28g HQI Nano Cube System??

[ls244]

Hi im looking to start my first tank and I think a nano is the way im wanting to go. I believe ive also decided to go with a kit rather than individual purchases.. Ive been reading quit abit. I learned alot from Katsafados' thread with him asking so many bigginer questions and them bieng answered I learned alot!

I believe ive found what im going to purchase and would like some input please. Here are the specs..
28 Gallons
150w HQI lighting system
14,000K 150w HQI lamp included
HQI remote ballast included
4 - Nite Vu blue LED's
4 - integrated cooling fans
Two 266 GPH Accela return pumps
Ocean Pulse Duo wave timer
Removable filter basket
Built-in counter current protein skimmer
Approx. dimensions: 18L x 22W x 24H
All for a price just shy of 500..
Maybe its a good idea maybe not.
Thanks..

 

[king_neptune]

Its an AWESOME TANK!
I got one and am setting up later next week, excellent choice.
only thing your gonna want to do is can the three filter media that it comes with(not that great). Instead use Chemi-Pure, Filterfloss and purigen. These three are very cheap, and fit nicely into the middle section.
Next add a chaeto to the outer chamber(or both), skimmer is optional at this point...its been recommended to skip a skimmer entirely. A simple Youtube search will show you exactly what Im talking about, if you have trouble...ill find it and link it for you.
Either use a submersible light $25, or a clip on $20 to light up the chaeto. The pumps that come with this system are great, the lights are potent, and its all in one compact design cant be beat. Kudos on a fine choice in nano tanks.

 

[tru conch]

ive got a 28g HQI nano. its SUPER easy to set up and maintain. i had one of the orignal 12 gal nanos. this one is way better. with the HQI lights you can have whatever you would want in the tank, clams, SPS, LPS, softies. i run mainly softies (b/c i am gone so much they are hardy and dont require quite as much care). the only mods ive done is run carbon/phosban in the media chamber and a polyfilter. i added an inductor on one of the returns and a rotating head on the other to increase the flow and decrease dead spots. the only thing that has been replaced is the air pump, the diaphram crapped out after a year. heres a older pic of my 28g.

 

[premilove]

ive had a jbj 28 for almost a year now. i recommend you do some modifications, bc it tends to heat up..
-i took out the media shelves, threw in some chaeto, and put on a nice fuge light in the center chamber.
-i upgraded my returns to 2 maxi jet1200s, producing 295-300 gph with out restriction.
-i knocked some teeth out of the overflow..
-i did the nano tuners actinic upgrade, 2x18 watt actinics..
-i'm using a single azoo cooling fan to cool down the tank, but i had to prop up the hood to allow the fan to blow out the heat. the stock exhaust fans aren't that strong..i used 4 nutri sea ocean lids to prop it up, kinda ghetto, but doesnt look bad as opposed to a chunk of wood..
-invest in a reefkeeper lite.. it will help you maintain your tank temps when you are not home. when i did not have a controller, my cooling fan would cool down the tank too much, having more than a 4 degree swing in a short period of time..my RKL turns my fan on when the tank exceeds 80.9 degrees..it turns off my halides when my tank exceeds 84.2 degrees. rkl turns on my heater when tank gets below 79.7 degrees (you can see how exact it is)
here's a somewhat up to date pic..

hope this helps!

 

[ls244]

I have been reading more and more. And I have found out something will be needed to cool the water because the lights are so close. If Im going to be basically upgrading everything would it be easier to just buy the tank itself? Then just upgrade with better products?

 

[ls244]

Originally Posted by premilove
http:///forum/post/3069443
ive had a jbj 28 for almost a year now. i recommend you do some modifications, bc it tends to heat up..
-i took out the media shelves, threw in some chaeto, and put on a nice fuge light in the center chamber.
-i upgraded my returns to 2 maxi jet1200s, producing 295-300 gph with out restriction.
-i knocked some teeth out of the overflow..
-i did the nano tuners actinic upgrade, 2x18 watt actinics..
-i'm using a single azoo cooling fan to cool down the tank, but i had to prop up the hood to allow the fan to blow out the heat. the stock exhaust fans aren't that strong..i used 4 nutri sea ocean lids to prop it up, kinda ghetto, but doesnt look bad as opposed to a chunk of wood..
-invest in a reefkeeper lite.. it will help you maintain your tank temps when you are not home. when i did not have a controller, my cooling fan would cool down the tank too much, having more than a 4 degree swing in a short period of time..my RKL turns my fan on when the tank exceeds 80.9 degrees..it turns off my halides when my tank exceeds 84.2 degrees. rkl turns on my heater when tank gets below 79.7 degrees (you can see how exact it is)
here's a somewhat up to date pic..

hope this helps!
Im very excited to get this nano and get it going! The reefkeeper is a great idea. Im going to try it without it first. See what happens and if I start really having problems then it will be the way I go. Your tank looks great

. I cant wait until mine mattures like that!
Im still really undecided on the stock im going to use.
Ive got a route I wanna do with the CUC. I really like Emerald Crabs, sexy shrimps, blueleg hermit crabs, scarlet hermit crabs, turbo snails, and brittle starfish. Not all of them because id say my tank is to small for that. Let me know what you think.

I haven't even thought about corals, or fish yet. Im in no rush because I know I have a while to decide and look around.

 

[hondo]

I've had the JBJ 28HQI set up since March of this year.
HQI Lighting is great keep anything you want with no worries
I have not experienced the heating problems others have mentioned but I do keep the house at 73.
Skimmer is only real complaint as it is weak and poorly designed so that it blocks the hood from opening when it's in place.
Flow is OK but I added a Korilla 1 anyway as you can't seem to have too much flow. Seems like flow would be significantly improved if they were to use flex tubing instead of solid elbows on the returns.
Media chanbers are OK although many remove them and build a mini fuge in this section. I left the spnge and the bag of carbon in place and have run it that way since March without any issues.
Overall no complaints and I am happy with the purchase