24G Nano Cube DX Nano Reef Setup

[Navarre]

I would like to comment on the Mandarin. Its great news to find a Mandarin that is feeding on frozen foods. This is 99% of the battle with them. So if you have a Mandarin thats feeding on frozen then you really are very lucky. However, brine shrimp is a very poor food for them and has practically no nurishment in it at all. I have witnessed fish starve to death by people feeding only brineshrimp daily to their tanks. Brineshrimp does howver seemto get fish in a feeding frenzy so obviously the fish like it, hame they get hardly enoug hnurishment from it. I would urge you to ween the mandarin over onto a food with more vitimins etc. Mysis is far better IMO and even krill (though perhaps some bits might be a bit large). Both of these foods provide far more nurishment than brineshrimp alone. Perhspa mixinf brineshrimp with mysis as a start to weening the mandarin off would be a good start. Good luck with it, they are beautiful fish

 

[SHELL]

Thanks Navarre and SH

I have contacted the shop where we bought her from and asked if they had been feeding any other frozen apart from brineshrimp and they said they had been feeding them from a quintet pack. this contains mysis, krill, brine and a couple of others, so we will try a different kind and she how she goes. I'll keep you updated!

 

[steelhealr]

Update

All my parameters are 0 except my nitrates are doggedly hanging in there at 10ppm. I have Chemi-Pure and SeaGel in chamber one. But...when I went to check out my macroalgae tonite, it looked like in certain areas it was covered with a fine dust, almost like fine sawdust( the macro is still doing fine btw). I had the stock carbon in here and moved it to chamber one to try and do some cleaning back there..and..since I'm going away for a long weekend, I did a water change. I started siphoning over the LR rubble and a ton of flaky stuff starting coming up. It looked just like the stuff that would come out of your gravel in FW tanks. I barely feed the few fish that I have as I am super careful about that. Probably debris from the LR from cycling. I"ll continue to vacuum back there and see what happens to the nitrates.

Interesting thought...we all read so much here about the 'nitrate traps'...bioballs, sponges, ceramic beads. Yet...isn't a pile of LR rubble a mechanical filter of sorts?? Why can't this area become a 'nitrate trap' as well?? Food for thought. SH

 

[sammydee]

The point of live rock is it is porous, so although it does produce nitrates, in the middle there are anaerobic areas where anaerobic denitrating bacteria grow.

The thing with sponges becoming nitrate traps is if you allow debris and dirt to accumulate in them. It is fine if you rinse it out every few days. BUT if you allow nitrifying bacteria to grow on this surface, it will take food that the bacteria on the live rock needs to live - and then when you wash it and the bacteria die, you have major problems, possibly a mini-cycle.

At least that is what I have gathered happens

 

[steelhealr]

Hi..to those of you following this thread who saw the modification to increase circulation without a drilling a bulkhead, here is a link that another thread follower found:

http/www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/m...Code=Wavemaking

I don't know how well this works tho'...someone didn't like it as you can see on it's rating. SH

 

[chkltcow]

Everybody says those are crap and produce a lot of unneccesary backpressure on your pumps and such. Personally, I got one of the Hydor rotating nozzles for a powerhead, as recommended by Navarren and Aquascaper, and I LOVE it.

 

[SHELL]

Hi SH

I've fianlly managed to get a pic of our mandarin fidh, she has setlled in nicely and is stunning! eating a mix of mysis, frozen brine, live brine and brine flake with added vits and also standard marine flake, she's a little piggy!!

 

[steelhealr]

Excellent!!! As I was saying, the new book I'm reading tries to 'reintroduce' the mandarin into the list of possible livestock options for aquarists. I think Shell's test was the best way to go...make sure that the mandarin you are buying will eat food at the LFS before bringing it home and as Navarre mentioned, brine shrimp do NOT have a lot of nutritional value. SH

 

[sammydee]

I would still recommend being very cautious with the mandarin though - cases like Shell's are pretty rare.

On a side note, I was in the LFS yesterday and a woman came in with two children. One of the kids said "wow mummy i want a nemo". So she asked how much salt she needed to put in to keep one of the nemo fish . Then she asked if she could have a dory. The guy said "how big is your tank" and the woman goes "ooh about this big" (makes motion about two foot by one foot with her hands). Luckily the fish shop worker said that marine tanks were expert only and very difficult. Let's hope that she goes home and does some research for it.

That is the reason I am never havign a clownfish - I wouldn't be able to stand everbody going "hey its NEMO!" all the time.

 

[steelhealr]

If any future nano-ers are still following:

My nitrates hit zero. I think it's multifactorial...macro in the refugium area, ditching the sponge and I'm seeing small bubbles coming from the LR. I think that this may be nitrogen bubbles from denitrification...Navarre....what do you think? I've been reading that good LR can have denitrification go on deep within.

I had a second wave of diatoms, but, the bubble algae has not returned.

My cleaner shrimp molted. I think this is a sign of good water quality.

I've ordered a float switch just to stare at it and figure out what it is. It is a component of an auto-topoff system. I may look into this and if I can figure it out..post it here for others to do for their system.

Still have not seen my clown goby. I have no ammonia spike and no floating bodies, so, your guess is as good as mine whether or not she is still alive.

Might consider adding my first corals next week. As a reminder, this is a 24G with stock lighting (50/50 actinic, 72 watts, 3 watts/gallon). Soft corals, leathers, ricordia, zooanthids, mushrooms, and certain lps are OK. SPS and tridachna clams are NOT on the menu.

SH

 

[steelhealr]

Dangers of Owning a Nano Reef (or Why the @#$#%^ is My Finger Swelling)

We've all gone down to the beach or ocean at one point in our lives and either stepped on something, brushed against something or went running out of the water after seeing something skitter by our foot in the water. Well, know we've brought a piece of the ocean home. When we put our limbs in the tank, we are now in THEIR environment. What are some of the hidden dangers now lurking behind the glass in our living rooms?

Stings/Nematocysts

Many invertebrates have developed methods of defending themselves from attack or encroachment or even to get food by ejecting nematocysts, small capsules that can inflict a nasty sting. These animals are in a class called Cnidarians...jellyfish, anemones, etc. Reactions can include stings, rashes or the extreme of anaphylaxix.

Envenomation/Bites

Certain fish contain poison in their bites or in specially designed spikes in their dorsal fines. The most classic example is the lionfish. There is also a poison fang blenny. Again, reactions can vary from a mild sting to anaphylactic shock.

Ingestion of Toxins

Many soft corals secrete a slime layer, which, if not washed off the hands and ingested of if enters a cut, can cause extreme illness. Zoanthids are one in particular. If handling them or 'fragging' them (breaking it into smaller pieces), make sure to wear gloves and wash your hands afterward.

Lacerations

Razor sharp dorsal fins near the caudal fin can cause nasty cuts. Surgeonfish and some tangs are good examples. Mantis shrimp can split your fingertip if not handled carefully. Their chelae can smash thru shells and in some cases, aquarium walls. Some people have had bones broken.

Splinters/Bristles

Not too difficult to figure out. Bristle worms, if grasped or if LR is handled indiscriminatly, can have their small bristles break off in finger tips and cause extreme pain. Handle with care.

The most important thing to remember is that any injury occurring in a marine environment can lead to infection...and the bacteria can be quite different from the regular bacteria we are used to in our normal lives. These wounds can also take MUCH longer to heal. Use some smarts when sticking the hand in the aquarium:

1) Use gloves if possible if you have livestock that requires it or you are going to handle LR
2) Avoid sticking digits into blind areas
3) Don't buy livestock that you have no experience with if they are dangerous or poisonous and certainly don't stock them if you have small children in the house
4) Wash your hands after handling marine animals and invertebrates
5)Avoid doing tank maintenance if you have open wounds on your arms or hands
6) Siphon carefully if your tank contains potentially toxic livestock....start the siphon with a pump or by filling the tubing first
6) If you see any signs of infection...swelling, redness, pain, heat, chills, fever, etc..don't wait...get to the ER right away. Here are links to 2 threads that will help persuade you from 'toughing it out'.

http/www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...us&pagenumber=1

http/www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...finger+hospital

 

[steelhealr]

Protein Skimmers (or To Skim or Not to Skim)

Hi..Should one add a protein skimmer to a nano reef? This topic is one of the most 'controversial' subjects for new nano-reefers. It makes sense tho' for us 'newbies' since the responses are always divided. So, I've tried to review some of the recent posts and summarize a bit: what is consensus here to help some of us. The fine print...always do your own research...experience is the best teacher...and never trust everything you read:

What is a Protein Skimmer and Why Skim?

Our nano-systems are closed environmental systems..what we put in, does not easily come out. The addition of livestock, live rock and food adds nutrients and proteins that can accumulate and form dissolved organic acids (DSO's). As these accumulate, they can be a source of fodder for algae blooms, cyanobacteria and contribute to poor water condition which could also affect the well-being of corals.
A protein skimmer is a device that 'culls' these DSO's out of our systems. Without going into physics or the mechanical design of skimmers (that's for you to read up on), a skimmer is a chamber that creates a jet of bubbles. As the bubbles pass upward through this system, DSO's adhere to the bubble's surface and are released when the bubble bursts. These proteins are then collected at the surface in a cup for removal. A protein skimmer could also be included under the heading of a device for 'nutrient export'.

The Pro's of Skimming

Here are some of the consistent comments about advantages of skimming:
1) helps with overall water quality
2) replicates nature, waves crash and skim the oceans leaving skim on beaches
3) water changes are periodic and skimming is constant
4) gives a margin of error in terms of overfeeding
5) skimming the bad far outweighs whatever 'good things' are skimmed
6) one can't test for skimmable products likes metabolites, intermediates, toxins, etc and there are no good data out there as to what 'good nutrients' are skimmed off

The Con's of Skimming

Here are some of the consistent comments about going without a skimmer:
1) removes desirable nutrients
2) too large and make too much noise
3) require additional plumbing or don't fit well with certain systems
4) it's an unnecessary expense if you are consistent with water changes, light stocking and not overfeeding
5) creates microbubbles in the tank
6) possible oxidation of sensitive molecules (one poster listed iodine)
7) some ricordia/zoanthids prefer a small amount of DSO's

How Do I Decide if I Should Buy One?

Here are some thoughts to help you decide on whether or not to buy a protein skimmer:

1) What is my bioload....am I heavily stocked (not a good idea for a nano) or do I have heavy polluters?
2) Do I have a tendency toward overfeeding or do I have no other methods for nutrient export (no refugium or macroalgae)
3) Lack of dedicated time for tank maintenance and water changes (not a good habit for a nano but sometimes unavoidable for busy workers)

Can I Make My Own Skimmer?

Yes you can. There are many do-it-yourself (DIY) skimmer posts out there. Here are a few links:

http/www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...ght=DIY+Skimmer

http/www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...ght=DIY+Skimmer

http/www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...protein+skimmer

What Protein Skimmer Should I Buy?


Summary

In summary, the choice of using a protein skimmer is all yours. There is still no definitive consensus, however, IMO, after being in the nano-reef group for a few months I think the advocates of protein skimming are in the majority (unless the water changers are just not posting). While posting this and prior to the poll results, Skilter and Visi-Jet skimmers appear to get the worst comments. Most popular skimmers are the AquaC Remora and CPR Bak-Pak. For us NC owners, there isn't a skimmer that fits into our tanks, so, options include:
--using an external skimmer either periodically so it doesn't destroy the beauty of your tank or plumbing it by drilling holes thru the hood in the back or
--waiting and checking in with Chris at nanocustoms.com. They are reportedly designing an internal protein skimmer to fit in the back in chamber 2.

SH

 

[Navarre]

An excellant post Stealhealr!

I have always advocated the natural method and kept clear of skimmers or simply go for weak well known "underskimers". However with recent developments in my tank i was forced to use a skimmer.. a larger one too. I am convinced that the inclusion of this skimmer and connected ozone saved the lives of my remaining fish.

 

[steelhealr]

YES!!!!!! GO INVERTS!!!!. I recently posted a thread to help me I.D. the new growth on my uppermost rock in my NC. The news was I had (sob), cyanobacteria or red slime algae. Well...I was getting ready to go to Stop and Shop to buy a turkey baster when I woke up this morning to see this:

My astrea snail was plowing right thru it. VICTORIOUS!!! Strength and honor to you oh mighty snail. LOL. A good lesson for all of us about diversifying our cleanup crew. Thanks for everyone who helped me here. SH

 

[steelhealr]

The Bad Players ( or Pulling my 'Hair' Out)

Sooner or later, you are going to see the natural changes that occur in the cube during or after cycling. This includes the growth of various algaes. Some are a natural progression, some hitchhikers and others symptoms of problems in our cube. Most should resolve when the 'imbalances' resolve. Here are a few of the nasties:

Diatoms

This is the brown slime or film that you see beginning to creep up on your aquarium walls and the substrate and is usually the first to come knocking on your door. This is usually controlled with an algae scraper (Magfloat is great) and various snails. My Margaritas and Astreas do a good job of this. Elevated silicates may be a cause of diatoms getting out of control. Scraping the glass just prior to you water change with the powerheads off will help to reduce the load.

Cyanobacteria or Green/Red Slime Algae

This stuff shows up (as you can see in my photo above) as a sheet or covering of a slimy or slightly filamentous layer on the rock or substrate in red, green or even black colors. It is not an algae but bacteria. It loosens easily and can float. Cyanobacteria is usually a sign of poor circulation or flow and can also be part of the nutrient imbalance. Treatment is with snails (my astrea above is eating it), redirecting powerhead flow to that area and using a turkey baster to dislodge and remove it. You can also increase water changes. Some would add a protein skimmer if it gets out of control. Resist the urge to use chemicals or antibiotics.

Hair Algae

This is the real bane of many aquarists. Green hair algae grows in long filamentous threads that can grow everywhere and overtake corals and essentially smother them. Causes include:
1) nutrient excess/overfeeding
2) poor nutrient export/poor water maintenance
3) excess phosphate
4) excess nitrates
5) overlighting

Treatment:
1) reduce feeding
2) reduce lighting; use a timer if you can't get home to turn of the lights
3) if using tap water, switch to RO/DI water
4) increase water changes
5) consider a skimmer if out of control
6) consider adding a refugium with macroalgae (chaetomorpha, caulerpa)
7) manually remove as much hair algae as you can without spreading it around the tank
8 ) add any cleanup crew members that you don't have that will possibly eat it....Astrea snails, Mexican Red Legged Hermits.
9) unlike cyanobacteria, hair algae doesn't respond to increased water flow, in fact, it likes it

Bubble Algae

This is posted on a previous page. And lastly, again, for those following:

Update

The astrea snail did a partial job eating up the cyano/slime algae so, off to the market to buy a turkey baster (don't use your wife's ...LOLOL). I'm going to play around with my second pump to redirect flow. Also, since my parameters are zero, I decided to focus on my pH/kH. It had been running low at 7.8/7dkH. I started using Kent Marine Buffer (you could use bicarb). I began adding one teaspoon to my topoffs. Took about 3-4 doses. My pH is now 8.2 and dkH is 10....very good. Hope this helps. SH