JBJ Nano Cube filter question

[sacjon]

I ahve had my 12g nano cube for about 4 months now. I do weekly water changes and biweekly I rinse the sponge in the filter compartment. Today I looked down there after removing the sponge and it look like there was another smaller one below it! My hand was too big to reach in and take it out, so I just left it until tomorrow when I get some forceps.

 

Does anyone know if there are 2 sponges in the 1st chamber in the Nano Cube? Better yet, anyone know where to find diagrams of the cube's design - JBJ's website is VERY limited in info.

[snehls]

If you have the newer Nanocube, there are three sponges, I believe. It was a surprise to me too, but I guess it is easier than one gigantic sponge.

 

Also, you mentioned you clean the sponge in the filter compartment, I wouldn't do that. I think the better way to clean the sponges is to clean them in the water you remove from the tank during your water changes. The sponge isn't your major source of biological filtration (as you have live rock), so it won't hurt to rinse it off in the discarded water (just not under the sink).

[MiniReefin]

Yup three in the first.

 

I got the OG Cube.

[sacjon]

snehls - i do rinse them in the aquarium water i have taken out, but thanks for pointing that out. Actually, the JBJ instructions say to rinse the sponge "under the sink" but I had a feeling that was wrong.

 

So, there is multiple sponges back there? Since I have only been rinsing 1 of them for the past 5 months, could that could be why my nitrates are always a bit high (~20ppm)?

[Ryan McAdams]

Originally posted by sacjon

snehls -  i do rinse them in the aquarium water i have taken out, but thanks for pointing that out. Actually, the JBJ instructions say to rinse the sponge "under the sink" but I had a feeling that was wrong.  

 

So, there is multiple sponges back there? Since I have only been rinsing 1 of them for the past 5 months, could that could be why my nitrates are always a bit high (~20ppm)?

 

Thats very much possible, I would reccomend rinsing them all, I actually took mine out but its a personal preference.

[marie1280]

I left one sponge in and I rinse it under the sink, why is it wrong to rinse in the sink?

[SherifBart]

using tap water to rinse anything out can lead to the intro of new chemicals and impurities that can contaminate your tank and possibly kill inhabitants. lord knows whats running through our local pipes into our homes.

 

think back to cycling your tank. the goal was to create a specific make-up of seawater that can maintain and foster growth of its inhabitants. if we didnt have to go thru the cycle period then it would be as easy as add all the needed ingredients and throw in your livestock. introducing any amount or any type of outside chemical compound from tap water just throws out what the goal of cycling is meant to do.

 

maybe not the best analogy, but the best i could come up with.

[marie1280]

thanks for the answer, I'm sure I'm doing a million things wrong, but at least now it will only be 999,999 things!

[jbrown11352]

I have the new 24g nano. in the paperwork that came with jbj it says that if attempting to run the reef set up in these it is best to remove the bio balls. correct me if im wrong but that doesn't make sense to me. also as far as removing the sponge filtration what do you replace it with and what are the advantages of this. thank you for any replies i can use some help here.

[Howf777]

hi marie

the OG cube has 3 sponges. if u go the jbjlighting.com there is an image of the compartments in the back. most ppl take out all filter media in the back and leave only the sponges or just 1 sponge. personally i found it to be most affective is a bag of chemipure in chamber 1, then 1 sponge on top of that to filter the top vent and i bought some cotton filter and leave 1 layer on top of my sponge, i do this for skimming if you leave your water line just under the top of the vent, the fine cotton will pick up all the nasty oils and scum, second compartment i got lr rubble, 3 compartment a bit more lr rubble, and the 4th is the power head and heater. oh yeah got some chaeto in the 2nd and 3rd compartment

 

1 more thing, i rinse my sponge out under the sink, but for my final rinse i use ro/di water

[Ryan McAdams]

Originally posted by marie1280

thanks for the answer, I'm sure I'm doing a million things wrong, but at least now it will only be 999,999 things!

 

No one here does everything right

[snehls]

sacjon,

 

Disregarding a couple of the sponges early on is no big deal. Howf777 gave you some very good advice. Lots of people here put LR rubble in the back (2nd and 3rd) compartments of their tank. As far as the sponges go, you can certainly leave all three in (I have). If you can I would do something similar to what Howf recommended. I would put chemipure in the lowest part of your first compartment, covered by either 1 or 2 sponges (however many you can get on top).

 

Chemipure, in case you don't know, comes in a small plastic cup with one filter bag full of carbon-like media. Make sure to rinse it and then put it in that lowest setting. The container itself says it is better if you have mechanical filtration before the Chemipure contacts the water. You could do this either by keeping all three sponges where they are and then putting Chemipure in the 2nd compartment, or doing as Howf777 suggested.

 

My only comment about putting Live Rock rubble in the back is that it is especially hard to clean up the back compartment once it is full of rubble. Obviously, most people w/ LR in their back compartment (and sometimes even live sand) don't clean teh back compartment. However, the reality is a lot of nasty junk gets into that back compartment and will never get out unless you physically take it out.

 

Just some suggestions, with the advice in this thread, you are well on your way.

 

Good luck.