Ricks' Oceanic 14G Biocube - my first salt water tank

[jnohs]

another comment
I saw earlyer in this thread that you cleaned the filter floss than had a spike of some kind. In a tank that small any thing you do will cause a small cycle. also of I am not mistaken the filter floss is much like the bioballs. I think thay are the same thing just different shapes. But both are designed for high surface area offering ntrate rduction and no nitrite reduction. This of course is just my oponion . I to have pulled the bio balls out of my cubes. But i did not replace with anything yet. I guess I would put large rumble in there not to small though I wouldnt want any detrious traps.It took me a long time to just learn to leave the tank alone do water changes.

I know I have just written a lot.But I also wanted to mention what type of water you are using. when i use distiled water and purchased salt mix I also add a reef buffer. Genrally the older the tank the less you will need but in the begening when thing are crazy it will help raise the hardness a little and keep a constant ph. I now only add a little bit to my water changes because the rock and sand and all the millions of critters help stabalize the ph them selves.

these are just things that this thread has made me think and I am not trying to tell you how to reef. thankx

[jnohs]

I just read your reply. the skimmer sound good. The 1 I have now is not the best but it can handle my new 55. you said it seems to be working. that seems to be good enough for me. It is only 14 gallons it shouldnt pull out that much any way. as long as it is pulling something. Then atleast you no you are fighting an uphill battle. Witch is what this all is in a way.

[djbacon]

Firtst off, NOTHING is too much for me at this stage in the game....write as mch as you want cuz I am still learning.

Im using pre mixed salt water from the LFS which recently has been of questionable quality. Thus far my PH has been VERY consistent (reading the crappy tetra kit it is always at 8 (+/-) 1-2 for the spread on the color chart).

I also have two awesome long pieces of LR in my 2nd chamber that fill the space and can be easily removed beneath the filter floss. The floss is completely submerged beneath the overflow from chamber 1 and I clean it every couple days. think it is doing a good job and not growing aerobics like the balls would.

Thanks for yor input !!! I think I have panicked once or twice wihtout reason. Just a noob here.

[djbacon]

How long in general should one wait after adding the CUC before considering zoas and palys....would like to add some of these before adding fish to the tank. Woiuld it be better to add a fish first to ensure tha tank can handle the ammonia increase first?

[leahski]

I am not an expert by any stretch of the word, but i've heard some advice on this topic that i'll share!
i have heard that you should start with hardy corals before a fish because a more mature tank can handle the larger bioload better. my tank is a little over a month old and i'm just starting to add corals, but i think my tank was ready a week or two ago...

[djbacon]

yea, i thought the same...but a part my head thinks adding a fish (more bioload) later might be harder for the corals too handle since the tank has not as of yet had a signisficant bio load in it...think i have more reading to do...The CUC is thriving. :-)

[jnohs]

I here what you r sayin is correct after a month most tank will of cycled. But truthfully it take a while for a sturdy muture tank. Just add stuff slowly 1 item at a time. I would also of course do water changes but not large ones rather mutipule smaller ones. Everything you do to your tank in the first 6 month will mess with is stability.I would also suggest NSW, RO, distilled water only. but just wait a week always at least.

[leahski]

a week between adding things? sounds about right.

now (sorry for the hijack!) i have an 8g and i ususally do about a 3g water change every weeek. would you recommend doing like a 1 or 2g change twice a week instead?

[djbacon]

not sure if you are asking me but almost half your water weekly sounds like a lot of changing. Depends on how high your levels are I guess. Continue changing out gradually uniltl levels are accpetable

[leahski]

what kind of water changes do you do? i've always (and by always i mean since i started reefing which was a month and a week ago to date!) heard that for nanos regular 25-50% water changes were really important. maybe it is a bit much to do at one time, but it's worked so far. i might start doing like 2g changes twice a week or something... we'll see.

[djbacon]

I did a big 50-60% water change after stage 1 of my cycle before adding the CUC. Been doing weekly 2-3 gallon changes since and have kept my levels pretty steady (so far) never got the N03 to 0 yet, but its lowish 12.5. Considering trying purigen or some other product to try to absorb the nitrates. Not ready to fuge my back chamber yet which I hear is also helpful.

[leahski]

yeah, i've been having trouble with lowering my NO3 too. mine's hanging around 15... adding a fuge today though. that should help.

[djbacon]

Another ID request here for ya folks.... anybody seen these before? I dont think they are pods but what the hell do i know?

New shipment of fiji leathers and frogspawn coming to the LFS tomorrow. I may buy my first coral.....

[djbacon]

Link to this HH ID thread here - Star shaped creatures all over glass

Looks to me to be a hydromedusae or medusa hydroid (Staurocladia oahuensis), not an asterina star as suggested. The close up hydroid image is def NOT a star.

see a close up here JellyIDFAQs

[djbacon]

Now it gets fun folks :-) Got my first small coral this weekend. Was debating between a frogspawn and a gorgeous heliofungia but decided to stick with the easier variety. The FS were all a bit too big for my little nano so I opted for this smaller green and purple hammer coral, which so far has been doing very well.

got my lights running now, been slowly increasing their ON time over the last few days. Testing for new fun levels:

PH 8.1
Temp 79
SG - 1.024
N03 <10
NH3/4 0
Calcium - 440
dkh - 9.5
Phosphate - 0

New tank shot below :-) Looking forward to filling up some of that bottom space with Mushrooms, Zoas and Palys next. Woo Hoo!