info took forever and was all over the posts everywhere, and, when I opened up the nanocube box, there is only one page in there with ZERO instructions. DOH..it says nothing whatsoever on how to setup the tank except to consider removing the ceramic rings and bioballs for reef setups. I told myself there has gotta be a 'manual' so others like myself could spend more time getting their tank up and running than searching on how to make sea water.

Anyway, my first corals arrived today..and..if I can ever get home tonite, I'll post some pix. Acclimating them took hours. SH

 

[steelhealr]

First Corals

With trepidations, I opened my shipment of corals that arrived today. I decided to go with Liveaquaria.com and for several reasons. First, I am still not comfortable with many of the local SW lfs' around here. Secondly, I have used them two times before for my FW livestock and was extremely happy. Third, their site is informative, easy to navigate and they have a 2 week guarantee. I decided to go with their 'Nano Pack' which provides four different corals: a mushroom, polyps, soft and another one of the previous three. Granted, you have no choice of what they are, but, as a newb, that is fine by me for now. My order also included two Banded Trochus Snails and...thanks to Navarre's recommendation, a sixline wrasse.

The corals are packed in individual bags, wrapped multiple times with metal clips that were tough to take off...lol...I needed pliers. The wrasse bag was covered with black plastic I guess to shield if from light.

For newbies still following, I used the drip method to acclimate the new corals and float method for the snails and wrasse. I have already posted a link, but, here is the liveaquaria link for acclimating:

http/www.liveaquaria.com/general/general...=3319&subref=AI

If you choose to do the drip method, you can see from the pic that all you will need is:

1) a bucket
2) air line tubing
3) a gang valve
4) air line tubing clip

The most important thing about the corals is NOT to expose them to air. I also left the lights off for the wrasse and will restart them tomorrow. The wrasse and snails had no problem acclimating. The wrasse sailed around a bit and then found a cave on the side of the tank opposite the firefish.

After acclimating the corals, I placed them on the bottom of the tank to let them hopefully get over the shock of the whole process. I will take a pic of the four frags tomorrow so you can see what they look like.

Some Thoughts for Coral Startup for Newbs Like Me

1) As always, start slow
2) Wait for your tank to mature before proceeding. Parameters should preferably include a nitrate count of 0 or very close to it, stable pH (optimal 8.2) and alkalinity, etc, and the tank should have gone thru it's progression of diatoms, etc
3) Corals require good water circulation...minimal 10X..the more the better
4) KNOW YOUR CORALS FIRST...their lighting and circulation requirements. Know where they should be placed in your tank. Is it photosynthetic or requires feeding or BOTH? Don't forget Borneman's book..the link is posted earlier on this thread
5) If you are going stock lighting like me, tridachna clams and sps corals are generally OUT. There are some lps which may work.
6) NO ANEMONES
7) Be careful not to touch the corals..handle the 'frags' (the rocks they are attached to). Handling them may damage them. Also, some like zoanthids may have a toxic slime. Wash your hands or wear gloves when working with them.

Coral ID and pix to follow tomorrow. SH

 

[steelhealr]

Hi...I just added my first four corals to my tank. Like many beginners here, I did the 'search' thing and, as is common, information was spread out over many threads. To try and help some of us future newbies out, I've tried to compile a list of corals that beginners may research to see if they will be compatible for their systems. I saw one post here that categorized them inerestingly and I'll use that format. I AM NOT A CORAL EXPERT (nor do I play one on TV).

For the nano-reefers with much more experience than I that swing thru this post, I hope you'll use the list on this thread to contrast your experiences for us and 'correct' the headings they were under as needed or add your own 'recs'. In general, this list was culled from the questions on another site, "Can you recommend a colorful/hardy/beginner coral that will survive in my nano" and I believe the implication is 'moderate' or stock lighting (about 3 Watts/gallon). Listing under yes doesn't imply that the coral is only photosynthetic or very easy to take care of. Obviously, SPS corals in general are not listed. I'm going to add this to my own thread, where, THERE I can edit it later based on what is said here. Thanks for everyone's input. SH

Yes

Ricordea florida
Zoanthids
Mushroom corals (sarcophyton, rhodactus, actinodiscus spp)
Leathers and soft corals
Plate Coral, Short Tentacle (Heliofungia)
Open Brain coral (Favites)
Fox Coral (Nemanzophyllia turbida)
Small bubble coral (Plerogyra sp.)
Candy Cane (Caulastrea furcata)
Orange Cup coral (tubastrea)
Pineapple or Branched Cup coral (Blastomussa)
Colony polyps (palythoa)
Cauliflower Colt (claiella sp.)
Starburst polyp (Clavularia viridis)
Kenya Tree Coral (Capnella sp.)
Button Coral (Scolymia sp.)

Maybe(Maybe)

Pulsing Xenia

No

Torch coral (Euphyllia glabrescens)
Pipe Organ (Tubipora musica)
Hammer (Euphyllia ancora)
Elegance (Catalaphyllia jardinei)
Alveopora Daisy (Alveopora sp.)
Tooth Coral (Galaxea spp.)
Frogspawn (Euphyllia paradivisa)
Flower Pot Coral (Goniopora sp.)

 

[steelhealr]

Here are my four corals..can you ID them?

]

SH

 

[sammydee]

Wow they look nice

 

[Navarre]

1st one looks like some form of Golden Sarcophyton

2nd Looks like a white colt /pussey coral (careful these sting other corals)

3rd Are closed up zoos/buton polyps

4th Is a spotted/hairs or bubbly mushroom

Hard to get a true ID when they are still aclimatising. Looking good though!

 

[steelhealr]

Hi..I think Navarre is pretty much dead-on...I"m guessing too,but, I agree the first one is a sarcophyton....the second one I"m not sure of...could it be some sort of toadstool mushroom? the third is unopened/acclimatising button polyp or zoo, the third is a green mushroom. SH

 

[scarface1979]

Placing a submersible 10W quartz halogen light in the back over the middle chamber. Requires no rewiring.
a) advantages..ease of placement; waterproof
disadvantages...heat, low wattage, light spectrum (3000K), unknown right now if it will support the macroalgae

if that the light u are running the tank on then maybe this is the lights u cud get if u havn't got them already.

reflector flattened which allows enough space for 2 T5 power compacts to be placed side by side. They are 8", 18w, 1 actinic and 1 marine white.

heat would be an issue so a 40mm PC fan was fitted inside the light enclosure. This limits the heat rise to 1 degree throughout the lighting cycle.

 

[sammydee]

No... He's running the halogen light in his refugium.

 

[Navarre]

The 2nd is definately not a mushroom, im almost sure its a member of the colt corals and forms a finger like corals similar to their harder cousins the acroporas and montiporas.

And the one you have seemto be an Alcyonium species.



Colt Coral

Hope this helps.

 

[steelhealr]

Thanks Navarre...certainly looks just like the one I have. Navarre, do you use nori to feed your fish and what is your input on that if a fish is classified as a 'carnivore'? Will carnivores take some 'veggies'? SH

To scarface, I tried to supply a lighting source for people who either cannot rewire or do not have the skills to rewire or do not have the time to rewire. Certainly, adding more light opens up a bigger world of corals to obtain, in particular SPS corals. It also opens up problems like you said...overheating and needing to do additional wiring to add fans. I'm still not sure if the spectrum of the light I'm using is adequate for my macro, but, it's been several weeks and the halimeda is still green. Similar to my 'bulkheadless' outflow, I'm looking for ways for people to stay as close to 'stock' as possible or to stay in the 'big boys' category without having to do a lot of technical stuff. Thanks for your input. SH

 

[Navarre]

I do feed nori when i can get it (not easy here at the moment).

I also feed such things as tiny veggy pellets. my trigger and wrasse love these as much as the carnivore pellets i feed em. They dont look at nori or things like that but pellets does work for them. The same applies for the tangs.. they will eat veggy stuff but also readily tuck into mysis and krill etc.

 

[steelhealr]

Navarre...you were right on the money AGAIN!!!!!! That coral is a Cauliflower COLT as you thought. Bingo. It can be semi-aggressive so I have to give it room. SH