Starting a New 8 Gal Oceanic Bio Cube

[DanSReef]

So, I have started my new 8 gal Oceanic Bio Cube. I figure this is the first New Nano Reef I have done in a while so I thought I would try to document everything as I go.....of course with pictures…and flip video along the way. I thought I would start a new thread here as a reference for those on this board who may be interested. Feel free to critique and provide ideas and suggestions.

Setup Details:

• About 6 lbs of "Texas Holley Rock" dead, dry base rock; glued together to provide stability.
• 3-4 cups of Carib Sea Arag-Alive Live Sand (just enough to cover the bottom and provide fill and stability around the rock.
• About 6 gallons of true water volume
• 1.025 Salinity
• Compact Fluorescent lighting (18w Daylight and Actinic) plus LED Moonlights.
• Removed Bio Balls from the sump and will be buying a media basket insert from inTank LLC so as to create a small refugium and floss media filter.
• Probably will use an external LED fixture shining through the back of the tank (painted glass back) for the Refugium.....we will see. …suggestions welcomed.

I am going to put a frozen krill in the tank to get things cycling and take a couple small live rock rubble pieces out of one of my other tanks to introduce and inoculate the base rock. My hope is to get the cycling going quickly and let it slowly settle in before I introduce anything in the way of fish and corals.

This tank setup was a Christmas present from my wife and kids. My wife said I needed something in my office to look at while I am on endless conference calls (I work out of my home office about 95% of the time). It will be a nice addition to the 29 Gal Oceanic Bio Cube and 72 Gal Bow Front Reef that I already have in other parts of the house.

As for what I am planning to put into the tank….right now I am still undecided. I am going to certainly put frags of different mushrooms and other softies in it. I am toying with a couple of very small perculas or make it a little goby tank. One thought I am kicking around is creating a Catalina Goby tank. I saw some at a LFS the other day and have always loved that fish. They like colder water than what we all typically have and so I am going to have to monitor what the temp settles at… without a heater and just the room temp as source for heating and cooling. If I end up going that route, I will need to find other inhabitants that will thrive at lower temps….

Of course it is still only day one of the process. I may change my mind 5-6 times before I am ready to add anything. Suggestions are welcomed. I will update every few days or so. Perhaps others who have also received one of these tanks can learn as I do….along the way. Enjoy!

Dan

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Beautiful !

 

[DanSReef]

I thought I would share a new photo of my newest project now that the tank has cleared. I am into day four with the tank cycle and not expecting to do much more that sit and wait for the next couple of weeks.

I have purchased a small heater, thermometer and a GE power strip. The power strip is interesting…. I bought it from Home Depot and the thing has four individual timed outlets and four constant on outlets. What I find interesting is that it states clearly “Not for use with Aquariums”….. For the life of me….I cannot figure out why. Those four outlets can be programmed to run the daylights, actinics and moonlights…. As long as I keep the strip clear of any moisture ….. I cannot see why it is not a Great Strip to use with Aquariums…..seeing as it was $19…compared to $30, $40, $50 plus for ones for aquariums…. Am I missing something here????

 

[DanSReef]

Well...it has been a little bit since I updated my 8 gal thread. The tank has been set up for a month and a half. A couple of weeks ago I added an in-tank llc media basket with a refugium chamber....and a jbj LED light. The pod in the tank....EXLPODED! I leterally have thousands of pods swimming around. I also added some snails from a CUC I purchased from Reef Cleaners. I also added some small softies that I bought as frags.

Well....this was the weekend for me to add some fish. I visited some of the LFS I frequent and at one of the SeaSchor in Buffalo Grove, I came across baby saddle back clowns. They are incredibly tiny...but were eating like champs and were hosting a coral. I could not resist and bought two of them. I then moved my long held "fuzzy" mushrooms from my 72 gal bow front to the 8 gal tank. I figured the baby clowns would host to it right away....and I was right! They took to it in a heart beat and have made it home. The clowns have aclimated well and are already eating like pigs. I fed them some fish roe and then just as the lights we going off...some Rogers Reef Food! I have seen them look at some of the smaller pods.... but at this point they have been loving diving in and around the mushrooms.

Here are a couple of pictures of the tank and the clowns. More to come. I can already tell they are a perfect selection for the tank.... Oh...for those already thinking these little guys will outgrow this tank....I am planning for it. When the time comes they can be moved into the 29 or the 72.... both of which has more mushrooms, torch, hammers....and even a nem if they so desire. Enjoy!

 

[DanSReef]

Video of New Baby Saddlebacks hosting "Fuzzy-Shrooms" - 8 Gal BC

So... I am playing with the Flip Camera and thought I would take a short video of the new saddlebacks....hosting in the "fuzz-Shrooms". Enjoy!

[video=youtube;uxcB7B-BGKs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxcB7B-BGKs&hd=1[/video]

 

[DanSReef]

I am sad to report that one of the baby saddlebacks have died. This morning he was missing and I found him being devoured by the snails in the back of the tank. Not sure what has happened....the water conditions are all perfect and they were eating like champs last night. The second baby saddleback is looking lost and is not hosting in the "Fuzzy-shrooms" as they have been. I am afraid he too is at risk. After 10 days both fish seemed to be settling in nicely.

 

[QuentinB]

Wow, I'm very sorry to hear that! They were going wild in those shrooms! Good luck with the second one...

 

[DanSReef]

Well.....#2 baby saddleback died last night. I am not sure what has happened with them. They did seem a bit stressed initially....but seemed to settle in nicely. There seemed to be no rationale behind their deaths. Even #2 was eating like a champ last night.

One thought is that they were very small and young. Perhaps the movement from the breeder to the lfs and then to my tank was too much for them to handle. They ate great and I offered them a wide variety of foods....which they readily accepted. Another thought is that there is something in the tank that killed them..... All I really have is snails and some soft corals. I did have an outbreak of flat worms that I treated successfully with Flatworm Exit.....but I do not think that was the cause of their demise… . I was able to capture all of the flatworms as they started to die via syphon and did both a water change and used carbon....to counteract any toxins dead flatworms gave off.... I would have thought that would not have impacted them.

So… I guess it is back to the starting block. I think I may go back to my initial thought of having this tank as a goby tank. I might find another pair of small clowns…. We will see.

 

[Charley tay tay]

Are you having any problem with your Texas Holley rock? I live in Austin Texas, and that stuff is litterally everywhere. lol. Is it effecting your perms?

sorry about your saddlebacks, they were quite gorgeous.

 

[DanSReef]

Thanks for the question....and it is a fair one at that. My water parameters are all great. The only one I do not measure often is Mg. I am waiting for a test kit to arrive today from F&S. That said.... My PH is a little low....around 8.05 with lights on and 7.89 with lights off... My alkalinity, Calcium, Nitrates and Phosphates are all great. My salinity is 1.024. So....unless my Mg is way out of whack....I think there is little impact with the rock. Also, my corals all look fine and I would expect that they would show issues before they would appear with fish.....at least that is what I would expect.....

BTW..... I was there a couple of weeks ago....and yeah that Texas Holley Rock is EVERYWHERE!!!! and free for the taking.....

 

[mildlyrude]

beautiful but jc i an debating getting a 8 gallon nano how many fish can you safely put in it?