14 Gallons of Fury: A Nano Diary

[gbellx]

Hello and Welcome.

I recently acquired a 14 gallon BioCube and I thought I would give a diary, more or less, of the "goings on" in my "nano world" of saltwater fish.
However, before I get to involved, I think I should give you guys/gals a bit of background on me: gbellx
My name is Greg, I am 24 years old...blah blah. I have been into saltwater fish for around 3 years. I started on this forum right when I got my first tank. Said first tank was the typical hamster/fish/turtle/lizard aquarium. Had some LR in it, and some Clown fish.
Upgraded to a 25 gallon, reef tank...turned out pretty sweet, then turned my first tank as a QT. Clownfish, Sixline Wrasse, Mandrin, and some pretty common corals. Then snagged a 75 gallon from the LFS that housed a Lionfish.
I had to get rid of all of the tanks/livestock ASAP, so I could sell my house and move. Didn't want to move those to North Carolina from Nebraska...in my Mazda 6. Now that my wife of 4 years and I are settled, we wanted to get back into the hobby/lifestyle that is Saltwater fish, and all that entails.
ALRIGHT! Now that that is out of the way...Lets get to the good part. Like I said, 14 gallon BioCube, purchased today and is pretty much set up, except LR and whatever I want to put in it as far as livestock.I am thinking about Seahorses....or a straight up reef tank. (Maybe I should make a poll...)
I am kinda bummed because one of the ballasts are bad, but all I have to do is go and swap it out...that's tomorrows task (over my lunch break).
I will be posting pics quite a bit...after reading diary after diary...I know what you guys want...LESS WORDS MOAR PICTURES! Hopefully, I wont disappoint.
Normal Lights

Actinic lights

L.E.D. Moon Lights

Thank you for viewing.
Feel Free to ask questions.

 

[meowzer]

Welcome back....
I think a 14g would be too smal for horses, unless you do dwarf horses
I'd do the reef....

 

[nissan577]

welcome
glad to have a reefer back.
ask your self the following questions:
why do i want a dwarf seahorse tank????
why do i want a reef tank????
which ever you have a better answer to you will have to do. trust me it works.
great tank coming along. looking super

if you can change your chambers into a refugium. here is the link:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/s...d.php?t=362865
hope you have many question as there are many people here with amazing knowledge!

 

[inkman2004]

Reef!!

 

[hunt]

to be honest, i really dont see the fun in sea horses, most of the time they sit there attached to a stick or coral. I would do a reef, theres alot more stuff you could do with that.

 

[gbellx]

UPDATE:
Wow...so, I get to ***** today after work and they were able to switch out a bad ballast. One of the light ballasts were DOA and they let me swap it out.
Anyway...the "head" of the fish department was helping me out, cut me out a piece of his filter sponge and gave me a dead fish to get the cycle going. He, surprisingly, was really professional and extremely helpful...tried to get some LR or some "dead rock," but to no avail.
Looking at what I need still, I may have to go have that all to familar talk with my wife...you guys know the one..."uh...hunnie....I need to get a few more things for the tank..." But, as they say...its easier to get forgiveness than it is to get permission....we'll see.
Things I need still:
- Test Kit : And not a bad one, but not an expensive one. I need just the middle of the road one.
- Live Rock: Here is my predicament...do I want to get live or dead rock...and I have 14 gallons...so that is like what? 1.35 pounds x 14 gallons = 18.9 pounds of rock? Sounds like a lot.
- __________ : Leaving this open...for now.
Picture time!

You can see my uh...fish...at the top there, swimming (floating) around. But, the tank has cleared up and I am diggin' the way this tank works.
Also, think that fish is too big? I mean holy crap, looks kind of ridiculous.
I am still pondering the questions that Nissan has proposed...more on that later.

 

[nissan577]

once you get a spike you can take out the fish. so make sure you test the kit daily. a good 14lbs of rock will be great but again it depends on the way you like it.

 

[gbellx]

Didn't do anything today. Actually went home early from work because my back was aching so bad. Laid around the house today with ice/heat on my back.
Hopefully by the end of the week I will have something worthwhile to post.

 

[lmecher]

I have the same tank, it was my enterance back into the SW after being out of the hobby for many(lets just say too many) years. Now I have too many tanks. Well back to the 14 biocube, I purchased it after a kitchen remodel, it fit on my counter in a strategic spot beautifully. After a few months a ballast went bad. Few months later ballast #2 went.

I finally decided I was done with the stock lighting. we went to T5's and leds. (nova extremes) Removed the hood and mounted the lights, modified the back chambers and now have a fuge w/cheato. I really love this tank. It has evolved over the years from mini reeftank to mini carpet anemone tank. My advice is go with what you really love. That is what I do. I only keep what I can't live without.( which is quite a lot these days) If you really love seahorses try them. I have found they are quiet difficult especially when you discover the horses you purchased that eat frozen will only eat live. The stock lights are pretty weak but fine for softies. I look forward to seeing it evolve.

 

[gbellx]

Whew! What a long week! Glad that it is Saturday!
Anyway, I have taken the smelly fish out and put in some Indonesian Live Rock....only 9 dollars a pound.

I must live in a part of town where there are no fish stores. Its killing me to drive 30 minutes any where to go buy fish supplies. But, such as life right?

Alright, first things first....PICTURES!

Some Growth...

Wewt!

Off to research what stores are close by...I have to be missing some.
Wish me luck!

 

[jaxfishgirl]

like the aquascaping

 

[meowzer]

LOL....I would kill to have a fish store 30 minutes away
Nice "growth" LOL Looks like green star polyps to me

 

[turbo_teg98]

Thats why I like where I live. I have a fish store 10 minutes away and a bigger and better one about 25 away. And then I have mr coral only an hour away. Just makes it easier to spend my money lol.

 

[gbellx]

What a successful trip!
So I picked up some "Base Rock" for like 2 dollars a pound and got this HUGE Deep Sea Yellow Gorgonian, for only $20. Yes, I said $20. I'm talking B-I-G. (Pictures at the bottom)
I liked the aquascaping I had done previous to the new rock, but the new rock wouldn't permit me to keep the cool little dome-cave-thing.
However, the new set up leaves me with more level places to put corals or even more rock. I doubt I will get more rock...I have about 15 pounds in there right now. Any more rock I think would kinda cramp up whatever it is I am going to put in this thing.
That leads me into what I want this tank to become. I know that Seahorses can be a pain...but, I think it would be a change of pace from what I have normally done. On the flip side....they are a lot of work. Either way, I want to do something different than the norm of 2 Clownfish and a Six-Line. (No offense people who have those...I have done that before and they are a lot of fun.)
Tank Shot

Deep Sea Yellow Gorgonian

Green Star Polyps

 

[gbellx]

Picked up 2 turbo snails and 4 hermit crabs today.
They are devouring my Diatom bloom.
Also, I found 2 possibly 3 flat worms. (Search my previous posts, had a bout with them when I had my first tank.) I took a turkey baster and sucked them out...I know they feed on the Diatom Bloom...but, I am positive they weren't on the rock...(freshwater dip ftw!) unless that didn't work?
I'd like to hear what you guys think/have to say about my tank...after-all, half the fun of having this hobby is showing it off right?
I would post pictures of my crabbies. But, who hasn't seen them

 

[nissan577]

well #1 your pics are like woah!!!!

ima follow this baby!
#2 you can add more rock. adding it upward.

and you can do firefish or a nice black and white clown

 

[meowzer]

I would try to position the rocks so there are more caves....also, I hate to say this, but the yellow gorg is VERY hard to keep...I have lost 2....they need to be spot fed

 

[nissan577]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3238732
i would try to position the rocks so there are more caves....also, i hate to say this, but the yellow gorg is very hard to keep...i have lost 2....they need to be spot fed
+1 i forgot that mom

 

[gbellx]

yeah, this Gorgonian is doing FAR better than it was in the LFS. I kept a large frag of one in my previous reef tanks, lasted for several months, then I sold it.
Anyway, speaking of spot feeding....what do you hear/think about "Marine Snow?" So, far from reading I gather that too much of it will mess up levels...I don't know what to think about that.

 

[bayreefer]

Nice looking tank, Ill be following this one