24g nano - day by day log

[HkySk8r187]

I desire the purple rocks, so would it be ok to add just calcium? I have a calcium test that I can test with.

 

I'll add the second powerhead in there, that's a good idea. I'm not going to use my old rio though, it was noisy! I'll get another aquaclear and stick that in there on the opposite side.

 

I understand the cycle, I just wasn't expecting all 3 levels to rise right away, I was under the impression that ammonia would be the first to rise, followed by the others as that's how ammonia is broken down to nitrites, then nitrates.

 

Anyhow, how did you upgrade the lighting? Did you buy a new hood from nanocustoms or something? Or did you just get more lights and put them in yourself? Did you have to mod the ballast at all? I'd like more lighting if I can find out how to do it.

[DKreefkeepers]

The sea Chem stuff you are adding is good. But keep adding it daily until you reach a ph of 8.3. Your ph will drop at night btu this stuff will help hold it up overnight. When my NC 24 was stock I kept Xenia, mushrooms, green star polyps, frogspawn just fine. Now I have added the 3.36 upgrade with an aditional T5 kit from nanocustoms and the light is much brighter and the corals seem to have responded to it greatly. I added Kent liquid reactor to get my coraline algae to grow and it seems to have taken off nicely. As for you temp the nano cube runs hot, 81.5 is about the norm. After I added my extra lights IT went to 84+ and I just propped the front lid up about 1/2" and it now runs at 80.8 during the day. If you have ever wired up a car stereo before it is no harder than this, If you are unsure of your ability with wiring then leave it up to the pros.

[HkySk8r187]

I know I could actually install and wire it, I'm just not sure what I need to buy, and what modifications to the ballast I need to make if any. Can you point me in the right direction? Thanks.

[DKreefkeepers]

ok here is the link to the kit that I bought.

 

nanocustoms light mod

 

The extra light that I added recieved a actinic 03 blue bulb and the extra t5 light was also actinic 03. For coral health you need around 40% actinic blue lighting, does not matter how you get it. The stock JBJ 50/50 bulbs DO NOT really provide any beneficial actinic blue lighting. They are basically daylight bulbs with a blue filter. Chris at nono custom s opened my eyes to this and when I changed my bulbs it was proven to me. I added one 10k daylight 36w pc bulb in the last fixtue, 36w actinic 03 blue in the middle fixture, and one stock 36w 50/50 up front with the blue side facing the front side of the tank. With stock lights there is a low light area in the rear of the tank, adding another bulb behind the stock 2 really lights it up more and makes the rear portion more usable for corals to recieve good lighting.

[revkev6]

do you have the older or the newer cube? the newer cubes seem to be less upgradable. I purchased the kit from nanotuners.

http://nanotuners.nanocustoms.com/nanotune...08c70ee5d637ecd

It comes with ballasts and you just have to choose what you want for bulbs. When I did it I bought a chiller so I didn't run into the heat problems that everyone else has. I live on the second floor of an apartment that isn't air conditioned while I'm at work and it gets HOT in there. the highest my temp has ever gotten is 84 degrees.

 

the calcium is definately ok to add, as long as you watch your levels. I've been meaning to start dosing with it for the past couple weeks. One thing to remember when you get into this hobby is that it always seems a bit different for everyone. just because the cycle "should" go from ammonia to nitrites to nitrates doesn't mean it will be zero across the other two while going through that cycle period. when you start out with zero across the board (like you did) you will get a spike on all three initially. after a few weeks it will start dropping rapidly and you will see some algae blooming(this is when you add your cleanup crew)

[HkySk8r187]

I called Chris at nanocustoms, I was shocked at how nice and helpful he was. It's not something you see much anymore.

 

I ended up placing an order for more lighting, and also added in the moonlight, and an auto top-off system that will hopefully save me lots of trouble since the evaporation on these small tanks is so rapid.

 

Here is the lights I bought:

 

3.36 series Nanocustoms Modded Lighting Upgrade DX24

- Bulb Type Actinic Blue

- Additional T-5 Actinic Blue

- Ballast Option Bare Ballast - User DIY

- Hood Option none

- Moonlight Option R2 Solution 5 LED Moonlight

 

 

So if I'm correct the 3.36 takes me from the stock 72w (3w per gallon) to 104w (4.33w per gallon) correct? What does the additional T5 light add? Hopefully I'll be able to keep a wider range of corals with the upgraded lighting.

[DKreefkeepers]

you will be able to keep a slightly wider variety of corals but the important thing is that you will keep the ones you could already keep more healthy. The additional T5 provides from 5-10 extra watts I cant remember. It is a fairly easy kit to install, the instructions leave somting to be desired. It clearly shows you how to wire it but does not show you what to do with a couple of the parts that you have to remove to make room for the new lights and the new balast in the existing balast box. The tank will definately look better though.....

[ccjung]

Thanks for the input DK.

 

I'm going to ask nick (the ace here at Nanocustoms) to put together some more concise instructions.

 

The analogy i always use is that since we do this day in/day out, its a bit like a brain surgeon documenting his procedure.

 

Here at the shop, we rip them apart and get cracking..

 

It's good to hear feedback about this and we will be working to make it easier.

 

As always

 

thanks for the support

 

Chris

[HkySk8r187]

Measured water parameters tonight, not sure if my tank is cycling or not. Any suggestions?

 

Ammonia: 0.25

Nitrite: 0.5

Nitrate: 35

PH: 7.8

Alkalinity: normal

Temp: 80F

SG: 1.023

 

So, my ammonia has been at 0.25 ever since the rock went in, the nitrite .2 to .5, and nitrate went from 5 to 35 since rock was added. Hummm. Should I add a better source for ammonia such as a frozen shrimp and let it rot?

 

Also added another aquaclear 201 to the other side of the tank, circulation is much more random now instead of a whirlpool type.

[revkev6]

that is a definate NO on adding shrimp to "jump start your cycle". this is a misnomer. you should just be patient and let the tank cycle through. Some people have their tanks cycle in a few days but the VAST majority have it take a few weeks at least, sometimes as long as 6 months. I do have a couple questions for you on your tank setup. do you have a fulltime airconditioned residence? I would make sure you have some way to help keep it cool if you don't. with the full hoods on these nanocubes, the evap on my tank has been minimal. I get about half a gallon evaporation every three-four days. my brother who has a 15 gallon tank with a ten gallon sump has to put in a gallon a day. neither one of us has MH lighting.

[HkySk8r187]

Yes it's in an air conditioned house. I live in California near the coast so it's usually prety cool outside.

 

The tank has been getting no hotter than 82 degrees, and I've been turning down the heater the past few days to see if I can keep it lower. If need be, I'll purchase a chiller.

[HkySk8r187]

This morning I was able to pick up my package from nanocustoms. I plan on installing my new lights and overflow tonight so I'll post some pics later tonight when I'm done (assuming there are no problems with the install).

[HkySk8r187]

Just finished installing the new lights and they are awesome! I was surprised how perfesional the kit is, if you didn't know you'd look at the ballast and hood and think it came that way.

 

Here is a pic of the lights in the hood, and the moonlight.

[HkySk8r187]

Here is the tank with the stock lights on, plus the new 36w actinic blue and the additional T-5 actinic blue.

 

very pleased with nanocustoms...if you are considering ordering from them I would recommend them highly.

[HkySk8r187]

Not sure if anyone is still reading this thread :| but, I'm yet to see any type of pod in the tank. Most people always start seeing them right away like the next day or two. Does my life rock just suck or what?

[xsamx]

Originally posted by HkySk8r187

Not sure if anyone is still reading this thread :|  but, I'm yet to see any type of pod in the tank. Most people always start seeing them right away like the next day or two. Does my life rock just suck or what?

 

I assume the tank is still cycling. So, it may take a to see any pods. they're probably all deep within the LR. Give it time, what are the water parameters?

[HkySk8r187]

Last time I checked was last night and they were:

 

ammonia 0

 

nitrite 0.5

 

nitrate 10

 

ph 7.8 (keep adding buffer but wont go up)

 

alkalinity high (my test doens't give a value, just low, normal, and high)

 

calcium 470

 

temp 80.6f

 

SG 1.024

[HkySk8r187]

If you look at my previous posts, there was ammonia levels, so I'm guessing that the tank is cycling? I never had that much ammonia so I'm not sure that there was enough to really make it cycle good. I'm a newb though so I'm just taking a guess here. Hopefully someone can help me out

[HkySk8r187]

Time for the latest update

 

I installed a JBJ Auto Top-Off unit so I wouldn't have to add freshwater all the time. It seems to be working very well. The unit has a buzzer that goes off everytime it adds freshwater to the tank. I ripped this annoying thing out because it was ear-piercing loud and would have been going off in the middle of the night and things.

 

Here is a link to the top off unit I bought. Again, I purchased from Chris at nanocustoms.com.

 

http://nanotuners.nanocustoms.com/nanotune...&products_id=83

 

I keep RO/DI freshwater in a tuberware container under the tank, and I ran airline tubing from the tuberware container to the back chamber of the nano cube. I also keep the lid on the tuberware container to help keep it from evaporating (I cut a small hole in the lit for wires and airline tube).

[HkySk8r187]

From that 5 gallon tubberware container the airline tube runs to the back of the tank where the freshwater is pumped into my cube. The float sensor rests on the wall of the first and second chamber nicely.

[HkySk8r187]

Also dug through my closet and grabbed an old tape and did the infamous "tape skimmer mod".

[HkySk8r187]

tape surface skimmer

[HkySk8r187]

Ok, now as for what's in the tank, my rock has gotten more brown. I know that people say this brown algea is normal in a cycling tank, but should it be this bad? Take a look...

[HkySk8r187]

another pic

[HkySk8r187]

last one