24G Nano Cube DX Nano Reef Setup

[@ombomb]

Just read through this thread (again... ) ) and as always come to the end of it fully prepared to just buy a small cube and to hell with the consequences when my girlfriend finds out!

Stunning tank SH, but what's the crack situation?

Did I miss that part or is the tank still running with the crack?

 

[steelhealr]

Thanks Navarre..and again Parker313, welcome back. To @ombomb..my tank crack has stayed stable, but, I worry about it everyday. I am waiting to see what some of the new tanks initial 'reports' are. I still think it would be safer to move into another tank. So..maybe a risk, but, I'm cautiously observing. SH

 

[steelhealr]

Hi......Here is a DIY I came across on how to create a fuge light for a Nano Cube. When I saw it, I couldn't believe how ridiculously simple it was to do and it appears that this DIY can easily end the need for re-wiring, LED lights and heat issues. I had to give it a try.
Here goes, it's easy:

1) Get a razor blade and score a rectangle over the borders of the rear chamber from the back:

2) Being careful not to cut your fingers or the wire, simply peel back the thin vinyl layer on the back of the cube's wall:

3) Complete a square over the area. Here, you can see my chaeto which has done well under my submersible 10 watt halogen bulb:

4) I chose to try out Bobalouy's recommendation, a small Palm Light that you can buy from Drs. Foster and Smith. I'll keep my other light going to be safe that there is no die off:

5) The light actually clips easily onto the wires leading down from the cube's hood and adjusts easily with a goose neck:

It appears that you can use any type of PC back there if the Palm doesn't do well for you. Well..here goes. Time to get a bigger power strip. SH

 

[Navarre]

I would like to also welcome back Parker313.. You have been sorely missed )

SH, As i have already stated, your tank is an inspiration. My wifes nano is stable and doing very well but little has changed since we set it up months ago. The pulsing xenia in the tank is stable and no die back./.. but no growth either so im convinced the light in the tank is borderline.

What type of lighting do you have in your system as i cannot find it in your signature. I would love to be able to add some of the corals you have done with your system but i feel withteh current lighting its risky at best.

 

[parker313]

I would like to also welcome back Parker313.. You have been sorely missed )

Aw, thank you! )

Wow, that is a great and easy DIY mod for a fuge!

 

[Ethos]

Whats a fuge light?
I mean, what does it do? How is it benificial??

 

[steelhealr]

To Navarre...first off, congratulations on the addition of a new subsection to the marine area on TFF. Your advice has been invaluable and the mods here supportive. It's growing.

The lighting is compact fluorescent, 2 x 36 watts, total 72 watts, each bulb 50/50 actinic 10,000K. So far, I have not lost a coral. The most difficult of which to take care of, as you would probably surmise, is the gorgonian. If I recall, your clowns are in a 10 gallon nano, right? spherical?

To Ethos A 'fuge' light is short for refugium. The light is placed over a refugium, a protected area within your system where you can 'safely' keep macroalgae, copepods or other threatened animals or invasive but helpful plants. Macroalgae acts as a 'nutrient exporter'...can take up and process nitrates. Like most plants, it requires light. They can be invasive, hence, most macros are kept in a refugium. BTW...thanks for your supportive posts in getting this section started. SH

 

[steelhealr]

New addtion to the tank, a black longspine urchin:

I took a gamble and added him to the tank to try and combat the extending red macroalgae in my tank. As you can see in this pic, it is extending up a pillar of LR that I have my euphyllia ancora perched on.

SH

 

[Mr Miagi]

Some new shots and a new addition:

Fungia sp., Orange Plate Coral

Dying brain, recovered

Before

After

Open brain (?trachophyllia?), not fully opened yet

Banggai (Kaudern's) cardinalfish

SH

Ok, this ois freaky! I bought a Green and Pink Plate coral yesterday, along with a "dying" Green brain stony coral just like yours, covered in alage and not doing s well for $6.00. And then i preceeded to buy myself an Open Brain coral, which is very similar to yours but lighter.... This is too freaky SH. Ill post pics of mine in a different thread!

Thats a ripper shot of your P. kauderni. Awsome! They are such beutiful creatures, and there patterns.....

 

[steelhealr]

Mr Miaggi..way to go...get the green brain coral up near the light if you can and have patience..it should come back. Keep it away from any softies as the softies can 'fight for space' with toxins. It will probably come back. SH

 

[fish_keeper2]

) wow im so jealus of your tank SH.............its absolutely beautiful.

 

[steelhealr]

Thanks fish keeper....fought a lotta battles...I had them all....bubble, cyano, a near tank crash......and now aiptasia. Work in progress. SH

 

[keane]

Thanks fish keeper....fought a lotta battles...I had them all....bubble, cyano, a near tank crash......and now aiptasia. Work in progress. SH

Howdy SH,

Finally got a chance to read through the whole of your diary (my 9 week old baby son doesn't leave me with much "spare" time!!).

Truly inspirational and what I will no doubt use as my guiding light as I enter into the world of Nanodom!! (Parker313 and Bunjiweb (Ben) I haven't forgotten your threads either. Your tanks are also awe inspiring and I will be taking serious notes from both of you, as well as SH!!)

I am now sorely tempted to hold out for a cube rather than use the 20 gallon I referred to in my recent post on here. This is purely for the allowance a cube seems toprovide to create a "better" aquascape and base of live rock.

One question...just for ease of reference on "fragging"....when you split the live rock how do you do it?? and do you also split/cut the coral with a knife or such implement or does it split itself?

Sorry if I sound confused/stupid/both. I will do my research, i promise, but thought the question was a good excuse to bring this thread back to the top of the pile for a while .

thanks

steve

 

[steelhealr]

HI Keane/Steve..thanks for the great comments. As you start up your tank, most of the corals you buy will already by frags or 'fragged'. That is, some took a piece of their growing coral, attached it to a piece of live rock to propagate it (ie, some have a prop tank).

When a coral increases in size, you can either (with leathers) cutoff a piece of it and attach it to a piece of live rock, or, in the cases of some LPS/SPS....split the rock it is attached to leaving some coral on each piece, hence frags. I hope this explains it somewhat. SH

 

[steelhealr]

Updated tank pix. My mushrooms need pruning away from my tubipora (organ pipe). Note that I pruned the sinularia away from the yellow Fiji. SH