A Brief Four Year Retrospective

[steelhealr]

Never forget your roots
Almost four years ago, on this very fish site, I saw someone creating a stunning looking fish tank..a reef tank..ON A FRESHWATER site. Wow. Cool. She directed me on startup and after weeks of researching, I purchased a JBJ Nano Cube DXt (of the cracking variety).

I opened the box and......there were no directions.. "If you are using this for saltwater, you make not want to put in the bioballs." Unh....bioballs? Crap. Hence, a journey began to help all those fools like me who wanted this fancy shmancy marine tank in the house but didn't have the space and time...OR....just wanted to be a new kid on the block. Nano....sounded so.....chic, so..ultra modern.

So..there I was...with...a tank.

Off to Oz
Next..the journey was on ....a set of rocks...the most expensive rocks I ever owned.

...and they could turn blue...at night...just as if you were swimming underwater when you should be sleeping

Wow!! But..then...everyone told me that brighter was better...that faster was better....that cleaner was needed....and my wallet dwindled.

What was that word everyone was using: MODS. So, now, if I had tubes that went this way, media with strange names and plants growing in a place that sounded like a home for runaways....all was cool.

Phosban.....SeaGel.....ChemiPURE....COOOL. I LOVE THOSE NAMES.

So...I was off and running....into.......

• diatoms
• cyanobacteria
  
  
• uncooperative polyps
  
  
• unhappy feather dusters, etc.
  
  

Steelhealr's Balls of Steel...well...

OK..well...I had pretty good success with my tank. As many know, I could change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel with....OOOPS...wrong show. Nope...I wasn't any Superman. If anything definitive came out of my efforts, it was simply to show that you can have a beautiful tank with stock lighting. You can. But...hey...I made my share of boo boos. I share a few, but, hey...maybe someone had better success:

• if a coral arrives looking yucky and stinky..IT'S DEAD...don't put it in your tank
  Before:
  
  
  
  After:
  
  
  
  I offer this to anyone who needs an ashtray.
• Diademichthys lineatus is not moderate to keep, it's difficult
  
  
• Need I say more?
  
  

Just Say No To Crack

Then...the catastrophes began. People who owned the very same tank that I had, began to suffer spontaneous cracks, dumping gallons of water on the floor with loss of sea life. Not me...oh please...not me.

CRAP. DOWN WITH JBJ....I assailed and attacked. I went running to Target to pick up a big plastic tubs which I kept nearby. (BTW, JBJ DID send me a replacement tanks).

FYI...the crack has remained stable...four years out.

The Rebel Alliance

As time went on, my tank blossomed. With age comes camaraderie here. Like all places, and like the big commercial on TV, "you have to earn it". Friends = frags. Frags....love that phrase too. Don't say coral fragment, say frag.

• hey...got my first piece of acantho...er....acanther....uh....DOH
  
  
• now WHY....WHY....did I get this??? I have enough trouble feeding my kids, I have to feed THIS 3X times a day....OUCH! Talk about NITRATES?
  
  
  
  
• and this things grows into a MONSTER
  
  
  
  
• and stay away from this baby....it'll nuke ya badly....
  
  

On the bright side, I met some GREAT people here....many of whom are gone already but new replacements fill their spots. There are too many others to list....they are all in my original thread.

SH

 

[steelhealr]

Maturity

Yeah...puberty in nano reefing sucks. You make mistakes...cracking (er..not your voice)...but...as we all know here...there is nothing like a mature tank. The key to success is avoiding 'plop'.

If you rush into things and yield to uncontrollable urges and don't use your head, then you plop. Tanks need to mature before you throw the blinding spectrum of corals in there.

Patience leads to:

• Symbiosis
  
  
• Noncompetitive coral growth
  
  
  
  Note deposition of new skeleton and growth of euphyllia ancora
• Longevity
  
  
  
  My clown is still alive after 4 years. My black longspine urchin is about 3 years old and my yellow watchman is over 2 years old.

But...corals grow...and unless you plan well, work hard, trim, frag, thin...etc....24 gallons is still a very small place for a piece of ocean.

So...after four years, I can now sit back, open up an ice cold Corona Light or even a Bud Light Lime, kick up my feet, and throw out my tidbits to any newbies who come to this wonderful place that we started up.

Existensial Nanoism

OK...I've got my helmet on...my cup and chest protector are in place and here we go.

One

Read.

C'mon. This stuff is complicated. It's the ocean man. Learn it first. Understand it. You can put your hand in a nano tank and get bitten, stung, poisoned, envenomated, cut, electrocuted, etc.

Two

Read.

Understand corals if you are going to set up a reef tank. Know their names and how to write them. Understand their needs whether it be location, water movement, lighting or compatibility.

Three

Read.

Understand your equipment. If you don't, then, ask questions..preferably beforehand or before purchasing.

This is not a cheap hobby. If you don't want your $60 coral to die, be prepared to invest.

vs.

Four

Learn how to use a camera BEFORE starting. How can we help you treat a ####y, brown lump of something that looks like doody stuck to my whosamacallit. Include a camera as part of your tank equipment. We love nano-ing. We want TO SEE YOU SUCCEED.

Five

Nothing beats regular water changes. Know the water. Look and observe. Diatoms start showing up around 30-40ppm of nitrates and your corals may close. And don't dump unnecessary chemicals in there. You'd better darn test for what your putting in there or we're gonna fry your tushy if you ask us about it.

Six

For Pete's sake, don't get pissed off at anybody here.

We'll challenge....maybe even rough you up a bit.

But..if you explain why you are hatching a shark egg in a 24G tank and then tell us that your buddy has a 900 gallon marine tank or works at the local aquarium......

Experience counts for something. If 10 experienced nano reefer's tell you that a flame scallop is going to nuke your tank...and you need to find that out on your own....don't go all weepy on us when there are zero responses and your water is all cloudy.

Seven

Those are animals your putting in there. Some of them actually have brains and ya know what...they'll do in your tank what they do in nature. UNDERSTAND COMPATIBILITY.

Big fish eat little fish.

Difficult to keep means just that. And be conscientious. I'm sorry...2 clowns don't belong in a 5 gallon tank even if you can keep them alive for five years in there.

Eight

Learn how to be handy and understand your tank. Your bulbs are going to die on the weekend. Your fans will quit during the summer when your A/C is out. Your tank may leak on your beautiful wood floors. Prepare how to respond in advance for an 'emergency.'

Nine

Be innovative. That's the fun of this hobby. If something doesn't work well, make it better.

My mod was 'eh':

This mod was BETTER:

(This was NOT my original mod..giving credit where credit is due)

Ten

Finally, we're here to help. We won't stand over you watching everything you do.

But..we're not mind readers either. We all learn by mistakes. The only stupid question (besides the one that you didn't hit the search key button first for)...is the one not asked. If you're in trouble, we'll try and help you figure it out.

Find a guru and let him/her take you under their wing.

Finally, avoid a crash.

Take your time. Read. Listen to those more experienced and for heaven's sake, don't forget the motto:

Beauty comes slowly. Disaster comes quickly.

I finished my Corona. Go in peace.

SH

Some updates to follow. SH

Tank Update

If you are looking for a beautiful FTS...I am going to disappoint you. All of us run into life changes and the last 2 have been trying. During this time, my tank fell low on the list of things to take care of. My two children grew and took up time. During this course of time, my tank was overrun by a horrible 'slag' and I lost a lot of my corals.

HOWEVER.......there is tenacity in life and with return to take care, I was able to completely get rid of the beast of the slag. I have zero nitrates, no algae and a few coral hanger-ons.

Equipment

Tank
As you know, it's the old JBJ Nano Cube DX. The crack in the upper right corner has stayed stable without failure.

Hood:
Both banks have needed replacement but neither bulb has failed. Both fans failed and, thanks to our site, I was able to replace them with two 60mm fans. It required shaving down the splashguard.

Electrical
All hookups are working. My ballast failed about a year ago but I was able to replace it with the one that came with the JBJ replacement tank. I did all the electrical work/soldering to replace the fans.

Mods

All mods are functional and still working:

• Chamber 1 stock pump with over the bulkhead outflow; NanoBob skimmer
• Chamber 2 temp probe, pH monitor, refugium with Chaetomorpha, LR rubble with external illumination
• Chamber 3 Maxijet 1200; HydorFlo rotating outflow

Media

Still using my same concoction. ChemiPure, Algone, SeaGel and Purigen in Chamber 1. I use a layer of filter floss above it and change it weekly.

Survivors

• My original clownfish is still alive, 4 years. Wow.
• Yellow watchman is almost 3 years oldl
• Black longspine urchin almost 3 years

Corals
My only surviving corals are yellow colony polyps, orange/brown zoos, red, blue and green mushrooms; a green open brain which is getting the snot kicked out of it by the urchin and...my pride and survivor my euphyllia ancora. The losses were secondary to my life changes and inability to maintain them. So, I will rebuild.

Protein Skimmer

Bah humbug. I don't use one. You don't need one. A refugium is all you need for zero nitrates. I DO keep an AquaC remora on hand for emergency purposes only

SH

 

[ben1987]

great post, sorry to hear the troubles you had with the corals. That was one great looking tank. I hope you share the new additions with us later

 

[-Nemo-]

Great topic here. Its always good being reassured that even the best screw up
That was a beauty of a tank you had there, can't wait to see where it goes to now.

 

[TigerIssey]

An absolutely bloody fantastic read, I giggled and giggled and giggled



Hope to hear more and see more

 

[seffieuk]

What an excellent read, enjoyed every minute, bet it took you hours - thank you for taking the time to share with us, it is much appreciated

Can't wait to see how you proceed

Seffie x

 

[steelhealr]

De nada......here's to nano reefing

SH

 

[Truck]

great read! nothing goes right from the start! there are always hick ups.

thanks for this brill article, pin it! just to give people a taste of what is coming!

 

[BigC]

So Yer Back Then

 

[steelhealr]

Edging back as best I can.

SH

 

[bagu]

HAHAHA

that was EPIC lol! i lol'ed all the way thorough ^^ lve the piccies

and the last one is amazing lol, his little head popping out ^^)

thanks man! its understandable, just what i like

 

[scott133]

you tanks looks really nice with all you shrooms speading

 

[Trod]

Absolutely Brilliant read Thank you.

When I first started my tank Seffieuk told me to listen to you, then you went and I have come to know (and rely on) others, I am so pleased to see you coming back, and look forward to your future posts

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Good to see you back around. Your original thread was one of my insprations when I first started getting into the marine side of things. Was great to read what you went through with your tank and Im sure most of us can relate to it

 

[1entra]

An excellent read SH, Thanks for sharing some valueable info with us all... it is highly appreciated.

Good luck wth getting your tank back to its original beauty. Keep us all updated.

ps. Glad to see you back