New here 29G Bio Cube

[perfectdark]

Hi all I just wanted to formally say hi to everyone here. I just receintly set up my Bio Cube 29 and it is awesome. I am not new to aquariums but I am new to SW tanks. My goal is a 90Gal Reef set up but for now a 29 to learn on is alright for me. Also my 4 yr old daughter is obsessed with Nemo so a pair of clown fish is on the list. I have tons of SW Fish stores where I live getting advise from them is very easy. I set my tank up almost 2 weeks ago I have 20lbs or so of LR various hermits and snails, 1 Royal Gramma and 1 Scooter Blenny. Set up was pretty seamless I had to experiment with the ever so popular filtration issue and the water levels in the rear tanks but I have noticed that a small amount of water either added or taken out of the aquarium itself has an enormous effect on the min and max fill line on the return side of the tank. So far all my chem levels are spot on I check them every 3 days and had the local FS check them once a week twice so far. I cycled the tank using BioSpira and from what I was told to make that work I needed fish in the tank within the 1st 24 hours of operation. Seeing as though I am not fond of Damsels I used the above mentioned fish to add as my first. So far all is good levels are perfect water temp is a steady 78.8 to 79. PH is 8.2 salinity is 1.024. I do like the idea of the live rock in place of the bio balls though I may try that. The only thing I have had to do is in the 1st 3 days of having the tank run the live sand I used had a ton of sedament in it and it clogged up my filter. I rinsed it off every night and it works perfectly, water level in the left varies a bit from time to time but never at extreme levels. I will post pics when I get them. My goal although from what I have read, I may get bashed a bit for this is approx 8 fish but nothing that wont grow more than 3 to 4 inches. I want some annenomies and some corals too. I was indeed warned about adding the fish that I did, apparently they are not the most "hardy" of species to put into a tank first, but it was also stated that they are not the most frail either and given the current conditions of the tank and its levels I might get away with it. Well to date "knock on wood" everything is fine. My next installment of fish will be a pair of false perculas that the ever so popular Easter bunny will be delivering to my 4 yr old. Till then I am just maintaining and letting the tank settle in.
Look forward to reading your posts and any comments or suggestions you may have.

 

[kmc]

Sounds like you are off to a pretty good start. My limited experience has taught me that finding 8 fish that can get along in a tank our size is going to be tough. Also, we didn't have any luck with an anenome in our tank but you might. I think the key is to keep the water changed regularly and change filters often. You should start thinking about your clean up crew as well. Takes a lot of crabs, snails etc to keep the tank clean.
Good Luck

 

[grumpygils]

Originally Posted by PerfectDark
Hi all I just wanted to formally say hi to everyone here. I just receintly set up my Bio Cube 29 and it is awesome. I am not new to aquariums but I am new to SW tanks. My goal is a 90Gal Reef set up but for now a 29 to learn on is alright for me. Also my 4 yr old daughter is obsessed with Nemo so a pair of clown fish is on the list. I have tons of SW Fish stores where I live getting advise from them is very easy. I set my tank up almost 2 weeks ago I have 20lbs or so of LR various hermits and snails, 1 Royal Gramma and 1 Scooter Blenny. Set up was pretty seamless I had to experiment with the ever so popular filtration issue and the water levels in the rear tanks but I have noticed that a small amount of water either added or taken out of the aquarium itself has an enormous effect on the min and max fill line on the return side of the tank. So far all my chem levels are spot on I check them every 3 days and had the local FS check them once a week twice so far. I cycled the tank using BioSpira and from what I was told to make that work I needed fish in the tank within the 1st 24 hours of operation. Seeing as though I am not fond of Damsels I used the above mentioned fish to add as my first. So far all is good levels are perfect water temp is a steady 78.8 to 79. PH is 8.2 salinity is 1.024. I do like the idea of the live rock in place of the bio balls though I may try that. The only thing I have had to do is in the 1st 3 days of having the tank run the live sand I used had a ton of sedament in it and it clogged up my filter. I rinsed it off every night and it works perfectly, water level in the left varies a bit from time to time but never at extreme levels. I will post pics when I get them. My goal although from what I have read, I may get bashed a bit for this is approx 8 fish but nothing that wont grow more than 3 to 4 inches. I want some annenomies and some corals too. I was indeed warned about adding the fish that I did, apparently they are not the most "hardy" of species to put into a tank first, but it was also stated that they are not the most frail either and given the current conditions of the tank and its levels I might get away with it. Well to date "knock on wood" everything is fine. My next installment of fish will be a pair of false perculas that the ever so popular Easter bunny will be delivering to my 4 yr old. Till then I am just maintaining and letting the tank settle in.
Look forward to reading your posts and any comments or suggestions you may have.
Welcome to the boards! You are now officially hooked. I would be careful with the scooter blenny. What does he eat? Most only eat live copepods and will starve in a tank with less than 75-100 lbs of established rock. Even with that much rock and more, I learned the hard way. If he eats frozen, you are very lucky. Put up the PICs when you get them.
Good Luck!
Mc

 

[bill109]

sounds like a great start.. idk how your going to do it but sound slike agood idea with the 2 clows and the easter bunny!
stored ma be closed on eaaster and they cant sit in the bag all night and need to be acclimated for several hours for best acclimation so good luck and cant waiit to see some pics!
BTW your child will Absolutely love the SW tank
-bill109

 

[perfectdark]

Thanks for the input guys, yea although my goals are laid out they are not cast in stone and if a more realistic 6 fish is where i will end up then thats ok with me too. The one I really want and I know it will prob take me a good year to be able to get one if at all is a mandarin dragonet. As for the scooter blenny I will try some other items to help him to eat. I was given the impression he would be an ok choice.
As for the Easter Bunny situation, my plan is to make the purchase Saturday night from my LFS and get them acclimated over the course of the evening. I will them place them in the tank for the night and have the EB lead a trail to the tank in the morning where she will see them swimming there.
I have the start of a pretty cool clean up crew. 10 hermits so far, 4 crabs 2 emerald and 2 sally lightfoots, 4 snails and a red Brittle Star. I want a reef lobster and a cleaner shrimp but not for a while. After the Perculas I am going to wait a bit before adding anything else except for more snails and hermits.

 

[azreefgirl]

Hello and welcome to the wonderful world of saltwater!
I also have the size 29 Biocube (which actually only holds 23 gallons, not 29). I, too, jumped in too quickly and added a fish that I probably shouldn't have. I put in a twinspot goby, which also needs a large, mature tank for the copepods. Since I didn't learn this until after I got him, I've had to hand feed him mysis shrimp twice a day with a turkey baster (and the pump off to make sure the food didn't fly out of his reach) to keep him healthy and well-nourished. Now that I have other fish and shrimp in there, I have to feed him each individual piece of shrimp with the turkey baster to make sure his food doesn't get stolen by the others! It's a very time consuming activity, but it has to be done to make sure he doesn't starve without the pods!
Also having previous freshwater aquarium experience, I can tell you that saltwater fish keeping is a little different. Six or eight 3-4" fish is too much for a 23 gallon tank! I would recommend sticking with three or four fish (depending on their size and temperment). You may want to exchange your scooter blenny for another substrate dweller, such as a yellow watchman goby or a blue jawfish. They're both cute, and the jawfish will dig burrows to live in (but they need sand and generally don't do as well with crushed coral substrate). Also, your royal gramma may be territorial about his tank and may harrass tank newbies for a while, so keep an eye on him. Also, instead of more fish, you may want to consider a couple skunk cleaner shrimp or fireshrimp, they're fun to watch and add very, very little (if any) to your bioload.
Also, stock lighting on a Biocube is not nearly enough light for an anemone. They need strong lighting to survive. Without it, the anemone will die. I know there's been a few instances of people keeping an anemone in a Biocube, but that is the exception rather than the rule. I absolutely love anemones and had planned on getting one when I set up my tank. If I thought it had a decent chance of survival, I would get one. But I won't put a critter in my tank just because I want it if it's just going to perish in the environment I've forced it into.
Please, please, please don't think I'm trying to discourage you from this hobby or trying to flame you in any way! I'm just trying to prevent you from making some of the same mistakes I made when getting into saltwater! :happyfish
P.S. LOVE your Easter Bunny idea!!! Very, very cute! :cheer:
Oh, and post pics of your progress! We love seeing people's tanks here!

 

[perfectdark]

Thank you very much for all your input. I dont consider my self by any means a seasoned vetran with fish tanks marine or fresh water so I am always open to what people have done in their tanks and what has and or hasent worked in the past. Unfortunatly as all people of message boards know taking advise from sooooo many different people is to be taken with a grain of salt. Although the ones that shine on and have the best reputation seem to be the ones on target and hold the most valuable information (eg. AZreefgirl). Being new to this hobby I fell victim to the petstore trademark of sell anything to anyone theory that some place do. Unfortunatly I believe my Bleeny has indeed passed. The odd part is I am not sure of he did or not, he hasnt been seen in 3 days now and upon hearing from another more trusted fish store that he wasnt the best first selection for my tank and hand placing food would ensure his survival, I think I am too late. But my crabs both Hermit and Emerald Greens havent really gone out of site I would think that if there was a dead 1" fish in the tank they would of sought it out and devoured it. I moved all of my live rock around to see if he was in a hole and I could find a thing. I dont want to move everything else again because it disrupts the entire tank and its a pain. But lesson learned there, its just too bad I couldnt get to him sooner.
I was told the scooter blenny although is in the same family as a dragonet doesnt eat the same food and can be fed a diet of brine shrimp. However the most important fact was ommited, the point that I had to place the food in front of his face for him to eat it. Then I was told the complete opposite that the Blenny does indeed perfer copepods over any thing else and a refugeum is the only way to go to ensure a healthy bleeny, accepting brine shrimp would be pure luck. Soooo many opionions.
As far as anenomies goes what type of lighting do you need for them. As I was told the ones that came with the Biocube were sufficient for some Anemomies and not good for others, same went for corals. There were some that would do fine and others would perish. If I upgrade the lighting what is the next step up, to make sure everything survives?
Lastly I want to have a nice tank with a few fish and nice colors with Anenomies and corals. If that means 3 or 4 fish then thats ok with me. I dont want to overstock and I dont want to make an unhappy environment for my fish.
I will post pics when I take them. To date I have:
1. Royal Gramma 1" long
2. 20 or so various hermits
3. 2 emerald green crabs
4. 2 sally lightfoot crabs
5. 3 turbo snails, 5 margarita snals, 2 mexican turbos
6. 8 or so other small snails (dont know their names)
7. Red Brittle Star
8. Red Starfish (dont know what else to call it) but it was kinda expensive.
Approx 18lbs of live rock (so far) and approx 1-1/2" of live sand on the entire bottom of the tank.