12g Nanocube DX newbie Help

[lilxraycer]

I just bought a 12g DX just a hour ago (impulse buy lol) Anyways, I browsed a bunch of post and the information is consuming me . This is going to be an upgrade from my 7gal minibow because it has been up for a over a year and the corals are outgrowing the tank. I just need some basic NC help. What are some "mods" should I do before tranfering my sand, rock, coral, fish from my minibow to the Nanocube? This is what I have picked up from the threads I have read:

 

- take out bioballs and ceramnic rings, what do I do about the 3 cube sponges?

- remove stock pump. I have a microjet from DrFosterSmith, will that be sufficent as the minijet 606 that everyone uses?

- tape cassette skimmer mod? Please explain.

- rubble and macro in center chamber, or something else?

- any other vital mods I should also do?

 

Thanks ahead of time, I tried to search, but I don't know what to search for ???

[Brick]

lilxraycer,

 

Welcome to the Nano-Cube. I was in your shoes a few months ago so hopefully I can help out.

 

1. Remove the bio-balls and ceramic rings. Keep them if you want but they are useless for the reef Nano-Cube.

 

2. Buy the MJ606 and replace the stock pump. It will give you the flow you want from the right side.

 

3. The cassette mod is cool, but you will loose the ability to add a powerhead or two on the left side behind the intake grate.

 

4. Place three pounds of rubble rock in chamber two

 

5. You may want to upgrade the lights as the stock setup will only allow you to get some basic softies. Try this site nanocustoms.com.

 

Anything else?

[Web Guy]

I was also wondering on what pump to upgrade too? I heard Rio but what size? Do I need to upgrade it if I am running a powerhead in the left side of the tank? Where can I place a powerhead in the back to get a little flow back there as well?

[Brick]

Use a MJ606 for the sump and the left side is up to you. You can use a rio90 but I have not had much luck with them. I use a MicroJet 320 and 450 on the left hand side right behind the intake grate. The 320 alternates every 15 minutes and the 450 is on full time. The flow is great all around. You can check out my thread Bricks 92w Nano-Cube DX for some info.

[steelhealr]

Hi..I hope I can help:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...10&pagenumber=1

 

SH

[Nickeleye]

Personally, I do not feel that just the one single return in the tank is sufficient for flow... even if you do use a minijet 606 for that return. That's good for one, but IMO it's better to have more versatility in your flow. I recommend adding a bulkead to the tank, which would be used as a second return as I have done. You can buy the parts online or in home improvement stores and in some cases local fish stores. See this thread:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...&threadid=56009

 

Also, I prefer my pre-skimmer box over the tape cassette method. Some people seem to be having success with that mod, but mine seems to be working more effectively from what I've noticed. See my post towards the bottom of pg. 3 of the below thread:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...20&pagenumber=3

[skilter]

im using a RIO90 on the left side behind the intake grate. seems to work fine.

[Web Guy]

Ok, when you guys say stick one behind the grate you mean in the back where the filtration area is correct. So I guess do you guys put it up top or down low and also I guess you face it in the direction of the pump? I have one extra powerhead in the tank in front of the grate for extra flow in the tank. But the back sucks and neds flow. I put LR in the middle area and took out everything else.

[Nickeleye]

I say add a 1/2" bulkhead to the back wall in front of chamber 1 or 2 and add a second pump connected to that bulkhead in chamber 2. That will not only increase flow in the back, but also inside the tank itself. Just my 2 cents.

[steelhealr]

Hi...I replaced the stock pump in chamber 3 with a Maxijet 1200. I tried to place the stock pump in chamber one like the others posted, but, I don't how they got it to fit well. The flow either aims upward or creates a lot of turbulence. No matter how I tried to position it, it never quite seemed right. I think what Nickeleye said is the best. My buddy did it on his tank and he is happy with the mod. Do it now before you have it up and running and post some pix for us if you do. Many post this mod but I haven't seen any step by step pix. It would help a lot of us out. Good luck. SH

[Web Guy]

It is already up and running so I am not going that rought right now. I will end up buying a mini pump or power head and stick it in chamber one. With my power head in the left corner of the tank in front of the grate and the mini extra pump in the back I think I will be fine. I picked up 2 more peices of nice LR today and a starter fish. My LFS will let me return the Damzle in 2 weeks and then I will pick something nicer out. I took some of the other LR that is not as nice and broke it up and filled up chamber two. Will get some photos tomorrow.

[Rockafeller]

LILXRACER!!!!

 

Agreeing w/ most people on here, take that powerhead and stick it to the left wall, which will simply increase the natural flow of the tank. It will essentially create a clockwise flow in the tank.

 

In regards to the chambers, i would leave just a bag of activated carbon (which came with your tank.) Remove the balls and rings. Also, 2-3 lbs. of liverock will never hurt, as it is a natural filter.

 

In regards to the lighting, this is a matter of opinion. If you place a coral very near the surface it will most likely live (on a stock setup). However, this is difficult to condone, and it is more favorable to double your lighting with a premade (and cheap) offering from www.aquabuys.com.

 

This site is very new, but so ridiculously reliable. That's where i originally got my tank from.

 

Best Fishes,

 

Rockafeller

[emoutz]

Could you post a link to the light you are referring to?

[gats]

http://nanocustoms.com/catalog/user_support.php

[deedub]

Sorry I'm a newb...with 'rubble' rock do you mean small pieces of live rock? or am I completely off? Thanks

 

Originally posted by lilxraycer

I just bought a 12g DX just a hour ago (impulse buy lol) Anyways, I browsed a bunch of post and the information is consuming me . This is going to be an upgrade from my 7gal minibow because it has been up for a over a year and the corals are outgrowing the tank. I just need some basic NC help. What are some "mods" should I do before tranfering my sand, rock, coral, fish from my minibow to the Nanocube? This is what I have picked up from the threads I have read:

 

- take out bioballs and ceramnic rings, what do I do about the 3 cube sponges?  

- remove stock pump. I have a microjet from DrFosterSmith, will that be sufficent as the minijet 606 that everyone uses?

- tape cassette skimmer mod? Please explain.

- rubble and macro in center chamber, or something else?

- any other vital mods I should also do?

 

Thanks ahead of time, I tried to search, but I don't know what to search for ???

[Nickeleye]

Well, rubble rock could be live or not. For it to be live it technically would just need to have bacteria on it, which I think can be done with or without lighting. Obviously with lighting would ensure more bacteria would probably be on the rubble, but I'm sure plenty of bacteria would be on the rock without light as well.

[Pet-Lover]

Do not add to much stuff though or cut any extra hols (only on canopy) because it will cause stress and crack the tank.

[Enrique]

So far the responses youre getting here are very good and uesful in your tank set-up. I think everybody are thinking positive and do want you to have a successful tank. If you cant decide on what pump to use or if you should use a cassette mod, ther are variuos threads about it. I for one posted a thread "pump in chamber 1 or cassette mod" and I got very good responses. You can check that out as it explains how to do it. Overall with all the good info you and everyone is getting, you will have a nice tank in the end. But do try not to be a compulsive buyer....like me. Because it'll all be a waste. Sometimes its hard to believe that some tanks are in full spec mods and yet those with even the simplest set-up seem to be having the same success. What you want to do now is get your tank running and start cycling. Worry about the other things later, that way your money will be well spent. Lighting, that can be done later, as with the corals. For now start it and master your water parameters. Thats the heart of your system.