Hello all! I have been lurking for a few weeks now and have come upon a wealth of info...awesome site/forum! I used to have a 30G FOWLR for about 6 years and broke it down and gave everything away when I was pregnant with my son 6 yrs. ago...single mom, blah, blah, blah. I knew I wouldn't have the time or money to give the tank what it needed. The tank also was not a great set up as it was an eclipse system with no mods, hense FO.

I have decided to jump back in quite a while ago and been doing a lot of research. Here is my question...I have decided on an AIO system (they are so much better now) for a few reasons and wondering if the set-up I have in my mind (and in Excel to track expenses lol) sounds like it really needs anything else to you more experienced reefers. I guess where I am really going with this is do I have to have a fuge? Will my equipment I plan on having suffice for what I want (listed below).

Equipment that will be ordered over next few weeks.

JBJ 28G NC HQI 150W MH
Koralia 1 for some extra flow (tank comes with two Accela PHs rated at about 266gph each and wavemaker)
Azoo Cooling Fan (tank comes with 4 fans built in hood but don't want a chiller and noticed many with this tank get this fan and say it works great to keep temp in check)
Stock Skimmer (may upgrade eventually if I need to but hope I don't )
30 lbs premium cured live Rock from LFS
20 lbs Caribsea Arag-Alive Sand
Obviously Heater (100W) and digital thermometer and all the other maintenance equip for water changes, testing, etc.

I will be doing my start up with pre-mixed RO/DI water from the LFS and RO/DI water for changes after cycling using Red Sea Coral Pro Salt.
I will be using stock filter media (sponge, carbon, ceramic rings) for the cycle but then changing to filter floss, Chemi Pure Elite and Purigen after cycle. I will change filter floss every couple days and the other filtration as directed.

I would like to stock the tank with my cuc obviously but as far as other livestock goes, a couple fish (Clown, Fire Fish, Yellow Watchman...you know, some peaceful little guys), soft corals and LPS. I would eventually like a clam but that would be down the road....I plan on feeding only every other day or so. SO with all that said (sorry, I am a chatty gal by nature does the equp setup I am planning along with weekly 10% water changes need anything extra as far as equipment goes like a fuge or sump...the confusing stuff I can't get my head around lol? I have read so much info and so many opinions and mods and my head is swimming !

Sorry for the long post and thank you for any advice you can give. I just hope that my tank will look like some of yours eventually!

Sharon

to nano-reef.com

Equipment sounds fine. Other things you didn't specifically mention include a hydrometer/refractometer and water test kits. IMO, refractometers are easy to use and clean, and the API saltwater master kit is the best value for beginners.

You don't need to buy bagged live sand, which reasonably has little life while sitting on a shelf. I suggest just buying dry sand, as any sand will soon become live with your live rock. Aragonite and calcite sands are two good choices; crushed coral can be a problem with the large grain sizes.

It's best to remove the stock filter media now so they don't schew the cycle when you later remove them.

Fish and coral lists are good. 3-5 small fish is a good range (smaller fish for the higher number).

Thank you very much for the imput. No worries...I've got the refractometer and the test kits on my list as well Was going to just get a hydrometer but everyone says they are not so reliable so...I am trying to do it up right in the beginning.

Great input on the sand as dry will be cheaper than live anyway. For the life of me, I cant remember what I did as far as substrate in my old tank I did read about the crushed coral being an issue due to the grain sizes...like I said, this site is an amazing spot for info! I have been stalking for a while lol!

Cool....I will use the better filter media right away. Only reason I said I would leave the stock media in during cycle is someone else said to do that and their tank was stunning What you said makes sense though so I will follow your advice and thank you again!

Welcome to Nano Reef and welcome to the Nano-Cube club. I also have the 28g Nano Cube. If you get your tank setup and are not happy with the amount of particles floating around, you may want to consider upgrading your media basket. Here is a link to my build thread.

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=225857

Welcome and best of luck on the new tank!

Sounds like you've done your research. I wish I had done the same when I got my 28g HQI. I just jumped right in and listened to everything the LFS said. I had to do alot more work and spend more money to correct my mistakes because of it. I've got nothing else to add really but I think you are pretty much on the right track.

Thank you urbaneks! I just read that 22 page or so thread last night for the nano-cube club lol! I was super tired this morning! Anyway, I was looking to keep my eyes on you (your tank is so nice) and for your media basket Hoping maybe I can have you build one for me because if there is one thing I try to do...stay away from sharp objects or glue lol! I am a mess and would end up in the emergency room!

Thank you guiax I am a reading junkie to begin with...I can not learn enough about the things that interest me! Believe me though...double edged sword! I lose sleep and become obsessed lol

In all seriousness though? I did that the fist time I started up a tank...I did a good amount of reading but put too much faith in the LFS and made huge mistakes with my equipment.

Yeah unfortunately I still fall into the same trap even til now. I still made a few mistakes with my 120g tank. There were times when I should have listened to myself but instead went with other peoples' ideas and now regret it. I'm still quite new and I am not that confident in myself. So I tend to listen to people with more experience. Atleast now I can kinda weed thru some of the BS but sometimes they can make things sound so right, when it really isn't. Oh well, just got to keep learning thru my mistakes and others.

i love my nanocube

the most important thing i have is my cooling fans, without them my tank gets reallly hot

What are your temps at with the fan? I have a chiller but maybe a fan would help and not have the chiller run so much.

Oh....I know that no matter how much reading and prep I do, I will still make mistakes. It is learning from them that matters I am so excited to get it started and having a really hard time holding out and not just draining my savings lol! That is also something I learned that was a mistake I made in the past.

What type of cooling fans do you use? I was told the double Azoo fan works well so that is what I was going to go with.

Another question....is there anyone that just runs it completely stock except maybe a Koralia for some extra flow and the fans for cooling? I know Allen 2656 looks to run stock and would love to see more pics of his tank (I will have to find his thread). I was thinking about getting the nanotuners 2 18w Actinic retro kit but not sure if it is necessary. I do want a bit of blue color to make my corals pop and have read that the stock bulb doesn't give that. When it is time to switch out the bulb I read the 14K Phoenix gives a nice bluish color. But the stock bulb is a 14K so I am confused by that. Is there another bulb I could change to when it is time that will give me some bluish color without getting the upgrade?

I don't know why people think hydrometers are inaccurate.
Swing arms are. But the glass ones are usually right on.

I keep mine in the heater chamber.
Tap it to break any water tension.
Good eyeball check of salinity.

I take it out when I'm mixing up water in 5 gal jug.
It works well in there too.

I was mistaken then. I thought a hydrometer was a swing arm? I will google lol. Or is it a swing arm but there are glass or plastic and the glass is better? I had a plastic swing arm with my FO tank and always just trusted that it was correct.

I have the nanotuners kit and I like it. I'm sure it's not necessary but I like the dusk/dawn cycle. I also have the 14K Phoenix bulb. I would never go back to stock. The tank just looks brighter and crisper than the stock. I think you'll be happy with the Phoenix as well.

So do you think there is a difference in brand then? Because the stock bulb is 14K as well. I guess I will have to wait and see how I like the lighting before deciding on the upgrade. It is on my list though lol!

You guys have some seriously beautiful tanks!

From what I have read, there is a difference between brands. I haven't tried any of the others though. I went with the Phoenix from all the reviews and I'll probably stick with it. I went with Phoenix for my 120g as well.

78-80

this is what i use
http://www.jbjlighting.com/prod-c-breeze.html

following along

LOL...Nothing to follow yet but thanks, Kenny! I can take a picture of my box of water with sand when I get home I will definitely add pics when I have something to look at beside cloudy, empty space...

Yea, let's get some pics on here. You've put alot of work into that tank. It's time to show us what you've got.

Hey Urbanek How's it going? I took some pics last night and was going to do a tank thread today...tank is looking pretty bad right now though lol! Yikes...all cloudy again (has to be the algae bloom because it has done it before when I had no rock but my live sand had been in there for about two weeks and had some diatoms on the sand) and only about 10 lbs of live rock in there...SO, not much to look at yet but I will get it up today

Should I just use this thread and change the title or should I start a separate thread...sorry...I am a forum noob lol!

i think you should keep this thread, and post pictures of a cloudy tank!

Too late I did a separate tank thread lol! Sorry...I know you were following that one. And my cloudy tank is there in all her practically empty glory!





Let me see if this works...I think this will link you to my thread lol...

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...=232235&hl=