Starting A Nano Tank

[hwoarangtag]

Hi all, I planned on starting a small Nano reef tank.

i just bought a JBJ nano deluxe 12 Gallon and a refactrometer since i heard it's better than hydrometer altogether.
I also bought Instant ocean salt.

To start, i would want FOWLR. And slowly maybe add some corals.
I would want to keep fish # to a minimum (maybe 3 max?) mainly clowns

Few questions:
Can i use TAP water with simple declorinathor? If not what other product to use?
If the above question is negative; I would buy RO water for 50 cents a gallon in LFS, the question is: can RO water remain in a big container for a long time; without filtration assuming i want to use it for water change and dont want to run to LFS everytime this happens?

Live sand vs argonite? which better and why?

Can i put cured LR into an uncycled tank right away and let it cycle or will amonia spike and kill the LR (if that exists)?

The included pump is a 106 GPH - is that enough?

How to control lighting for LR? do they need? Is the included light enough? How often to use? 2x24 Watts of intense 50/50 compact fluorescent illumination

Ideally; i would want the tank fully cycled before adding fish - is this even possible with just LR(Cured)? or do i have to go through fishless cycle with amonia?

I do not plan on using Protein skimmer as it's only a 12 g. Also; i have experience with freshwater - only now i plan to go saltwater (been saying that for 2 years)

Thanks!

 

[Anguilla82]

To start, i would want FOWLR. And slowly maybe add some corals.
I would want to keep fish # to a minimum (maybe 3 max?) mainly clowns
12 gallons is on the small side for a clown especially a pair of clowns. i'd stick to small gobies and the like.

Few questions:
Can i use TAP water with simple declorinathor? If not what other product to use? NO you need to use RO otherwise you will have permanant algae issues.
If the above question is negative; I would buy RO water for 50 cents a gallon in LFS, the question is: can RO water remain in a big container for a long time; without filtration assuming i want to use it for water change and dont want to run to LFS everytime this happens? Yes unsalted RO can be kept in a cool dark place for a lengthy time.

Live sand vs argonite? which better and why? Live sand is an over priced joke IMO, and you are much better off getting plain aragonite as it will seed from the live rock you get with all the good bacteria you need.

Can i put cured LR into an uncycled tank right away and let it cycle or will amonia spike and kill the LR (if that exists)? Yes put it in and let it cycle, Ammonia spike then nitrite spike then nitrate spike. Once the 2 former spikes are over and nitrate is well on the way down to 0 is usually the point at which you add CUC (clean up crew).

The included pump is a 106 GPH - is that enough? should be ok, you colud always get a Koralia Nano powerhead to up teh flow a bit if needed, but it would take up some of the limited room available in teh tank.

How to control lighting for LR? do they need? Is the included light enough? How often to use? 2x24 Watts of intense 50/50 compact fluorescent illumination Lighting is fine. Generally 8 hours a day is a good start, this could be upped towards 10 hours once teh tank is established (it'll limit the algae growth if teh lights are on for less time)

Ideally; i would want the tank fully cycled before adding fish - is this even possible with just LR(Cured)? or do i have to go through fishless cycle with amonia? As above, the cycle involves the live rock as this is your filter.

 

[hwoarangtag]

Thanks for the quick reply! What about all the filter materials included with the tank? should i NOT use them as Live Rocks will be my main filtration?

Thanks!

 

[Anguilla82]

Thanks for the quick reply! What about all the filter materials included with the tank? should i NOT use them as Live Rocks will be my main filtration?

Thanks!

depends what you got with the tank.

with the JBJ 24g i think you get some filter pads and some bio balls. (I had a 24g before my current setup)
i'd chuck them and add some live rock rubble to the back chambers with some fine filter foam on the top where the water first enters the back chambers.
The filter wool will act as mechanical filtration removing the larger bits of debris. (this will need to be changed weekly to stop a nitrate build up).
The live rock rubble will enhance your biological filtration capacity.
Some people use a chamber to add some macro algae to and light it using some LEDs. this helps with nutrient export as every now and again you remove some of the algae and throw it away, hence removing some of the nutrients in the tank.

I don't know how big the chambers on the 12g are so tell me if none of this is possible!

There are some good pinned articles in teh nano section of the marine forum, they might make all this make more sense.

 

[hwoarangtag]

Also; you mentioned about:

Can i put cured LR into an uncycled tank right away and let it cycle or will amonia spike and kill the LR (if that exists)?
Yes put it in and let it cycle, Ammonia spike then nitrite spike then nitrate spike. Once the 2 former spikes are over and nitrate is well on the way down to 0 is usually the point at which you add CUC (clean up crew).

Does that mean that I do not need to put any source of ammonia since the die-off of the already cured live rock is a source of ammonia? Or do i see need to add it (in forms of amonia or using hardy fish)?

Thanks

 

[Anguilla82]

Also; you mentioned about:

Can i put cured LR into an uncycled tank right away and let it cycle or will amonia spike and kill the LR (if that exists)?
Yes put it in and let it cycle, Ammonia spike then nitrite spike then nitrate spike. Once the 2 former spikes are over and nitrate is well on the way down to 0 is usually the point at which you add CUC (clean up crew).

Does that mean that I do not need to put any source of ammonia since the die-off of the already cured live rock is a source of ammonia? Or do i see need to add it (in forms of amonia or using hardy fish)?

Thanks

no you won't need to add anything other than the live rock.

basically get your setup together.
add the RO and the salt to get the slainity up to 1.024-1.026
Then add your live rock, then add you sand.
then leave it running, i.e. powerheads on and lights on for the normal amount

you will get some detritus build up from the die off from the live rock. probably best to siphon off some but not all of this.
regular daily testing will show you going through your cycle.

typically after 1 to 2 weeks (depending on the amount of die off from the rock) your tank will be cycled and ready for some hermit crabs/snails as your CUC.
they'll help clear up any remaining detritus and keep the dreaded algae at bay.

there's lots of threads on cycling in the marine forum so it'd be worth having a look through them (as i didn't do things strictly by the book so can't advise on the current best practices i.e. when to do water changes when cycling etc......)


You also need to consider how you are going to remove phosphate. many people add rowaphos (or similar) in a filter sock to one of the chambers of their nano.

hope this helps,

Rob

 

[hwoarangtag]

just to confirm; no carbon, bio balls, or the chemical thing(white things in a sock) are needed - only live rock is enough and filter pad.

The chamber on the JBJ is not too big...

 

[ben1987]

thats right, live rock and water movement is enough.

You may need to run some phosphate reover eventually too.

 

[hwoarangtag]

Great; other question on calibration of the refactometer. i read that one needs to use distilled water. Can RO water or tap water be used to calibrate?

Thanks!

 

[seffieuk]

No, you need to make your own calibration fluid or do as I did and use Distilled water (not as good as the calibration fluid but good enough)

Seffie x



oh and

 

[hwoarangtag]

Thanks! I read from this wonderful article suggesting to
1. Calibrate using pure or RO water
2. Retest with calibration fluid 35 ppt
3. Adjust if needed

http/reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/rhf/index.php#11

 

[hwoarangtag]

I just started the tank today.

1.020 with 7 pounds of cured LR @ 80F

is the salinity and temp good?

I checked the ammonia soon after and see about 1 PPM; must be the die off from LR.

Thanks

 

[Buddyboy67]

If wanting to keep corals take your sg up to 1.026, apart from that everything looks fine

 

[hwoarangtag]

Now that the tank is full of water @ 1.020.

How slowly (or quickly) could I alter the salinity. Should i just remove 10%(about 1 gallon) of water and mix in a matching 1 gallon water, say @ 1.030 so that it increase to overall 1.02x where x is > 0?

P.s. (It's a 12 galon nano JBJ that i have)
Thanks!

 

[youngfisher]

Pictures?

YF