DeMartini's 14G BioCube
- Thread starter demartini
- Start date
new2salt1
Member
There are few people with such successful Nanos, and there is definately no one as forthcoming as you are with your keys to success.
I started a 14 gal BioCube this week. I bought it used. The tank was moderately successful. But it was not maintained. Very dirty.
So, I broke it down, scrubbed the entire thing, rinsed the LR, removed bio balls, replaced substrate, and basically started over with 75% of the cycled water. My goal, of course, was to not have to wait through a full cycle.
So the tank came with 15# of LR. My first question is:
How do you set-up your LR? You seem to break every rule of the Nano with regard to LR!! (I love breaking the rules and making things work) (It seems huddled, close to back and sides of tank). So what design did you do? Just built a wall on which you plotted the numerous species of coral? Right now mine is set up like a cave system. I tried to keep it off the sides and tried to place it strategically against the glass bottom so I could maximize circulation. But looking at your masterpiece, it looks like a true reef.
1. So what did you do with the LR? Are the pieces large or small? And did you buy the small pieces where the bio balls were? Or did you break larger rocks down?
2. Also, my tank came with two corals. One is a large (5") soft coral. It is BEAUTIFUL. Very "blubbery," purple with bright green tenticle-like appendages. Since I have a small tank, I was wondering if this can be fragmented so I can keep a portion and give a portion away? I will try to get pics asap.
Thanks in advance again. You are truly an asset!
I started a 14 gal BioCube this week. I bought it used. The tank was moderately successful. But it was not maintained. Very dirty.
So, I broke it down, scrubbed the entire thing, rinsed the LR, removed bio balls, replaced substrate, and basically started over with 75% of the cycled water. My goal, of course, was to not have to wait through a full cycle.
So the tank came with 15# of LR. My first question is:
How do you set-up your LR? You seem to break every rule of the Nano with regard to LR!! (I love breaking the rules and making things work) (It seems huddled, close to back and sides of tank). So what design did you do? Just built a wall on which you plotted the numerous species of coral? Right now mine is set up like a cave system. I tried to keep it off the sides and tried to place it strategically against the glass bottom so I could maximize circulation. But looking at your masterpiece, it looks like a true reef.
1. So what did you do with the LR? Are the pieces large or small? And did you buy the small pieces where the bio balls were? Or did you break larger rocks down?
2. Also, my tank came with two corals. One is a large (5") soft coral. It is BEAUTIFUL. Very "blubbery," purple with bright green tenticle-like appendages. Since I have a small tank, I was wondering if this can be fragmented so I can keep a portion and give a portion away? I will try to get pics asap.
Thanks in advance again. You are truly an asset!
demartini
Active Member
thanks you! =)
There are three large pieces of rocks leaned against the back of the tank, then I either broke pieces of rock or bought them and filled in some of the empty spaces so I could fit pieces of corals in them. I also broke up a rock and superglued them together to make an arch to put on top of the larger pieces. What ever rocks I had left I put in the back chambers instead of the bio-balls.
I'm not sure what coral your talking about, but it sounds like green star polyps. If thats the case, yes you can frag them.
good luck with your tank!
There are three large pieces of rocks leaned against the back of the tank, then I either broke pieces of rock or bought them and filled in some of the empty spaces so I could fit pieces of corals in them. I also broke up a rock and superglued them together to make an arch to put on top of the larger pieces. What ever rocks I had left I put in the back chambers instead of the bio-balls.
I'm not sure what coral your talking about, but it sounds like green star polyps. If thats the case, yes you can frag them.
good luck with your tank!
new2salt1
Member
I actually figured it out. It's an elegance coral! After being up all night last night, I slept during the day today (gotta love grad school). I left the light on all day and my fiance came home from work and started shaking me saying, "The purple and green one grew today!!! It's 3x as big!"
Hahaa, needless to say she has less experience than me with Salt, but it was very cute. The elegance opened up HUGE under the stock BioCube lighting! It took up a large portion of the tank. Can this one be fragmented? I almost dont want to it's so cool!
Quick question:
Do you buy most of your frags or trade with people?? Also, can you explain the fragging process? What species can be fragged?
Also, what type of glue did you use??
I am very excited to start trading!!
Hahaa, needless to say she has less experience than me with Salt, but it was very cute. The elegance opened up HUGE under the stock BioCube lighting! It took up a large portion of the tank. Can this one be fragmented? I almost dont want to it's so cool!
Quick question:
Do you buy most of your frags or trade with people?? Also, can you explain the fragging process? What species can be fragged?
Also, what type of glue did you use??
I am very excited to start trading!!
new2salt1
Member
Hey can you comment on my parameters? I have a couple seemingly serious problems here!
Temp - 80
SG - 1.023
Ph - 8.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - <5
Calcium - 380
Kh - 22!!!! yikes!
phosphates - 8!!!
I doont understand why the Ph is high when I used a buffer.
My initial water source was the previous owner's tank water. I used 50% of that, and 50% of RO water.
Like an idiot though, I used 2.5 gallons of bottled water to do water change #1. I think that may be why kh and phosphates are spiked.
What do you think? Do I want to go and get 5 gallons of RO in the morning, mix it, and water change at night???
help! I want to get some fish and coral but cant until this is fixed.
thanks again.
Temp - 80
SG - 1.023
Ph - 8.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - <5
Calcium - 380
Kh - 22!!!! yikes!
phosphates - 8!!!
I doont understand why the Ph is high when I used a buffer.
My initial water source was the previous owner's tank water. I used 50% of that, and 50% of RO water.
Like an idiot though, I used 2.5 gallons of bottled water to do water change #1. I think that may be why kh and phosphates are spiked.
What do you think? Do I want to go and get 5 gallons of RO in the morning, mix it, and water change at night???
help! I want to get some fish and coral but cant until this is fixed.
thanks again.
deltablack22
Active Member
Originally Posted by New2Salt1
Hey can you comment on my parameters? I have a couple seemingly serious problems here!
Temp - 80
SG - 1.023
Ph - 8.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - <5
Calcium - 380
Kh - 22!!!! yikes!
phosphates - 8!!!
I like to keep my salinity at 1.025, your pH is a little high but that may be from your light cycle. If you test your pH in the morning and then again in the evening you will notice a swing. I wouldnt worry about keeping your calcium above 400 unless you are planning on keeping clams and SPS. Personally I dont add anything to my tank but RO/DI water and a good quality salt. When you start adding chemicals you throw in too many variables for my liking. Just be patient with it, dont rush water quality.
EDIT: SORRY ABOUT THAT LAUREN... AFTER I POSTED I REALISED WE ARE ALL OVER YOUR THREAD.
Hey can you comment on my parameters? I have a couple seemingly serious problems here!
Temp - 80
SG - 1.023
Ph - 8.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - <5
Calcium - 380
Kh - 22!!!! yikes!
phosphates - 8!!!
I like to keep my salinity at 1.025, your pH is a little high but that may be from your light cycle. If you test your pH in the morning and then again in the evening you will notice a swing. I wouldnt worry about keeping your calcium above 400 unless you are planning on keeping clams and SPS. Personally I dont add anything to my tank but RO/DI water and a good quality salt. When you start adding chemicals you throw in too many variables for my liking. Just be patient with it, dont rush water quality.
EDIT: SORRY ABOUT THAT LAUREN... AFTER I POSTED I REALISED WE ARE ALL OVER YOUR THREAD.
demartini
Active Member
Originally Posted by New2Salt1
I actually figured it out. It's an elegance coral! After being up all night last night, I slept during the day today (gotta love grad school). I left the light on all day and my fiance came home from work and started shaking me saying, "The purple and green one grew today!!! It's 3x as big!"
Hahaa, needless to say she has less experience than me with Salt, but it was very cute. The elegance opened up HUGE under the stock BioCube lighting! It took up a large portion of the tank. Can this one be fragmented? I almost dont want to it's so cool!
Quick question:
Do you buy most of your frags or trade with people?? Also, can you explain the fragging process? What species can be fragged?
Also, what type of glue did you use??
I am very excited to start trading!!
Congratulations on the elegance coral, I'm happy to hear that is finally starting to open up. Good luck with it though, its a very hard coral to keep, especially since your still going through a cycle. Don't try fraging it, its one of those corals that shouldn't be fragged. I usually buy my frags, but since my collection is growing I'm starting to trade. The fragging process depends on the type of coral that I'm fragging. If you have any specific ones you want me to explain I would be happy to. I use regular superglue gel.
I actually figured it out. It's an elegance coral! After being up all night last night, I slept during the day today (gotta love grad school). I left the light on all day and my fiance came home from work and started shaking me saying, "The purple and green one grew today!!! It's 3x as big!"
Hahaa, needless to say she has less experience than me with Salt, but it was very cute. The elegance opened up HUGE under the stock BioCube lighting! It took up a large portion of the tank. Can this one be fragmented? I almost dont want to it's so cool!
Quick question:
Do you buy most of your frags or trade with people?? Also, can you explain the fragging process? What species can be fragged?
Also, what type of glue did you use??
I am very excited to start trading!!
Congratulations on the elegance coral, I'm happy to hear that is finally starting to open up. Good luck with it though, its a very hard coral to keep, especially since your still going through a cycle. Don't try fraging it, its one of those corals that shouldn't be fragged. I usually buy my frags, but since my collection is growing I'm starting to trade. The fragging process depends on the type of coral that I'm fragging. If you have any specific ones you want me to explain I would be happy to. I use regular superglue gel.
demartini
Active Member
Originally Posted by New2Salt1
Hey can you comment on my parameters? I have a couple seemingly serious problems here!
Temp - 80
SG - 1.023
Ph - 8.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - <5
Calcium - 380
Kh - 22!!!! yikes!
phosphates - 8!!!
I doont understand why the Ph is high when I used a buffer.
My initial water source was the previous owner's tank water. I used 50% of that, and 50% of RO water.
Like an idiot though, I used 2.5 gallons of bottled water to do water change #1. I think that may be why kh and phosphates are spiked.
What do you think? Do I want to go and get 5 gallons of RO in the morning, mix it, and water change at night???
help! I want to get some fish and coral but cant until this is fixed.
thanks again.
You need to stop adding the buffer since your dKH and pH is high. Don't add anything unless you need it. Defenatly stop using the other person's tank water and start mixing your own. Check all the parameters of your water change and make sure that they are in check. It's not necessary to do a water change at night. You should get a bag of phosphate remover to get rid of the phosphates, and never used bottled water, unless its RO.
Hey can you comment on my parameters? I have a couple seemingly serious problems here!
Temp - 80
SG - 1.023
Ph - 8.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - <5
Calcium - 380
Kh - 22!!!! yikes!
phosphates - 8!!!
I doont understand why the Ph is high when I used a buffer.
My initial water source was the previous owner's tank water. I used 50% of that, and 50% of RO water.
Like an idiot though, I used 2.5 gallons of bottled water to do water change #1. I think that may be why kh and phosphates are spiked.
What do you think? Do I want to go and get 5 gallons of RO in the morning, mix it, and water change at night???
help! I want to get some fish and coral but cant until this is fixed.
thanks again.
You need to stop adding the buffer since your dKH and pH is high. Don't add anything unless you need it. Defenatly stop using the other person's tank water and start mixing your own. Check all the parameters of your water change and make sure that they are in check. It's not necessary to do a water change at night. You should get a bag of phosphate remover to get rid of the phosphates, and never used bottled water, unless its RO.
demartini
Active Member
Originally Posted by New2Salt1
Just so you know what chems I have put in the tank:
Part A and Part B (I was told to use this once a month)
PH Reef Buffer
Purple Up
Tropic Marin Salt
If your using the part a and part b you dont need the ph buffer and the purple up, they are pretty much the same. I believe part A is the ph buffer and part B is the calcium.
Just so you know what chems I have put in the tank:
Part A and Part B (I was told to use this once a month)
PH Reef Buffer
Purple Up
Tropic Marin Salt
If your using the part a and part b you dont need the ph buffer and the purple up, they are pretty much the same. I believe part A is the ph buffer and part B is the calcium.
new2salt1
Member
I had a feeling the guy at the LFS was just trying to sell me crap.
3 people from a chemistry forum just told me the same thing you told me.
The problem is, my PH buffer and A+B AND Ppurple Up are all going to spike the KH. And then on top of that, the bottled water probably jacked up my phosphates.
So, a decent water change and Im leaving it alone!
That's funny you say that about the elegance. He/She has looked the best so far. I will go get a digital camera and post the pics.
As always, many thanks...
3 people from a chemistry forum just told me the same thing you told me.
The problem is, my PH buffer and A+B AND Ppurple Up are all going to spike the KH. And then on top of that, the bottled water probably jacked up my phosphates.
So, a decent water change and Im leaving it alone!
That's funny you say that about the elegance. He/She has looked the best so far. I will go get a digital camera and post the pics.
As always, many thanks...
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
You shouldn't keep the lights on when acclimating. It causes unnecessary stress to the animal. Water in the bag also heats up more and faster because there is no water movement! Happy reefing!
new2salt1
Member
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33
You shouldn't keep the lights on when acclimating. It causes unnecessary stress to the animal. Water in the bag also heats up more and faster because there is no water movement! Happy reefing!
No lights at all?
If thats the case, I will turn the tank light off.
Do I need to keep the lunar off too?
I just figured - since the elegance responded so well to the lighting - that I should keep it on for him/her.
Can anyone else comment??
Also, what does the elegance eat?? My other coral is a star polyp. What do they eat?
Hahahaha Michael Vick failed a urine test for weed!!! Scum of the earth! (Sorry. that just came on the news!)
Ok, Im figuring out the digital camera software. Pics coming soon.
You shouldn't keep the lights on when acclimating. It causes unnecessary stress to the animal. Water in the bag also heats up more and faster because there is no water movement! Happy reefing!
No lights at all?
If thats the case, I will turn the tank light off.
Do I need to keep the lunar off too?
I just figured - since the elegance responded so well to the lighting - that I should keep it on for him/her.
Can anyone else comment??
Also, what does the elegance eat?? My other coral is a star polyp. What do they eat?
Hahahaha Michael Vick failed a urine test for weed!!! Scum of the earth! (Sorry. that just came on the news!)
Ok, Im figuring out the digital camera software. Pics coming soon.
new2salt1
Member
One other thing.
The front of my tank has a spot - underneath the plastic "lip" at the very top - where a bead of water always escapes and runs down the front of the tank. Should I take out a little bit of water, let the top dry out, and then try to wedge some silicone or something up there? Im thinking I could probably put a bead of silicone on a credit card or something and slide it up there.
Anyone know of a good way to do this? I dont think there is a cack in the glass. Im pretty sure its just a small crack in the plastic lip.
The front of my tank has a spot - underneath the plastic "lip" at the very top - where a bead of water always escapes and runs down the front of the tank. Should I take out a little bit of water, let the top dry out, and then try to wedge some silicone or something up there? Im thinking I could probably put a bead of silicone on a credit card or something and slide it up there.
Anyone know of a good way to do this? I dont think there is a cack in the glass. Im pretty sure its just a small crack in the plastic lip.
demartini
Active Member
Originally Posted by New2Salt1
No lights at all?
If thats the case, I will turn the tank light off.
Do I need to keep the lunar off too?
I just figured - since the elegance responded so well to the lighting - that I should keep it on for him/her.
Can anyone else comment??
Also, what does the elegance eat?? My other coral is a star polyp. What do they eat?
Hahahaha Michael Vick failed a urine test for weed!!! Scum of the earth! (Sorry. that just came on the news!)
Ok, Im figuring out the digital camera software. Pics coming soon.
You only need to acclimate corals as your introducing it your tank. Since you were given the coral with the tank, you had no option of acclimation. Leave your lights at your regular schedule for now, just when you get new corals, acclimate them without light.
You can feed your elegance coral anything meaty: brine shrimp, krill, sliversides, ect. You don't need to feed your star polyps anything.
No lights at all?
If thats the case, I will turn the tank light off.
Do I need to keep the lunar off too?
I just figured - since the elegance responded so well to the lighting - that I should keep it on for him/her.
Can anyone else comment??
Also, what does the elegance eat?? My other coral is a star polyp. What do they eat?
Hahahaha Michael Vick failed a urine test for weed!!! Scum of the earth! (Sorry. that just came on the news!)
Ok, Im figuring out the digital camera software. Pics coming soon.
You only need to acclimate corals as your introducing it your tank. Since you were given the coral with the tank, you had no option of acclimation. Leave your lights at your regular schedule for now, just when you get new corals, acclimate them without light.
You can feed your elegance coral anything meaty: brine shrimp, krill, sliversides, ect. You don't need to feed your star polyps anything.
demartini
Active Member
Originally Posted by New2Salt1
One other thing.
The front of my tank has a spot - underneath the plastic "lip" at the very top - where a bead of water always escapes and runs down the front of the tank. Should I take out a little bit of water, let the top dry out, and then try to wedge some silicone or something up there? Im thinking I could probably put a bead of silicone on a credit card or something and slide it up there.
Anyone know of a good way to do this? I dont think there is a cack in the glass. Im pretty sure its just a small crack in the plastic lip.
I noticed that when I move the water around when my hands in the tank a little water drips from under the plastic lip. I think as long as its doesn't drip constantly you should be ok. If it keeps on dripping even without you moving around in your tank, you could try to silicon it up. The thing is if you take water out to lower the water level it will lower the water level in the back chamber, eventually leaving your pump run dry. You would have to take the pump out and put in the display, then take some water out to lower the water level. I would let it dry for 2 days before you let it come in contact with your tank water.
One other thing.
The front of my tank has a spot - underneath the plastic "lip" at the very top - where a bead of water always escapes and runs down the front of the tank. Should I take out a little bit of water, let the top dry out, and then try to wedge some silicone or something up there? Im thinking I could probably put a bead of silicone on a credit card or something and slide it up there.
Anyone know of a good way to do this? I dont think there is a cack in the glass. Im pretty sure its just a small crack in the plastic lip.
I noticed that when I move the water around when my hands in the tank a little water drips from under the plastic lip. I think as long as its doesn't drip constantly you should be ok. If it keeps on dripping even without you moving around in your tank, you could try to silicon it up. The thing is if you take water out to lower the water level it will lower the water level in the back chamber, eventually leaving your pump run dry. You would have to take the pump out and put in the display, then take some water out to lower the water level. I would let it dry for 2 days before you let it come in contact with your tank water.
bjoe23
Active Member
Originally Posted by DeMartini
I'll send you the link... if anyone else wants the link I'll email it to you too.
JonCat24 showed me this site months ago. They used to have a good selection of rics, but I just checked the site and they don't have very much now... they only have florescent green rics for $8.
Can i have the link?
oconnellbilly2@yahoo.com
I'll send you the link... if anyone else wants the link I'll email it to you too.
JonCat24 showed me this site months ago. They used to have a good selection of rics, but I just checked the site and they don't have very much now... they only have florescent green rics for $8.
Can i have the link?
oconnellbilly2@yahoo.com
demartini
Active Member
Originally Posted by bjoe23
Can i have the link?
oconnellbilly2@yahoo.com
just google sea life inc. it should come up.
Can i have the link?
oconnellbilly2@yahoo.com
just google sea life inc. it should come up.