Need Anyone's Input

[jun_celis]

My wife wanted a nano cube so she can keep softies, shrooms, zoos, etc. in it. So, I bought her a 24 gal JBJ Nano cube with 150mh HQI lighting. Here’s my plan…

- Use most if not all of my LR from my main tank to the nano. About 20lbs
- Pour Southdown sand(never touched water) about 1” deep. Should I wash it down with saltwater first? Or should I use regular LS from lfs?
- Put 15gals of old(from the main tank) water to the nano and then add new RO to fill it up to the top
- Remove the ceramic/bioballs in the filter chamber and maybe replace it with phosphate remover.
- Add heater in one of the chambers

Do I need a skimmer? Please any suggestion is very welcome!!!

 

[chocolateblnt]

Any fish for bio-load? If not you can get away without skimming but of course topping off or water changes will be necessary. Definitely remove bio balls. No experience with southdown ... Oh most importantly you need to get a fan or something pointing at the MH and the water surface to help promote cooling!

 

[jun_celis]

She wants a clown fish and I suggested to get a green coris wrasse and flame angel. That's it.

 

[chocolateblnt]

A green coris wrasse needs more than 1 inch of sand because it actually sleeps in the sand; I had a yellow coris wrasse and a crab found it sleeping and ate it. The flame angel may nip at corals ... but I have no experience with those.

Personally I think the clown or a pair is a much better idea.

 

[jun_celis]

Woah, I didn't know that about green coris? I just wanted it there so it can be use to clean the zoos for predators. But I'll keep that in mind. With those fish in mind, do still think I don't need a protein skimmer?

 

[chocolateblnt]

Yea they're pretty gnarly they'll just swim around and all of a sudden shoot towards the sand and POOF dis-appear.

I would always recommend a skimmer just because it takes out nutrients before they ever begin breaking down ... unless your wife likes water changes

 

[Illuminati]

Frequent water changes (I do 5 gallons weekly) will keep you from needing a skimmer. I have 5 fish in my 24 without problems (Sebae Clown, Neon Goby, Blue Bar Pseudo, Blue Assesor and a YWG.

I run purigen, chemi-pure & phosban in the back chambers. I would recommend all 3.
My chamber 1 is Chemi-pure on the bottom, filter floss on top of that and phosban in a media bag on top of the floss.
Chamber 2 is purigen & heater.
Chamber 3 is where I upgraded to the MaxiJet 1200.

Why would you buy the 150 HQI for softies? I have the stock DX lighting and keep softies and several LPS (Micromussa, Blasto Welsi, Candycane, Acans, Acan Lords, etc..).
You are going to need a chiller in the warmer months.

Not sure if you ever get up around my area but if you do and want to check out my cube LMK. Everyone that looks at it likes it, Swamp Donkey actually replaced his 20L with a cube after seeing mine

Good luck with the new tank

 

[jun_celis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8519056#post8519056 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by colinadam
Why would you buy the 150 HQI for softies? I have the stock DX lighting and keep softies and several LPS (Micromussa, Blasto Welsi, Candycane, Acans, Acan Lords, etc..).
You are going to need a chiller in the warmer months.

Not sure if you ever get up around my area but if you do and want to check out my cube LMK. Everyone that looks at it likes it, Swamp Donkey actually replaced his 20L with a cube after seeing mine

Good luck with the new tank

I got this whole setup for $300 including the stand and lighting. Brand new. By the way, thanks for the invite. Definitely wants to check out nice looking tanks.

 

[jun_celis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8519026#post8519026 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chocolateblnt
Yea they're pretty gnarly they'll just swim around and all of a sudden shoot towards the sand and POOF dis-appear.

I would always recommend a skimmer just because it takes out nutrients before they ever begin breaking down ... unless your wife likes water changes

I just didn't like additional powerhead inside that small tank. But I think I will improvise something. With regards to my wife liking or doing water changes, It's actually me doing all the work. She just like stocking up and staring at it as mush as she can.

 

[Illuminati]

I hate you

That's an awesome price, I would have jumped on that to.

Check out www.nanotuners.com
They have a new ICA Chiller (version 2.0, the 1.0 is junk). Might want to consider installing it now and using it later when you need it. It can be a pain to deal with hood mods with livestock.

I'm sure there are other chillers you could use though or maybe just put it in a basement or other part of the house that stays cool.

 

[jun_celis]

I've already considered putting it in the middle of the house which gets the least heat issues, i think.

 

[chocolateblnt]

do you have a/c?

 

[jun_celis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8519308#post8519308 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chocolateblnt
do you have a/c?

Yes. I usually keep it about 75-79 though during summer.

 

[All Delight]

I had a flame angel and it picked at most of my corals. Except the mushrooms and leathers.

 

[chocolateblnt]

If you have a/c then you might get away with using just fans instead of a chiller ... but remember about the fans!