1 gallon setup

[The Hound]

Hey all,

 

I haven't posted here much, but have watched the forum for quite sometime. I have jsut setup a 1gallon nano or pico or whatever you want to call it. At any rate. I am using a 9" corallifefixture that has a 9 watt actinic and a 9 watt 10k compact flourescent. I have about a 1 lbs of live rock and a couple lbs of live sand (so my sand bed is about an inch to an inch and a half deep.

 

I have two questions:

1. How long should it take for this tank to cycle? I am assuming since it is so small and I used all live rock and live sand it shouldn't take long at all.

 

2. Any heating and cooling ideas for this thing? I currenlty have the coral life hood sitting right on top of the tank. From the time I turn it on in the morning to the time I leave in the afternoon (it's a desktop tank at work) and turn it off it fluctuates from 74 degrees to about 80-81 degrees. I realize if I lift the fixture off the tank a couple of inches that will greatly decrease the increase in temp...should I also consider a mini heater to keep the temp up througout the night? 74 seems pretty low to me.

 

Thanks,

Jason

[riotj]

Hey all,

 

I haven't posted here much, but have watched the forum for quite sometime. I have jsut setup a 1gallon nano or pico or whatever you want to call it. At any rate. I am using a 9" corallifefixture that has a 9 watt actinic and a 9 watt 10k compact flourescent. I have about a 1 lbs of live rock and a couple lbs of live sand (so my sand bed is about an inch to an inch and a half deep.

 

I have two questions:

1. How long should it take for this tank to cycle? I am assuming since it is so small and I used all live rock and live sand it shouldn't take long at all.

 

2. Any heating and cooling ideas for this thing? I currenlty have the coral life hood sitting right on top of the tank. From the time I turn it on in the morning to the time I leave in the afternoon (it's a desktop tank at work) and turn it off it fluctuates from 74 degrees to about 80-81 degrees. I realize if I lift the fixture off the tank a couple of inches that will greatly decrease the increase in temp...should I also consider a mini heater to keep the temp up througout the night? 74 seems pretty low to me.

 

Thanks,

Jason

 

 

I have a .75 (you can see my update post.) As for cycling, I never really went through a nitrogen cycle since I too used live rock and sand. There was a diatom and brown algae issue in the beginning (first 2-3 weeks) but that is now gone. I don't have a heater and I run the same temp range as you sometimes down to 71 up to 80 per day but i live in Southern California. I have lots of corals in that tiny space (even LPS - a small torch and a 4 polyp blasto merletti) and a tiny fire fish which has been in the tank for 8 weeks now and the temp swing does not effect them. The real test for you and your need for a heater will be in the winter if you don't live in a warm climate. I would try a couple of softies to see how they do before you go get a heater although if you live in the north and the heat is shut off in the office, I would definately get a heater eventually but not those heating pads. You can't control the temp on them and the instructions say something to the effect that if the temp rises above some temp, that I can't recall, to unplug it! Crazy.

 

I know I am pushing it to the max bioload wise but my only problem (maybe not a small problem) is a small patch of hair algae on one rock which I am getting under control with a small emerald crab who is grazing on it but not eradicating it as fast as I'd like. I've had him a week and I thought it would be all gone but it is not. For being so small, it is moving large rocks and moving the small frags of coral which is annoying but he is out of there as soon as the hair algae is gone. I would keep the lighting to 8 hours a day as I do and it seems like the hair algae is not spreading.

 

Hope that helps.

[The Hound]

I appreciate it. I live in Kansas City, but work in a large office so the temp remains pretty constant even in the winter...but a heater still maybe in order.

 

I plan on putting some zoa's in in a bit and I have more kenya tree in my 24g at home than I would like, so I might put one of those in there. Eventually get a peppermint shrimp and some tiny blue legged crabs. I was considering a small clown...we shall see.

 

What kind of lighting are you using?

[riotj]

It's a 7W 50/50 says 9000K on the bulb, made by Aqualux.

[Fload]

sounds like a good start! I have a 2.5 gallon with the same exact light and almost the same temp swings but I too live in socal my swing is now from 75-81... But no effect on any inhabitants even now have a ick infested damsel (lfs gave him to me for free they didn't want to put him in their tanks) he has been doing great for the past 3 weeks my mantis hasn't gotten that hungry yet and I too added lr and ls no cycle small diatom bloom on sand about 2 weeks in been doind water changes once every 2 weeks (once a week is too much imo) I am adding 4 drops of nano A and B all corals are thriving my half dead frag of frogspawn has doubled size in 1 month! Only suggestion I have is u should really really really get a Automatic top off, that small of a tank with the lights on top evaporates water pretty fast with a salinity swing all your corals will be stressed and shrimps will most likely die.. If you look at my thread you can see my setup (floads 2.5 pico) the ato I got cost me less than $20 and has been working great (replenishing a gatorade bottle 750ml every 3 days)...... Goodluck! And get some pics on here!

[The Hound]

WEll Iraised the hood above the tank now, so at least the tank isn't getting up to 81 degrees, now it goes from 72 - 78...which I guess isn't too bad. I considered getting one of the small pad heaters and putting it on a timer, so that once the lights go out it goes on, and maybe have it cycle evry 15 minutes or something. I would have to play with it a bit to see how it would work. Not sure it is worth the 15 bucks.

[Cuba Libre]

I appreciate it. I live in Kansas City, but work in a large office so the temp remains pretty constant even in the winter...but a heater still maybe in order.

 

I plan on putting some zoa's in in a bit and I have more kenya tree in my 24g at home than I would like, so I might put one of those in there. Eventually get a peppermint shrimp and some tiny blue legged crabs. I was considering a small clown...we shall see.

 

What kind of lighting are you using?

 

Definitely pass on the clown

[fishbabies]

Hagen makes a decent non-submersible 25w heater under the name Elite that is about 6.5" and has a clip on thing.....Azoo makes a titanium heater that is about 6" and is completely submersible. I had a heating pad thing too and it didn't work so well.

[The Hound]

Cuba Libre,

So, clowns not so good in a small tank? Hmmm...well I hear a lot of talk about goby's. I dunno, that is a little ways down the road, I may end up just being happy with some soft corals and, snails, crabs, and a shrimp...we'll see,

 

Fishbabies,

Thanks, for the info on the heater. I will watch it a bit and see how big the temp swing ends up being. During the winter I may have no choice but to get a heater...but that's a ways off at the moment.