New 12G Nano Cube in my classroom

[magiccat]

Hi everyone
I am new here and very happy to have found this forum. I need advice and also have a few questions.

I started cycleing a 5 gallon eclipse and it was doing pretty well after about 5 weeks. I then got my 12G nano and moved everything to that. I moved the live rocks, coral substrate, one snail and the water. That was two weeks ago. Still the aquarium seemed cycled with the exception of .25 ammonia popping up now and then. I added a damsel last week and another rock. Yesterday, I did a 1G water change and the .25 ammonia was gone. My first question is, will my aquarium continue to be cycled as it was before the move or do I need to wait longer the cycling? Also, I want to add another powerhead and a skimmer but the hood does not really have the space. I have a heater and the cord is keeping the small hood door a tiny bit open. How do you modify the hood?? Also, where can I get a small skimmer? Finally, Do I leave the light that come with the nano or am I supposed to change them since I would like to have coral???

I know these are a lot of questions but I hope you guys can help me. By the way, I am not a beginner. I have a 180G at home and have cycled classroom aquariums ranging from 15 to 35 gallons.

Thanks!

[blue_eyes53813]

With the .25 ammonia you are seeing is probably from adding the live rock and fish. You will experience that for awhile until the tank becomes stable. Take it slow and you should be fine.How many watts are the light? Can you notch out the hood for the cords?

[magiccat]

I dont know how many watts, I will check tomorrow. Can you post a pic of the notches I will need to make on the hood. I am afraid of cracking the hood.

[fidojoe]

You can get a Current USA Fission nano skimmer, they're supposed to be pretty good, and they're small.

[magiccat]

Hi
The lights are 24watt 50/50. For some reason, I though I had gotten the deluxe but I didn't. I only have two bulbs. I took the sponge filter out as someone had suggested and did a water change so everything is ok for now. I have a snail who is a very happy gastropod. If he's happy than the water is good. I test it twice weekly anyway. I will check out the skimmer. By the way, thanks for the tip on getting the heater cord through the hood.

[Charlie97L]

be careful if you're planning on adding other fish at some point. damsels are ridiculously territorial, and since he was the first fish in, thinks of the entire tank as his territory, and will most likely injure or kill any other fish you put in there with him.

[cburns32]

Yeah that damsel will reak havoc in your tank...Now that he thinks it is his...The other fish in that tank are gonna have trouble fighting for space in your tank...I'd suggest to see if your LFS will take that damsel off your hands, and maybe get 2 Green Chromis, and maybe a goby. Those bare well in a small reef tank...So I heard

[BoomerD]

Just keep in mind, that the safe stocking load for a 12 gallon tank is going to be about 2-1/2 inches of fish...measured at the adult size, so you're going to be VERY limited in what you can put in there...Chromis get to over 3", so more than one of them will severely overload your tank...you MIGHT be able to have one percula or oscellaris clown, or a pistol shrimp/goby combo, but not much else...

[JasonL]

Actually, I have a 12 gallon aqua-pod with approx 12 lbs of live rock, live sand and I carry a stock of 1 orange linkia, 1 fire shrimp, 1 cleaner skunk shrimp, 5 hermits, 2 turbo snails, 1 percula clown and 1 purple pseudo. Everything is doing great but I think Im able to accomplish this because I also have the fission nano skimmer hooked up to it. If you hook up the fission you should be fine with two fish. Make sure you do at least 1 1/2 gallon water change every two weeks. I also have a torch coral, star polyp, mushroom and some type of orange coral that I have been unable to identify. Can somone take a look at it in my gallery and tell me what it is. My wife bought it for me as a surprise.