24G Nano Cube DX Startup, Setup, Manual for newbies, in the works

[gjones]

That's kool, i've been diving in Jamica, St. Martin, and the Bahamas. I just went to a lake for the wek, nothing special, a few 1lb, 1lb+ crawpie a few 2 to 3lb lagemouth, and hundreds of bluegill (bait fish), but not one catfish. I too have swam with a shark, but before I was old enough to get my SCUBA cert in grand cayman, also a nurse shark. Love steamed blue crab, that's a maryland favorite (my family is originally from baltimore).

 

And back on topic, my tank is still dry and empty, awaiting final pumps, plumbing, and misc dry goods. Will be getting LR, and LS mid to late july.

[steelhealr]

Just make sure you do a good dry run, check for cracks, test all equipment and do it for a few days to see how your temps go. Better safe than sorry....there's a lot more to lose here, IMO, than with FW. You can do your dry run with FW, just in case there IS a leak..it's less headache. SH

[gjones]

Thanks for the advice SH

[steelhealr]

No problem...next beer is on you. LOL SH

[reverai]

Youre lucky that JBJ has agreed to replace your tank as JBJ had learned that the modified Nano Cubes have a much higher rate of cracks than those who tanks were stock.

 

It seems even breaksin the plastic barrier to help watere flow seem to cause stress in the glass. I spoke to one of the tech at JBJ when a friend of mine's 24 gallon Nano Cube cracked last week. He had made simple mods to add more powerheads to the tank though the barrier just as many have. It seems even the slight difference in stress along the line of the barrier can cause higher stress along the form line of the glass at it weakest point. These tanks really aren't designed to handled most of the mods people do on these tanks. Any change stress lines change how the stress flows to the glass.

 

I learned that after July, JBJ will not warranty the tanks that have been modified due the might higher rate of failure in those tanks. I spoke to an engineer friend of mine heree and he agreed with JBJ's opinion after looking at my new 24 gallon JBJ tank and seeing how it's put together.

 

The tank itself is tightly engineered and those simple changes people have been making in the back seem to have unintended consequences.

 

Steve

[szesteve]

Originally posted by reverai

Youre lucky that JBJ has agreed to replace your tank as JBJ had learned that the modified Nano Cubes have a much higher rate of cracks than those who tanks were stock.  

 

It seems even breaksin the plastic barrier to help  watere flow seem to cause stress in the glass. I spoke to one of the tech at JBJ when a friend of mine's 24 gallon Nano Cube cracked last week. He had made simple mods to add more powerheads to the tank though the barrier just as many have. It seems even the slight difference in stress along the line of the barrier can cause higher stress along the form line of the glass at it weakest point. These tanks really aren't designed to handled most of the mods people do on these tanks. Any change stress lines change how the stress flows to the  glass.

 

I learned that after July, JBJ will not warranty the tanks that have been modified due the might higher rate of failure in those tanks. I spoke to an engineer friend of mine  heree and he agreed with JBJ's opinion after looking at my new 24 gallon JBJ tank and seeing how it's put together.

 

The tank itself is tightly engineered and those simple changes people have been making in the back seem to have unintended consequences.

 

Steve

 

Hi Steve,

 

What about switching out the stock powerhead and adding stuff like the hydor flo and a cassette tape skimmer? Those should not add any stress to any part of the cube right?

[steelhealr]

Hi..I have not made any 'modifications' to the sump wall itself or the glass. No drilling, dremelling, etc. That was part of the premise of this thread. I'm not an engineer, but, if you look at those little powerheads in there, it's seems strange that extra water flow can produe a catastophic crack in the tank. 24 X 8lbs = 192lbs, plus 25 lbs of LR, plus 20 lbs of sand. Does a Hydor Flo cause the glass to crack? or a Maxijet 1200? I will state one finding that I think should be noted: s'NEIRBO measured the thickness of the glass on his last cracked cube....I believe it is only 1/8".

 

However...let's try and keep the crack issues on the 'crack' threads; one of them is mine. Let's keep this thread for the up and comers trying to get a reef tank up and running. SH

[steelhealr]

Hi..I have not made any 'modifications' to the sump wall itself or the glass. No drilling, dremelling, etc. That was part of the premise of this thread. I'm not an engineer, but, if you look at those little powerheads in there, it's seems strange that extra water flow can produe a catastophic crack in the tank. 24 X 8lbs = 192lbs, plus 25 lbs of LR, plus 20 lbs of sand. Does a Hydor Flo cause the glass to crack? or a Maxijet 1200? I will state one finding that I think should be noted: s'NEIRBO measured the thickness of the glass on his last cracked cube....I believe it is only 1/8".

 

However...let's try and keep the crack issues on the 'crack' threads; one of them is mine. Let's keep this thread for the up and comers trying to get a reef tank up and running. SH

[reverai]

> it's seems strange that extra water flow can produe a catastophic crack in the tank. <

 

It can easily. Ask any engineer how such things have caused bridges and buildings to fall down years later. Stress can do some amazing things over time. Swaping pumps and ect should change the strsss lines unless they lay on top plastic barrier.

 

Steve

[gjones]

That does seem to make sense, more circulation = more outward pressure on the glass. And 1/8" is VERY thin, my 10gal, soon to be quarintine tank has thicker glass than that. JBJ needs to re-think their clientell base and up the anty on strength and structural integrity in their nano-cubes.

 

Just my thoughts.

[steelhealr]

Agreed. Update. My new tank arrived and I have some concerns about some defects in the glass, so, I'm holding on transfer for now until I can determine if it is safe. Since I DO have the opportunity to work with an empty tank, I am considering converting my 'bulkheadless' outflow to a loctite outflow using a 1/2" bulkhead that would connect with the pump in chamber one and exit from chamber 2. If I do go with this, I will photo it for people here.

 

My ricordea continue to split. I went from 2, to 3 and now one is splitting again. Talk about returns on an investment.

 

I love the little clingfish I have. What a great animal. However, I have not seen him eat yet. I hope he is scrounging up leftovers somewhere.

 

If anyone here hasn't tried to feed their coral mysid shrimp, it's worth a try. I was amazed at how my trumpet coral repsonded. I fed one...then..all the others opened up and extended tentacles. One by one they closed up around the food, swelled, and closed. Fascinating. SH

[szesteve]

Originally posted by steelhealr

Agreed. Update. My new tank arrived and I have some concerns about some defects in the glass, so, I'm holding on transfer for now until I can determine if it is safe. Since I DO have the opportunity to work with an empty tank, I am considering converting my 'bulkheadless' outflow to a loctite outflow using a 1/2" bulkhead that would connect with the pump in chamber one and exit from chamber 2. If I do go with this, I will photo it for people here.

 

My ricordea continue to split. I went from 2, to 3 and now one is splitting again. Talk about returns on an investment.  

 

I love the little clingfish I have. What a great animal. However, I have not seen him eat yet. I hope he is scrounging up leftovers somewhere.

 

If anyone here hasn't tried to feed their coral mysid shrimp, it's worth a try. I was amazed at how my trumpet coral repsonded. I fed one...then..all the others opened up and extended tentacles. One by one they closed up around the food, swelled, and closed. Fascinating. SH

 

Sweet. And you're running stock lighting with stock bulbs eh?

[steelhealr]

Yes...I had several goals when I started this thread. One was to help out others who were 'lost' like I was in the beginning and create directions that DON'T come with the cube. Second was to show others that didn't have expert modification 'know-how' that they could have a nice tank without chillers, dremelling, retrofitting, etc. Third was to offer 'nano-expert' mods to the tank without 'nano expert' talents. Well, almost got there except for the glass problem. SH

[TTU_reefer]

Just got done reading this thread...long. But SUPER help!! Thanks alot! I was pritty lost in between different methods of filtration, for a nano. But i got a much better idea now because of this thread!

[TTU_reefer]

Oh, and would the 6G Nano be less prone to cracking? i presume same glass thickness but much less water Lbs. Just throwning that out their. Nano6 with one clown, 7lbs of LR, 2" LS base, going to be hard to keep crystal clear WQ? Probably wont protein skim, surface skimming tho!

[steelhealr]

Hey TTU..welcome aboard. I think there have been less problems with cracking with the 6G. Agree..much less pressure on 1/8" glass. I wouldn't skim that baby...JMO. Just don't add any more fish and feed LIGHTLY. I think you can do it. Post some pix when she's cooking. SH

[szesteve]

Originally posted by steelhealr

Yes...I had several goals when I started this thread. One was to help out others who were 'lost' like I was in the beginning and create directions that DON'T come with the cube. Second was to show others that didn't have expert modification 'know-how'  that they could have a nice tank without chillers, dremelling, retrofitting, etc. Third was to offer 'nano-expert' mods to the tank without 'nano expert' talents. Well, almost got there except for the glass problem. SH

 

Excellent point.

[szesteve]

Originally posted by TTU_reefer

Oh, and would the 6G Nano be less  prone to cracking?  i presume same  glass thickness but much  less water Lbs. Just throwning that  out their. Nano6 with one clown, 7lbs  of LR, 2" LS  base, going to be hard to keep crystal clear WQ? Probably  wont protein skim, surface skimming tho!

 

The 6G seems to have less occurences. But a bigger volume is always better.

[steelhealr]

Bulkhead and Loc-line 101, or, I wish I had known this before I set up

 

One of the mods for a Nano Cube is putting your stock pump in chamber one and having the outflow exit from chamber two...or..some put the pump in two if they don't have a refugium and the outflow exits from above.

 

Since my tank was already stocked, I didn't want to do any drilling so I made a 'bulkheadless' outflow which is on previous page on this thread here. But...for those curious about this BEFORE they stock their tank, here are some of the parts needed. There are many ways to do this. Also not shown is a wrench that clips these parts together. The pictures start from top down:

 

 

1) bulkhead..basically a large screw with a rubber gasket that gives you a conduit between a wall. The one pictured is a 1/2" bulkhead. You would need to drill or dremel a hole 1 1/8" wide to insert this

2) 1/2 inch Loc-line flexible tubing; it bends almost to a right angle. The end fits snugly on the 'sump side' of the bulkhead.

3) 1/2" Loc-line ball socket elbow

4) 1/2" Loc-line ball socket MPT connector; this can screw into tank-side part of the ulkhead easily

5) 1/2" Loc-line 2.5 inch flare nozzle

 

Laying them out flat in one configuration, you can see how this would fit through the sump wall:

 

 

NB: there are many types of connections, eg, you may not need the elbow connector.

 

SH

[szesteve]

I personally prefer the over-the-wall configuration with a nano-cube.

[steelhealr]

LOL....WTG....I am having second thoughts myself. Sometimes I wonder if some of the bigboy/girl mods are just overkill. EG, drilling a 1 1/8 hole to get a 1/2 tube thru. LOL SH

[trekbear]

Bah!... Padawan, you want to drill holes in your bulkhead... "cross over to the Dark Side of the Force!!!" LOL

 

Seriously, It looks so much better. You can then put the flow where you need it most without having tubing coming over the wall around the forms. Great mod with minimal effort after drilling. etc..

 

Just my 2cents!

TrekBear

[steelhealr]

Sensei Trekbear....(bows)...forgiveness please. Saru mo ki-kara ochiru. Kohei Steelhear

[szesteve]

SH,

 

How about finding out if a hydor flo will fit into a bulkhead?

[steelhealr]

It should with the adapters supplied. I'll see if it does. SH