Nanocube lighting

[sstrange]

Hi all

 

First time here, but site looks like a great source of info. Nice work!

 

Anyway, I am re-entering the hobby after about a 2 year break due to an ice storm that knocked out my tank with a week-long power outage. While I am ramping up to relocating that tank (75g) I got the fever and decided to try a nano to get me going again.

 

Anyway, my nanocube is currently cycling with about 15lbs live rock. I have about an inch-and-a-half sandbed. I removed all the sponges from the overflow (all 4 of the dern things), left the bioballs and biobeads and added LR rubble in place of the sponges.

 

I am planning basically on some shrooms and polyps, a shrimp, some snails, porcelin crab maybe and a small fish (yet to be decided). I'd also like to add a couple of corals, but am concered about the light intensity provided with the Nanocube.

 

It has compact 24w lighting in there currently.

 

I guess what I am after is some input on either 1) get the lights upgraded or 2) some recommendations of corals that would do well in that environment

 

Thanks!

[Blinkgyrl2987]

Hey!

From what I heard ...most softies will do fine under that lighting. no hard corals, anemones, or clams though. I also have the nano cube and I'm in the process of researching corals to add also.. so I'll just stick around with ya to see the replys others give... because I need advice on corals to.

 

Well Anyways welcome to Nano-reef.com... Its a great place, tons of stuff to learn. Hope this Helps.. ~`Megan~~~~

[BillyMadison]

I think first you should remove the bio balls and replace it with LR pieces...also search for the skimmer mod that involves just a minor cutting and blocking of the intake..you will also want to replace the pump and powerhead to something above 150gph especially if you plan on putting three fish in there..

[sstrange]

Yea, you're probably right the bioballs should come out, I'll dig them out this evening. I have a 150gph power head in the tank and am planning on only 1 fish atm

 

I'm going to try to keep the load light enough and water movement high enough that I won't need skimmer

[sstrange]

I sent JBL a email this morning about the lights in the nanocube, here is the reply they sent me

 

 

======================

 

From: Jbjlighting@aol.com [mailto:Jbjlighting@aol.com]

Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 12:40 PM

To: Scott Strange

Subject: Re: Nanocube question

 

 

 

Hello Scott,

thank you for your recent purchase. We have had our Nano Cube in our

office set up with the following corals for over a year with great

success:

 

1) Pink flowerpot

2) 3" Crocea Clam ( near the surface)

3) Scolmolyia Coral

4) Green Star polyps

5) Red Open Brain

6) Candy Cane Corals

7) 2- percula clowns

8) 1 banded shrimp

 

The requirements for the photosynthetic animals are not only dependent

on wattage for the depth the light needs to penetrate for the living

animal. The deeper you go, the more light intensity is required. You

will see that the Nano Cube was designed as a Cube that is not very

deep. I think you will be surprised how well corals open open and

expand.

 

Please check our website www.jbjlighting.com and click onto Nano Cube.

There is a section with photos of Nano cubes set up with corals that are

healthy and expanded.

 

thanks,

 

 

JBJ - U.S.A. - AQUARIUM PRODUCTS

Online Customer Care

jbjlighting@aol.com

www.jbjlighting.com

Fax: (310) 672-7261

 

================================

 

Seems like quite a bio-load, but maybe that is jsut me. Also suprised that they are able to keep a clam, I hadn't even considered that as an option

[Looselyhuman]

Originally posted by sstrange

I'm going to try to keep the load light enough and water movement high enough that I won't need  skimmer

 

I believe he means a mod for surface skimming (with the existing hardware), not protein skimming. Probably worthwhile, and the price is right...

 

Ian

[sstrange]

ah, that makes sense, I had noticed a little film on the surface when being viewed from below... I was thinking about doing some creative engineering to make the surface a little more turbulent. There is water motion on the surface now, but not enough to break the film

[BillyMadison]

Yes I meant the surface skim mod.. cutting a little notch off the top of one compartment and blocking the intake at the bottom will raise the water level and create a natural scum remover..my LFS did this mod on theirs..it makes a big difference

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...ghlight=jbj+mod

[Looselyhuman]

That Lee's skimmer mod is pretty cool too. For $18.99 you might consider that as well. http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...jbj+skimmer+mod

[nanocat]

I can't believe JBJ says they're keeping a crocea under 24W. My LFS claims the same is possible, but I notice they aren't trying it. I have a maxima and a crocea about 6" from 64W PC in a 10g. and that's extremely "iffy". I suspect I'll be buying MH soon.

 

In my nano cube #1 I have quite a few LPS; fox, frogspawn (2), torch, hammer, blasto, brain, and candycane, also a leather toadstool, several polyps, zoos, mushrooms, zenia, sinularia and a few others I'm forgetting. Around 21 corals in all. So far everything is doing well for the last 2 months under the 24W stock lighting. Livestock are 2 a.percula, 1 clown goby, cleaner shrimp and about 15 snails.

 

In cube #2 I have a large leather, gorgonia, blasto, candycane, and some zoos. Same stock lighting. Gorgonia has it's good days and it's sulky days. Livestock are 1 royal dottyback, cleaner and 12 snails.

 

I removed all the bio media and have only LR rubble, and purigen in the filter area, along with my heater. Both cubes have an additional powerhead Rio90 mounted on the left side for counter current. I point them slightly at the surface of the water to break up the film.

[oflores]

Yeah I have candy cane and everything else is pretty much polyps and shrooms. The candy cane does open up. I have a BTA in my jbj nanocube and it is doing fine. Sometimes I think it is going to split but it is just fooling me.

 

I have seen a LFS with a crocea clam but they modified the lights to four T-5 bulbs.

 

I am really happy with everything that is in my tank. Everything seems to be doing great except for a red zoo frag I ordered from Blane Perun that never opened.