14 G Biocube - Pics, commensts, questions. Started early July 2008

[aj107]

I'll be posting pictures, comments and questions here; all about the new nano I started in early July.
My initial set up happened quick, thanks to the fact that I was transfering everything from an older well established tank.
Since the set up ive stocked up with frags, added a couple new fish, and really have enjoyed it.
I'll post some comments as I add the pictures... once I figure out how.. haha!
Enjoy..
AJ

 

[aj107]

A few head on shots, and a top down...
At this point I have moved things around a few times... I think I am finally really happy with the aquascaping.
Im posting some close ups for some of the contents in a few... having to resize a couple.
thoughts?

 

[subielover]

Tank looks very nice, I really like the aquascaping

I too just started a Biocube 14 on July 10. Check out my thread when you get a chance, it is nowhere near as stocked as yours but I did have a mini cycle so I had to wait. Anyhow I really like the look of yours

What have you done to the cube, I see an extra powerhead, anything else??

 

[rebelprettyboy]

Jealous. Thats some nice aquascaping. I like it alot. and I use to have a favia esxactly like that in my 14 as well but I sold it and mine was smaller. Would post a pic of mine but I dont wanna spam ur thread. Check mine out!
Its looks really good tough.
Whats all in it?

 

[aj107]

Thanks guys,
So far ive got it stocked up with the following:
Fish:
-Pair of false perc's
-6 line wrasse
-Royal Gourama
Inverts:
-8 or so blue leg hermits
-2 Turbo snails
-10 Astrias
-1 Cleaner Shrimp
-1 Blood Shrimp
-2 Porcelin Crabs
-1 yellow cucumber
-2 Dancer shrimp
-1 unidentified hitchhiker... really beefy looking crab, about the size of the earaser on a pencil. The narrow sharp claws he has tells me that he's likley no good. Hangs out in the green star polyps... but havnt seen him eating anything... yet. He may get irradicated if need be
Corals:
-green hairy mushrooms
-red hairy mushrooms
-pink frogspawn
-green/pink torch
-zoo frags of all sorts of colour combos
-Electric green star polyps
-Finger Leather
-Toadstool Leather
-3 headed Duncan
-Ausie Dendro frag... ill chat about this one later.
-Favia Brain
-2 Ricordia Yuma
-2 Ricordia Floridia (pink, orange)
As for the tank... its completley stock.
I have added the Nano Hydor, and the Oceanic Skimmer... but no other pump, or lighting mods...
I toyed with the idea of turning the centre chambre into a fuge... but the more I think about it... I think I want to try and run stock on everything.
Its a prety full little set up.
Wont likley be adding anything more in the way of fish.
Currently hunting down a pair of Pom Pom Crabs... and I will definitley be adding a few more small frags...
Then it will just be time to work hard to make things grow like mad!

 

[aj107]

Some of the inverts & a couple corals... I'll keep posting.
Gotta grab some shots of the tank at night too...
Maybe see if I can catch one of my hitch hiker and see if anyone has an ident. for me.

 

[aj107]

Few more shots for you..
I forgot to mention the BTA... he's in there too. Hosting BOTH clowns... little crowded at night.
Id like to add an RBTA... ive found a really good price on one here in Canada... ($30... a steal at that price!)
Im nuts about the little tiney frag of Ausie Dendro too... I was fortunate enough to pick him up at a rather unbelievable price. Its only 3 partial heads... but its hanging on and starting to feed... so hopefully in a few months I'll be posting some shots of some growth... maybe a new head or two.
Still trying to get my head wrapped around feeding in this little tank.
Im culturing Phyto that will be ready on Sunday of this week... but just the quantities you have to feed at... its quite a differnce from the 75 gallon reef I had a few years ago.
I'll send up some night shots later on!

 

[aj107]

Forgot to post a shot of the Ric's... and thought id throw one up of the brain as well....
My one ricordia is starting to split after being in the tank for only 4 days... prety happy about that.
The brain is coming back nice too... it wasnt overly happy in the store when I picked it up... but at $15 it was a great find. The green is really starting to spread back through all the heads... so its definitley on the rebound.

 

[subielover]

Everything looks really good, the bta looks a little bleached though. Not sure how it will do under the stock lighting

May I ask how are you culturing phyto?

 

[aj107]

Ive actually managed to keep BTA's under PC's for years now... and have had them split and divide. The do not require as high of a light output as some will tell you...
I started my phyto using a home grown batch from a local supplier.
He's been growing for months and months.
Added about 10 drops of "Phyto Food" - a fertilizer.
Ive had the batch in a 2 L bottle, with a bubbler in it since Sunday.
It gets 16 hrs of light a day, and 8 hrs of complete darkness.
The culture turns a darker green every day as the population gets denser.
Its really a SIMPLE process... when you read up online it can sound tough.
I'll try to nab a photo of the set up and post it for you.

 

[aj107]

Sorry... no photo yet...
But just checked the phyto... its still about 2 days from being ready... and its such a dense green that I cant even detect light through the opposite side of the bottle.
Im heading away this weekend, long weekend in Canada! Yahoo!
So i'll be puting the newest culture to the test on Tuesday evening.

 

[krak256]

i love the rock work! i wanted to get a six line in my 14g biocube , does yours get territorial or get cramped? i heard they may need more room than a 14g.

 

[subielover]

Thanks for the info on the phyto, sounds very interesting

Also interested in your thoughts on having the sixline as well.

 

[aj107]

The six line has actually been a totally passive addition... hes a bit of a wimp really... steers clear of everyone... even the dancer shrimp.
He darts about and is really more interested in what he can find hiding in the small cracks between my rock work.
Ive actually been quite pleased with how my 4 fish have interacted. The Gourama hid in holes in the rocks for a few days... lodged face first into anything he could fit in... but now hes out and holds to the back right side of the tank.
The clowns seem to do whatever they want...
and the wrasse just runs patrol all day long... scoping out every inch of the tank every hour or so... fairly diligently.
I know that turf can be an issue with the 6-lines... but I think its all in how you set things up. When I added the fish, it was while I was rearranging the tank a little... so I disturbed any "turf" lines that existed... and if you work to ensure that there are ample hiding spots, and sheltered areas you tend to provide everyone with a spot they can call home.
I will add that I am also a bit of a jerk when it comes to feeding... these guys are only getting food every other or 3rd day... I run phyto every other (minute doses), and the occasional wash of rotifers... so they are always quite receptive to food... but even the limited feeding does not lead to infighting.
Maybe im lucky... maybe its the process of disturbing the tank when I added new inhabitants.... maybe its the tank layout... probably a little of all.
We'll see what happens down the road. Once the tank is far more established I would like to add one bottom dweller... im hunting out some sort of small, colourful goby. I need someone to run cleanup around the lower regions of the tank. But I thing that 4 fish in the system is ample for now.
If anyone has any comments, or suggestions on who I could add down the road... let me know!
Cheers - off for the weekend!

 

[narcotix]

great set up and a fellow canadian!! god i cant wait till i can get the cash to start my tank up. Hopefully can find some others north of the board to trade/buy from instead of soley relying on LFS's

 

[krak256]

what kind of frogspawn do you have? it looks clear and very cool.

 

[aj107]

Hey guys...
Back from the extended long weekend... Did some fishing of the "fresh water" variety...
The frogspawn is really cool... its a variation with nearly clear polyps that have bright pink heads... they show up really nice when the actinic is in full force.
Nice to see another Canadian on here... where abouts in Canada are you?
Im in Ontario... 45 min south of Toronto.
So anyways... for a little news, I returned home from being away, the phyto had finished culturing... it actually ran 2 days longer than it needed. But it is sooo dark and rich looking. I split the batch, added some fresh SW and plant food, and set it up to brew for 1 more week.
Im going to end up with WAAAY too much of this stuff... so if there is anyone out there somewhat local that wants to swap... say the word!
On a sad note... my Royal Gramma called it quits.
2 weeks in the tank, had been doing really well, and he just bit the dust.
My girlfriend had been watching my tank for me, and said he was out and about as of yesterday.
2 thougths... the BTA got him, or possibly my blood shrimp... but I think thats a stretch... has anyone ever had that happen?
Anywho... Its back to the drawing board on the livestock now... back to looking for suggestions?! I liked the Royal... but maybe its a sign... he and the 6 line would have definitley been stalking the same prey.
Talk soon,
AJ

 

[aj107]

Thought I would update anyone who read the earlier posting...
Found the cause of my Royal Gramma's demise...
I reached in to remove the remains... didnt need that throwing off the water specs...
Anyways... his head and pec. fins were lodged sooo securley into a buble hole in a piece of rock that I couldnt even get him out.
Using most of the strenght in my hand I ended up having to break off what I could and toss it... the hermits and blood shrimp are working on whate left stuck in the rock.
So thinking back to his typical behavior... he must have lodged himself in there trying to hide, sleep, rest... whatever... but did such a good job of squeezing in that he couldnt get back out.
Im guessing that stress, suffocation, and passer by's took care of finishing him off.
I just thought it was kind of amazing to find out that it wasnt an attack, but rather fish suicide.
And he didnt even leave a note.

 

[chroniccoral35]

I'm sorry to hear about the Royal Gramma, they are beautiful fish....I plan on making it my 4th in a few months, I have many little caves and crevices so I hope he doesn't do that lol

 

[aj107]

Yeah...
I kinda feel bad for him... he was just doin his thing, checkin out all the little holes and caves... and it cost him.
Probably a once in a life time occurance.