My JBJ 28g Nano Cube

[Rellikdloc]

Ok im a little late startin this thread for my new and 1st saltwater tank, but i figure

better late then never. I have a 14lb LR (top middle from front veiw) which i got from

my LFS, about another 15lb or so LR (bottom right from front view) which i got from a

buddy of mine, and about 2 base rocks that are about 5-7lbs (bottom left from front

view) and some Ocean Direct Carribean sand. Now im just waiting for a cycle, it has

about .25 or ammonia in it right now. Next thing im prolly gonna buy is some phosban,

chemi-pure elite, and some filter floss, to replace the oringinal things that came in the

media basket. Then prolly a Hydor Koralia Nano Circulation Powerhead and i would

like to get the tunze 9002 skimmer if i do need one, but i just dont think it would fit in

the back. Let me know what u guyz think and if you have any advice on anything.

 

[cageburn]

thow a power head in there and youll be good to go :) looking good!

 

[rdahlke1105]

The Tunze will fit in the middle chamber, but you do lose the media basket. Personally I decided to go with the media basket. Right now I'm running floss in the top chamber, phosban and purigen in the center chamber and chemi-pure elite in the last. I did add the Koralia nano 425 as well. Which of the lighting types did you decide to go with?

 

[Rellikdloc]

i have two 10,000k white daylight, two 7100k blue actinic and four nite-vu LED moonlights

 

[rdahlke1105]

I take it you got the Quad?

 

[Rellikdloc]

yes mam

 

[rdahlke1105]

I considered it briefly about getting the quad, but I do want to have a clam someday and the quad doesn't have the strength for clams.

Oh and on a side note..I'm female.

 

[Rellikdloc]

i do want to use the media basket, ill just have to figure something else out. Is that the

only thing the lights are not strong enough for?

 

[rdahlke1105]

Well you can have softies and maybe some of the lower light LPS, but really that is about it. You won't be able to do the high light LPS, SPS or clams.

Do you by chance belong to nano-reefs.com? If you do contact urbaneks through PM and he makes a custom media basket that works much better than the stock one. If you want to see what it looks like I have a picture of one in my build thread.

https://www.livingreefs.com/and-begins-jbj-nano-cube-28-gallon-led-t31109.html

 

[Rellikdloc]

nah i dont, yea i saw ur basket it looks good, whats he charge? I was mainly thinking about getting zoas.

 

[rdahlke1105]

It was $30 and I think it was $10 for shipping. I think zoas would be ok with the quad.

 

[Rellikdloc]

whats the reason behind u getting the custom basket?

 

[rdahlke1105]

The stock basket doesn't treat the entire water column. There is some that misses the basket. The custom one forces all of the water to go through it because its larger.

 

[Rellikdloc]

yea i noticed if i have both pumps going some of the water doesnt go thru the basket, but if i just have it switching the water goes thru it

 

[rdahlke1105]

Yea with the basket I have I can have both going at the same time. Currently I have one pointed towards the surface for a little surface agitation the other is pointing towards the front of the tank. I have my power head pointed towards the back right corner if you are looking at it from the front.

 

[Rellikdloc]

Ok i am guessing this is the normal brown algae ( diatoms) ? with my new tank. My

ammonia is still around .25, any suggestions? or im good and going down the right

track? Maybe some Nassarius Snails would be ok? My Temp has seemed to drop as

well to around 74 from 77 not sure why but im tryin to get it back up, i increased the

temp up a little to try and get it back to 77. My ph is good, My salinity is 1.023 i use

the instant ocean hydrometer and i read somewhere your suppose to add .002 to

that? Again any suggustions for anything i would be greatful.

 

[rdahlke1105]

Diatoms are normal. They will go away on their own. Sometimes it takes a while for the ammonia to mutate to the nitrites. I wouldn't put anything in yet. You really should wait until everything reads 0 before you add a CUC. Hydrometers are fine for the cycle, but once the cycle is complete you really should invest in a refractometer. That is what I'm planning as well. I'm using the same hydrometer as you for my cycle. I have never heard the adding .002 with hydrometers. They are notoriously inaccurate, but like I was told they are fine for the cycle.

 

[Rellikdloc]

oops i forgot my pics with my last post. here they are

 

[rdahlke1105]

Looks like diatoms to me, but I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in. I'm surprised that you are getting diatoms so soon. Didn't you just set your tank up last weekend? I was thinking diatoms came later in the cycle.

 

[Rellikdloc]

id say ive had it up with LR in it for about 2 weeks. The big LR on the right has been in there for about 4 days