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Saxplayer’s 16g LED Biocube


saxplayer

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Hello everyone!  I’m just starting a new saltwater tank for the first time and I want to thank everyone here for the help and all the information I’m learning!

 

Started:  9/8/18 with live rock/sand.  On 9/17/18, zero NH3, NO2.  NO3 20-50.

CUC added:

Fish added:

 

 

Edit - tank shot 4/13:

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edit - tank update 11/28/18:  I have yet to figure out how to get great pictures. I am reading and working on it, but they are horrible as of now.

A "few" corals added on 11/27 and 11/28.  Many different zoas including purple heart, rainbow infusion, rainbow yoda, blue diamond, peach ding dang, rasta, black hornet, deepwater watermelon, micky D's, Sunny D's, WWC twizzlers and others.  Also added some new favia, 2 acans and an awesome confucious hammer coral as well as a frogspawn to go with my other 2 hammers.  

 

IMG_4986.thumb.JPG.8b9b21032cac2520007a3ab721c0975f.JPG

 

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Close up pics of a few corals:

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edit-  tank updated pic 11/3/18:

IMG_4897.thumb.JPG.23244c00208549df773e6dbe5090e019.JPG

 

tank pic 9/8:

03FFBE09-B24A-4926-B315-62E40B3C6992.jpeg

 

16 gal Biocube mods:

removed the false bottom in compartment 1. Cut the tab off between compartments 1 and 2. Cut holes in the back of the lid where wires run so that the bottom piece of the hole is missing so I can life the top of the tank off without pulling cords with it. 

 

equipment:

stock lighting and return pump

aquamai kps WiFi wave maker 

inTank filter basket (filter floss, chemi-pure blue and seachem matrix)

cobalt neo-therm 75W (doesn’t look like I’ll need it lol)

5 stage premium plus 75gpd RODI from BRS 

normal sized flipper 

digital temp probe

 

15 lb Figi pink arag-Alive sand 

14-16 lb live rock from LFS

red sea salt (not pro)

 

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Christopher Marks

Welcome to the community @saxplayer! 👋

 

It sounds like you're off a good beginning with your Biocube, clever mods too. Your live rock looks nice with all that coraline algae, have you been noticing all the life starting to come out of it? How long has it been up and running so far?

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8 minutes ago, Christopher Marks said:

Welcome to the community @saxplayer! 👋

 

It sounds like you're off a good beginning with your Biocube, clever mods too. Your live rock looks nice with all that coraline algae, have you been noticing all the life starting to come out of it? How long has it been up and running so far?

Thank you!  I have noticed a very small branching thing but not much else. It’s been only running for 3 days now. I posted my recent tests for cycle start in the beginner forum. 

Just now, Lawnman said:

Welcome to Nano Reef :happydance: I like that Real Reef rock. I use it myself it looks great! 

Thank you also!  I don’t really know a lot of the rock differences. The LFS has only this so I went with it 🙂

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ok, so 9/17:  Zero ammonia and nitrites.  20-50 nitrates.  Awaiting advice from beginner forum to see if I should dose with Dr. Tim's ammonium cl to get the ammonia to 1ppm then see what is cleared in a 24 hr period.  Next step I assume soon, is to get a CUC.  Looking for recommendations for this tank.  I don't / haven't had an algae bloom yet.

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  • 1 month later...

The film algae on the glass is normal.  You can clean it off with an algae scraper/magnet.  I usually have to clean mine once or twice a week. Higher nutrients will make it grow faster.

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3 hours ago, Jackal227 said:

The film algae on the glass is normal.  You can clean it off with an algae scraper/magnet.  I usually have to clean mine once or twice a week. Higher nutrients will make it grow faster.

It seems like it is back in 4-5 hours though. For the last 4 weeks it hasn’t been an issue 

Should I search for a dead snail in case?

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What are your nitrates like now? Could be contributing. 

 

I often clean my glass daily with my flipper and two little fishes nano mag; I like taking that time to really inspect the tank. 

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On 10/23/2018 at 1:25 AM, banasophia said:

What are your nitrates like now? Could be contributing. 

 

I often clean my glass daily with my flipper and two little fishes nano mag; I like taking that time to really inspect the tank. 

I’ll test my water shortly. I did a large clean out and found 2 dead snails. I think this was likely my problem. I have been 4 days now since water change and clean out and corals and fish are looking good. No algae every 5 hours. None after 4 days 🙂. I’ll post chem results soon

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That's some really good quality LR you got! Dang, I can't touch anything here in SoCal that isn't dead and decrepit.

What's your water change schedule like? With two snails dead that might be reason to change a few gallons. 

 

Looking forward to seeing more progress!

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Update 11/3/18:

 

It's been a long while since I updated really.  I started by adding a pair of clown fish (black/white and traditional).  After about 3 weeks, I added the yellow watchman goby and 2 corals - the green hammer coral and the starburst (?) zoas.  Then about 3 days ago, I added another hammer coral, some blue trumpet coral, some leptoseris (Jack-o-lantern maybe?) and some acan coral (unknown type).  

 

Tank shot showing the 2 clowns:

 

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Close-up of the watchman goby:

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Fav coral shots - help me out if you know the exact types please!

 

IMG_4890.thumb.JPG.2db0862a12368bd00e4bfc2f41f10e03.JPGIMG_4891.thumb.JPG.0ec0d3921f08c693820f7f4e36369370.JPGIMG_4894.thumb.JPG.983c907f1f41f5426b189f50c0d2ca59.JPGIMG_4893.thumb.JPG.a79df59512e52eeb9fc739caab995b11.JPGIMG_4884.thumb.JPG.7450fc9714a48ea5eaddf3d0b14830f2.JPGIMG_4885.thumb.JPG.cc58c6186a9a367076636c4dffa37461.JPGIMG_4888.thumb.JPG.170ecedb384a0b534f30f6f4232c1e05.JPG

 

 

I have 2 astrea snails, 1 turbo snail, 1 red hermit and 1 cerith snail.  I have lost 1 pistol shrimp (never saw him after introducing him weeks ago), 2 snails.  

 

Corals seem happy - the green hammer coral is budding a new head and the zoas are sprouting new polyps as well.

 

I am feeding frozen mysis daily or every 2 days for the fish.  Just started spot feeding the acan with reef roids.

 

Thoughts, concerns, questions?  I am trying to learn as much as I can.  

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9 hours ago, banasophia said:

Looking good! Love that pic of your yellow watchman goby!! Also love the zoas under the blues. 

Thanks!  I'm happy with it so far!  What to do next regarding corals I wonder..

3 hours ago, Jackal227 said:

The tank looks great.  

Thanks Jackal!

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2 hours ago, saxplayer said:

Thanks!  I'm happy with it so far!  What to do next regarding corals I wonder..

I vote photosynthetic gorgonian. 🙂

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2 hours ago, banasophia said:

I vote photosynthetic gorgonian. 🙂

Hmm, I am limited still in my coral knowledge.  Google shows lots of options there lol.  

 

Any specific recommendations?  Anything I should be aware of to be cautious of?

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8 minutes ago, saxplayer said:

Hmm, I am limited still in my coral knowledge.  Google shows lots of options there lol.  

 

Any specific recommendations?  Anything I should be aware of to be cautious of?

https://www.kpaquatics.com/product-category/corals/gorgonians-octocorals/

 

Looks like they are on vacation with no shipments until after 11/19... I would wait and order from them.  Just be sure to get photosynthetic ones, they are much easier. I have their purple angular sea whip, purple sea rod, and yellow sea whip. I also have a nano red tree sponge from them. Will be ordering a couple of others once they return. 

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9 minutes ago, banasophia said:

https://www.kpaquatics.com/product-category/corals/gorgonians-octocorals/

 

Looks like they are on vacation with no shipments until after 11/19... I would wait and order from them.  Just be sure to get photosynthetic ones, they are much easier. I have their purple angular sea whip, purple sea rod, and yellow sea whip. I also have a nano red tree sponge from them. Will be ordering a couple of others once they return. 

Gracias.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Help please!  I seem to have a high growth rate of algae on my tank glass.  When I use my mag float it almost makes an algae "smoke" underwater.  It isn't think by any means, it is almost like a dust on the glass.  It is reappearing fairly quickly after I take it off.

 

Here is my water parameters:

temp: 78.3

Alk (Hanna low range): 0.00.  Looks like I might need the "ultra low" reader... crap

Mg (Red Sea foundation pro): 1460-1480

Ca (Red Sea foundation pro): 400

dKH (Red Sea foundation pro): 8.7-9.0 with 3.0-3.1 mEq/L reading

 

Just because:

Zero ammonia, nitrites or nitrates (Red Sea marine care)

 

I didn't test salinity but if you all think I need to let me know.  I've been running a consistent 35 / 1.026 with my water changes and it should be very close to that.

I use Red Sea salt.

 

Any suggestions please?  I can't enjoy my fish if my tank is this covered in 12 hours... weird I think.  

 

Corals and fish behave fine.  Feeding frozen mysis every 2 days.  Did reef roids once.  Plan on 1-2 / month.

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Try cutting back on the mysis, there is tons of extra "stuff" in those cubes. I feed mysis once every 2-weeks, and alternate with reef roids. When I do feed reef roids or mysis. I do my water change the following day.

 

What is your light schedule as well? - You might try dialing back the light schedule, or pulling back just the LC1 lights a little and leave LC2/LC3 on in its place.

Just some thoughts-

 

 

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