trumph Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 I am starting up a 24g cube for the house with the intention of having a pair a Nemos/Clownfish with a host anemone as the center of attraction. I added the water and adjusted the s.g. to 1.024. and am adding 40# of Arga-Alive Fiji Pink reef sand. Figured to let that start cycling for awhile before the addition of the live rock. So far the only addition to the tank is a AquaClear 402 powerhead (270 gph)for flow and the product Cycle to get things started. This being my first atttempt at a saltwater set-up, and having a specific goal in mind, I was wondering if the membership could help steer me in the right direction. All/any information is appreciated. I've been reading everything I can and it seems that the more I know the more confusing it gets! My Daughters and I thank you in advance.... Link to comment
Rockafeller Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 Put the liverock in asap. You want the cycling to be over quick, i'm sure. Link to comment
reef n ale Posted April 10, 2005 Share Posted April 10, 2005 Yeah trumph, I agree with Rockafeller. Live sand and live rock added at the same time = 1 cycle. If you add live rock later, you will end up with at least a second mini cycle. Rob Link to comment
doncb Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 First, I'd cycle the LS & LR at the same time. If you cycle the LS and then add the LR you start a cycle all over. Next, you will need a lot more light to keep an anemone. The stock hood does not have the output needed for the anemone to survive for long. Next, using a product such as Cycle is OK but not to take a short-cut. Also, you need to be testing the water to see how the cycle is proceeding. First the ammonia will climb, then start to go down as the nitrites begin to climb. Then as the nitrites go down, nitrates will go up. Untill all of these are at zero the cycle is not complete and any fish you put in are at risk. After the cycle is nearing it's end (both LR & LS in the tank) you will need to add a clean-up crew of snails and crabs to the tank to deal with the alge which will happen. A cycle can take a couple of weeks to 1 1/2 months. What ever it takes it takes. The one thing you need for saltwater is patience. I might cut back on the sand and add 1 to 1.5lbs of LR per gallon of water. Did you replace the stock 106gph powerhead with the 270 or add it in? My personal opinion is that the 2 together would be a bit much for what you want to do. Might blow the critters around the tank! In my 24g cube I have the stock 106 and a Rio 50. The 2 together put up a pretty stiff flow. Well, that it for now. Link to comment
trumph Posted April 11, 2005 Author Share Posted April 11, 2005 Thanks for the input....now spending my time looking at all the live rock selections and lighting upgrades. So far I'm favoring the Lalo Rock from Liveaquaria.com ($119/30#) and saw some incredible looking Marshall Island Rock at Petsolutions.com but price is way too high ($300/25#) The powerhead is added inside the tank. It can be adjusted down to 125 gph. Now I'm off too find a lighting upgrade so I can spend my money before it goes bad. Link to comment
steelhealr Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Trumph...did you see my thread? Maybe it can provide some insight. SH http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...10&pagenumber=1 Link to comment
BKtomodachi Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 Have you thought how you're going to care for the anemone? They do best in established tanks, and the stock lighting in a nano-cube wont cut it. Link to comment
trumph Posted April 11, 2005 Author Share Posted April 11, 2005 I'm about to get the lighting upgrade...just spent the last 1 1/2 days checking out all the live rock available and ended up ordering 30# of Lalo Rock from Liveaquaria. Now I need a break to let my eyes unscramble before I do the lights. Will probably start at that nanocustom site and continue reading all the DIY articles I can find. After that...a new pair of glasses and a second job!! I'm in no hurry, just want everything to work. I even have a freshwater tank that I've had cycling for 3 months! Steelhealr...I've already read your thread once and started to read it again today since everything doesn't sink in at one time. Just can't stare at this screen any longer! Link to comment
newbiecarlz Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 good luck with your new tank! with the anenome do you only want it as a host for the clowns? if so there are other corals that will act as a host for clowns that arent anywhere as difficult to keep as anenomes. anenomes generally dont do well long term and if they die in your tank its likely they will kill everything else too. its not just a lighting issue. on top of that clowns dont always host what you want them to, chances are they will just ignore the anenome and host the powerhead instead, especially tank raised clowns (mine thinks the front glass of the nanocube is a great host) lol Link to comment
ReefMonkeee Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 umm dont know if anyone mention this but add the LS in first like a day or two to let it settle down. Dont be like me and put them both in at the same time and have the sand settle on the LR. does not look pretty. Link to comment
trumph Posted April 13, 2005 Author Share Posted April 13, 2005 I'll be doing a lot more research before getting an anemone. The live rock is coming today so I have plenty of time while the tank cycles. I've already had the sand in for a couple of days, it cleared up and looks nice at night with the moonlights. Newbies are easily amused!! I'll get the clowns first and see what they do. What brand powerhead do you think makes the best host?? Just kidding! Want to do the Sunpaq 96w lighting upgrade that I saw in one of these forums first or at least double the 72w with the OEM upgrade. Hopefully that will be enough to keep everything healthy. Link to comment
steelhealr Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 WTG Trumph...I"ll stop back to see some pix. sH Link to comment
trumph Posted April 14, 2005 Author Share Posted April 14, 2005 Got the live rock today, uncured Lalo from Liveaquaria. Loked great to me but what do I know, its the first time I've seen "live rock" in person! Had a ton of stuff on it which luckily I scrubbed as well as I could. The bucket water was a dark brown color, looked more like mud water when I was done. All types of colors and an incredible amount of growth on all the rocks, even found a few snails. Can't wait for it all to die so I have something to clean out of the tank! Again, Newbie amusement, kinda like now as I'm looking at the rocks with the moonlights on!! Have a question about the size of the rubble that everyone seems to put in their 2nd chamber...are you using anything samaller than 1"? I would think if its too small it would probably be a pain. Asking 'cause I have pieces that didn't go into the tank including very small pieces under 1/2" Will borrow one of my daughters' cameras tommorow and see if I can get some pics. Hopefully I can get them half as good as the ones in Steel's thread (which I just read through again!) Also will start monitoring water parameters. Link to comment
BKtomodachi Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 Stop cleaning! You WANT the life thats on the rocks.... Link to comment
ADOGNAMEDSTITCH Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 I AGREE WITH BK.... Link to comment
trumph Posted April 15, 2005 Author Share Posted April 15, 2005 Ooops...I may have cleaned them too much but I had to get as much of the black stuff off as possible. The first couple of pieces I just dipped in a bucket and shook them around but way too much junk/vegetation came off and started floating in the tank. As I said it was like mud...probably was. Oh well...that's only one of the mistakes I'll make. Trying to keep them to a minimum w/everyone's help here. Haven't gone to a LFS yet so all my info is from web sites, magazines and books. I haven't even seen a SW tank set-up in person. Tried to get some pics but got a lot of shots with too much reflection off the glass. Arranged rocks in a large horeshoe pattern with tons of overhangs/caves/nooks and crannies. Would like to post pics so I can get all input before I putty/silicone them into place. Link to comment
nme Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Most people recommend that you dont put an anemone in a tank until it is well established. I have heard suggestions from 2months to a year on how long you should wait. You should also try and buy a clown/anemone already paired because if not its a roll of the dice. Link to comment
nme Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 also if the clowns are in the tank for a number of months without an anemone they might host with somthing else and not notice it once introduced Link to comment
trumph Posted April 17, 2005 Author Share Posted April 17, 2005 Guess the tank is in its cycling mode..ammonia over 7.5, nitrates and nitrites low but not 0. Hope they're not too high to kill the new critters that have started growing on the rock. We have a quarter sized white and brown polyp looking guy that I thought was dead but today he seemed to open up and grow. Also have a light green/dark green one that's half the size of a dime which I never saw before today. Wasn't expecting anything this quickly, its only been two days. My daughter got so excited that we rushed to the LFS and looked at all the Nemos, Amemones, Corals and other assorted fish and promptly bought a Pair of guppies for the tank she got me for X-Mas! Seeing how interested/excited she is over this SW tank is worth the all the money its costing. Speaking of money what have I bought lately? Hmmmmm..RO/DI unit, refractometer, heater, digital thermometer to mount in the hood, more test kits and putty for my rockscape. About to invest in a 70w MH for the lighting upgrade/addition and try to see if I can get good reflectors to increase the efficiancy of the existing 36w bulbs. I'm looking at the 36w upgrade kits from AH Supply but I'm afraid that they may be too wide. Putting two seperate ballasts on the 36w bulbs would really increase the flexablity for the timing modes of the lighting. Would like to stick the MH between the 36w's which would center it at the highest point of the hood, place it near the side vents for air flow and spread the different lighting across the tank better. I'll have to relocate the moonlights. I'm only gonna do this once so I want it to support the widest range of inhabitants as possible, hope this is it. Link to comment
SoCal Reefer Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 Wow sounds like somebody did thier homework. First off welcome to nr. I would steer clear of an anemone for atleast 6 mos. When he cycle is done i would go ahead and get your clown pair and buy a torch, frogspawn or hammer. My clowns (tankraised) host all of my torches, hammers fragspawns just like anemone. Also if you get tank raised which i suggest they are not used to hosting anemones casuse they havent had expeirence with them. So dont expect them to host right off, my clowns took their time and 2 mos later i woke up and thier they were in my torch. Good luck Bret Link to comment
trumph Posted April 22, 2005 Author Share Posted April 22, 2005 I have decided not to get an Anemone based on all the posts I've read...especially the ones about their short life spans even with increased lighting. If the "Nemo's" will host in other corals then why bother with or kill another life form?? I'm changing my search to other hosts...there seem to be many. Its like a dating service...try something you think will work and then hope for the best. The lighting upgrade is still in the works butupgd fans are my top priority now. Temps are creeping up with my extra powerhead (AquaClear 50)and having the lights on way too long(noob prob, but I don't care!!)...got another temp probe so I'm getting reading at multiple locations and have gotten up to 86.4 w/o additional lighting!! Haven't relocated my Powerhead to one of my rear chambers yet...its an awesome filter if you put some filter floss and a piece of one of the stock sponges in the intake. I use my stainless steel turkey baster to blow all the dead junk from my rocks and between the stock filtration and the Powerhead with the filter media its clear again in about 30 minutes Link to comment
CRAVIN CRITTERS Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 Id go with a 150 watt for a 24 gallon. Link to comment
trumph Posted April 22, 2005 Author Share Posted April 22, 2005 Sorry...wasn't done with my rambling but I hit the wrong key before I had a chance to parse it Just wanted to say that I've ordered a camera (Canonn A95) to keep track of my mistakes and can't wait to post some. Wish I could document the rocks turning purple(coraline?)and brown (also on the glass)for the community as I know that I like to see the birth of a new gtank myself. Really wish that I hadn't scrubbed my uncured rock like I did. My next thread will be NoobMistakes that I have made...prob post that now.. Link to comment
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