3g Aqueon Cube Mixed Reef

[Sprinter70]

My first tank on nano reef and under a year in the hobby, so I am open to suggestions! This is a 2 day tank setup (was supposed to be a 1 day to see how it would turn out, but had technical difficulties). I used a 3 gallon glass cube, not the greatest glueing quality and more like 2.5 gallons with my fill volume, but definitely a good deal. The substrate is a single layer of crushed coral and araganite chunks with a small patch of live araganite sand. Custom black rock for aquascape, custom light, 2x 7w pumps with one running a 30 seconds off and 15 seconds on (might change the durations and fluctuate based on time of day), custom hang on back “overflow” box, stock lid with cuts in the plastic portion to fit wires. I used seachem stability to jump start the microbes, as well as a transfer of porous media material from a more mature tank. Most of my extra frags have been added along with a red macro algae in the back. I’ll be slowly adding a few more corals when things recover a little. I used an orange filter for a few of the pictures when the lights were at their bluest, which is probably around 20000k (eyeball guesstimate).

[Tired]

Interesting rock. Not really any hiding places for critters, but it looks cool, and I'm curious to see how it changes as everything grows. 

 

Watch out with putting those favias directly on the rock; there's no way to frag 'em without cutting the scape up, and they will crowd and sting everything they can. Which may be what you want, for all I know.

[Sprinter70]

3 hours ago, Tired said:

Interesting rock. Not really any hiding places for critters, but it looks cool, and I'm curious to see how it changes as everything grows. 

 

Watch out with putting those favias directly on the rock; there's no way to frag 'em without cutting the scape up, and they will crowd and sting everything they can. Which may be what you want, for all I know.

I built a more fractured back side for some hidey holes, but tank is mostly for the corals, critters are really only for cleaning. 
 

I am counting on the stinging Favites to keep things isolated, when things interact, I plan to leave the Favites and move the others. It is definitely a good call out though! The rock is plastic too, so cutting it off/out is still very much on the table!

[Tired]

Oh, hm, interesting. Though I might worry a little about lack of space for bioload, since plastic isn't nearly as porous as coral or lava rock would be.

[Sprinter70]

12 hours ago, Tired said:

Oh, hm, interesting. Though I might worry a little about lack of space for bioload, since plastic isn't nearly as porous as coral or lava rock would be.

I am not so worried about that, I have another tank with a similar rock work type that is going on 4 months and a clown for the most recent 3 without a hiccup.

[Sprinter70]

Things are settling in!

[Sprinter70]

Starting to get a touch of the uglies, added a couple refugee acans from another tank with a coralvorous peppermint shrimp, added four astrea snails as well to help combat some algae. I’ve been cleaning the glass every other day. Sticking with 20% weekly water changes and letting it settle down. I want to get to 10% weekly water changes eventually once I have the dosing pumps hooked up.

[debbeach13]

You have definitely caught my interest. Is the plastic "rock" something you make? Are you using any bio media at all?

 

[Sprinter70]

5 hours ago, debbeach13 said:

You have definitely caught my interest. Is the plastic "rock" something you make? Are you using any bio media at all?

 

I print the rock as well as an insert for the overflow box that hangs in the tank on the back wall. Outside of that and the crushed coral/sand mix, there is no other bio media or filtration. Sometimes I’ll throw in a small 1 inch piece of bio media to seed into new tanks when I’m ready to do that.

[Lebowski_]

These are very small tanks to house fish in....

[debbeach13]

Not sure what size the tank with the clowns is, so might be OK. I definitely have seen a fish, even that exact type, keep in 3-gallon Pico's.

PS.

A little goby would be better. If someone else is just setting one up.

[wuzzo]

Loving this build, honestly if I had to I would get a super tiny clown goby for this tank, I just wouldn’t do too much sps as I know they can nip those. If not that maybe a barnacle blenny? Or make it an invert tank, just a group of anemone shrimp or something would be cool. Clown goby would be my first choice as I know they like to just sit in one spot and perch all day at least in my experience.

[Sprinter70]

6 hours ago, Lebowski_ said:

These are very small tanks to house fish in....

It is, I try and keep it under 1 inch of fish to every 3 gallons. They all seem happy and doing well, they have hiding spots in the tank and will retreat when I approach and then come out and give a show for a treat!

[Lebowski_]

6 hours ago, debbeach13 said:

Not sure what size the tank with the clowns is, so might be OK. I definitely have seen a fish, even that exact type, keep in 3-gallon Pico's.

PS.

A little goby would be better. If someone else is just setting one up.

I’ve been Bettas in mason jars but I don’t think that makes it a good habitat for the fish.

 

I’ve seen Yellowtails and Azures zip around much larger tanks. Seeing one swim in circles in a small puddle just kind of makes me sad tbh. It seems like this sort of thing is a bit more normal on this forum, though.

 

Citron Goby would be ok I guess but this tank is better suited for inverts imo…

[Tired]

A single perching fish like a trimma goby or clown goby would do fine, with a few more hides. If you made some good sittin' holes, a roughhead blenny would work. Definitely no midwater swimming fish like clowns or damsels, though, beyond baby size.

[Sprinter70]

Yeah, I am looking to get a larger tank and will moot as it grows!

[Lebowski_]

4 minutes ago, Sprinter70 said:

Yeah, I am looking to get a larger tank and will moot as it grows!

[Tired]

Ah, good! It's generally best not to get fish that will grow too large for one's existing tanks, since life can always interfere with actually getting the planned tank, but a clownfish is an entirely different matter than something like a tang- doesn't need you to follow through on getting something massive.

[Sprinter70]

11 hours ago, Tired said:

Ah, good! It's generally best not to get fish that will grow too large for one's existing tanks, since life can always interfere with actually getting the planned tank, but a clownfish is an entirely different matter than something like a tang- doesn't need you to follow through on getting something massive.

Yea, I was between the clown and a yellow tang, so glad I made the right pick, I have a 29 or a 10 I’m gonna be setting up

[Lebowski_]

32 minutes ago, Sprinter70 said:

Yea, I was between the clown and a yellow tang, so glad I made the right pick, I have a 29 or a 10 I’m gonna be setting up

 

bless you

[Tired]

You definitely made the right pick. Yellow tang is, what, 75 gallon bare minimum? Big, active fish that stresses easily if confined. Even babies need plenty of room.

 

A 29gal is a great size for a pair of clowns.

[Sprinter70]

6 hours ago, Tired said:

You definitely made the right pick. Yellow tang is, what, 75 gallon bare minimum? Big, active fish that stresses easily if confined. Even babies need plenty of room.

 

A 29gal is a great size for a pair of clowns.

The yellow tang was a joke…

[Tired]

Kinda suspected that, but it's better to give information someone already knows than to assume the majorly bad choice is a joke, yanno?

[Sprinter70]

Just an update, I also got a Red Sea Nano for our fishy friend and working on getting a light and stand and will be building that out soon! I did add a few snails and they have been able to keep the algae in check, 4 days without cleaning the glass in this picture!