Chino's 12g Nanocube DX

[Chino]

Decided to start a new thread since my build thread was started with a new account I made because I forgot the login info to this one. Plus it was a crazy slow build thread because I was overly excited just to be back in the hobby after 5 years. Will be updating with progress here only.

 

Well, here goes.

FTS 11/05/12

 

 

FTS 09/14/12

 

 

FTS 07/25/12

 

 

Specs

 

Equipment

JBJ 12 Gallon Nanocube Deluxe

Steve's LED:

9- Royal Blue Luxeon ES 3 watt LEDs

5- 5,000K Neutral White Luxeon ES 3 watt LEDs

JBJ Nano-Glo Refugium 4 LED

Maxi-Jet 900 w/ Hydor Deflector

Oceanic Biocube Protein Skimmer

JBJ Nanocube Modular Surface Skimmer

OceanAqua Techmic 100W Heater

Digital Thermometer

Hydrometer

 

Livestock

Rock and Sand

22+lbs 13lbs of Fiji/tonga/totoka Live Rock & Rubble

15lbs Crystal Reef Pure White Aragonite Live Sand

Macro Algae

Chaeto

Fish

Mated pair Picasso Clownfish

Sixline Wrasse

Corals

SPS

Fireside Acropora, Red Milepora, Red Monticap, Green Birdsnest, Ora Green Birdsnest

LPS

Acan Lord, Frogspawn, Suncoral, grape coral

Soft

Greenstar polyps, Xenia Elongata & Pom Pom

Zoanthids:

eagle eyes, dragon eyes, radioactive dragon eyes, frozen frog eyes, purple hornets, african blue hornets, hulks, rastas, mohawks, mean greens, magician paly, red people eater, cherry blossoms, greenbay packer, purple deaths, hoot owls, whammin watermelons, various unknowns

 

Inverts

Sherman Rose Bubbletip Anemone

Maxium Clam, Crocea Clam

Cleaner Shrimp

Cerith, nassarius vibex, nerite snails

Various hermit crabs

 

Saltwater

Instant Ocean Reef Crystals

RO/DI water

 

Supplements

Kent 2 Part

Brightwell kalk +2

Chemipure Elite

 

Maintanence

2g bi-weekly sometimes weekly water changes

Top off daily

Feed PE Mysis and Coral Food every other day

Clean glass daily

 

Current Tank Params at 1 1/2 months today

PH: 8.4

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 0

Phosphate: 0

Alk: 12

Calcium: 500

Salinity: 1.026

 

Very happy with the water quality. Maintanence paid off.

 

Check out my build thread HERE

 

Can't believe how fast this tank cycled (2 weeks). Feeling that the tank is way overstocked with LR though. Thinking about slowly taking out a few pieces to have some room. No current shots of the nem because he's in the back which is hard to take a pic. Yes, Im bending the rules a bit by adding him way too early but I like the challenge. Plan on adding a crocea clam in a few weeks Right now Im letting corals grow out and will not be adding anymore. I want to add one more fish but very indecisive on what to add. Any suggestions would be awesome. Just borrowed a family member's Nikon D40 DSLR camera and still do not know how to use it properly. Here are a few shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking!

[albertthiel]

Decided to start a new thread since my build thread was started with a new account I made because I forgot the login info to this one. Plus it was a crazy slow build thread because I was overly excited just to be back in the hobby after 5 years. Will be updating with progress here only.

 

Well, here goes.

Thanks for looking!

 

I like .... very nice indeed ! Go Reefing !!!

[Looselyhuman]

Looking good! Those clowns are sweet.

[Chino]

I like .... very nice indeed ! Go Reefing !!!

Thanks!

 

Looking good! Those clowns are sweet.

 

Yeah picked them up for $80 locally. They have been super good until yesterday. They were fighting for 24 hours straight! It everything's good now though.

[GalaThoun]

nice tank! great selection in corals

[Chino]

nice tank! great selection in corals

 

Thanks bro! I just noticed we have some corals in common My rastas are acting weird today. Only coral in the whole tank that's closed up most of the day. Weird. Favorite zoa/coral too.

[owenj]

Beautiful tank, & only a month & a half old! Love that SPS up at the top with the neon blueish polyps.

[albertthiel]

Decided to start a new thread since my build thread was started with a new account I made because I forgot the login info to this one. Plus it was a crazy slow build thread because I was overly excited just to be back in the hobby after 5 years. Will be updating with progress here only.

 

VERY nice indeed .... I like it a lot !

[Chino]

Beautiful tank, & only a month & a half old! Love that SPS up at the top with the neon blueish polyps.

Thanks Jamie! I know! The tank is very young. I think you're refering to the ORA green birdsnest. Yes, I love the color. I know I added some things too early but felt that water quality is good enough to try. Hoping it's stable and going to keep up with those water changes. Your tank is beautiful as well. I shouldve went with your tank for more space. I was planning to just make a "small" comeback into the hobby but I feel I got the reef bug once again so I'll be looking to upgrade. I feel bad for the clowns and the anemone for not having so much space to move/swim around. I might have to upgrade and move them over. Still looking for a 20L or tall RR and a 50g+ RR to purchase. Love your corals! I've been passing up a few LPS and SPS from local reefers because my tank has no room whatsoever. Had a deal on some blastos but had to pass it up.

 

VERY nice indeed .... I like it a lot !

 

Thanks again!!

[jball1125]

Looking great, the clowns are awesome!

[Chino]

Looking great, the clowns are awesome!

 

Thanks! Yeah I love these clowns. Must Find Better Home for them....lol soon I hope. Your tank is looking good too. diggin the aquascape and the color on the corals! What kinda camera are you using? Or maybe my LEDs dont bring out much color under actinics. Are your shots full actinic?

[jball1125]

Thanks! Yeah I love these clowns. Must Find Better Home for them....lol soon I hope. Your tank is looking good too. diggin the aquascape and the color on the corals! What kinda camera are you using? Or maybe my LEDs dont bring out much color under actinics. Are your shots full actinic?

Thanks! Im using one of the higher end point and shoot cameras from cannon (don't remember the model). Most of my pics are taken under 35% white to 65% blue radio. It is harder to capture true colors under blues only for me.

[Chino]

Just for the hell of it I decided to show you guys the progress for the first month. Madness I tell ya

 

Day 1

Day 6. Incoming diatoms.

Day 10. Here comes the GHR...

Day 12. Damsel and first corals added.

Day 15 Cyano joins the party.

Day 16. Tank cycled! All params at 0. CUC added and GHR melting/consumed away! More corals added.

Day 18. Cyano and Diatoms 100% gone. GHR continuing to melt away.

Day 19. GHR completely gone!

Day 21. CUC reduced! More corals added.

Day 22. More corals added and rearranged.

Day 23. Lights upgraded to LED. More corals added and rearranged.

Day 27. More corals added and rearranged.

1 Month with 25% water change. More corals added.

1 Month 1 week. More corals added and picassos plus nem added as well

Today: 1 Month 2 weeks 2 days. A ton of corals added and rearranged.

 

Whew!

 

 

 

Thanks! Im using one of the higher end point and shoot cameras from cannon (don't remember the model). Most of my pics are taken under 35% white to 65% blue radio. It is harder to capture true colors under blues only for me.

 

No wonder your pics look good. I have a Nikon D40 on hand and have no idea how to use it properly. Spent a few hours on it the other day and gave up. I tried to take 40% whites 65-70% actinics pics with iphone, regular digital, and dslr cameras but not getting these beautiful pics people seem to capture. I guess I have to mess around with the settings on the camera and LEDs on the tank a little more to get the pictures right.

[gabe3eb]

Very cool progress shots.

[Looselyhuman]

Nice! Loved that you managed to get almost the same shot every time. Like a filmstrip.

[jball1125]

Nice! Loved that you managed to get almost the same shot every time. Like a filmstrip.

 

Ditto, very cool!

 

BTW The Camera is a Canon Power Shot SX230 HS. Not the picture quality of a DSLR but you also dont have to go to school to lear now to use it.

[owenj]

Thanks Jamie! I know! The tank is very young. I think you're refering to the ORA green birdsnest. Yes, I love the color. I know I added some things too early but felt that water quality is good enough to try. Hoping it's stable and going to keep up with those water changes. Your tank is beautiful as well. I shouldve went with your tank for more space. I was planning to just make a "small" comeback into the hobby but I feel I got the reef bug once again so I'll be looking to upgrade. I feel bad for the clowns and the anemone for not having so much space to move/swim around. I might have to upgrade and move them over. Still looking for a 20L or tall RR and a 50g+ RR to purchase. Love your corals! I've been passing up a few LPS and SPS from local reefers because my tank has no room whatsoever. Had a deal on some blastos but had to pass it up.

 

Thanks again!!

Thanks! I'm glad I went up to the 24gal, but I'm not sure I'd want to go much bigger. I also am trying to keep this reef adventure on the small side.

[Gramophone]

Try putting the SLR on a tripod and setting it to the "no flash" mode. I have learned that it's a good "default" setting.

 

Love the clowns!

[Chino]

Very cool progress shots.

Thanks man. It's crazy how nasty the tank gets in the beginning stages.

 

Nice! Loved that you managed to get almost the same shot every time. Like a filmstrip.

Yeah I tried but got lazy resizing on the last two pics lol

 

Ditto, very cool!

 

BTW The Camera is a Canon Power Shot SX230 HS. Not the picture quality of a DSLR but you also dont have to go to school to lear now to use it.

Thanks! What?! Now I know for sure Im doing something wrong with this DSLR because your pics are coming out way better than mine.

 

Thanks! I'm glad I went up to the 24gal, but I'm not sure I'd want to go much bigger. I also am trying to keep this reef adventure on the small side.

I think the biggest I'll go in my room is a 30 of some sort. I really wanna get this 50+ corner tank up in my living room but custom tanks are so expensive!

Try putting the SLR on a tripod and setting it to the "no flash" mode. I have learned that it's a good "default" setting.

 

Love the clowns!

Thanks! Yeah, I spoil these clowns with food. Love em. Thanks for the input. I actually do have a tripod and of course flash off but Im just trying to understand the settings and how to take macro and super macro shots. I have another lens for super macro but just clueless on how to position myself and tweak the settings.

 

P.S. Those progress shots were with an iphone4s before I got the DSLR. The first photo in this thread was taken from the DSLR. Not much difference lol.

[neonnight]

i am getting ready to start the same tank setup.. i have a question about your pump.. Maxi-Jet 900 w/ Hydor Deflector are you happy with this setup ? i am gonna change my pump and was thinking either the 900 or 1200 with a hydro deflector i just wasn't sure if it would blow water out of the tank..also did you go with the pump style or the power head? your tank looks great and had come a long way in a short time GREAT PICS i cant wait to get mine started.

[Chino]

i am getting ready to start the same tank setup.. i have a question about your pump.. Maxi-Jet 900 w/ Hydor Deflector are you happy with this setup ? i am gonna change my pump and was thinking either the 900 or 1200 with a hydro deflector i just wasn't sure if it would blow water out of the tank..also did you go with the pump style or the power head? your tank looks great and had come a long way in a short time GREAT PICS i cant wait to get mine started.

 

Hey thanks alot for the kind comments and youre so right. Def a long way in a short time I tell ya. I think Im out of things I want to add. Should've slowed down a bit.

 

To answer your question the powerhead style is the one that you will need to be able to install into the return on the 3rd chamber. To be honest, I could use a little more flow but it's not necessary. Keep in mind that the deflector takes away a bit of the flow. When the deflector rotates upward to the water surface, the water actually touches the light guard. It really depends on how your aquascaping is. I have mine where most of the rock is not touching and of the glass or back wall.

 

Now the 1200 might be a bit too much but I cant say because I havent tried. My guess is you would need one if your rocks are piled tightly and against the glass and wall. My main reason for not using the 1200 is because of the heat issues I have with this Texas weather in the 100s daily. With the deflector and the 1200, you might be able to pull it off. The 900 already kicks up sand at the front bottom right side of my tank but of course it's how my rock placement is. I've been wanting to add the smallest koralia but it might be a bit too much.

[neonnight]

thanks i didnt even factor in the heat issues of a bigger pump i was just thinking FLOW ! i think i will go with a 900. i see your not using bio balls and after reading about them with use of live rock i understand why. if i chose to use live rock in my second chamber do i have to run a light for it? also what is the foam for in the 3rd pump chamber is that just for noise reduction or is it there to benefit the tank somehow? i am a newbie to nanos an have a post on the newbie forum but after seeing your work it looks like you have all the info i need and more to come out on top with a great looking tank. i am trying to avoid an expensive bucket of things that didnt work for my tank. i know we all have that bucket that has a weeks worth of pay on items that didnt work out. ty for your help and your great post n pics

[Chino]

thanks i didnt even factor in the heat issues of a bigger pump i was just thinking FLOW ! i think i will go with a 900. i see your not using bio balls and after reading about them with use of live rock i understand why. if i chose to use live rock in my second chamber do i have to run a light for it? also what is the foam for in the 3rd pump chamber is that just for noise reduction or is it there to benefit the tank somehow? i am a newbie to nanos an have a post on the newbie forum but after seeing your work it looks like you have all the info i need and more to come out on top with a great looking tank. i am trying to avoid an expensive bucket of things that didnt work for my tank. i know we all have that bucket that has a weeks worth of pay on items that didnt work out. ty for your help and your great post n pics

 

Not a problem, Im glad I can be of some help to you. If you are only going to have LR rubble in the second chamber then you will not need light. Light is only used to grow macroalgae which helps keep nutrients down. I've heard of some people only using LR rubble in the second chamber. I use the sponge in the 3rd chamber to trap any detrius that gets past chambers 1 and 2 but clean it everytime I do a water change. Also using it to trap any macroalgae that sneaks through from chamber 2. Currently trying to figure out a way to add an auto top off switch in the 3rd chamber as well. Come winter, I will also need to find room to fit the heater in there. Very little room to work with in these AIO tanks. Do you have one of these up and running?

[neonnight]

i bought one used for 80 buxs very nice and clean with stand and a ton of supplies. i have not yet put it together because i am waiting on my pump to get here. the one it came with needed an impeller and i figured it was less then acquitted with the flow after reading a few peoples replies i figured to up the pump with a new one and be done with it. i am going to start the tank next week but wanted to do my homework before i did it all wrong. i will take pics along the way just like you did. again your post if GREAT and has helped me along the way in trying to understand nano tanks and props to you for fitting 10 lbs of poop in a 5 lbs bag. you seem to have made the most out of your space and i can see why your tank has come along way in a short time. i have a local salt water store where the owner is very nice he seems to know his stuff and his prices i feel are very fair on frags, fish and live rock. i was turned on to the place from the women i got the tank from he has 2 clowns that where in this tank on consignment their. she said i could have them once the tank is up and running. so i went in there and talked to the owner. he also said if you buy your supplies to get your tank going from me you can have the 2 clowns free of charge and will house them till my tank is all cycled. all this seems like a very good start. so i will by my sand, live rock and premixed RO water from him. his live rock is 3.87 a lbs, his water is .99 cents a gallon and the sand is 20$ for 20 lbs. all in all his prices are fair and his shop is RIGHT around the corner from my house so i was gonna use him for my supplies anyway even before the offer of the free fish. i think i will use my second chamber for live rock chips. i am not sure what macroalgae is but goggle here i come. here is a link to my first help post before i found yours. http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=310680

Not a problem, Im glad I can be of some help to you. If you are only going to have LR rubble in the second chamber then you will not need light. Light is only used to grow macroalgae which helps keep nutrients down. I've heard of some people only using LR rubble in the second chamber. I use the sponge in the 3rd chamber to trap any detrius that gets past chambers 1 and 2 but clean it everytime I do a water change. Also using it to trap any macroalgae that sneaks through from chamber 2. Currently trying to figure out a way to add an auto top off switch in the 3rd chamber as well. Come winter, I will also need to find room to fit the heater in there. Very little room to work with in these AIO tanks. Do you have one of these up and running?

[Chino]

i bought one used for 80 buxs very nice and clean with stand and a ton of supplies. i have not yet put it together because i am waiting on my pump to get here. the one it came with needed an impeller and i figured it was less then acquitted with the flow after reading a few peoples replies i figured to up the pump with a new one and be done with it. i am going to start the tank next week but wanted to do my homework before i did it all wrong. i will take pics along the way just like you did. again your post if GREAT and has helped me along the way in trying to understand nano tanks and props to you for fitting 10 lbs of poop in a 5 lbs bag. you seem to have made the most out of your space and i can see why your tank has come along way in a short time. i have a local salt water store where the owner is very nice he seems to know his stuff and his prices i feel are very fair on frags, fish and live rock. i was turned on to the place from the women i got the tank from he has 2 clowns that where in this tank on consignment their. she said i could have them once the tank is up and running. so i went in there and talked to the owner. he also said if you buy your supplies to get your tank going from me you can have the 2 clowns free of charge and will house them till my tank is all cycled. all this seems like a very good start. so i will by my sand, live rock and premixed RO water from him. his live rock is 3.87 a lbs, his water is .99 cents a gallon and the sand is 20$ for 20 lbs. all in all his prices are fair and his shop is RIGHT around the corner from my house so i was gonna use him for my supplies anyway even before the offer of the free fish. i think i will use my second chamber for live rock chips. i am not sure what macroalgae is but goggle here i come. here is a link to my first help post before i found yours. http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=310680

 

It's good that you're being patient. Homework is always good as well. Looks like you're on the right track. Look forward to seeing the tank all setup. Im sure things will work out for you. These AIO (all in one) tanks are pretty easy to setup and maintain. As for your cycle if you dont mind being a little patient, I wouldnt add so much LR. Space is very important in such a small tank. That was my mistake but it assisted me in a 16 day cycle

 

I also live around the corner from a local fish store. It literally a 2 minute drive. They have pretty much have everything you need and is strictly a saltwater store. No fresh at all. Only thing is, they are extremely expensive. RO/DI water is 53 cents per gallon. Premixed saltwater is $1.27/gallon I think. Live rock is $6.99/lbs. Ive spent over $400 dollars in there with only 3 visits. Only bought 2 frags there. Main reason I go there is for the RO/DI water. I made the mistake of using RO but no DI water with my previous 20 gallon tank and had major issues with green hair algae. This time around my water quality is the best ever. Many local fish stores will tell you to not be so picky with your water quality and that some people are too technical but all of that pays off if you decide to keep some of the more difficult inhabitants/corals. The LFS that I go to tells me their main display tanks have 40+ppm in nitrates and high phosphates and their corals seem to be fine. They over feed on purpose. Go figure! I would listen to the more qualified and more experienced saltwater enthusiasts than LFS employees but that's just me.