Nano Reef Diary :O)

[nanoreefnoob]

Hey guys, new here. I just purchased a 12gallon cube from ************** which comes with a stand for only $209! %h
Hope it's ok to link my purchase in here..
http://www.**************.com/Produc...m?pcatid=15559
I am excited to get started on this and it should be coming in the next 2-3 business days! Also, they now have this bill me later option, so I don't pay anything for 90 days! Although I will most likely pay it off this month. Anyways I am really excited to start my new nano reef!
Soft corals and clown fish here we come!

 

[nanoreefnoob]

So I am gonna make a quick laundry list of things I need to purchase to get this tank started.
Included in original purchase.
Tank- 12g cube
Lighting- 2x 24W 50/50 compact flourescent. 2x nite vu led moonlight lights
Pump-106gph
*Integrated 3 stage filtration*- can't find any exact details on what all this involves, although this also includes a SURFACE SKIMMER
No protein skimmer
______________________________________________________
So now a quick little list of things I will need to purchase to start my cycling. If anyone can think of anything I'm missing please let me know!
Live Rock 18lbs (1.5lbs per gallon) LFS charging 7.99 per lb... (what do you guys think of this price, I'm gonna make some calls and shop around just to see anyways) $160
Live Sand-10lbs (if someone can provide ballpark prices per lb bags that would be awesome) Gonna guesstimate like $30?
Digital Thermometer 20$-$30?
Water Test Kit $10?
Hydrometer $5?
RO- WATER. I'm thinking I will just pick up 15 gallons to be safe (Price on this anyone aware?) $30?
This is all I need to start cycling right?
This would put me at about 260$ for in tank startup costs, with tank purchase and everything (shipping included for cube/stand) at about $480?
I haven't seen a lot of figures on this site? What are peoples thoughts on this cost for initial startup?
What about some chemicals to adjust ph levels, nitrates, ammonium levels? Suggestions? Comments?
Thanks for taking time to read this!

 

[meowzer]

Welcome to the site...and the hobby..
What you have sounds ok to start...except don't bother with the hydrometer...just a waste of money....get a refractometer...more expensive..BUT WORTH IT.
You shouldn't need any chemicals.......also go to the top of this forum,in new hobbyists and read the top few threads

 

[nanoreefnoob]

Cool, thanks for your help and welcome, much appreciated. Also, I noticed that it comes with a surface skimmer, not a protein skimmer.
I realize that saltwater is much less oxygenated than fresh so I do think it would be beneficial to add on a protein skimmer.
However I have read mixed reviews/posts where some people claim that a protein skimmer is not needed in a smaller reef tank that if you have enough LR and bi monthly 3-4g WC... Additionally I have read that you don't want to add a PS until the tank has been up and running for 2 months?
Thoughts?
Also, would anyone be able to suggest a protein skimmer for a 12g cube? In case I decide to get one?

 

[premilove]

convert the back chamber of your tank into a refugium. get a small 2x18 watt light, submersible light, or a drop light--home depot 7 bucks..load it with chaeto. bag of carbon, bag of phosban, bag of chemipure. thats alllllllll you need!

 

[nanoreefnoob]

Thanks for your resposne premi-your picture is awesome, getting read to check out what you got goin on here on this site.
Anyways, I guess there is a spare back chamber of my tank, which I should light this minature compartment and stock it with those following bags?
Are these bags then used in place of a protein skimmer? Are you saying this is an option to use in place of the PS?
Thanks again for your response! The excitement builds.

 

[premilove]

i havent updated my thread in a while.. i moved to a different forum.. ill post a somewhat recent fts here.. i dont use a skimmer, i have a 28 gallon jbj nano cube..but then again my bioload is extremely low, just 3 fish..picasso clowns and a goby.
i think you will be happier with a refugium.. great place to house copepods, and chaeto is one of my favorite methods of filtration! chaeto and pods will eat your "crap" in the tank, and your fish will munch on the pods!

i am in the process of building a 30 breeder..going to keep it mainly sps dominated..

 

[nanoreefnoob]

Wow your tank looks amazing. Great job, not cluttered, not too full, really well done. Anyways I'm just kinda checkin out some of your posts here, good stuff. More pictures...always...more pictures.
and videos.

 

[premilove]

i dont like it. you can have it! whens your 12 gal coming?

 

[nanoreefnoob]

I bought it earlier this morning, site says they usually ship within 24 hours, although tomorrow is Sunday. I bet it goes out Monday and gets here Thursday/Friday latest. Hopefully Wednesday.
So I was reading up on copepods and this was a quote I found on this site, for copepods for sale 150-200 per $15 package
"If left alone they will rapidly populate a marine environment-your tank."
I'll do research into this but I'm wondering if I'm to put these in during cycling if it will help cycle the tank faster, although I've read against anything in the tank during cycling because any living organism producing waste will affect nitrate levels, and also.. what would these things even eat, would the LR be able to sustain them?

 

[premilove]

pods eat detritus..when you cycle, get a raw piece of shrimp. where are you getting LR from? and ls?

 

[nanoreefnoob]

At my local fish store, LS however will probobally be an online purchase if I can't find it around here LFS may not carry it, I didn't check when I was in there yesterday looking around.

 

[premilove]

you should join a local reef forum to your location. there are a bunch out there. you could probably score some free LS from a local hobbyist. where are you located? u can def buy rock from hobbyists as well. they usually sell rock at 2-4 bucks a pound.

 

[nanoreefnoob]

Nice, good idea. That liverock is gonna be a huge cost I really wasn't anticipating. While it isn't really a big deal I'm not expecting this to be cheap by any means, it wouldn't help to get things a little cheaper especially if someone doesn't need it.
Oh, and I'm from Chicago, in the city.

 

[nanoreefnoob]

Update: got the tank
I wont be doing a refugium I don't think. Modding the tank will void warranty and I really don't want to deal with it. Additionally I have read many mixed reviews about refuges being able to do more harm than good and that a refuge the size of mine won't be all that beneficial anyways.
I will be stocking the first chamber with a bag of Chemipure and Purigen. and filter floss. In layers.
I will be stocking second chamber with a bag of Phosban, Carbon and filter floss.
I now have to look up how much of each of these things to put in and also probably buy some mesh bags to put the medium in. I am not sure if any of this stuff comes with little mesh baggies or not. Gonna buy some for later use and in case they don't come with it.
If anyone has any idea how much of any of this stuff to use for a 12g, feel free to let me know. Should be stocking tank this weekend with LR, LS!!!! really exciting
Another thing I need to research is whether or not I can have all of this stuff in the tank while it cycles. /ponder

 

[nanoreefnoob]

Just placed my second order and this is everything I got. I am pretty sure I have all the bases covered. Let me know if there's something I am missing.
Item # Description Price Qty Cost
CD-120490 Media Bags Mini $3.39 x 1 = $3.39
CD-157491 Deluxe Heaters 100 watt $18.39 x 1 = $18.39
CD-117449 Chemi-Pure 10 oz $6.29 x 1 = $6.29
CD-434587 Purigen 100 ml. w/ mesh bag $8.09 x 1 = $8.09
CD-301626 Coralife Marine Salt 50 gallon mix $14.99 x 1 = $14.99
CD-13157 PhosBan 150 g $17.49 x 1 = $17.49
CD-14035 Portable Refractometer 0-100 ppt salinity and
1.000-1.070 specific gravity $41.99 x 1 = $41.99
CD-18773 Thermometer 2-1/4" x 1-1/2" $5.89 x 1 = $5.89
CD-22886 Fine Mesh Media Bag 3" x 4" 6 pk $5.79 x 1 = $5.79
CD-27178 Reef Master Test Kit Liquid Test Kit $23.19 x 1 = $23.19
CD-29791 Tetra Submersible Heaters 50 watt; 5-3/4"; up to 10 gallons $12.99 x 1 = $12.99

 

[nanoreefnoob]

Update. Tank up and runniny (cycling) bought 18 lbs of really nice live rock from LFS. In the process i got bristle worm spikes all over mah fingers, yowzaaa. Anyways, I will get pics up as soon as camera charges.
Overall this has been much more than I expected (cost wise) note to anyone who starts up a tank. Plan for at least 200$ more than you anticipated.
Tank is running fine. Although mine seems to run a little hot. It's kind of weird though. I added my sand and LR and the tank has been a degree cooler for over 4 hours now. I would think the sand/rocks would have acclimated and the temp would go back to the normal 83-83.8. But it didn't its lowered it..interesting...
Only other issue is my moon lite leds already burnt out. Lame. Totally lame.
LR (18lbs) and ammonia/ph/nitrite test kits, 20lbs sand was $186.
$586 total cost for tank/supplies just to start the cyling. The good thing is the majority of the cost has already been established!
I'm very excited to get this thing cycled!! Can't wait to start stocking I have no idea (besides clowns) what I'm goin to stock it with!!1
Looked at coral prices today at that LFS and man were they expensive, but they had some very nice ones!! exciting.

 

[nanoreefnoob]

***Upadte*** My 100 wat heater shattered. It was in the same chamber as my pump. I'm thinking the pump latched onto it and sucked it until it broke. Got all the glass/tubes cleaned up.
I had a 50 watt heater sitting around so tahts been replaced and put into the second chamber.
sigh.

 

[nissan577]

im sorry to hear that. do you have any pics? even tho your cycling its exciting to see!

and nice on the list you got there!

 

[nanoreefnoob]

Just took a pic for ya!
It's only three pieces of rock, kinda looks like 5. The picture doesn't do the depth of that cave justice, its massive and deep.