Thinking about the 12G nanocube...

[SHLove16]

Hello,
about 6 months ago I was very serious about starting a tank, but money ended up causing some issues so I had to put it all on delay. Now, I think I am ready to persue this very intresting hobby but I have some new questions first.

I am thinking about starting small (even though the smaller the harder to maintain, I am confident in my dedication). I was thinking about the regular 12 gallon nano cube. I know it doesn't come with the two lights like the delux version, but I was wondering if what I want can still be acheived with the lesser expensive of the two.
Here is what I am aiming for:
Reef tank, with basic corals, nothing that is too "expert" or advanced to keep. Also, two clown fish and maybe a tiny crab.
Nothing too fancy or crowded.

Now, if I bought the regular 12G nano cube what other things would I need to buy to help it run smoothly, for example: heaters, upgrade pumps/skimmers, upgrade lights? (Specific brands/models would help, because I don't have experience with equiptment).
Thanks,
-Simon

 

[SugarFox03]

Hey Simon, welcome to the addiction. The 12g Cubes will be fine for what you want to keep. Two clowns will do well in that tank, but I wouldn't add anything else. As far as corals, stick with softies, zoos, leathers, mushrooms, ricordeas...they are easy to keep and will do well under low lighting. I always suggest upgrading the stock pump, as the one it comes with in either tank (Nano or Aquapod) are terribly unreliable. Maxijet makes decent powerheads and aren't too expensive. Depending on the amount of flow you want, I'd suggest either the 600 or 900. I don't believe any of the tanks come with a skimmer, so you'd have to buy one, and I am not sure they make one that will fit under the hood of that tank. You can get by just fine by doing weekly water changes. Upgrading the lights is expensive, and is only necessary if you plan on keeping high light demanding corals, like SPS. Some people here have made amazing softie tanks that are just incredible, with using only stock lighting...just be creative. A heater is recommended to keep your temps stable. I would run the tank for a few weeks without one (while its cycling) to see how much of a temp swing you have between day and night. Check the temp first thing in the morning before the lights go on, and check it again at the end of the day when they go off. A 2 degree difference won't be a big deal, and you can probably get away without a heater, but anything more I'd suggest one. Visitherm Stealth heaters seem to be pretty popular, and depending on your temp swing, I'd go with either a 50 or 75W. I have a 100W on my 36 gal system, but I barely use it. I control the temp by my window ac.

Check out www.drsfosterandsmith.com for tanks, they are always on sale.

Good luck with the tank!

 

[SHLove16]

Thank you very much.
I am pleased as punch to hear that the stock lights should work to grow the basic ones like zoo's and mushrooms. I don't intend on "pressing my luck" or emptying a months worth of work on lights. I will deffinatley check out the Maxijet pump, and a heater. Anything else I'm missing?
Thanks again Sugar fox...BTW I love your APBT's. We have one and he's the gentlest, smartest, and overall best dog ever. It's always good too see people without the misconception of the breed.
-Simon

 

[Doglover_50]

colinadam is an expert on filtration--I'd PM him. Nothing very expensive, fortunately.

I'm on the other end of the 9 month schedule (educator). I went the route of finding used equipment--don't know if you are close to any big cities, but if so, you'll see used equipment coming up every occasionally--if you wanted to hold out for the 12g deluxe. However, for starters, the basic system will do you just fine--you can learn on that, upgrade in a while if you want to.
I'll pm you info on this.

 

[Doglover_50]

see my "your fish in 24g nano cube" thread above--colinadam noted there his filtration. Also, he (and most of us)fill compartment #2 with rock rubble.

 

[SHLove16]

Hey Doglover,
Yeah, I saw the DX version. I am obviously a novice at this, but the main difference I saw between the DX and reg. seemed to be the lighting? Correct me if I am wrong. Anyways, are the limitations greatly expanded by the DX's lighting? If not, I'll probably save the 50 bucks and put it towards the tank in another way.
-Simon

 

[SugarFox03]

Thanks! My dogs are the love of my life. The white one is actually an American Bulldog. They are amazing dogs. Magnum (the pit bull on the left) is a rescue from an Orlando kill shelter. He was an adult dog, so no one wanted him. I got him the day before he was going to be put down. He's in training now to be a therapy dog, we already visit children in schools, but I want to be able to visit people in nursing homes as well, plus I want a title on him. He's getting CGC & TT tested this year (hopefully - as long as I can find a test that is somewhere in FL!) and then will go on to test for his TDI. I just want to show people that not all pit bulls are monsters, and that shelter dogs deserve a great life too.

Ok, back to fish...as far as anything else thats missing as far as equipment, you're probably good to go. I would invest in some quality test kits, I recommend Salifert kits. And also don't waste your money on a hydrometer, spend the extra $30 and get a refractometer, much more dependable. Also, go ahead and get a TDS meter (unless you have one on your RO/DI system if you have one) to check your top-off water. Don't use anything that doesn't read 0! TDS is Total Dissolved Solids...the meter will not tell you what those solids are, but they can be anything from metals, to pesticides to nitrates, etc. Check your local grocery stores and scan the water section for anything that says Distilled, and you should be ok, but go ahead and check it with the TDS meter. The meters can be purchased on ebay for about $20. The refractometer you can find on ebay for around $45. Definitely worth the investments.

If I can think of anything else, I'll be sure you let you know!

 

[SHLove16]

Thanks for the advice, both of you!

Sugarfox,
Most people are usually shocked to find out that APBT's are one of the most used dogs in therapy and search and rescue. Sounds great, goodluck to you both in training!

-Simon

 

[SugarFox03]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9840068#post9840068 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Doglover_50
see my "your fish in 24g nano cube" thread above--colinadam noted there his filtration. Also, he (and most of us)fill compartment #2 with rock rubble.

I forgot about that part!

I removed all of the stock stuff that came in the back...the foam pads, the rings and the bioballs. I kept a couple pounds of live rock rubble back there with a ball of chaeto. My tank was topless so I was able to stick a different light on it. I dont know if its possible to keep chaeto back there with the stock light, as I dont know how much would reach it.

 

[Illuminati]

Great advice in this thread. The only thing I would add is the water source.

Are you going with an RO/DI machine? In the long run it will save you money compared to buying water at the store or LFS.
Google "Air Water Ice" and "The Filter Guys", both companies have very good units at affordable prices. I bought my Typhoon III from AWI and got the TDS meter as well. I have heard nothing but great things about the Filter Guys as well.


I agree that Dr. Foster and Smith is the best place to go, great prices on a lot of supplies and you can get bigger items like a bucket of salt and they won't charge you a lot in shipping.

 

[SHLove16]

By Reverse osmosis machines would something like the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water Filter work? Or does it have to be a full-blown system (like the several hundred dollar machines)? I havn't decided what to do about water yet, to be honest, I am still trying to digest all the other equiptment I'll need to buy, haha.
-Simon

 

[Slakker]

You can get RO water from the grocery store, too. My local store I get 5 gallons for $2.15. Certainly not as clean as an RO/DI unit would be, but IMO much better than conditioned tap water.

I've got a 12g system (the Eclipse 12...do not recommend if you want corals of any kind, the lighting is depressingly inadequate) and the RO water from the store is economical enough for weekly water changes (and it's gotta be way better than the tap water here in the dorms).

However, with every other day water changes for my two clowns in their QT/Treatment tank, I really wish I could have my own RO unit in my room...hehe.

 

[SugarFox03]

I would check the quality of RO from your LFS. I had been buying RO water from a local LFS for months after getting sick of spending $1.09 for bottled water. I then started to have serious algae issues (which are finally going away after 5+ months!!!) I was given the advice from someone about checking the quality of the water I was buying from the store. I didn't think much of it, this is a large, well known store in the area...I figured someone like this wouldn't sell bad water. I bought the TDS meter and tested it just to see (and prove to people I was right.) I couldn't...I was WRONG! I kid you not the TDS in their "ro" water was 180!!!!!! It tested higher than my tap water, which is around 160. I was shocked, and sickened, as I trusted this store. I went back to buying bottled water and have been battling the algae ever since. I am finally down to a small (dime size or less) patch of hair algae which seems to be going away more every day. Anyway, test everything that goes in your tank. Mix your own water (highly recommend Reef Crystals - I will only purchase from Drs F&S). And don't rush anything. Many excellent reefers have said "nothing good happens fast in a saltwater tank," and that couldn't be more true.

To the RO machine question...I don't think that tap water filter is quite strong enough to completely remove all the bad things in the water. It probably just removed chloramines, nitrates, etc...I don't know about metals. If you can spare the extra couple hundred bucks get an RO/DI system, if not stick with bottled distilled water. You won't have that large a tank that you will end up spending a lot of money on it. I buy about 10 gals a week for my system, which gives me 5 gals for a water change, and the rest for top offs. I lose a little over a 1/2 gal a day. You won't lose anywhere near that much with a closed lid.

 

[Illuminati]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9840259#post9840259 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SHLove16
By Reverse osmosis machines would something like the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water Filter work? Or does it have to be a full-blown system (like the several hundred dollar machines)? I havn't decided what to do about water yet, to be honest, I am still trying to digest all the other equiptment I'll need to buy, haha.
-Simon

Not a good system. The main fault with it is that depending on the water you have you will burn through the filters quickly.
When I first broke into the hobby I thought this would work and actually bought one only to find out from someone who builds RO machines that I would be lucky to fill my tank up even once before the filters went bad.

Starting by getting LFS water until you decide you like the hobby and want to do this long term is probably the way to go. In the long run your own RO machine is cheaper and the way to go but until you decide that this is for you I would just do the LFS water or good supermarket water.

 

[SugarFox03]

Also Simon, check out the sections selling used equipment. You can find some great deals on there, and will save you a lot in the long run. Ebay is also a great way to go. Theres always people who are selling equipment that works and looks new, but was used for a short time. I know as soon as I get my old tank cleaned up, I'm going to sell it. If you were closer I'd offer it to you...but it would cost more to ship than its worth!