DeMartini's 14G BioCube
- Thread starter demartini
- Start date
curiousnano
Member
Lauren.
Yes I changed the tank. At first, I got the tank from COSTCO.com. After one day, i found out it leaks and I have to buy the new tank at local store - $130.00. My tank info at the bottom. I add the new pic for you to see it is now like 1 week old.
I went to the LFS and found out the owner clean up the store. I know its kind of early to put the clown fish - but he got it at $3.00each .. ..hey .. I got a pair. Hope they survive.
I got marine heater 50 - Temp now 81.2. I also got Ken Marine Iodine & Essential Elements, drop in 1ml everyday. My water now is 1.023.
In the back, there is 4 boxes. Far left is foam. 2nd box is blue foam on top, under that is LR in small pieces. 3rd box top is carbon, under that is bioballs. 4th box is the pump.
Did I do all correct?
[hr]
My tank feature:
* Live Sand, Live Rock 13lbs, Premix salt water ($1/gal local store)
* 12Gal Aquapod
* 1-27W Dual Sunpaq Daylight 6700k/10000k (Current USA brand)
* 1-27W Dual Sunpad Actinic 420nm/460nm (Current USA brand)
* CMF Cooling fan
* Built-in Nocturnal Blue Lunar lights
* Rear Overflow Filter system
* Pump
* Ceramic Rings, Biolballs, Activated Carbon.
Yes I changed the tank. At first, I got the tank from COSTCO.com. After one day, i found out it leaks and I have to buy the new tank at local store - $130.00. My tank info at the bottom. I add the new pic for you to see it is now like 1 week old.
I went to the LFS and found out the owner clean up the store. I know its kind of early to put the clown fish - but he got it at $3.00each .. ..hey .. I got a pair. Hope they survive.
I got marine heater 50 - Temp now 81.2. I also got Ken Marine Iodine & Essential Elements, drop in 1ml everyday. My water now is 1.023.
In the back, there is 4 boxes. Far left is foam. 2nd box is blue foam on top, under that is LR in small pieces. 3rd box top is carbon, under that is bioballs. 4th box is the pump.
Did I do all correct?
[hr]
My tank feature:
* Live Sand, Live Rock 13lbs, Premix salt water ($1/gal local store)
* 12Gal Aquapod
* 1-27W Dual Sunpaq Daylight 6700k/10000k (Current USA brand)
* 1-27W Dual Sunpad Actinic 420nm/460nm (Current USA brand)
* CMF Cooling fan
* Built-in Nocturnal Blue Lunar lights
* Rear Overflow Filter system
* Pump
* Ceramic Rings, Biolballs, Activated Carbon.
demartini
Active Member
Nice tank! It wasn't the best idea to add the clowns, hopefully they will survive.
You can put your heater in one of the back chambers so that it isn't in the display. I would also stop putting the chemicals in your tank until you have test kits for them. Water changes replaces most of the essential elements so you can stop putting that in. Before you add anymore iodine get a test kit to make sure you need it. I would also get a calcium test kit for when you get corals.
You can take out the second blue sponge, you wont need it. Also take out the bio balls and ceramic rings and replace them with more live rock. Be sure to either clean or replace the sponge and the carbon at least every week.
You can put your heater in one of the back chambers so that it isn't in the display. I would also stop putting the chemicals in your tank until you have test kits for them. Water changes replaces most of the essential elements so you can stop putting that in. Before you add anymore iodine get a test kit to make sure you need it. I would also get a calcium test kit for when you get corals.
You can take out the second blue sponge, you wont need it. Also take out the bio balls and ceramic rings and replace them with more live rock. Be sure to either clean or replace the sponge and the carbon at least every week.
curiousnano
Member
Thanks much.
1. Good idea - i will try to put the heater in the back.
2. I do change water everyweek %10 - ok, so stop the chemicals now.
3. Second blue sponge came with tank - the white one is what i added in. I will take out the second blue.
4. I will put more LR replace with rings & balls. JUST KEEP CARBON (black)
5. So we need to CLEAN the sponge and carbon EVERY WEEK? I thought we dont need to clean because we need to have build-up bacterias.
1. Good idea - i will try to put the heater in the back.
2. I do change water everyweek %10 - ok, so stop the chemicals now.
3. Second blue sponge came with tank - the white one is what i added in. I will take out the second blue.
4. I will put more LR replace with rings & balls. JUST KEEP CARBON (black)
5. So we need to CLEAN the sponge and carbon EVERY WEEK? I thought we dont need to clean because we need to have build-up bacterias.
demartini
Active Member
The bacteria will be on the live rock, the sponge will pick up all of the un-eaten food and other stuff that can decay becomes a nitrate factory. You can either clean it or replace it, the sponge and the carbon are both very cheap and I found it easier just to replace it. You don’t even need that much sponge, I just buy this big sheet of sponge filter and cut out a small square and put it on top of some live rock in the back of the filter. You don’t need to run the carbon all of the time. I only run it for the first week of every month.
curiousnano
Member
Well - can i do like this.
There is 4 boxes in the back
1ST BOX: BOTTOM is tiny live rocks - TOP is sponge (clean up everyweek)
2ND BOX: BOTTOM is tiny live rocks - TOP is carbon (clean up everyweek)
3RD BOX: Just the HEATER 50watts
4TH BOX: PUMP
>> Is that ok?
>> I don't know how strong is this pump. I plan to change to Maxijet 900. What you think? What you have on yours?
Thanks
There is 4 boxes in the back
1ST BOX: BOTTOM is tiny live rocks - TOP is sponge (clean up everyweek)
2ND BOX: BOTTOM is tiny live rocks - TOP is carbon (clean up everyweek)
3RD BOX: Just the HEATER 50watts
4TH BOX: PUMP
>> Is that ok?
>> I don't know how strong is this pump. I plan to change to Maxijet 900. What you think? What you have on yours?
Thanks
demartini
Active Member
Sounds good to me, thats exactly how I have it. I would change out the pump to a maxi-jet. I just have the stock pump on mine, never came around to changing it. Before when i first started I had a second power head, but my temps were getting to high and I was running out of room so I took it out.
curiousnano
Member
Thanks Lauren
The maxijet 900 - is that ok? Is that too strong ... or not enough?
Too much question.. right? Later, I will send you update pics
The maxijet 900 - is that ok? Is that too strong ... or not enough?
Too much question.. right? Later, I will send you update pics
curiousnano
Member
I know i am not there yet.. But when there is a time for corals.. I understand that I have to test the water first. I saw the testing kid selling at lfs .. think I will buy it later.
I read the info on web and it says I have to test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH - Everything should be 0 - only PH is 8.5
In real life just like your tank, what should i do? What if those numbers is too high / or too low?
We have to make sure these numbers to be exact ... BEFORE PUT IN any soft coral - is that correct?? And my temp is appx 82, my lights are 56watts total, is that ok for corals?
I read the info on web and it says I have to test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH - Everything should be 0 - only PH is 8.5
In real life just like your tank, what should i do? What if those numbers is too high / or too low?
We have to make sure these numbers to be exact ... BEFORE PUT IN any soft coral - is that correct?? And my temp is appx 82, my lights are 56watts total, is that ok for corals?
demartini
Active Member
Your light are good for corals. As of right now you should be testing for amonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph. Since you tank is new, you will see spikes in amonia and nitrite then they should go to 0. Later, If you have either of these two, there is a problem that needs to be fixed immediatly. You might have some nitrates, but the more water changes you do, the lower it will get. My nitrates never reach 0, some people say up to 20 is ok. 8.5 ph is a little high I would try to get it to around 8.2-8.4. Once you add corals then you should be checking for calcium and dkh.
curiousnano
Member
Thanks a million.
L
lbaskball
Guest
Hey how about some new pictures dimartini? We wanna see if ALL the corals you had are thriving or not.
L
lbaskball
Guest
Originally Posted by DeMartini
Dude you don't have to be a jerk. If you are referring to the brain I returned it for store credit, because I changed my mind on the t5s...by the way I will be glad to post a new picture.
I wasnt beinbg a jerk :scared: , what do you mean about the brain? im lost. Whta happend to it and why did you return it? I should of wrote ":::Sarcasm:::" on the last post from mine, since obviously your corals are thriving from most of the pictures ive seen.
Dude you don't have to be a jerk. If you are referring to the brain I returned it for store credit, because I changed my mind on the t5s...by the way I will be glad to post a new picture.
I wasnt beinbg a jerk :scared: , what do you mean about the brain? im lost. Whta happend to it and why did you return it? I should of wrote ":::Sarcasm:::" on the last post from mine, since obviously your corals are thriving from most of the pictures ive seen.
demartini
Active Member
Originally Posted by lbaskball
I wasnt beinbg a jerk, what do you mean about the brain? im lost. Whta happend to it and why did you return it? I should of wrote ":::Sarcasm:::" on the last post from mine, since obviously your corals are thriving.
my light isn't strong enough. I was going to upgrade to T-5 lighting but It had a strange pink tint so I took the light and the brain back.
I wasnt beinbg a jerk, what do you mean about the brain? im lost. Whta happend to it and why did you return it? I should of wrote ":::Sarcasm:::" on the last post from mine, since obviously your corals are thriving.
my light isn't strong enough. I was going to upgrade to T-5 lighting but It had a strange pink tint so I took the light and the brain back.
L
lbaskball
Guest
oh ok. But I saw pictures of your brain looking really good with your regular lighting. By the way you still have the frogspawn? Did any corals die?I ask because ive been keeping up with your tank for a while to see how things are doing on such asmall tank since I have downgraded to a smaller tank myself and is finding extremely difficult to maintain at this point.
L
lbaskball
Guest
Originally Posted by DeMartini
It will only look good for so long.
well sorry to hear that you gave your brain coral back. I upgraded my lighting to metal halides on my 14gal biocube..but i wouldnt recommend this to anyone. It seems like it is just too much light for any coral to live. Plus the algae growth is just wayy too much b/c of the metal halides.
You should add one more power compact and that should be enough or 1 t-5 bulb since they are so small
By the way, you shuld of tried changing the t-5bulbs to a diff manufacturere, sometimes they will vary slightly in diff color/tint i think, just like metal halide bulbs.
It will only look good for so long.
well sorry to hear that you gave your brain coral back. I upgraded my lighting to metal halides on my 14gal biocube..but i wouldnt recommend this to anyone. It seems like it is just too much light for any coral to live. Plus the algae growth is just wayy too much b/c of the metal halides.
You should add one more power compact and that should be enough or 1 t-5 bulb since they are so small
By the way, you shuld of tried changing the t-5bulbs to a diff manufacturere, sometimes they will vary slightly in diff color/tint i think, just like metal halide bulbs.