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I just needed hanging file folders! Nano Cube 28g


laserbrn

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This past weekend I was upset with the filing system at home so I decided to run to Office Depot for more hanging file folders to organize everything properly. What's next door to the Office Depot? You guessed it, the LFS. I walked in for some general information and walked out with a Nano Cube 28 Quad-CF I think it is.

 

I asked the owner if this was going to be time consuming or a pain in the butt and he said it was easy. He said freshwater and saltwater are the same, except SW is easier to maintain. He threw together a package with the live rock, sand, the saltwater needed to get it started and sent me on my way.

 

Of course I got home and started researching and holy balls that guys a liar! This is going to be a serious time commitment, but he got me. I'm interested and I've been bit by the bug.

 

I put the tank together, rinsed and added sand then about 15 pounds of live rock.

 

I guess the tank should have started to cycle, but my live rock looks pretty well cured (though not completely) and I'm not sure that it's going to be a large enough source of ammonia to get the process going. The tank has been full, pumps running, lights off for about 48 hours now.

 

That's my situation, I'm cramming trying to get as much information as I can while this thing cycles and I'm actually not in huge hurry to get fish or corals into the tank. I'm really eager just to get the tank stable and ready and I want to do it right! I'm thankful in advance for any and all help that you guys can offer and I look forward to embarking on this journey.

 

My initial questions:

I don't have any test equipment or strips. Any advice on what works well and will work for a long time would be appreciated. From what I've gathered I need to measure PH, Temp, Nitrites, Nitrates, and potentially phosphates? Is it best to use individual tests for all of these things or does there exist meters?

I purchased the JBJ Nano Cube 28 Gallon CF-Quad. The reason I purchased the CFL version of this tank was the assumption (while I was standing at the store not properly researching) is that the LED lights on the more expensive unit are probably not adequate anyway and it's likely we'll be upgrading lighting. What direction should I be looking for a unit of this size?

 

Do I have enough live rock or should I add the two more pieces that I have that have been sitting out drying out for the past two days? Third option is to buy more, but buy some truely good pieces that are shaped a lot better.

 

Again, thanks for any input, encouragement and I'll even take a bit of beating for jumping in without doing the homework myself first. I've been wanting to do this for a long time and maybe this was really the best way to force myself into it.

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Dave at nanoboxreef does retros for these tanks. They include 26 leds.

Here's a link to the page:

Nano-reef.com/topic/336876-nano-box-retro-line/

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I was just researching those. He doesn't seem to have any pics or info on his website about them. Have you seen any threads or members that have used one? I'm definitely interested.

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Welcome to the hobby, did the guy at the local fish store take your firstborn as well?

 

There's a lot of questions that need answered here, and even more questions you don't even know to ask yet. Hopefully you are poking around on the sight and getting an idea or two.

 

Firstly, I'd find a new local fish store. Someday you are going to have a question or an emergency, and the place that sold you this new little money pit is not going to prove reliable. I hope it was just a kid who worked there and didn't understand what he was saying, because most of that was an outright lie. So again, step one... find healthy resources in your local area. An hour drive for a knowledgeable and clean fish store is a small price to pay.

 

You're going to need a saltwater test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate at the very minimum to track your cycle. And that's just to start. Somehow I doubt that live rock he sold you was fully cured, but even if it was you would no doubt experience a mini-cycle. You can add a small amount of fish food to the tank if you question the bioload the live rock will provide.

 

Did you purchase pre-mixed salt water from the store, or did you mix it yourself? Did the store sell you a bacterial additive to kickstart your cycle? Are you aware of the need to monitor your tank salinity as water evaporates and do you have a source of RO water to top it off?

 

Give us a little more information on what additives and testing equipment you have, such as a hydrometer and such. I hate to say this, but it looks like you're going to be making a shopping list. Chin up, it'll be worth it in the end!

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I have the same exact tank as you and i'm running this LED setup: http://www.rapidled.com/solderless-jbj-nanocube-28-hqi-dimmable-retrofit-kit/

I scraped off the white strip on the glass panel on the splash guard to get this set up to work with it as the white strip would block lights from the LED. I'm running 12 cool blues, 4 cool whites, 4 neutral whites, and 4 violets. I'm using the LDD-H-4 + LDD-H drivers + SE-350-48 power supply and the storm controller to control the LEDs. Haven't had any problems yet and Rapid LED was a lot of help!

 

But enjoy the tank and i like your mind set going into this build to take it slow, you will enjoy it much more that way!

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I have nothing...literally nothing.

 

My goal by the end of the night (next 3-4 hours)is to narrow down what meters and test equipment I need to order. If you have some insight into good meters for PH and Temp + the ideal kits for testing that might shorten my learning curve. I don't want cheap junk, I want this to work right. I'd like it to be convenient and not messy, anything that can be done via probe is ideal.

Is there any need for a fancy hygrometer or just go with the simple design?

 

I don't have any bacterial "kickstarter". I just threw in the liverock and it's been running. Any ideas on what I should be looking for in that department?

I have some sources of RO water. I'll install an RO unit at some point, but in the meantime I can pick it up. RO unit installation is tricky in my rental house, I've been down this road, but I'll get it sorted out.

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I have the same exact tank as you and i'm running this LED setup: http://www.rapidled.com/solderless-jbj-nanocube-28-hqi-dimmable-retrofit-kit/

I scraped off the white strip on the glass panel on the splash guard to get this set up to work with it as the white strip would block lights from the LED. I'm running 12 cool blues, 4 cool whites, 4 neutral whites, and 4 violets. I'm using the LDD-H-4 + LDD-H drivers + SE-350-48 power supply and the storm controller to control the LEDs. Haven't had any problems yet and Rapid LED was a lot of help!

 

But enjoy the tank and i like your mind set going into this build to take it slow, you will enjoy it much more that way!

 

I like the idea of doing this. Seems like it might be a little work, but somewhere way down the line when I get past the stable tank and understanding what I'm doing I'm sure I'll focus in on lighting upgrades.

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Does anyone have any input on this device or something similar? It's a ReefKeeper Lite controller. Seems like it would be a good starting point and with the pH and thermometer it pretty much seems like a good deal. I just don't know if it's junk. Seems a little "too good to be true".

 

 

http://www.marinedepot.com/MarineDepot.com_Exclusive_ReefKeeper_Lite_+_SL1_Expansion_Unit_w_FREE_pH_Probe_Multi_Item_Monitors_Controllers_for_Saltwater_Aquariums-Digital_Aquatics-DA11311-FITEMOMI-vi.html

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Well, at least they didn't also "fix you up" with a bag of fish to put in it too.

 

Let what you've got cruise and read through the build threads a bit... you'll pick up what you need in no time and have a better experience for it.

 

Welcome to the addiction! ;)

 

Edit: now's a great time to scape... no risk of crushing something, and no fears of changing that one little thing you don't like. Don't forget to "feed" your cycle... either dosing pure ammonia to 1ppm or a little bit of sinking pellet food every couple of days to keep the nitrifying bacteria growing prior to adding livestock.

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Does anyone have any input on this device or something similar? It's a ReefKeeper Lite controller. Seems like it would be a good starting point and with the pH and thermometer it pretty much seems like a good deal. I just don't know if it's junk. Seems a little "too good to be true".

 

That's an expensive option for a hobby you've just started. Before you buy anything, make a list of what you NEED, and what you WANT. There's a lot more that you are going to NEED before your shopping list is done, and a 200 dollar controller may suddenly not look as appetizing.

 

So to start off, I'm going to toss out the brands I use for testing and what not. Saying right up front, other opinions on this site will vary. Please don't think I'm telling you to buy one brand over another, you should do your own research and price checks for your shopping list.

 

You're going to need saltwater testing kit right off, to monitor that cycle. API's saltwater kit includes PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. They also make a reef kit that includes calcium, phosphates, etc.. you'll need both eventually, but you need the first immediately. Begin monitoring for ammonia and nitrite. There's lots of posts and articles about how to follow a cycle. This to me seem to be your first priority, as it won't be safe to add any livestock to that tank until you know the cycle has completed. Again, even if by a miracle that live rock you bought was fully "cured", you'll still have a mini cycle to contend with from the sandbed, etc.

 

Salinity is a topic that's debated a bit on this site. There's a few hardcore folks who think that the 7 dollar plastic hydrometers are all you need, and others that think they work on voodoo. Your middle of the road option is an optical refractometer, which come in all price ranges depending on brand, materials and store. High end is the digital stuff, like the Pinpoint salinity monitor which I use myself. Keep in mind, that price range is now closing in on a what a full controller would cost like the one you linked. There's pros and cons for all. Give this thread a read, and get some more opinions:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/351072-go-buy-a-refractometer-now/

 

Bacterial additive (or biofiltration agent) is used to seed your little paradise with the microbes needed to establish and run your nitrogen cycle. I'm going to link the brand I use on Marine Depot since you seem to be looking on there. You might want to shop around. http://www.marinedepot.com/Two_Little_Fishies_BioPronto_Marine_Biofiltration_Nutrient_Control-Two_Little_Fishies-TL42242-FIFMBOBC-vi.html

 

You'll also want to grab some Seachem Prime. http://www.marinedepot.com/Seachem_Laboratories_Prime_Tap_Water_Chlorine_Chloramine_Removers-Seachem-SC4435-FIADWTTCDC-vi.html

 

What heater did they sell you with the biocube?

 

Can I ask what host material, if any, you are using in the rear compartment of that bio cube? Anything like bio balls, bio glass, etc etc?

 

There's been a shift in a hobby, where it's believed that the plastic bioballs and similar media have a habit of becoming nitrate factories. A lot of reefers are now using products like Caribsea Rubble Zone or crushed aragonite to house microbes in their sumps since it also benefits tank buffering. Again, you can find forums posts about that on these forums. Here's a store link. http://www.marinedepot.com/Caribsea_Rubble_Zone_Aquascaping_Rock_for_Saltwater_Reef_Aquariums-CaribSea-CS00532-FISSLR-vi.html

 

You also should not be running any filter media during your cycle. If the tank begins to smell, you can use plain old activated carbon pellets to help, but keep the other filter media out until your cycle is near the end, otherwise you're depriving your microbes their supper and slowing down your cycle. I personally use Boyd's Chemi-Pure Elite and Seachems Purigen. Other opinions will vary, do your own research and choose accordingly.

 

What heater did this store sell you with the tank, and what wattage is it? It would actually be helpfull if you could list to us everything that did come in the package so we know where to guide you next. ;)

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Does anyone have any input on this device or something similar? It's a ReefKeeper Lite controller. Seems like it would be a good starting point and with the pH and thermometer it pretty much seems like a good deal. I just don't know if it's junk. Seems a little "too good to be true".

 

 

http://www.marinedepot.com/MarineDepot.com_Exclusive_ReefKeeper_Lite_+_SL1_Expansion_Unit_w_FREE_pH_Probe_Multi_Item_Monitors_Controllers_for_Saltwater_Aquariums-Digital_Aquatics-DA11311-FITEMOMI-vi.html'>http://www.marinedepot.com/MarineDepot.com_Exclusive_ReefKeeper_Lite_+_SL1_Expansion_Unit_w_FREE_pH_Probe_Multi_Item_Monitors_Controllers_for_Saltwater_Aquariums-Digital_Aquatics-DA11311-FITEMOMI-vi.html

It's pretty good, but if you have the cash, get an apex. They are really good controllers. For test kits that are cheap and efficient, I would recommend salifert.

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I have pretty much listed everything that this package came with. It does have a container in the middle in the rear that seems to have some filters.

 

The last one didn't photograph well, but it looks like a bunch of tea bags. I should just go ahead and remove all of them? I seem to have a bunch of small white junk floating in the water too, presumably it came from the sand. I cleaned rinsed it for a lifetime, but somehow it still seems to have put some white junk into the water. It just never got completely clear.

 

I have attached pics of the filters that came with it.

 

No heater, no chiller...



Pics of filters that were included....

 

 

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So far I have found the following on Amazon and all are Prime Eligible. They have been ordered and will be here in a couple of days.

 

Two Little Fishies BioPronto - 250ml

Seachem Prime - 250ml

 

Salifert Ammonia Test Kit

Salifert Nitrate Test Kit

Salifert Nitrite Test Kit

 

I have been searching for a good PH meter and thermometer and I'm pretty much still leaning towards the controller. It's a solid $100 for a decent ph meter and $30 for a thermometer at that point I may as well get the package deal and have the ph meter and thermometer handled. Even as a simple timer for the lights it seems like a good setup. I can't really see spending the kind of money that Apex costs for such a small, relatively simple setup. It does seem nice, but that kind of $$ surpasses the cost of everything else thus far.

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I have pretty much listed everything that this package came with. It does have a container in the middle in the rear that seems to have some filters.

 

The last one didn't photograph well, but it looks like a bunch of tea bags. I should just go ahead and remove all of them? I seem to have a bunch of small white junk floating in the water too, presumably it came from the sand. I cleaned rinsed it for a lifetime, but somehow it still seems to have put some white junk into the water. It just never got completely clear.

 

I have attached pics of the filters that came with it.

 

No heater, no chiller...

 

The white short tube looking things in the right of your picture are bioglass/biomax. They are used to create a home for your beneficial microbes to enhance biofiltration. You can keep those, or upgrade to just pure arag rubble. I personally feel you'll be ok with those, as they are better then the plastic bio balls. Refer to the forum threads about aragonite rubble in your filter sump for a better list of pros and cons.

 

I can't see that well in the picture, but the dark grey filter material sometimes has the center cut out and a bag of carbon in there. Which is fine, as long as it's just carbon. You packaging instructions can tell you what is in, or should be in there. If this is JBJ it probably came with just plain activated carbon unless something has changed recently.

 

You my friend, are going to need a heater. A chiller can wait, and may not be needed at all if you make the move to LED lighting. I would suggest a submersible heater that also has a digital control/temp gauge that can monitor from outside the tank. I use this one, and have had great success with it. http://www.marinedepot.com/JBJ_True_Temp_Digital_Controller_w_Heater_Titanium_Aquarium_Heaters-JBJ_Lighting-JB1531-FIHTTH-vi.html You may want to take some time, and search the members aquariums section of this forum and look for people who have the same tank as you. Most people list their equipment and livestock, and you can get a great idea of what works well and what won't for your tank right from someone who has the same thing.

 

The little floaty bits.. are they tiny pieces of styrofoam that came loose during shipping? If so they'll float on top and either stick to the glass or eventually make their way into the filter overflow. They should be removed simply as you don't want fish to nibble on them. Styrofoam won't poison your tank, but it's also not beneficial, so it should come out.

 

I'm not sure by what you mean in regards to a bunch of teabags. That may be the filter carbon satchels, or something else completely. Again, look in the instruction booklet and put a name to the item.

 

I'm actually surprised he let you walk out the door without a heater. You'd think he'd want to add as much onto a package as he could. That may work out for you, since now you have the option to buy something you'll like, versus whatever the fish store tossed in.

 

Do a search for your tank on these forums, and take a look at other members builds. Don't be afraid to ask questions directly in their posts, they'll probably appreciate the attention and be happy to offer their thoughts on equipment choices.

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I purchased the open box floor model, so no documentation was provided. Presumably I can find the information on the internet, but I'd really just like to go with whatever works best. My bet is that the stuff that comes with the tank probably isn't the best.


I stopped off today and picked up a thermometer, some PH test strips, buffer solution (hopefully unnecessary) and of course forgot the hygrometer! Tomorrow I'm going to stop by the store and pick up a damsel or something to get the tank started cycling a little faster. I started researching tropical fish stores and found one about 20 miles away that seems to have a good reputation. I felt a lot better talking to the employee at this store than the previous. He wasn't all about selling, he just wanted to help me get the tank started and in the right direction. Considering I didn't buy the tank from him and walked in there ready to spend some $$$ he was pretty reluctant to sell me stuff he didn't think was necessary at this stage of the game.

 

So soon I'll have all of my test strips and I'll make sure that everything is stable and hopefully as early tomorrow I can get a damsel or something else in there to produce some ammonia. Sure I could add it using chemicals, but girlfriend would be pretty happy to see a fish swimming around in there. For the cost of the fish I'm not terribly concerned with whether or not it survives. If it dies it should just release ammonia that much faster, right? lol.

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I tossed a small piece of frozen fish in my tank to test the cycle. Much more convenient than chasing around a damsel you later want out of your tank. If the damsel does die, girlfriend might not be so happy.

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If you're not happy with the current filtration that came with the tank, you can upgrade the media basket to one made by InTank. They are a sponsor here and everyone has great reviews for their products. They sell media baskets as well as other upgrades for your tank. You should check them out.

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Hi! Welcome to the hobby!

 

I agree that you should make a list of things you want and things you need. I'm a newbie as well, so forgive me if any of my advice is flawed. When I started I did a ton of research before buying anything (still am, actually). The two places that had the most reliable information was here and cross referencing videos on youtube. In particular BRS has a lot of intro videos that you may find useful.

 

As for starting your cycle, w/ live rock, your cycle should happen pretty quickly. I DO NOT recommend using a damsel fish. I hear that they can get rather aggressive, so any additional fish you'd want to add in the future will likely be picked on and harassed. Secondly, why put a fish through something like that when there are easier alternatives? I used Tim's Ammonium Chloride. I cycled dry rock in 3 weeks and I knew exactly how much ammonia was going into my system.

 

Good luck, it's a great hobby, but man that dude was lying! There is a ton of more complexity to saltwater than freshwater and it's like 10x more expensive!

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Yeah, I've been a researching maniac. Fortunately I have a little experience with plants so I know how these things go. It's going to take me awhile to really get the hang of it, but I've seen just about all of the BRS videos in the past week along with zillions of other youtube videos.

 

I'm a forum junky so I've spent the past few days on here mining for as much information as possible, but it's hard being a newbie. I have grown plants in the past (you know "tomatoes") and I did it for so long I forgot what it's like to be a complete newb. At least you guys aren't nazi's about the "search the forum" stuff. Everyone's been really helpful and I can see myself making the foolish newbie ass choices already (like using a Damsel to cycle the tank) just because I saw it in a few places and didn't fully grasp what I'm doing. So I'm slowing down, trying to focus on equipment right now and I'm going to start reading some books and I'll perform water changes on the tank, monitor it a bit and perhaps add an ammonia source of some kind to make sure things are moving along.

 

It's going to take me awhile to feel comfortable that I know what I'm doing and make the leap to actually putting something in the tank. I haven't even managed to get the temp under control yet.

 

I did do some tests on the tank as a couple of my Salifert test kits arrived today. Ammonia and Nitrate.

 

Temp: 82.5 degrees (it's falling as the heater I purchased needed some adjustment. The dial isn't really spot on the temperature it's holding)

 

Ammonia: < .25

Nitrate: 25 ppm

 

Nitrite test arrives tomorrow and I'll be interested to perform the entire cycle of tests and start an ammonia source. That alone excites me...just that I can add some ammonia and test as it follows the cycle. Great stuff for this nerd....

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