Ziege's LED 28 nano cube

[ziege]

Just thought I'd post a couple of pics of my tank at the start of cycling....

Forgive the lame cell phone photos...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=102050&stc=1&d=1266771045

http://reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=102051&stc=1&d=1266771065

I used a shallow sand bed of mixed sugar sand and fine pink sand, about 30lbs of live rock and another 5lbs of rock (put in the tank before the sand) to support the live rock above the sand bed.

At this point it's just clean-up crew and volunteers. A couple of mushrooms, quite a few of these: http://www.melevsreef.com/id/orange_ball_anemone.htm (http://www.melevsreef.com/id/orange_ball_anemone.html), of course aiptasia :(, and some other things I haven't fully ID's, Now for the waiting and testing.

At this point I'm running basically stock. Apart from what came in the box, I've added a 200w heater, 2 timers for the lights, and of course I have the usual test and measurement supplies. Oh, and a ball of Chaeto in the media rack and an LED light shining on it to round things out.

Last time I kept reef tanks I was heavily into the DIY side of things, building custom tanks, my own skimmers, and just about everything else. The goal right now is to see how much I really NEED to add to the included kit. I can tell I'll end up with another pump or three but I don't need them yet.

[ziege]

Pictures...

All lights lit:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=102196&stc=1&d=1266812053

Dusk/dawn and moonlight only:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=102197&stc=1&d=1266812053

Media box "refugium" (and thermometer... don't worry, it's in Celsius ;)):
http://reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=102193&stc=1&d=1266812053


Not too bad for day 2. I probably jumped the gun on parts of the CUC but water conditions are stable so far.

Front view of rock:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=102198&stc=1&d=1266812053

Side view of rock:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=102199&stc=1&d=1266812053

[fstar25]

You probably did jump the gun on the cleanup crew, but the rock looks great, and I love those lights. I'm new to this hobby and my tank is on it's third month now. Only advice I can give you is, the waiting and letting things mature advice you get on this website...follow it.

Good luck.

[Bouncer]

Hey Ziege! What's the word???

[ziege]

Should've updated this earlier.

The tank went through a very orderly though short cycle (the LR was more or less cured so maybe not a huge surprise) with a nice diatom bloom that faded off as the numbers came into whack. The water has been running 1.025sg, about 440cal, 10kh, 0,0,<10, 8.2ish PH, and I haven't been testing anything else. The actinodiscus shrooms that came on some of the LR are opening wide and looking great. Oh, and I've actually had to prune back the chaeto once so far.

I made the following changes:
Added a remora skimmer (found a cheap slightly used one w/drain that feeds back to the media rack).
Pulled one divider from the media rack so the chaeto had more room to grow, added poly filter on top.
Added about 5+lbs of rubble rock (found it for $1/lb) to create a cryptic zone on the right back corner.
pulled one of the return pumps, and removed the nozzle/pipe from the other. It now has a steady flow from the right.
Added a koralia ... 1? Not the nano... in the upper right, firing to the left, on the wavemaker.

I lost control and bought a pumping xenia a week or so after the numbers were stable. Did the usual transfer dance, and the silly thing opened up within about 20 minutes and has been happily pulsating away for a few days now (at least when the lights are on).

I also got a free frag of soft coral (a loose cutting really) which has opened up and seems happy.

Current plan:
I'm going to go back to using both returns from the back. I've been experimenting w/ flow and the current set-up is decent but I'm not done. I also ordered everything for an ATO, which I'll build up once it comes in.

The setbacks: Just after I put the xenia in the tank, the dawn/dusk lights died. Seems to be a bad connection in one of the LEDs. JBJ is a strange company to deal with. :| Still, I'm pretty happy w/ only one real setback.

I'll get fresh photos when I can.

[ziege]

One more cell phone special...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=105209&stc=1&d=1268798930

Oh, and the other soft coral (the one I got free) is capnella.

[joesig]

that looks like xenia

nice tank i plan to upgrade my hood to led too.

[ziege]

that looks like xenia

Yup. Pumping away.

The capnella doesn't seem quite as happy... but it came from a detached cutting I had to superglue to a bit of rubble so I suspect it's got more to recover from.

[ziege]

Here's the capnella (or what I think is capnella anyway) cutting. Another cell phone fantastiblah.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=105262&stc=1&d=1268848604

[ziege]

Well, the capnella-ish coral has opened up fully and finally looks healthy. Much better than in the previous picture.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=106589&stc=1&d=1269673573

I added an AquaHub DIY ATO with an aqua-lifter pump to push top-off water. The ATO bracket is on the right pump chamber and fits fairly well with no interference. For testing I have a small reservoir hanging on the back of the tank, and it's very handy...it would be nice to find a 1 gallon or so container that would hang there permanently.

I also played around with extending the returns further into the tank with additional loc-line and wye fittings but I'm not sure I like the results.

Still, it's progress.

[Bouncer]

FTS? What are your current parameters?

[PAnanoguy]

Ziege, Im going at this LED Nano Cube thing too. Good to see another one out there. I will get a thread up soon with some pics.

[ziege]

FTS? What are your current parameters?

I can't get a decent FTS for some reason. I am working on it though and will post when I have something I can live with.

UPS delivered a sybon refractometer last week along with the parts for my auto top-off and a few other things.

Parameters (measured Saturday):
SG: 1.026 by refractometer. 1.0245ish by swing arm. I'm bringing this down by pulling water (50ml or so at a time) and letting the ATO do its thing. I'll see how everything looks once I reach 1.025 on the sybon.
A/N/N: 0,0,5ish
PH: 8.3
CA: 480
KH: 9dkh

I didn't test phosphates this time around.

My plan initially was to have just the xenia as a living water quality monitor for the first few months. Once I was sure it was doing OK I was going to start hunting up stony coral frags. I based a lot of that on conditioned pessimism. I figured the xenia would struggle; instead it has about doubled in size so far. I knew I was playing with fire a bit but didn't think I'd have to deal with it so soon.

Picked up a purple firefish on Saturday too... it's chilling in QT now, putting on a show. Interesting side-note: my other new toy is the annoyingly named AccliMate drip acclimator/tranporter/trap. I actually hauled it along to the local fish emporium where they gave it the hairy eyeball, sayin', "you want us to put a fish in that? A fish? Really? In that?" Or maybe not but it seemed like an unusual experience for them. The fish seemed minimally stressed by its journey, acclimation, and transfer. It was hunting up lunch within 10 minutes of release into QT and eagerly took some frozen food. I know, what's the big deal... but it's always kinda nice when "right" and "easy" converge.

I'm going at this LED Nano Cube thing too.

It's fun. I've made some mistakes along the way, had to redo a few things, but the tank has been great so far and I expect it to do well when I add some more demanding specimens.

[Bouncer]

I figured the xenia would struggle; instead it has about doubled in size so far. I knew I was playing with fire a bit but didn't think I'd have to deal with it so soon.

Will the Xenia be a permanent resident once it begins to spread?

Interesting side-note: my other new toy is the annoyingly named AccliMate drip acclimator/tranporter/trap.

How well does it function as a trap?

Also, any idea on what the Par readings are with these LED's?

[ziege]

Will the Xenia be a permanent resident once it begins to spread?

If I'm careless and let it attach itself to a big rock or the back wall it will. Actually, xenia are about my favorite softies so I wouldn't feel too broken up but I was kinda thinking mostly stony this time around. I just have trust issues regarding new tanks and figured the ability to grow what is normally a moderately sensitive coral would be a good tank prover. I'm more worried about the capnella sticking around. I'll probably give it (them both?) away fairly soon.


How well does it function as a trap?

Also, any idea on what the Par readings are with these LED's?

It's alright. I tried it, it worked. The fish didn't freak out. The lid slides to the side, and if you set the box on its side hold the lid up w/ fishing line, you can release the fishing line and gravity will pull the lid closed without disturbing much water.

I have no idea what the actual Par readings are. JBJ tosses out something like, "PAR comparable to 150W HQI" but comparable doesn't mean anything close to the same...a mouse is comparable to an elephant. A lot smaller, but comparable. That's the other reason for the xenia... trust issues again. :)

[PAnanoguy]

ziege, right now im running the two stock return pumps on the wave maker and have added a K-nano in the upper right corner for more circ. not sure if this is going to do the trick as far as water movement. it seems a little light. I was thinking about removing both stock pums and using 1 maxijet 1200 for the return, running it full time and the adding a K-1 with the k-nano in the tank and running them on the wave maker instead. K-1 pointing toward the front of the tank and the k-nano blowing from the side. what do you think?

[PAnanoguy]

Another option Im considering is to replace the dual returns with a single MJ1200 replace the k-nano with a Vortech mp10. Less pumps and powerheads would reduce a little bit of excess heat. (not that heat is too much of a problem yet, but less is always better) and less pumps plugged in. Powerstrips are getting full already ;)

[ziege]

Short answer: I'm going to try a single MJ1200 and a variable pump next, which tells you what I think the ideal answer is going to be. I'll let you know how that goes. However, it's a big step up in price.

I suspect that the K-nano + K1 setup would be good too... but if you aren't happy you are out $40ish on powerheads that may end up stirring salt buckets.

I have tried the following configurations:

Stock returns on wavemaker
stock returns both on 100%
Single MJ1200 return on 100%
Dual MJ1200 returns on wavemaker
Dual MJ1200 returns on 100% -- this was only for a few minutes
All of above plus K1
All of the 100% items above with K1 on the wavemaker -- note that K1s will supposedly wear out quickly if run on a wavemaker so I only did this for a few hours.

In many ways the K1 on wavemaker set-ups were the best...which is why I'm thinking a more powerful but controllable pump (like the mp10) is the answer.

I've also tried a few of those variations w/ loc-line and various nozzles on the returns to further shape the flow. You can make it incrementally better with that, especially with the mj1200 returns. Right now I'm running wavemakered MJ1200 returns w/ locline, wyes, and various nozzles to direct the flows, plus the k1.

The next bit of insanity will be a controllable pump.

I've got to recover from this first:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=107517&stc=1&d=1270302017

:eek1:

(Not the picture, but the fact that I have the picture.)

[PAnanoguy]

OMG... That's attention to detail. Yeah, I think we are on the same page here. Mp10 looks really good to me. Adjustable and controllable. Dual mj1200s

[ziege]

Finished prototyping my (hopefully) final major mod today... still have some changes to make w/ lighting and plumbing but I think it's gunna be pretty snazzy. I have to black the plumbing and reroute a few things but for now everything is synced up and running to work out kinks.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=107698&stc=1&d=1270421214

:wildone:

That's a Mr. Aqua rimless 12g (36" long) tank w/ at this point a single LED spotlight shining from above...it'll get additional lighting of that style. You can see a heater and filter on the right that were there for circulation and stability as I got the plumbing together...they will go away. This'll be part refugium, part alternative display tank, part proof that sanity is overrated.

The new tank will have minimal visible equipment. It may also work as my chiller with a small fan blowing across the open top.

Between this and the aquacontroller I think I'm done for the next 1-2 months. Now it's a matter of wrap-up, a bit of aquascaping, and seeing how it grows.

Whaddaya think? :lolspin:

[PAnanoguy]

I think youre crazy, and I like it. wish I could get something like that to go over at my house, but I dare not even try. Ill just live vicariously through all you guys with the "take no prisoners" attitude :)

[ziege]

Remember when I said I was having a hard time getting a full tank shot worth taking? Here's what I mean:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=107724&stc=1&d=1270436240

:thumbdown

The only camera I have available at the moment just can't do it. What sucks is I have a nice DSLR but I loaned it out to family and, well... family, right?

Looks nice in person. Especially the "look down" ability, which is missing with the fully hooded main tank.

The light on the 12g is a temporary test to see how different light levels look. It'll go away once I finish up the lighting. I have it as a backup/QT light.

The black disc on the front of the main tank is the K1. that's the best place I've found for flow with my rocks...but it's kinda ugly. I'm going to try a tunze 6055 firing off the back wall someday. The white PVC connecting the tanks is kinda subtle but it's there if you look.

Anyone have thoughts on relatively non-jump-prone species for the wing?

[fstar25]

Looking Nice.

[Vesian]

Great looking tank! Just remember to take it slow and don't rush into anything, especially with fish or corals. I have a 28g LED going as well. You'll find that the MP10 is the best upgrade choice you could possibly make for the tank!

[ziege]

Thanks.

I'm planning on a tunze 6055 in the jbj just because the aquacontroller can run it without add-ons. I was thinking an mp10 on the far end of the 12g wing would be a perfect fit. We'll see how those go.

Agree 100% on going rushless and slow. Part of the fun is realizing, six months and more down the road, just how much has changed when each individual change was so small you hardly noticed it.

[ziege]

Went to clean the glass today and noticed some small patches of pink/purple coralline forming. On the one hand I think this is the fastest I've had a new tank start growing coralline. On the other... of course had to be on the glass and not the nice plastic false back. Now the debate of how long to let it grow before scraping it off the glass begins. In fairness, I was debating whether some of the paler rock was looking more colorful yesterday so it's not just growing on the glass, but I remember scraping that stuff off everything and it was one of my least favorite chores.

I'm going to take it as evidence that things are trending in the right direction.

[Nano Chris]

Nice setup i want leds on my rsm lol.