Marine Moron: First Nano Reef

[Bedowyn]

Hello everybody. I am BRAND NEW to the marine hobby, and while it is something I have always wanted to pick up, I never had the opportunity to do so. Until now. I do have some previous Tropical experience.

 

For Christmas I was encouraged by the wife to start that new aquarium I have been talking about for forever, and a Visa Gift Card enabled me to get started. But while researching the current state of the art - see what new options there were - I saw and became seduced by some Nano Reefs that I saw. And the more I saw and learned, the more realistic and seductive the idea became. Ultimately, I bit.

 

I was able to find and acquire a used Oceanic Biocube 29, including a stand and a 10 lb rock wall, all for the low low price of $Holy-Crap-That-Is-Cheap. So I am now committed.

I have also done a lot of reading. A LOT of reading. And I think I am ready to move up from Passive Marine Moron to active Nano Newby.

 

I do know that I am going to pick up a InTake Media and Fuge Basket, setup with Filter Floss, Purigen and Chemi Pure Elite.

 

However, I have about a billion questions before I can proceed. And I need somewhere to ask them. Some friends to help me find my answers. And so here I am.

So... a few things, in no particular order, to get started:
1. What the hell goes in a Fuge Basket. Cheato? I know it is some sort of algae, but I can not find ANY information or examples.
2. The included water pump is an Oceanic AP1550. My presumption is that this is the stock pump. Does this part need upgrading?

3. The pump also has no filter/sponge at the intake. Do I need to find this?

4. The recommendation seems to be a heater in the first chamber, where the water intakes are. Unfortunately, there seems to be a floor half way down this chamber, and I am not sure a heater would actually fit.

5. Given that I have 10 lbs of inert rock that will eventually "come alive", and that the take is 29 gallons, how much additional live rock should I be looking for?

6. Live sand comes in 20lb bags. Do I need 20 or 40 for an aquarium of this size?

 

And finally, does anyone have any general suggestions? I am here to learn. Thanks!

 

[Julian_blnc]

A thread is nothing with out pictures, im intrested in seeing the rock wall.

 

As for the stock pump, imo it should be upgraded from what i read across the threads with a maxi jet for better flow and less heat,

 

If im not mistaken you can pop out the false bottom on chamber one, anyone with a biocube chime in?

 

To Nano Reef

[TristanC]

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/54602-24g-nano-cube-dx-startup-setup-manual-for-newbies-in-the-works/ Here is a good place to start. Its a bit old but all the info is sound. Chaeto is an algae that helps with nutrient export, it grows with pretty much any light check out reefcleaners.com for a more in depth look at nutrient export with macroalgaes. For the heater any spot with good flow and a constant water level will be best, for the sand about a 1" sandbed works best. The rock, you'll need enough to have a biofilter but the "required amount" is debatable, maybe a good 15-20lbs should work well. Welcome to the addiction and before you do anything research research and research, this forum has every piece of info you could possibly want, ask tons of questions and you will be well on your way Oh and congrats on the purchase!

[Bedowyn]

Pictures it is. That is, as soon as I figure out how to post them.

 

The false floor is now a thing of the past. Progress.

[metrokat]

MJ900 for the pump.

Use a screw driver to cut the silicone and pretty open the false floor in chamber 1.

If thinking of a skimmer, Stevie T sells one that fits in chamber 1.

Chaeto for macro, you will need a light for it also.

[Bedowyn]

Another question that alludes my research: Do I start with just water or water and sand? If the substrate comes later, than how do you put it into the bottom of the tank without making a mess? Also, does it make sense to buy my saltwater from my local dealer, or to make my own?

[BustytheSnowMaam]

put the sand in first. Then take a large bowl, set it in the tank, and pour the water in it, if you don't want to disturb the sand. Otherwise, pour it on top of the sand, but you'll have to wait a day or two for the cloudiness to settle.

 

I used to make my own water with mediocre results, then I found out my LFS sold their water, and their corals were thriving and gorgeous. So I started buying theirs, and wouldn't turn back. I get great coral growth, beautiful coralline growth on my rock (coralline is that colorful purple encrusting stuff that grows on live rock), and zero algae. I do keep a box of salt in case I run out of store water and I need to mix some.

[Bedowyn]

So, how does one transport 30 gallons of water? That is alot of heavy buckets. When you do buy it, do they provide containers or do you bring your own?

[jadedanime]

Another question that alludes my research: Do I start with just water or water and sand? If the substrate comes later, than how do you put it into the bottom of the tank without making a mess? Also, does it make sense to buy my saltwater from my local dealer, or to make my own?

 

The way I've heard people do it is put the water in first. Make sure it's good and mixed, then put some sand in a plastic bag, cut off a corner and let it pour onto the floor. Theoretically since the sand would only be falling an inch or few, the cloudiness would be minimal.

 

As for the saltwater, it's probably cheaper to make your own. But if you want to, find a good local shop and see if they are selling their water. Not all shops are equal though, so be careful there.

[amored]

 

 

So... a few things, in no particular order, to get started:

1. What the hell goes in a Fuge Basket. Cheato? I know it is some sort of algae, but I can not find ANY information or examples.

2. The included water pump is an Oceanic AP1550. My presumption is that this is the stock pump. Does this part need upgrading?

3. The pump also has no filter/sponge at the intake. Do I need to find this?

4. The recommendation seems to be a heater in the first chamber, where the water intakes are. Unfortunately, there seems to be a floor half way down this chamber, and I am not sure a heater would actually fit.

5. Given that I have 10 lbs of inert rock that will eventually "come alive", and that the take is 29 gallons, how much additional live rock should I be looking for?

6. Live sand comes in 20lb bags. Do I need 20 or 40 for an aquarium of this size?

 

And finally, does anyone have any general suggestions? I am here to learn. Thanks!

 

welcome to the most addictive hobby since disco...

 

1. i wouldn't necessarily bother with chaeto off the bat. try chemi-pure elite, phos-ban, and purigen. filter floss (the stuff that goes in pillows/stuffed animals) goes on top. you can buy it cheap in huge bags at a craft store/some walmarts (but make sure it isn't flame-retardant, that kind has a chemical coating that's bad for living things...)

 

2. upgrade the pump for sure. see metrokat's suggestion. you will also need to add more circulation in the main body of the tank. try some koralia powerheads (K1 or K2).

 

3. no, filter floss in the baskets will do that job, plus you can change this easily (as you should, when it gets gunky brown)

 

4. remove the false bottom. i've had 2 biocubes, an 8 and a 29. it's very easy to do and you'll have to do it for the media baskets anyway.

 

5. find good live rock, add at least another 20 pounds.

 

6. i'd say a 20 is fine, don't worry yourself with the nuances of a deep sand bed yet and sand is mostly for looks anyway. shallow sand beds are easier to clean and maintain. keep in mind, however, that some fish species require deeper sandbeds, such as jawfish, so if you're planning on one of those go with the 40lb bag.

 

other advice: stock slowly, very, very slowly. add one fish AFTER THE CYCLE (and after adding some snails- avoid hermits) and wait a month or so to allow your system to adjust to the new bioload (waste/leftover food etc). then add another fish. it is important that you add certain fish in a particular order, typically more passive fish should be added first so they can establish themselves and their hangouts. get a peppermint shrimp or two. start with soft corals. BUY GOOD SALT (i love aqua vitro but regular seachem is also good). and keep reading/don't be afraid to ask questions!

 

good luck and happy tanking!

[BustytheSnowMaam]

So, how does one transport 30 gallons of water? That is alot of heavy buckets. When you do buy it, do they provide containers or do you bring your own?

 

My LFS sells nice re-usable 5-gallon jugs.

 

 

Also, agree with Amored's suggestion to go with a shallow sand bed. The tanks I've set up with a shallow bed do much better (less than an inch of sand).

[amored]

also VERY IMPORTANT- YOU MUST USE RO/DI WATER. not optional. not even kind of. you can usually buy RO/DI water by the gallon but it is much cheaper to purchase an RO/DI unit and do it at home. this stands for reverse osmosis/de-ionized and it means that the only thing in your water will be hydrogen and oxygen, or 0 TDS. if you tell yourself, oh, i'll buy distilled, or my tap water is pretty clean, yada yada, you will seriously, SERIOUSLY pay for it in pest algae, high nitrates/phosphates, and likely the loss of livestock.

[lakshwadeep]

to nano-reef.com

 

Distilled water is okay as long as no minerals were added.

[Mstefa1]

also VERY IMPORTANT- YOU MUST USE RO/DI WATER. not optional. not even kind of. you can usually buy RO/DI water by the gallon but it is much cheaper to purchase an RO/DI unit and do it at home. this stands for reverse osmosis/de-ionized and it means that the only thing in your water will be hydrogen and oxygen, or 0 TDS. if you tell yourself, oh, i'll buy distilled, or my tap water is pretty clean, yada yada, you will seriously, SERIOUSLY pay for it in pest algae, high nitrates/phosphates, and likely the loss of livestock.

 

Very well put but I feel distilled is ok too. Either way, you need a TDS meter. Pick one up on Ebay.

[metrokat]

On the subject of chicken first or the egg: put rock first then sand. This means any burrowing fish like gobies will not topple the rocks when they dig. If you fill it with water and your sand arrives later, siphon out the water till almost empty, pour your sand in and put the same water back gently using a bowl on the n bottom to pour the water into like tashayar said.

[Mstefa1]

So... a few things, in no particular order, to get started:

1. What the hell goes in a Fuge Basket. Cheato? I know it is some sort of algae, but I can not find ANY information or examples.

 

Filter floss (or poly fill found cheap at Walmart in the crafts department as long as it isn't treated with anything. This needs to be replaced every couple of days... hence disposable media

 

You could also use carbon to clarify your water. Less is better changed more frequently IMO. You can also use a phosphate remover to keep algae under control.

 

2. The included water pump is an Oceanic AP1550. My presumption is that this is the stock pump. Does this part need upgrading?

 

I know Kat recommended an MJ900 as she has personal experience however I think more flow is better so I'm recommending a MJ1200. Maxijets still work fine but Cobalt makes the original quality MJs from the past but they are a little more money.

 

3. The pump also has no filter/sponge at the intake. Do I need to find this?

 

No sponge in your tank. Anywhere. Reason being is you can't adequately clean the sponge so eventually it will cause excess nitrates. While this would be OK for a fish only tank it is not recommended for a reef tank. Your pump does not need a prefilter. Floss or disposable filter pad at your overflow will remove particulates.

 

4. The recommendation seems to be a heater in the first chamber, where the water intakes are. Unfortunately, there seems to be a floor half way down this

chamber, and I am not sure a heater would actually fit.

 

Buy a new heater, even if you have an old one. The heater is the #1 thing that fails so it's worth spending a little money here. I switch mine with my Apex controller so there is no fear in my tank of it going bad. You can get a basic heater controller too which would be cheaper but still not in a small budget. Play it safe and start with a quality new heater.

 

5. Given that I have 10 lbs of inert rock that will eventually "come alive", and that the take is 29 gallons, how much additional live rock should I be looking for?

 

More is better but the weight depends on the density of the rock. You want enough rock to have a good biologic filtration as well as good coral placement options. Keep your rock away from the glass so that its easier to clean.

 

 

6. Live sand comes in 20lb bags. Do I need 20 or 40 for an aquarium of this size?

 

20lb. Shoot for 1" of sand.

 

 

And finally, does anyone have any general suggestions? I am here to learn. Thanks!

 

 

Keep reading. Welcome to N-R & good luck!

 

Let's talk about your lighting. Are you using the stock CF hood? If so you need to consider on which corals you can purchase and their placement. Please make sure you purchase new bulbs by the time your cycle is over.

[BustytheSnowMaam]

you need a TDS meter. Pick one up on Ebay.

 

no, he doesn't. I don't mean any disrespect, but I feel like telling someone new they need expensive equipment and tests is confusing to them and most of the time those things are superfluous to just plain common sense. Your suggestion that he pick up a good quality heater is a very good point. Don't skimp on that.

 

You need something to keep the water moving, and lots of LR for natural filtration. That's it. Turning a chamber into a fuge for nutrient export is a good idea. You can put some LR rubble in there too so that pods (tiny, shrimp-like creatures on the LR) and natural food for the tank can reproduce unmolested. I would get 1.5- 2lbs of LR for every gallon, and make sure it's LR with lots of purple color and life on it.

 

For tests, just get ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite. I would just get the test strips, rather than the boxes where you mix test tubes and chemicals. For me, the test strips have been accurate, and in the case of all three- all you need to know is if the reading is greater than 0. If it's greater than 0, it's bad and stressful to the animals.

 

Metrokat's recommendation of putting the rock in, then the sand is a good one.

[markalot]

no, he doesn't. I don't mean any disrespect, but I feel like telling someone new they need expensive equipment and tests is confusing to them and most of the time those things are superfluous to just plain common sense. Your suggestion that he pick up a good quality heater is a very good point. Don't skimp on that.

 

A temperature adjusting TDS meter is $17 from Amazon, maybe you misunderstood what was being suggested?

 

http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-TDS-3-Handheld-Carrying/dp/B000VTQM70/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1358342080&sr=8-3&keywords=tds+meter

 

Make sure not to get the EZ model as it does not temperature adjust and water in the winter can be very cold.

 

Someone above mentioned RO/DI or distilled. Make sure you are prepared for that, it's the number one mistake people seem to make. I know I started out using tap in my 40 last February and just in the last few months have gotten things under control. I bought a spectrapure RO/DI filter that hooks up to my laundry tub faucet, but before that I used distilled water from Walmart for 2 months.

 

Tap water has all kinds of nasty things in it that taste great to us and algae.

 

One other thing I always like to point out. Water will evaporate from your tank and the salinity will rise. Top off with pure RO/DI or distilled water, NOT saltwater, and try and topoff as often as possible to keep the level steady.

[Mstefa1]

no, he doesn't. I don't mean any disrespect, but I feel like telling someone new they need expensive equipment and tests is confusing to them and most of the time those things are superfluous to just plain common sense. Your suggestion that he pick up a good quality heater is a very good point. Don't skimp on that.

 

You need something to keep the water moving, and lots of LR for natural filtration. That's it. Turning a chamber into a fuge for nutrient export is a good idea. You can put some LR rubble in there too so that pods (tiny, shrimp-like creatures on the LR) and natural food for the tank can reproduce unmolested. I would get 1.5- 2lbs of LR for every gallon, and make sure it's LR with lots of purple color and life on it.

 

For tests, just get ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite. I would just get the test strips, rather than the boxes where you mix test tubes and chemicals. For me, the test strips have been accurate, and in the case of all three- all you need to know is if the reading is greater than 0. If it's greater than 0, it's bad and stressful to the animals.

 

Metrokat's recommendation of putting the rock in, then the sand is a good one.

 

 

Now this is where we do NOT agree. A TDS meter can be found on ebay for ~$20. It's the one tool that I use regularly to confirm my water is actually 0 TDS. If I was purchasing water either from a store or a LFS I would still test the water. The only exception would be if your purchasing premixed saltwater and then you really have no way to test the water and I don't recommend purchasing premixed water anyway but that's my opinion.

 

I also do not recommend putting live rock rubble in a rear chamber. All that does is add numerous places for detritus to accumulate. This was a fad back when I first joined here years ago but people soon found that all it did was create more problems. Chaeto would be OK if you have a light source. You can easily rinse chaeto from any detritus that may accumulate.

 

Additionally, I don't use test strips either. I don't feel they are accurate. You can purchase a cheap API master test kit but again I don't recommend that either. I have one and it's not worth it. You probably will never use it after your tank cycles. I prefer to setup the tank and forget about it for 3-4 weeks. You should see a pod explosion and eventually you will see diatoms. It's pretty easy to visually tell when your tank is cycled.

 

Now the tests I DO recommend is Ca, Alk, & Mg. You need to keep these in balance to grow corals and they are primarily what you will be testing for. I use Salifert but you could choose another quality brand. I also recommend purchasing a refractometer. I was one of those that used a pair of swing arms that both read different readings and it wasn't until I purchased a refractometer that I found both hydrometers were wrong. A nitrate test kit is a good idea too but generally you can tell by looking at your tank if you have an issue so you may not need to purchase that right away.

 

Again, this is all my opinion developed from my personal experience. Well all have different views and certainty everyone is entitled to their opinion.

[markalot]

I did the rock rubble for a while in the filter in my 40 gallon. It worked well for seeding my 20 but it was full of detritus, feather dusters (not bad) and Aptasia anemone (bad) who apparently can live off of room light. I don't use rock rubble anymore and make sure my filters get blown out with a turkey baster on a regular basis.

I've switched from API test kits to Red Sea pro. I honestly think the API are good enough for alk and calcium since the drop method gives you a pretty good estimate. For phosphate and nitrates and even ammonia, API is crap.

All just my opinion, of course.

Bedowyn, you having fun yet?

[BustytheSnowMaam]

Where I'm coming from is I get the feeling the OP just wants to get started and keep it simple. He probably wants to have a few fish and some beginner corals and go from there. I would agree with the refractometer suggestion.

 

I think you're probably a little more anal than I am. I used to buy the fancy test kits and mix this and add that, but then I realized that all I need to know (as far as ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite) is if it's more than 0, it's bad- the exact number doesn't really matter, unless I'm trying to observe the progression of the cycle. And like you said, you're probably not going to use them again after the end of the cycle.

 

I wouldn't buy Ca, Mg, etc tests unless I was dosing those elements. Good saltwater gives you those things and water changes replenish them. You don't need to dose.

I did the rock rubble for a while in the filter in my 40 gallon. It worked well for seeding my 20 but it was full of detritus, feather dusters (not bad) and Aptasia anemone (bad) who apparently can live off of room light. I don't use rock rubble anymore and make sure my filters get blown out with a turkey baster on a regular basis.

 

Yes, but all of those critters (feather dusters and aiptasia) are critters that consume nutrients, and a refugium is for nutrient export. There's nothing wrong with having them there.

[Mstefa1]

Where I'm coming from is I get the feeling the OP just wants to get started and keep it simple. He probably wants to have a few fish and some beginner corals and go from there. I would agree with the refractometer suggestion.

 

Ensuring your RODI water is proper is the first step towards starting algae free. It doesn't get any simpler then that.

 

I think you're probably a little more anal than I am. I used to buy the fancy test kits and mix this and add that, but then I realized that all I need to know (as far as ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite) is if it's more than 0, it's bad- the exact number doesn't really matter, unless I'm trying to observe the progression of the cycle. And like you said, you're probably not going to use them again after the end of the cycle.

 

Nitrate should not be 0 or your not using a sensitive enough test kit. It should be close to zero. Your right, I'm very anal as I have a lot of time, money, and heart into my setup. However I am not set in my ways. I'm not recommending someone new to spend a lot of money on things they don't need but there are basic tools that you just can't live without. For example, a person has algae and someone recommends to them to test for phosphates. They run out and get an API phosphate test kit or even a Salifert for that matter. That would be money in the toilet. As well as PH, ammonia, and nitrite test kits are not required in most cases beyond the cycle.

 

I wouldn't buy Ca, Mg, etc tests unless I was dosing those elements. Good saltwater gives you those things and water changes replenish them. You don't need to dose.

 

That's fine if your going to have a handful of very basic corals but even with quality salt and weekly water changes I could not maintain Alk without dosing by hand. Ca & Alk are the building blocks that coral needs to grow. Mg is what bonds the two. If your running a fish tank then its not an issue but if your keeping a reef tank then its critical.

 

Yes, but all of those critters (feather dusters and aiptasia) are critters that consume nutrients, and a refugium is for nutrient export. There's nothing wrong with having them there.

Aiptasia would spread to the display.

[amored]

i'd just like to add that in a lot of cases, starting off with quality, reliable equipment is a big advantage to a new reefer. i tried to go it the cheaper route on my first tank and wound up spending even more money to replace the stuff i had bought originally with the things i actually wound up needing. examples:

 

1. i used distilled water and had a HUGE phosphate/algae problem (water was grocery store brand, my theory was they were leaching from the low-grade plastic jugs). switched to RO/DI and ran phos-ban, problem solved.

 

2. i had a hydrometer and didn't understand why i was losing my inverts (after fixing the phos problem) and realized my salinity and temp were violently fluctuating. replaced with a refractometer and digital thermometer.

 

3. bought API marine test kit pack. swore up and down to everyone on NR that i had 0 nitrates. realized this was impossible, bought salifert kits, and began testing all parameters (alk, calc, phos, nitrate, ammonia, ph, mag) twice per week until i could predict any changes and understood the cycles of the tank.

 

4. used a marine salt (IO) instead of a reef salt in a tank with a lot of LPS. couldn't keep my alk stable and was constantly dosing (a dangerous thing for a newb, IMO) for calc and mag. switched to salinity, didn't have to dose, levels stabilized between W/Cs

 

this is just my experience. but if you add up all the money i wasted on 'standard, unfancy' equipment before replacing it with what was legitimately required, it would have been waaaaay cheaper to start off the right way. i'm setting up my 3rd tank now after having successfully kept an SPS-heavy pico and a pygmy octopus and i went ahead and got the good stuff off the bat.

[Veng]

I'll add another +1 to the TDS meter. I bought water from LFS when I started the hobby and after about 6 months got a bad batch that caused an outbreak of algae. I switched to another LFS's water and another 6 months later got another bad batch from them. After the second time I said never again and bought a RO/DI unit and a TDS meter. I tested the TDS of the second batch of bad water at well over 100 TDS. I'm not suggesting you need to go buy an RO/DI unit, you don't. But you should get a TDS meter to ensure you're actually getting what you're paying for. They are stupid cheap and as easy to use as a digital thermometer.

 

Also, don't buy saltwater from the LFS, buy fresh and mix it your self. You can use a premium salt mix and spend less than buying the cheapest salt they could find that you'll get in most LFS salt water.

[Bedowyn]

Let's talk about your lighting. Are you using the stock CF hood? If so you need to consider on which corals you can purchase and their placement. Please make sure you purchase new bulbs by the time your cycle is over.

 

Yes. Let's. It does appear that it is the stock lighting. Two Flourecent Tubes and a set of 3 LEDs. I have yet to power them up.

 

My hope is that this is enough to get me started? And maybe do a few basic corals? And then I can upgrade the lighting later, as money and time better allows?