444rich Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Welcome to my reef diary. I've been in the hobby for about 12 years, The biggest tank I had was a 45 gal, but I prefer stick with a nano, since im in a condo, easy maintainece, and lower cost to stock/ operate. I do like to keep it high tech though. The biocube 14 seems to fit my needs well. Hardware Tank: Coralife Biocube 14 with mods- rimless/ topless, knocked out false floors. Oceanic stand 1st chamber: Jager 50 watt heater 2nd Chamber: InTank media basket 3rd chamber: Maxijet 900 utility pump Filtration: ~15 lbs live rock, inTank media basket with Floss on top, purigen, then chemi-pure elite. 2gal weekly water changes. Circulation: Maxijet 900 utility pump only, seems to be enough and everyone is happy Lighting: AI SOL nano with controller. Lighting Schedule Timer1: 12 noon W: 5% B: 50% R: 20% Ramp 120min Timer2: 3 pm W: 25% B: 66% R: 10% Ramp 60min Timer3: 5 pm W: 80% B: 66% R: 15% Ramp: 60min Timer4: 1am W: 3% B: 7% R: 7% Ramp: 30min Lunar cycle: ON Timer5: 2am W: 0% B: 0% R: 0% Ramp 10 min Top off: auto-topoff single switch auto topper, walmart 2 gal resevoir, Tom aqualifter pump. Seaside aquatice gang valve. ( got this to hold the freshwater hose, Water general 5 Stage RO filter. feeding: feed the fish pillets every 2-3 days, feed the corals weekly mysis shrimp, coral frenzy. Software Fish: (1) Maroon Clown hosting RBTA (1) Watchman Goby and pistol shrimp.. not paired YET! Inverts: RBTA, 2 red leg hermit crabs, 2 turbosnails ( the purple ones), 1.5" crocea clam. 2 bumble bee snails LPS: Red open brain, 3- head frogspawn, yellow dendros, duncans, 2 acans Leather: Nephelia, colt Zoas: Fire and Ice, ets. Misc: Green star polyps, shrooms. Parameters: Salinity: 1.026 Temperature: 82ºF pH: who knows? Ammonia: I need a test kit Nitrates: I need a test kit Nitrites: I need a test kit Link to comment
mdisalvo55 Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 How did you make that acrylic mount for the arm? I have a biocube 14 and the nano as well and I'm searching for a better way to hang it. Link to comment
Deputy_Pooh Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 pure jealousy...how did you remove the trim? Link to comment
mdisalvo55 Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 To remove the rim you take a hacksaw and carefully cut at the back where you want to take the rim off, then you use a razor blade to get under the silicone holding it in place around the edges. Did you have to do any modifications to the tank or light arm to get that magnetic probe holder to work? Is it easily removable so you can move it when you clean the tank? I'm pretty close to ordering that and the InTank media rack for mine, but I wanted to make sure it was all good stuff. Thanks for all your help, your tank is inspiring. Have you thought about adding one more fish to it? I'm thinking when mine is running I'll do the 2 clowns, BTA, and maybe a jawfish. Link to comment
444rich Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 Yes the rim is easy to remove just do like he said and take it slow looks wayy better imho.. And the light required no mods .. I just cut out the piece of rim at the back of the tank.. Its easy to remove and im able to take out the media rack without removing the light mount.. Ill make u a video later Link to comment
444rich Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 I had a pair of mated percs but they were too big so i gave to a buddy i have one true perc right now and i need to get him to host the nem but he is facinated with the upper right hand corner of the tank for sum reason. I dont care that much for fish but think ill get one more ... The bengaii died.. Any suggestions ? I really like pygmy angels but they always die for sum reason. My current tank is more than 5 years old and has alot of scratches..i love the 14 so i got another.. Was considering getting a ecoxotic 25 gal but the bc suits me fine so i ordered a new one and will be de rimming and modding it soon. Link to comment
444rich Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 I think I have complete my setup. From here on out it is just maintainence. Link to comment
mdisalvo55 Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Looking great. I bet in few months it will be teaming with life. Do you mind posting your settings on your nano? I'm trying to figure out what to go with, currently I just have 2 settings programmed, but I would like to get it more realistic. Link to comment
DrawDown Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Very nice setup James Link to comment
444rich Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 Looking great. I bet in few months it will be teaming with life. Do you mind posting your settings on your nano? I'm trying to figure out what to go with, currently I just have 2 settings programmed, but I would like to get it more realistic. Thanks guys.. the light set up works good for me ... Timer1: 12 noon W: 5% B: 50% R: 20% Ramp 120min Timer2: 3 pm W: 25% B: 66% R: 10% Ramp 60min Timer3: 5 pm W: 80% B: 66% R: 15% Ramp: 60min Timer4: 1am W: 3% B: 7% R: 7% Ramp: 30min Lunar cycle: ON Timer5: 2am W: 0% B: 0% R: 0% Ramp 10 min I don't use thunderstorm mode .. don't think its helpful and always seems to come on when I don't want it to. Link to comment
mdisalvo55 Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Awesome, I'll give that a shot and see how it goes. Do you use the lunar mode? I have my thunderstorm setting on, but you are right it seems to happen at the worst times. I've heard more than a few times now "your light's broken" Link to comment
444rich Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 Lol.. yeah it kinda fun but useless and I think it my actually stress out the tank.. after two minutes I'm thinking Mann would it just be over now. That lighting schedule works great for me.. by the time I get home around 6 everything is opened up nicely Link to comment
mdisalvo55 Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Programmed mine to a very similar setting as yours last night, what a pain in the butt. I have read these things are jumpy, but mine was just doing whatever it wanted sometimes. I had to go through each timer about 5 times to get it right...I might contact AI to see if mine is broken or if they have a software update that alleviates this. Anyways, did it take you a while to get the corals used to this setting? Just from looking at others settings it looked like that's a lot of light shining down on the corals. Timer3: 5 pm W: 80% B: 66% R: 15% Ramp: 60min Also, from what I understand, with lunar cycle on timer 4, does that only allow the moonlights to light up for one hour of the night (until timer 5 takes over at 2am)? Link to comment
444rich Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 Yes 80% w is pretty bright and and started this off at 60 and raised it 10% weekly to 80.. Link to comment
metrokat Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I think I have complete my setup. From here on out it is just maintainence. Wow rich. Link to comment
444rich Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 12:58 PM 2/22/2012 2.5 gal water change Parameters: Salinity: 1.026 Temperature: 82ºF pH: 7.8 Ammonia: 0 Nitrates: 0 Nitrites: 0 Goby died last night.. will need to find a mate for the pistol shrimp Dropped and cracked refractrometer out another 30 bucks for a new one.. with hard case Put back in Korilla nano, considering an mp10 Link to comment
pbjelly Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 12:58 PM 2/22/2012Goby died last night.. will need to find a mate for the pistol shrimp Dropped and cracked refractrometer out another 30 bucks for a new one.. with hard case Put back in Korilla nano, considering an mp10 Sorry you had such a bad reef day. Your tank is looking really great. And I love that classic perc in the anemone shot. You're lucky - after 5 months, all of a sudden one day my clownfish decided to 'host' a ball of chaeto. Now every time I come home I think he's dead because he just lays there on it. MP10 is the best thing I've done so far in my BC14. Link to comment
444rich Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 Sorry you had such a bad reef day.Your tank is looking really great. And I love that classic perc in the anemone shot. You're lucky - after 5 months, all of a sudden one day my clownfish decided to 'host' a ball of chaeto. Now every time I come home I think he's dead because he just lays there on it. MP10 is the best thing I've done so far in my BC14. I was about to post a question about mp10 in a bc14... can you give some details on it .. positioning, settings... seems like its overkill... saying that its the best thing yo u got says alot.. Link to comment
pbjelly Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 The MP10 sort of is overkill. Other than when I set it up, I've never had it above 30%, the BC14 is just too small. But - it is unbelievably adjustable. I could never get the flow right with the Koralia I had in there before. I kept moving it from the back to the front to the side, and I was never happy. The real power of the MP10 is that it's not just adjustable in strength, but in flow type. I have mine set to reefcrest mode, and I can see it intermittently moving my corals slightly more or slightly less as it goes through it's flow cycle. It's mounted on the side toward the top and front of the tank. With my rock scape it sends the current bouncing off of the far glass and around the front of the tank, where it loops back behind the rock. I have no dead spots and a nice variation of flow types for the fish to play in. As my tank grows and changes, I can change the flow in it with the touch of a button. The MP10 has some drawbacks (other than price) - it can't be placed on the back false wall like a Koralia, and it can't be tilted, it always has to mounted flush to the glass, but for me it was totally worth it. The Koralia may have more possible mount choices, but once you turn it on it just churns water at one intensity. Link to comment
444rich Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 Yes, right now I have my koralia in the same location as your mp10, but its pointed to the back wall, behind my scape.. where theres a dead spot without it. Its giving me the additional flow.. but like you said.. its just blasting water in one direction. What I like about the mp10 is upgradeability, adjustability and control.. question .. is there a timer that allows different flow at different timed of the day? Oh and I love the appearance.. that koralia is an eyesore .. even though it is one of the better looking powerheads. I hate seeing equipment in my tank. Link to comment
pbjelly Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I think different flow at different times of day can be achieved with a combination of the MP10WES and a controller with a special module (VDM?) Some of the modes do try to vary intensity over time, but I think in order to switch modes without a lot of extra stuff you have to do it manually. Link to comment
444rich Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 Woke up to find my nem PO'ed for some reason.. not worried about him yet. Link to comment
444rich Posted March 11, 2012 Author Share Posted March 11, 2012 Added mp10 last night, running reefcrest 50%.. this thing is sweet .. gonna glue some sps to the top of the reef next Link to comment
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