Brittant's 14-gallon BioCube (First tank!)

[brittant]

I have a 14-gallon BioCube as my first saltwater tank. It is about 5-6 weeks into cycling. What would you suggest for the tank? What and/or when should I add to the tank (see the 'Possible Additions" section below)? Thanks!

(I'll probably rearrange the live rock so it is more attractive, but my Banggai was struggling to swim in the current without the rock diverting it. Is there some sort of output cover that you would recommend?)

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Stock
Currently, I have about two inches of live sand, 8 (I think? see pics for more details) of live rock, two sand snails, two hermits, two rock snails, and a Banggai Cardinalfish.

Readings
TBA

Conditions
Ultraviolet running 4 hours, white running 2 hours.
Temperature 75-76 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fish is fed frozen Mysis Shrimp and Frozen Seaweed.

Problems Encountered
-Around Week 3: An employee at the store I attend advised that I double my lights. My live rock promptly lost color, and diatroms appeared. I cut down the lights back to the schedule listed above and the diatroms resolved.

-Around Week 5: The store suggested that I purchase two Banggai Cardinalfish. Even with multiple hiding spots and 4 days later, one fish was chasing the other into a corner between the heater and the filer input. I returned the aggressive fish, and now Baby (a "Dirty Dancing" reference) is quite content and feeding.

Possible Additions (Some interchangeable) :
-Mushroom Coral
-Zoanthid
-Some kind of carpet coral
-Firefish Goby
-Tailspot Blenny
-Watchman Goby
-Small, reef-safe Wrasse
-Sexy Shrimp

 

[lilmatty5dimes]

Hello and welcome to the site and the world of the BioCube. There's a few ppl on the site that also have a cube. They're a lot of fun. The only downsize is 3 fish would be your top limit for fish. You should be able to have your lights on longer. I have mine on for 8 hours a day. There's a lot of knowledge ppl on here so ask question when they come up.

 

[little_fish]

I think one fish is enough fish for the 14 gal until you get all the algae problems sorted out and the tank has time to mature. At that point, i think a firefish would do well in there. However, you can add as many corals and inverts as you can fit in there.

Also, are you sure you running ultra violet lighting? because technically the human eye really cant see in the UV spectrum. What do you have for lighting? That will determine what corals you can keep. I would also increase how long you have the lights on for when you get corals, but with only fish, that is fine.

 

[brittant]

Thank you guys! I was planning on adding a second fish in three weeks or so, if all looks good. So far, the tank has not had any algae problems, and my live rock is healing beautifully - it is becoming quite colorful. :) Yes, I was not planning on putting more than 3 fish in, and not adding a third until maybe late summer, if not later. The tank sets the timeline, not me. :)

@lilmatty5dimes - I may slowly increase the lighting, but I am feeling rather cautious at the moment. My rock and tank are recovering quite nicely under the current lighting conditions.

@little_fish - As far as the lights, I'm not actually sure what kind they are. I know that there are the two standard lights, along with the background LED light; the blue-purple one is the one that I've always heard referred to as "ultraviolet." I would do research as to what kind of light it is exactly, but I am in the midst of midterms week and don't want to sidetrack myself too much.

 

[Bifferwine]

It's not an ultraviolet light -- it's an actinic light. Are they the stock lights that came with the cube? If so, those will be fine for most corals.

You should be running your lights for 8 to 12 hours a day. You want to mimic real life as closely as possible, and the sun does not shine for only two hours a day. All new tanks will get algae in the first few months. That's par for the course.

 

[brittant]

@Bifferwine - I am in the process of working up to 8 right now; just want to make sure it won't cause any sudden die off. Thank you :)

Yes, they are the stock lights. I am planning on sticking to mushrooms and zoas right now, so those lights should be okay, right?

 

[SarahSmile]

I kept mushrooms, a duncan coral, palys, etc in my biocube, so those lights will work just fine. :)
I liked your DD reference. I love to say, nobody backs baby into a corner.
Check out shrimp, a cleaner shrimp is a really fun addition to the biocube.

 

[brittant]

Thanks Sarah! :)

 

[brittant]

(Make that 14 lbs. of rock.)

@lilmatty5dimes - Yeah, I would have liked to go for a larger tank, but we're only supposed to have up to a 10 gal. as is. I really want a second for freshwater though... There was a 8 gal. Cube on Craiglist for $90 a few weeks back; I really regret not scraping the money together for it. :/