Biocube 14gl General Questions

PaigeB

PaigeB

New Member
Hi,
I've had a freshwater tank for awhile that has been going well and I was recently given a used 14gl Biocube SW tank that had been established for years.
Most of the water has been drained but the sand and some rocks have been left in.
I'm new to SW tanks and I have a few questions.

1. Do I need a skimmer for this sized tank?

2. Once the tank has cycled and running well with fish, how often will it need water changes?

3. Since I already have some media from the tank from when it was established will it take as long for it to be cycled well enough for LR and fish? (Basically how long will it take to cycle with my jumpstart with the bacteria etc.)

Hopefully my questions make sense.
I know I'm new to the SW world so any suggestions and answers are welcome.
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
If the media was kept wet it helps. How long? It varies each tank is diff. My guess 2-6 wks. A skimmer isnt needed
 
Jesterrace

Jesterrace

Active Member
Given the small size of the tank, you are going to have to be very religious about the water changes (I would almost say twice a week). Also how many fish and what kinds are you thinking of keeping in there? With saltwater you have to be very careful to match up fish of similar temperament (ie peaceful, semi-aggressive or aggressive) with like fish and you are going to be pretty limited on your selection. No protein skimmer should be needed if you stay on top of your water changes.
 
PaigeB

PaigeB

New Member
Jesterrace said:
Given the small size of the tank, you are going to have to be very religious about the water changes (I would almost say twice a week). Also how many fish and what kinds are you thinking of keeping in there? With saltwater you have to be very careful to match up fish of similar temperament (ie peaceful, semi-aggressive or aggressive) with like fish and you are going to be pretty limited on your selection. No protein skimmer should be needed if you stay on top of your water changes.
Click to expand...
I'm planning on keeping the fish count very low.
I haven't decided on the type yet but I want to stay on the lighter side.
I am wanting to get something that'll clean around the tank. Im thinking possibly some snails or shrimp but I'm not sure yet.
 
Jesterrace

Jesterrace

Active Member
PaigeB said:
I'm planning on keeping the fish count very low.
I haven't decided on the type yet but I want to stay on the lighter side.
I am wanting to get something that'll clean around the tank. Im thinking possibly some snails or shrimp but I'm not sure yet.
Click to expand...
A single cleaner shrimp would be fine for fish and uneaten food and snails are fine as well for keeping algae under control. You will also want to think about a few hermit crabs since they eat fish poop (a big source of pollution for your tank) and the others you have listed don't. As long as you have a lid on it, I would be looking at some of the smaller gobies and firefish and/or tailspot blenny as they will be the best fit for your tank based on size and given the fact they are of a peaceful demeanor. Your tank is too small for Clown Fish or Tangs (keep in mind you want a tank that will house the fish as a full grown adult), so I hope you don't have any illusions about those. If you want to keep it on the lighter side, I would go with a max of about 3 fish.

Here are some of the fish mentioned:

http://www.***********.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+23+2229&pcatid=2229

http://www.***********.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15+31

http://www.***********.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15+1636
 
Last edited:
PaigeB

PaigeB

New Member
Jesterrace said:
A single cleaner shrimp would be fine for fish and uneaten food and snails are fine as well for keeping algae under control. You will also want to think about a few hermit crabs since they eat fish poop (a big source of pollution for your tank) and the others you have listed don't. As long as you have a lid on it, I would be looking at some of the smaller gobies and firefish and/or tailspot blenny as they will be the best fit for your tank based on size and given the fact they are of a peaceful demeanor. Your tank is too small for Clown Fish or Tangs (keep in mind you want a tank that will house the fish as a full grown adult), so I hope you don't have any illusions about those. If you want to keep it on the lighter side, I would go with a max of about 3 fish.

Here are some of the fish mentioned:

http://www.***********.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+23+2229&pcatid=2229

http://www.***********.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15+31

http://www.***********.com/product/aquarium-fish-supplies.cfm?c=15+1636
Click to expand...
Okay thanks for all the info!
I really didn't have any ideas of what kind of fish I wanted since I'm so used to freshwater tanks so thanks for the ideas
 
Jesterrace

Jesterrace

Active Member
PaigeB said:
Okay thanks for all the info!
I really didn't have any ideas of what kind of fish I wanted since I'm so used to freshwater tanks so thanks for the ideas
Click to expand...
It's a challenge. I have a 36 gallon and am currently dealing with a Red Head Salon Fairy Wrasse that suddenly turned aggressive towards all my fish. So I would stick with what I mentioned above as they will give you your best chance of success not dealing with fish that turn on each other and are a good fit for small tanks.
 
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