BC 29g nano reef

[itsboosting]

Hi guys, new to the hobby. Recently decided that i've dumped way too much money into my car and wanted to pick up something else that required less money. SW tanks can get expensive, but i figured it should be quite fun for less money compared to my car.

Anyways, i'm picking up my tank tomorrow after work. I'll also be picking up ~30-35 lbs of LR and LS. Will probably run it thru to allow it to cycle for 2-3 weeks before adding any livestock to it.

I've read some DIY's to widen the flow of the chambers in the back, switching out the stock pump for a rio hf6 pump to flow 350gph.

I do have questions however, such as whether or not i should use the stock filter (i think they are called bio balls?) or have something else in place of that. I will post in this thread with plenty of updates/pictures so please bare with me if i have any noob questions as i am extremely new to this.

What should my water parameters read to be "cycled"? Also, from what i've read, i should keep the water temperature around 80? I live in the bay area, ca. Temps here have been roughly around 50-60s for the past week. Any recommendations/tips would be greatly appreciated, Thanks!

:)
-itsboosting

[Captain Amazing]

Hey Itsboosting,

Welcome to ReefCentral. I got the 14G Biocube and didn't change the filtration. most people recommend taking out the bioballs in exchange for live rock rubble or filter floss. I have no idea about more flow or exchanging the pump so can't answer that. For your cycle, you need to test for Ammonia, then Nitrites and then Nitrates. Once the Ammonia and Nitrites are zero, you can do a water change to lower the Nitrates. Shoot for about 78 instead of 80, but 80 would be fine if it got up there. Where are you getting your rock?

[itsboosting]

Captain Amazing,

Thanks for the help, much appreciated!A friend of mine told me about a place that's moving soon, and is having a sale on LR for 2 dollars a lb. Fiji rock. Also sand is ~50 cents a lb.

[Captain Amazing]

Aquarium Concepts is moving to Dublin. Is that the place you're getting the rock from? I'm very excited for when they open. I make sure to drive by when I'm in that area.

[itsboosting]

Captain amazing,

I actually purchased the rock from a LFS and did not end up going to the place in hayward. LR was 4.50 lb, and i ended up with 26lbs.





got some updates. First off, got the tank set up on friday last week. The pictures were taken today and i noticed something on the LR that wasn't there initially. Can someone please inform me on what it is? I've circled it in 2 of the close up pictures, any help is appreciated. Thanks!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/azn121184/biocube/DSC02814.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/azn121184/biocube/DSC02813.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/azn121184/biocube/DSC02812.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/azn121184/biocube/DSC02811.jpg

[clowninaround74]

i would say its a type of coraline algae but im not sure...also is there any way to put the heater you have in the back compartments...it would make it look a lot better

[John99]

I have that same pink stuff on my LR. They have little tentacles but im not sure what they are.

[GobyJohnKenobi]

I think they are foraminiferans.

Check here: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/rs/index.php

[itsboosting]

GobyJohnKenobi,

thanks a lot! they sure do in fact look like those after inspection this morning right before work. I also noticed that more have popped up on the rocks since the pictures were taken.

[itsboosting]

I've moved the heater to the back, chamber 1. removed the false floor and also removed the bioballs in the 2nd chamber and i'm using a charcoal panel filter right beneath the plastic tray that comes with the kit. I added some filter floss that my friend gave me today and i'm awaiting for my shipment of LR since i ordered 10 more lbs the other day.


Does anyone have any recommendations on lighting? i really want to swap out the 36 w 50/50 that the kit comes with as i'm hearing that it's only "okay" lighting and limits my corals. This tank is mainly going to be for corals so i'm trying to see what my options are. Any help is appreciated!!

[SOULEMAN]

u can go to nanotuners for light upgrades. also u can go a different route and get a mh system. i have the current orbit 150w mh and 4 t-5's 24w on my 29bc. but i am into sps and clams. just a thought though.

[itsboosting]

Someone suggested that i could go open top with a sunpod 150 MH. What do you guys think of that setup?

[SOULEMAN]

i hear of alot of people using the sunpod and they r a great light. but i like to substitute other lighting into it also for a total day cycle and night cycle with the moon lights. mine was like 100 extra over the sunpod but it came with the 150w mh with the t-5's also with the moon lights. it is the current orbit 150mh w t-5's. you can find them in alot of places. thats just my 2 cents but what my fiance tells me it is made worth a penny. :D good luck and if you do go with the sunpod you might eant to get the 14k pheonix bulb or even go with a 20k if you want more blue in the color or more color from your corals.:) mine is also open top and you can c it under my little red house. on my name.

[itsboosting]

Souleman,

Thanks for the help! i'll definitely look into the available choices. I checked out your tank, it's very nice! you sure love clams dont you haha.

[SOULEMAN]

and i also have a wrx with the rotated mount gt35r and supporting mods. as i see you have one on your comments. that is my other hobby. i will have to get a pic for you.
:D

[itsboosting]

haha wow, what are the odds. are you on www.i-club.com or www.nasioc.com?

here's a picture of my car

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/azn121184/wrx/DSC02792.jpg

Put down 256 whp and 242lbs of torque on a mustang dyno.

[SOULEMAN]

excellent car. i have to get some pics of mine on my new computer so i will get you some. i am on wrxtuners.com same screen name

[SOULEMAN]

oops my name on wrxtuners.com is kawi_rider

[itsboosting]

Starting to notice some sort of pods crawling all over my rocks tonight. Got my water parameters tested and everything seems to be doing great so far! Should be adding livestock soon.


I'm also getting some type of green colored things growing on my LR along with the forams.

Should i add a clean up crew, fish, or corals first?

-itsboosting

[SOULEMAN]

You could always start with a clean up crew first, then with some of the fish and last with the coral cause you want the tank to be very stable before adding the corals.

[jims1001]

do you guys create your own clean up crew packages, or do you mix and match your own?

Those of you who purchashed packages, did you guys buy them online at say, etropicals or anything like that? thanks

[1pix4c]

very nice

[itsboosting]

1pix4c,

the tank or the car? either way thanks! :D

[SOULEMAN]

i did my own make shift clean up crew. and its boosting i got some more pics of the tank in my little red house.......

[itsboosting]

sweet! i'll check it out!!


i think i'll be picking up my clean up crew tomorrow after i get out of my classes. what critters do you have?

[SOULEMAN]

i have 6 red legged hermits, 2 turbo snails(man do these suckers eat),4 Nassarius Snails, 1 emerald crab,4 blue legged hermits, a bunch of bristtle worms that have come from the rock( not too many though) i have a cleaner shrimp and a peppy shrimp,( dont know how much cleaning they do though, but they sure know how to eat all the damn fish food), and a signal goby(2 spot goby) he sifts the sand pretty good. i would wait on him though.some people say they r hard to keep but mine is doing great.( knock on wood) and i think that is about it. i have a pic of him in the red house also...

[itsboosting]

I' have heard that the shrimps dont do that great of a job cleaning the tank, but rather have a tendancy to steal the fishes food. I'm debating whether or not i want to get shrimps.

Im definitely going to pick up some hermits and nassarius snails today from my LFS though. How's your emerald crab doing? Has it been bothering anything in the tank?


I really appreciate all the feedback and help you've provided souleman, thanks!

[SOULEMAN]

the emerald crab has been good. you just hardly ever see him since he likes to stay in the rock work. he did get on one of my acros, but after i knocked him off of it he hasn't touched it since. and by the way not a problem.

[itsboosting]

i went out and bought 5 nass snails, and 5 hermit crabs. Brought them home and acclimated them for a little over an hour and placed them in. The snails dived right into the sand and i haven't seen them since! the hermit crabs are just picking off the rocks.

[SOULEMAN]

yeah the snails do that, they r cool. if you want later on you can throw a little food in there and as soon as trhey smell it they will pop out of the sand and devour everything on the sand, then they just bury them selves again and stick out their little siphon tubes..
congrats on the new inhabitants...:thumbsup: :bounce3: :beer:

[itsboosting]

cool! In terms of feeding the guys, what kind of prepared food should i pick up from the LFS? someone suggested frozen shrimp?

[SOULEMAN]

i also use that frozen Emerald ENTREE, it is in little cubes and has alot in it..i just slice off some of it off and drop it in the tank.

[itsboosting]

i went out and bought a cleaner shrimp (also referred to as skunk shrimp i think) at my LFS for 12 bucks!

acclimated the guy for close to 2 hours and then put him in. I'll be feeding them mysis shrimp :).


When should i be able to start adding fishes?

[vuanhquoc]

nice car

[SOULEMAN]

id wait at least a week and make sure your numbers are still good. then go to town.