New to the site, pretty new to saltwater

[jimmy_beaner]

So, I have a cycled BioCube 29... all set up with aragonite sand and live rock. Pretty sure a pair of small clownfish will happen this weekend. Maybe in a couple weeks, pick up a fire shrimp... who knows what after that. The local fish store is currently trying to train a mandarin fish to eat frozen food for me (perks of being a loyal customer that's always in there I suppose). If that mandarin can learn to eat frozen foods, I'll likely pick him up.

Now, I also picked up the inTank media baskets for the BioCube and want to make my middle column into the filter and fuge area. I've kept freshwater tanks before, but the allure of saltwater was just too much to ignore. I look forward to the expertise here.

 

[little_fish]

Welcome to the site!

It looks like you are off to an awesome start!

We love pics around here to be sure to put up a build thread!

 

[jimmy_beaner]

Here it is literally right after set up. I still have other rock I want to add... but this will be a good start. Should be clownfish ready. I got the rock right out of the fuge at the fish store (he had it sitting in there for months in his well established tanks). Any time I rearrange it and mess up the sand terribly, it takes a little over an hour to settle out completely, but that should get better as it gets more established.

This is from a blackberry camera... I have a t2i and some L lenses that should make "good pictures" happen whenever they're requested :)

 

[little_fish]

Cool!

Even though you are probably going to skip the cycle, i would just add a little fish food and make 100% that your tank is cycled. It would really suck to put your clowns in there and have them die from a mini cycle.

 

[Smitty]

Hello and welcome to the site...glad to have you.

 

[jimmy_beaner]

Cool!

Even though you are probably going to skip the cycle, i would just add a little fish food and make 100% that your tank is cycled. It would really suck to put your clowns in there and have them die from a mini cycle.

Already ahead of you ;) Fish food was added last weekend. No ammonia or nitrites ever showed up, nitrate increased slightly. The inTank media baskets, and fuge, combined with the light I picked up and the chaeto that will hopefully be coming in will take care of those nitrates :) Nitrates are around 10 ppm

 

[little_fish]

Good! Sounds like you are all set then.

One thing to consider is that clowns are super aggressive and will probably bully anything else you add to the tank, so you might want to add them last. They can be such meanies :(

 

[Aquatic]

Let us know how if the mandarin gets successfully trained! Looking good on your setup. Can't wait for more pics! Welcome to the site!

 

[jimmy_beaner]

Good! Sounds like you are all set then.

One thing to consider is that clowns are super aggressive and will probably bully anything else you add to the tank, so you might want to add them last. They can be such meanies :(

Perculas are "super aggressive"? I understand some territorial things, but I don't think I've read anywhere that Perculas would be super aggressive. I think we're looking at two more fish is all, a starfish, fire shrimp and CuC... then corals perhaps.

Let us know how if the mandarin gets successfully trained! Looking good on your setup. Can't wait for more pics! Welcome to the site!

The guy at the LFS says he's trained several before and apparently they are still doing well.

 

[little_fish]

They are know to go after fingers and stuff. They might not try and take your finger off like a maroon, but they arent little angels either. Especially when they get established.

But the percs are the nicest of the all the clowns.

 

[jimmy_beaner]

They are know to go after fingers and stuff. They might not try and take your finger off like a maroon, but they arent little angels either. Especially when they get established.

But the percs are the nicest of the all the clowns.

well that's exciting. The LFS has one in his nanotank (it was the only fish he had survive our flood some years back), and it is very playful. I really like their personality.

 

[little_fish]

I like them too, i just got a pair myself! Just wanted to let you know their whole story!

 

[jimmy_beaner]

I like them too, i just got a pair myself! Just wanted to let you know their whole story!

I appreciate it. I'm wondering what kind of corals should be looked at for the tank (with the stock BioCube lights)

 

[little_fish]

Im not sure what the stock lights are so i cant really help you out there, but a ton of our members on here have the BioCubes and like them. Im sure one of them will chime in with works well!

 

[karisfish]

It's nice to know that there is someone else in the exact same spot as me. I set up a 28 gallon nanocube 3 weeks ago with live sand and live rock and in a week or so I was thinking about adding clowns as well :)

 

[jimmy_beaner]

It's nice to know that there is someone else in the exact same spot as me. I set up a 28 gallon nanocube 3 weeks ago with live sand and live rock and in a week or so I was thinking about adding clowns as well :)

:) I think clowns are happening Saturday morning :D And then I'll see if he has trained the mandarins to eat yet (with a couple of them there, I can just take the one eating frozen foods)

 

[dcantucson]

Hi Jimmy :wave: Welcome to the site.
As far as lights go, do you have the DX version?

 

[jimmy_beaner]

Hi Jimmy :wave: Welcome to the site.
As far as lights go, do you have the DX version?

I'm assuming that's the non metal halide version... and if so, yes I do.

 

[dcantucson]

Sorry I was thinking of the Nano Cube and not the Bio Cube. The NanoCube DX has upgraded lighting which is stronger so you can keep more types of corals.

"The BioCube's comprehensive aquarium lighting system includes 1 Coralife 10,000K 36Watt Compact Fluorescent lamp, 1 Coralife Actinic 36Watt Compact Fluorescent lamp, 3 3/4 Watt Lunar Blue, Moon Glow LED lights and dual fans integrated into the hood."

Your lighting won't be strong enough to keep Hard Corals (SPS). But you can keep Mushrooms, Sun Corals, Zoathanids, and some leathers.

 

[jimmy_beaner]

Sorry I was thinking of the Nano Cube and not the Bio Cube. The NanoCube DX has upgraded lighting which is stronger so you can keep more types of corals.

"The BioCube's comprehensive aquarium lighting system includes 1 Coralife 10,000K 36Watt Compact Fluorescent lamp, 1 Coralife Actinic 36Watt Compact Fluorescent lamp, 3 3/4 Watt Lunar Blue, Moon Glow LED lights and dual fans integrated into the hood."

Your lighting won't be strong enough to keep Hard Corals (SPS). But you can keep Mushrooms, Sun Corals, Zoathanids, and some leathers.

well that's exciting. What's the "best" way to obtain corals? My LFS has a decent selection it seems... are there members that frag their's out at better prices or does shipping costs make it not as good?

I really like the look of some of the yellow leathers, but they get so big, I don't want that to take over the whole tank. I'm hoping to find something the clowns will host in.