24G Nano Cube DX Nano Reef Setup

[Grey Legion]

I used the same chemical erythomycin to clean up BGA in my FW tank, sorry to jump in on your SW post with FW stuff but it has to be said, some medication does work and work well no matter what the enviroment. I was pulling my hair out trying to fight that deadly stuff, almost shut the tank down...and 2 doses later and 2 BIG water changes my sand looks like new and my plants are breathing a sigh of relief...

I hope it works as well for you..good luck and once again a amazing post !!

 

[steelhealr]

Hi...I posted my cyano update on the 'cyanobacteria' thread. So...after a 4 day battle, it is ALMOST over...unless it recurs, so...first tank update in awhile.

1) I haven't seen much action from my nassarius snails so I wonder if they bit the dust. Someone told me they are short lived. I may switch to ceriths.

2) I ordered a Hydor Flo nozzle to see if it will hook up to my 'bulkheadless' outlet.

3) I'm trying a new insert called 'Algone'....supposedly helps keep nitrates down. The proof is in the pudding.

4) The frag from liveaquaria..some may recall that the colony polyps never opened and I considered it DOA. I srubbed that frag...washed it in FW...vacuumed the crap out of it. Guess what I saw peeking out of 2 crevices the other day.....yep...two polyps. Go figure.

5) Tank updated pic:

Stock lighting...it can be done. SH

SH

 

[steelhealr]

Brief update...cyano is gone and treatment is completed....final water change tonite and inserting activated carbon to absorbe the E-M. Felt comfortable adding a new coral today:

One of goals for my Nano Cube is to setup as appealing a reef as possible with the stock lighing that this system comes with so people can appreciate what is possible without metal halides, excessive wiring and expense, etc. Certainly the world of SPS is out of reach, but, not a beautiful marine nano reef. SH

 

[Navarre]

OH wow! I love Rics!!!!

They are so incredibly expensive in the UK though

 

[steelhealr]

Five days later and reclaiming my tank. I'm including this post in my thread for completeness:

Before

After

Before

After

And now (after completing the cleanup), back to designing my tank.

Thanks to everyone here who PM'd me with support. And once again, thanks to the other posters here who encouraged me to 'go where no man's gone before'...

Here's looking at you. SH

 

[steelhealr]

Update

Battling the cyano seems to be over....for now. I've reclaimed my tank but can't predict whether this is a permanent situation for now. It feels good to have white sand again. Embarking on the path I took was not an easy decision. I never added anything to my tanks besides a water change and buffer. However, I can't be a hypocrite. I know I have to rectify the possible causes of the cyano outbreak. New steps include:

--buying a skimmer. Although I am a proponent of water changes, I may have to bend and start skimming. I know the type I would get and that is an AquaC Remora.
--added more live rock, 2 1/2 lbs of Solomon Islands, brings my total to almost 26lbs (23LR/3LR rubble). I got so used to my aquascape that it is hard getting used to having a new big piece in there. Added to hopefully increase the chances for denitrification

For NC owners, there isn't a skimmer that fits in our tanks, so, choices include:
1) Plumbing in an external by drilling in the back hood
2) DIY and create one
3) Wait for one to be developed by JBJ
4) Buy a hangon external and skim nightly with the hood ajar or periodically during the week. The most popular skimmers for our NC's are the AquaC Remora and the CPR BakPak.

Mods

1) The submersible fuge light seems to function. It's been months now and my halimeda and chaeto are still alive
2) I purchased a Hydor Flo and I"m looking into either modifying the stock outlet or just adding it to the end of my 'bulkheadless' outflow. I'll post this mod when I decide how to fit it in

Corals

1)I started adding plankton for the corals and will also start zooplankton periodically. Since most my corals are 'softies' and leathers, zoo's and LPS, I went with CoralPlankton and will also try ZooPlex
2) I've been dosing my tank with B-Ionic...seems to be helping my alkalinity
3) Two new members...can you ID them?

Livestock

1) added 4 cerith snails...haven't seen my nassarius in awhile and wonder if they are gone. Someone stated that they are short lived. Wonder if this contributed to the cyano outbreak
2) new member of the team...can you ID?

Hope this helps NC'ers to follow.

SH

 

[steelhealr]

New Tank Mod

I added a new tank mod tonite and I'll post it outside this thread to help others. Many of you have read about it. It's called a Hydor Flo.

It is an outflow nozzle that rotates 360 degrees and simulates 'wave' action. A sponge can be applied to the outside and it rotates above the water improving aeration (I don't have the sponge on it yet). It looked intimidating at first, but, took only a couple of minutes.

Instructions

1) Do your weekly water change to lower the tank water level

2) Grab the outflow flange by the 'duckbill' and gently twist. It should twist off easily.

3) The duckbill is now removed exposing the outflow flange

4) Find the adapter that fits into the NC outflow best, push it into the HydorFlo and then insert the HydorFlo onto the NC outflow flange.

You're done. If you bought the rotating sponge, you can put it over the HF.

New Hitchhiker

Couldn't believe it but tonite I found a NEW hitchhiker in my tank. Would you believe it's a sea star??? I tried taking some pix but too dark. Will retry tomorrow. Hope it's compatible with my reef.

Just trying to make the big boy stuff within reach of us 'newbies'. Hope this helped. SH

 

[Mr Miagi]

Wow SH. That is a wonderful tank. Stunning. That sixline, or what we can see of him is gorgeous, and your corals look amazing.

I think your first coral is shrooms, and your second zenia, but im not certain, so lets wait and see if i am correct! im not certain about the fish species you have in there, but it looks like some sort of pipe fish. Again, lets wait for someone else....

I like the idea of you putting some more macro in your tank. (In the "After" photo, that green stuff) cause id like to see more scattered around in there, but thats just me i guess!

 

[steelhealr]

Thanks Mr. Miaggi...the two new corals are actinodiscus. or red mushrooms, the second is tubipora musica, or organ pipe. The new fish is a Yellow Striped Clingfish. I have yet to get him to eat. I hope he will. Believe it or not, he is in the goby family. He DOES cling tho'. The macro I put in there is halimeda. It has not been a problem at all to date. SH

 

[One_Trick_Pony]

i only have freashwater tabks but have found ti whole thread very intertesing, it is a nice looking tank as well

 

[steelhealr]

Hi...it's with great frustration that I must recommend to anyone following my Nano Cube post to hold off buying a Nano Cube. There have a been a rash of tank cracks with some suffering catastrophic failure with loss of livestock. Well, after attributing it to what many others have posted on other forums stating it was related to shipping problems, I now have to differ. I just happened to check my tank the other day:

Please, anyone out there...DO NOT BUY A NANO CUBE UNTIL THIS ISSUE IS RESOLVED. The failure appears to occur consistently along the 'seamless corners' on the front of the tank. I've been all over that tank with photos for this thread and also with a MagFloat. This crack did not exist on arrival. I've 'zoomed' on all my tank photos and do not see a crack....I DO NOT RECOMMEND BUYING A NANO CUBE AT THIS TIME. I know I have been a big supporter of this tank, but, in view of the recent occurrences, I can't recommend this system out of concern for other aquarists. I will post this on my other thread, which, sadly, I will have to 'postpone' and terminate development. I will still be able to help others who have already purchased one. Thanks for eveyone's support. SH

 

[ncjharris]

Thats a real bummer SH.

I have been following your post eagerly since you started and it has been a joy to read, you are obviously very passionate about what you're doing and it comes across when you write.

What will you be doing now - rehousing your livestock?

 

[steelhealr]

Thanks ncjharris for your kind post. I am looking into new tanks...I posted the options on the other thread I left as a cautionary note to others.

There is a lot of 'action' going on right now with this problem and the tank distributors or others working with it may rapidly switch over to acrylic or they may lose business very quickly. I have contacted the distributor, JBJ Lighting, and I'm waiting to see what their response is.

Anyone following this thread, I will resume it when I have a new 'safe harbor' for my livestock, in order to support other nano reefers that start here. If I get offered an acrylic, it is not my favorite as compared to glass, but, it would continue the lines that go along with the equipment and stand I have. Will keep people updated so they can see what happens to marine reef keepers that suffer a tank insult.

Thanks to all the great posters here..people who PM'd and are supportive ..and everyone who keeps this thread alive and keeps new reefers informed and 'safe' with their livestock. SH

 

[steelhealr]

For those of you out there WITHOUT a crack in their NC and with stock lighting, you can see that you CAN start to have a nice tank without metal halides. Lack of dremelling and wiring experience does not exclude you from having a beautiful attractive tank. Like any people who followed this thread, I couldn't have gotten here without help from others.

To anyone that followed in my footsteps and got the NC, I'm not sure if an apology is in order or not, but, consider it offered. If and when I get this crack stuff figured out..I will resume and post some ways out of this. I've already posted some alternative tanks based on other peoples recommendations and my own experience with AGA. I will retroedit my first page to warn others. SH

Ricordea florida, already splitting into two:

Yellow Fiji Leather (sarchophyton elegans) and second Ricordea polyp

Various zoanthids

Tubipora musica (Organ Pipe) and caulastrea (trumpet coral)

Cladiella sp

Discosomia (actinodiscus)

Parting shot

 

[Navarre]

Your tanks looks better each time i look at it SH, im amazed at the colours you have in the tank!

Sorry to hear about the tank crack though, i really hope you can fix this problem soon.