Need pointers for new nano setup

[fransmom]

getting a 29 gallon nano from some one down sizing, It will come with every thing, so i guess i will learn as i go. However i recently bought a 24 gallon nano from a member and have to start from scratch. Bear in mind that i am new to saltwater aquarium so i just wanted to get a quick crash course as to what i need as a must. I have a pump that comes with it and i know that i need mechanical and chemical filtration but how do you get a skimmer in a 24 gallon if they cant be submerged fully once it is covered? Also, if i have live rocks and sans which diminishes cycling time, what kind of corals and fish can i consider putting in that are hardy. I have the standard bulb that comes with JBJ nan cube mt 50. Also what type of fish to suggest , given i have 2 nanos? you guys seem to have a wealth of info, so i guess with your help this will be more of an enjoyable experience with less mistakes thus saving money.Thanks

 

[E.intheC]

Welcome to MR.

First, it's good that you're asking questions. However, please keep other people in mind when you're writing. Paragraphs help to separate ideas and questions. It's hard to follow when everything is mashed together.

that said.. Take your time. Having live sand and live rock in your tank does not diminish cycling. It might make the process go faster, but it really depends on how much die off there will be.

Regarding fish. A good starting point is on liveaquaria.com. They have both a beginners section and a nano fish section. Just read a bunch and get a nice list put together. Then come on here and ask. It's much better to ask before you buy. Don't necessarily rely on LFS for info, as many will only try to make a sale.

My last bit of advice for today.. Go slow and enjoy the ride!

 

[fransmom]

sorry, a little mania due to excitement for this new interest and also due to the vast amount of people with similar hobby.

 

[skene]

Start here

 

[fransmom]

i did read the very informative article on the how to reef guide for beginners last night.i now think i understand the rationale behind cycling your tank. i just wanted to know if any one knows of any skimmer that fits into 24 gallon nano, also some beginners coral and fish when the chemistry is right to add them.
Also, skene, WTF with that previous comment about A-hole.I was referred to this site and was told that this community shares heir knowledge, not ridicule.

 

[E.intheC]

Do you have Power Compact lighting? Do you know how many watts? I'm sorry but I've never owned a Bio or Nano cube and I don't know it off hand.. and if I had to guess, I'd say they're probably PC's (Power Compacts). That's going to be a good gauge for what corals you'll eventually be able to keep.

Also, what do you have for flow? Do you have any additional powerheads? You're definitely going to want to add on to what you have. Depending on your budget, anything from a few Koralia Nanos to a Vortech MP10 will be great for keeping corals and fish.

Do you have test kits? It's very important, especially in the beginning, to test your water often. You won't know if you're done cycling unless you test your water.

 

[skene]

There are several skimmers that can fit behind certain biocubes. But without knowing what type you have we cannot suggest anything.

 

[james1990]

I will post back tm when I have some more time. but quickly, dont skimp out on lighting and water flow. research both very well.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

The bio cube has major heat issues, so pay attention to the temperature.

1)The build in fans die quickly. Mine are all dead.
2)The PC light is making it VERY hot, therefore, if your fans are dead, you risk cooking the tank too.
3)Currently I only have one build in pump and LED light. When the last fan die today, the temperature is up to 86 degree in the afternoon. So besides changing the fans, I may have to mod the back chamber to include an extra set of fans.

 

[basiab]

I will add one suggestion. Read as much as you can before you buy. Read about cycling, water movement, lighting and filtering. Besides saving money it will save a lot of grief.
I have an Aquapod and use a Rio nano skimmer but I don't use the tank cover. In a small tank if you keep a good schedule of water changes you can get by without a skimmer (and without using additives) .

 

[fransmom]

I have 2 36watt CF bulbs with 2led night lights. It has 2 fans that are currently working. This aquarium was previously own from Craigslist. Pump states it does 100L/ hr. the aquarium has 3 chambers in the back that is covered by the hood. Should I get a power head and wave maker? Also other than purigen and chemi pure to assist filtration, I also read from on other member that they use rushed Live rocks. I really am so appreciative of also the response that I have gotten. I will try to post pictures once I have the tank cycled. Thanks again everyone.

 

[ilyreef]

I also just started a nano tank so maybe i shouldn't be giving you advice, but from my research I found that the minimum equipment you need is a filter, power head, heater.


The filter I have is Marineland pengiun for a 10 gal, (I have a 10 gal nano). I know other people with nano's that have the same one and havent had problems but they do recommend getting a larger filter with adjustable flow.

Im not sure what size power head you would need for your tank i have a 240 but my tank is half your size.

For fish you dont want to get to many. Some that i have heard are good for a nano tank are small clown fish, golby, and royal gramma.

 

[solo]

Purigen and Chemipure in the second chamber is not a bad idea. Upgrade to a better return pump, maybe a maxijet 1200 with a Hydor water deflector. I used a Hydor nano powerhead on my biocube 14.

I have 2 36watt CF bulbs with 2led night lights. It has 2 fans that are currently working. This aquarium was previously own from Craigslist. Pump states it does 100L/ hr. the aquarium has 3 chambers in the back that is covered by the hood. Should I get a power head and wave maker? Also other than purigen and chemi pure to assist filtration, I also read from on other member that they use rushed Live rocks. I really am so appreciative of also the response that I have gotten. I will try to post pictures once I have the tank cycled. Thanks again everyone.

 

[fransmom]

Thanks again everyone. My tank has one green cromis and a couple of live rocks. My chemistry Are as follows:

pH 7.8-8
NH3 0.25ppm
NO2 0
NO3 0
Will be doing 20% water change today. Have 4 blue hermit crab doing OK. Trying to build up my salinity. Have a case of Cyanobacteria around the area of live rocks where the actinic lights are . Turned off lights for a day now and gave seen a decline. Have read horror stories from other threads about Cyanobacteria. Also added another power head. Have 3 pj cardinal and a firefish in QT doing well. I am buying RO water from Petswhatehouse until I can afford a RO/DI system.

 

[fransmom]

Did a lot since my last posting.
Did water change. Salinity now1.023/24 nitrates, nitrites And NH4 0. pH 8-8.2. Clean up crew doing well. Cromis' color getting more vibrant. QT has 3 small pj cardinals and a fire fish doing great. Thanks again for your suggestions. I welcome more so I can become better at this

 

[pbjelly]

I don't have a nanocube but I've had a 14 gallon biocube set up for the last year and it's been quite the learning experience.

First off - read as much as you can (which you seem to be doing). I learned as much from what people seem to disagree on as from what everyone agrees on.

Don't rush!! - you know the saying - 'marry in haste, regret at leisure'. Have a plan and try to stick to it. That pretty fish you bought on a whim may terrorize your other tank inhabitants and then hide in your rocks FOREVER. It's also easy to cause a spike when you add too much too quickly in a system as small as a nano. The more bioload you have, the harder it is to keep the system in check and once nuisance algae gets a foothold it's hard to eradicate. - Boy do I know about this one.

I upgraded the return pump in my biocube from the stock pump that it came with and added first a koralia nano mini pump (these are great in nanos, and relatively inexpensive) and then upgraded that to an MP10 when I figured out that the kinds of coral I wanted to keep needed more water movement. After a couple of months, I also upgraded my stock lights.

Like many people, my fans started dying quickly. I replaced them with parts from the manufacturer, but then decided if I was going to have to keep taking the hood off to mess with them that I might as well upgrade to something more reliable, so I got some computer fans online and used those instead - they've been going strong with no more issues for months now.

I also experimented with a few different combinations of carbon, chemipure, purigen, phosban, etc. I've settled on a combination of purigen, chemipure elite and weekly water changes, but your mileage may vary. I don't use a skimmer, but there are a few of them that fit in the back chambers. I'd make sure you need one before devoting precious room to it.

Sometimes I'm a bit stunned by how much crap I've ended up adding to my "all in one", but it was a natural evolution that occurred as I read more and got more specific about the environment I am trying to maintain. I love my nano, but it is true that smaller tanks are harder to keep and require more vigilance.

Good Luck, and keep us updated

 

[fransmom]

My fire fish in my QT died today. Checked my chemistry.
pH 8.0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
NH3 0
All I have in the 10 gallon QT is 3 PJ cardinals, heater @ 80, live rocks, and a hang off filter. It had no visible signs of an infection. Had it for a week. Don't know what could have been the culprit, does anyone.

 

[skene]

Yes I can tell you exactly what it was... 0 biological filtration. A QT tank needs to be set up and cycled the same way a tank must be properly cycled. When you add to much it adds stress to the fish and painfully kills them.

But hey... If you like to play by your own rules... and go against nature. I'm sure you know better than millions of years of evolution.

 

[fransmom]

This is an addendum. I did use live rocks, sand and water from a cycled DT to start my QT. And I do water changes on my QT with the same the schedule as my DT.
Thanks pbjelly. I really do read a lot every one has an opinion. I really want to do well with this but I am afraid of doing what I think is best, making a mistake and then when I ask a question,seems like an idiot because " you should have known this if you actually did research."