New to the Nano reef
- Thread starter slukach
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Hopeful Reefer
Premium Member
Greg bought fully cured live rock, which virtually eliminates a cycle...well, he'll have a cycle just a mini one...best thing to do in this case Greg is to get a few cups of local reef club members sand and put it on top of your sand to seed it...that will keep the cycle to a minimum...
Temperature is gonna depend on each invidivuals house...I have my temperature set almost at the minimum, but my tank stays at about 78-80...this is because of the average temperature in the house...a larger tank will require more heating, but a nano tank will pick up some heat from the ambient air in your house...just set it at say, 76 for now and leave it for a day...don't change the dial or make any adjustments...just leave it...then look this time tomorrow at your thermometer in the tank...as long as you are between 76 and 80 you are good to go...
Also, something you may want to look at...just for your own record keeping...register yourself with www.efishtank.com ...on this web site, you can keep a running tally of all of your water parameters, when you do a water change, etc...you can look at graphs, tables, etc. that show you all of your water parameters at a glance...just food for thought...
Now, show us some of your pics...
Temperature is gonna depend on each invidivuals house...I have my temperature set almost at the minimum, but my tank stays at about 78-80...this is because of the average temperature in the house...a larger tank will require more heating, but a nano tank will pick up some heat from the ambient air in your house...just set it at say, 76 for now and leave it for a day...don't change the dial or make any adjustments...just leave it...then look this time tomorrow at your thermometer in the tank...as long as you are between 76 and 80 you are good to go...
Also, something you may want to look at...just for your own record keeping...register yourself with www.efishtank.com ...on this web site, you can keep a running tally of all of your water parameters, when you do a water change, etc...you can look at graphs, tables, etc. that show you all of your water parameters at a glance...just food for thought...
Now, show us some of your pics...
Thanks hopeful r.
I also bought fully cured rock. It was curing for about a month, so I am expecting a short cycle as well.
I had my temp set at 79 also. But I will try 76 and see what happens.
What type of acclimation did you guys do to your cleaning crews?
Oh, Hopeful Reefer, I got the sand from the LFS. It was "Arag-Alive". In a bag, but sealed with an amount of water in it. So, it was a "bagged sand", but it wasn't dried out or anything.
Seems like it will do OK. But I will keep everyone updated.
I also bought fully cured rock. It was curing for about a month, so I am expecting a short cycle as well.
I had my temp set at 79 also. But I will try 76 and see what happens.
What type of acclimation did you guys do to your cleaning crews?
Oh, Hopeful Reefer, I got the sand from the LFS. It was "Arag-Alive". In a bag, but sealed with an amount of water in it. So, it was a "bagged sand", but it wasn't dried out or anything.
Seems like it will do OK. But I will keep everyone updated.
Illuminati
Premium Member
Agra-alive is great stuff, I used it in a frag tank.
As for the cleanup crew I floated the bag they came in for about half and hour and dumped them in. Shrimps will need to be acclimated like a fish (especially if they molt in the bag) but hermits and snails are fine.
I'd kick your temp back to 79....
As for the cleanup crew I floated the bag they came in for about half and hour and dumped them in. Shrimps will need to be acclimated like a fish (especially if they molt in the bag) but hermits and snails are fine.
I'd kick your temp back to 79....
OK. Did the different cleaners come in different bags (I would assume so.
What type of stuff came with your cleaning crew and how much was it?
Here is one that I saw:
10 Blue Leg Hermits
1 Blue Knuckle Hermit
5 Red Leg Hermits
1 Sally Lightfoot Crab
5 Bumble Bee Snails
5 Trochus Snails
5 Astrea Snails
5 Turbo Snails
1 Cleaner Shrimp
Price: $99 flat. Also, you can add things if you want (2 more crabs, 1 more shrimp, etc.) but there is a charge for each added thing.
Also Colin, what do you use to test salinity? And when should I start testin water quality and how often?
What type of stuff came with your cleaning crew and how much was it?
Here is one that I saw:
10 Blue Leg Hermits
1 Blue Knuckle Hermit
5 Red Leg Hermits
1 Sally Lightfoot Crab
5 Bumble Bee Snails
5 Trochus Snails
5 Astrea Snails
5 Turbo Snails
1 Cleaner Shrimp
Price: $99 flat. Also, you can add things if you want (2 more crabs, 1 more shrimp, etc.) but there is a charge for each added thing.
Also Colin, what do you use to test salinity? And when should I start testin water quality and how often?
Illuminati
Premium Member
I use a refractometer. There is a lot of debate right now about how accurate hydrometers are, they are temp sensative but I think they do a good job as well.
Don't get that package. You don't need a Sally Lightfoot in your nano, they can get as big as a saucer and some people speculate they have taken out fish (If your hungry you'll do what you need to do), plus you don't need that much.
Again just my advise:
My cleanup crew was from Premium Aquatics
10 Baha Hermits
3 Cernith Snails
3 Nerite Snails
1 Margarita Snail
10-15 Nassarius Snails
If you really want that nano star consider him a future cleaner crew addition and get a few less hermits and Nassarius snails since it's a sand sifter (which is all the nassarius will do).
Don't get that package. You don't need a Sally Lightfoot in your nano, they can get as big as a saucer and some people speculate they have taken out fish (If your hungry you'll do what you need to do), plus you don't need that much.
Again just my advise:
My cleanup crew was from Premium Aquatics
10 Baha Hermits
3 Cernith Snails
3 Nerite Snails
1 Margarita Snail
10-15 Nassarius Snails
If you really want that nano star consider him a future cleaner crew addition and get a few less hermits and Nassarius snails since it's a sand sifter (which is all the nassarius will do).
Illuminati
Premium Member
The surface skimmer?
Add it now, that is what keeps the water level in the display constant. Pure water pressure holds it on, just place it against the intake grill.
Add it now, that is what keeps the water level in the display constant. Pure water pressure holds it on, just place it against the intake grill.
Hopeful Reefer
Premium Member
Refractometers are certainly the best...but, on that efishtank website I posted, they do have a conversion...hydrometers are calibrated at something insane like 60 degrees...so, you put in what the reading on your hydrometer is and it will convert it based on your tank temperature...so, if you have to wait until you get a refractometer you can get one of the cheap Coral Life hydrometers from anywhere like PetCo, PetSmart, etc...and just convert the reading...
As for your cleanup crew...I have to agree with what Colin said...if you put too much in there, and there isn't enough food the hermits will turn on the snails and suddenly you will have well fed hermits and 0 snails in your tank (just a bunch of hermits walking around in newly adopted empty snail shells) :eek2:
As for your cleanup crew...I have to agree with what Colin said...if you put too much in there, and there isn't enough food the hermits will turn on the snails and suddenly you will have well fed hermits and 0 snails in your tank (just a bunch of hermits walking around in newly adopted empty snail shells) :eek2:
Ok, how much water should be in the tank? I noticed that the plastic light cover was touching the water (only happened after the skimmer was put on). I took about 2 nice sized travel mug-fuls of water out and now the cover doesn't touch the water.
And, how sturdy is fiji rock? My tank came out looking nice, but one piece in particular makes me a bit nervous. But when I reached in and moved it a bit, it felt snug. Does anyone think that if a rock toppled down the pile it could break the glass? Or is the rock too light and the glass too thick?
And, how sturdy is fiji rock? My tank came out looking nice, but one piece in particular makes me a bit nervous. But when I reached in and moved it a bit, it felt snug. Does anyone think that if a rock toppled down the pile it could break the glass? Or is the rock too light and the glass too thick?
kingfisher62
New member
Tank is all setup and running,Yahoo!!!! If i can figure out how to reformat my photos i'll post some!
Illuminati
Premium Member
If you have a rockslide it could easily crack the glass (o.k maybe not easily since mine has bumped it a few times w/o problems). You'll re-aquascape it a million times before you add anything (again maybe not but I did 
)
Make a photobucket.com account, upload the pics there and you will see an IMG http tag, copy that into the thread hit submit and they will show up.
)Make a photobucket.com account, upload the pics there and you will see an IMG http tag, copy that into the thread hit submit and they will show up.
kingfisher62
New member
Live rock is pretty solid ,just make sure nothing is set precariously and you should all set!
Hopeful Reefer
Premium Member
If you are worried about the rocks being secure, you can get 2-part marine epoxy and attach the rocks to one another...haven't heard of anyone's tank cracking yet because of a rock slide...not saying it can't happen, I just haven't ever heard of it...
Illuminati
Premium Member
More on posting pics (No excuses on keeping us waiting)
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=531326
And with the surface skimmer installed the water in the display should never touch the plastic light guard.
Good idea taking some out.
Keep an eye on Chamber 3 (Return pump chamber).
That is where you will see the effects of evaporation, all other chambers and the display will be the same with the surface skimmer on. Always try to keep the water level in that chamber the same. Shouldn't be a problem, if you do water changes on the weekend check it midweek for RO topoff.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=531326
And with the surface skimmer installed the water in the display should never touch the plastic light guard.
Good idea taking some out.
Keep an eye on Chamber 3 (Return pump chamber).
That is where you will see the effects of evaporation, all other chambers and the display will be the same with the surface skimmer on. Always try to keep the water level in that chamber the same. Shouldn't be a problem, if you do water changes on the weekend check it midweek for RO topoff.
The pics are on the womans camera. I just may have her upload them for me.
Yeah, the water touching the plastic housing worried me a little. It was crazy how the water rose when I put on the Skimmer.
When I top off, can I just pour the water in chamber 3? And I am pretty sure I asked this before but, how many times a week, 2 weeks, month, do you top off? and about how much? I am worried about putting in too much RO water and diluting the saltwater.
Yeah, the water touching the plastic housing worried me a little. It was crazy how the water rose when I put on the Skimmer.
When I top off, can I just pour the water in chamber 3? And I am pretty sure I asked this before but, how many times a week, 2 weeks, month, do you top off? and about how much? I am worried about putting in too much RO water and diluting the saltwater.
Illuminati
Premium Member
Between me and you I don't top off. Never needed to, for some reason (maybe my climate), plus the hood helps keep evaporation down.
Just see how bad your evaporation is during the cycle. Maybe take a small piece of masking tape and put it at the water line in the morning in chamber 3. Check it in a week and see how much it is down.
If you do add RO for topoff i would add it to Chamber 1, that way it mixes with the salt water in the back chambers before being pumped into the display.
Just see how bad your evaporation is during the cycle. Maybe take a small piece of masking tape and put it at the water line in the morning in chamber 3. Check it in a week and see how much it is down.
If you do add RO for topoff i would add it to Chamber 1, that way it mixes with the salt water in the back chambers before being pumped into the display.
Illuminati
Premium Member
Do you have a stealth or another brand of heater? If you have the stealth it can be fully submerged. I have a Jabo (Since bought by Ehim I think). It cannot be submerged all the way so I have it rigged so it won't fall down into the chamber.
Yeah Chamber 1 will have the most water, then 2 then 3 but 1 & 2 should stay around the same at all times.
There was a good thread on nano-reef.com explaining why this was, I'll see if I can find it....
Yeah Chamber 1 will have the most water, then 2 then 3 but 1 & 2 should stay around the same at all times.
There was a good thread on nano-reef.com explaining why this was, I'll see if I can find it....
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