..::WARNING::.. The Adventures of a Noobie and a 12gNanoCube-DX

[dwburton21]

Hi everyone! I have been reading NC for about 3 weeks and I finally did it... 12G NanoCube-DX (great deal @ 139.99 - LFS). I wanted to post some info on my environment and throw out some questions to you all.

Setup:
12G NanoCube-DX
10lbs LS
11lbs. Fiji LR
10Gs water from an RC member’s very established 90 Gallon aquarium! THX - WANNABEREEEFER!

I have tested the water and it is all well within the safe parameters.

Questions:
1) What would you all recommend as a safe cycle time with this setup and the pre-established H2O?
2) I have been told to remove the sponges, carbon bag, and ceramic rings from the back of the NC. Is this standard procedure for SW-Nano setup?
3) I am keeping the lights on from about 6AM till about 9PM. Is this a good practice?
4) What would you all recommend for a cleaner crew and when would be a safe time to "bring 'em home"?

Thanks for all your help and expertise! My wife, son and I are all really excited about this SW-Nano.

 

[Phyxius]

Son started with a Nano 12DX and it grew things like crazy. We ended up upgrading him to a AP24g to house all the stuff.

Cycle still may be there even with the water from the other tank. Rock in transport will still have some die off and if it was uncured or not fully cured it will add to the cycle. Best thing to do is keep using your test kits or have LFS check water and wait till levels stay at 0 almost all of the time
Lights may be on a little long at 15 hrs. I think we had my sons on at 10:00 am and then off at 8:30pm and it worked great for the Zoos, mushrooms and etc he had growing

We also ran the sponge in the back only. We rinsed it out 1x week when we did a small water change. If left in it to stay dirty it can become a nitrate factory

Don't rush things is the best practice as it gives the tank time to settle with each addition. We waited about 5 weeks before first fish and then cleaners and then some free frags were donated to him later. It went in stages and turned out to be a very stable system with the addition of 1x week water changes(2-3 gal)

 

[Buster4900]

I am also just starting a 12 GAllon NC DX. I used some rock, sand and water from my 110 gallon establised tank and still have a cycle going. It has been cycling 11 days now and is about ready for livestock. I have been doing 4 gallon water changes every few days to help. Not sure why but my Phosphates went up, I now have some phosban in the back to absord that. I have not been keeping the light on much hoping algae will not go crazy. I have been using the sponges, ceramic rings, carbon and bio balls. In the future I will just use the sponges.
One of the rocks I put in there has some zoos on it that are looking real good under the NC lights. Should be a good tank!

 

[Illuminati]

1. Should be a quick cycle if the liverock was also cured. Possible you won't see a cycle.

2. Toss all the media that came with the unit. Go with some Chemi-Pure & Purigen media for the back chambers. It helps several things (keeping nitrates in check, removing dissolved waste, water polisher, etc...).

I don't use the sponge, I use filter floss instead (at Dr. Foster & Smith). If you keep the sponge make sure you rinse it real good every week, waste can be left in there and throw your parameters out of whack.

3. That's a long light cycle, I do 12 hours, some people do as low as 8.

4.
A good cleanup crew would be
5 hermits (Good algae eaters)
5-7 Nassarius Snails (Excellent for the sandbed)
3 Nerite Snails (Good for the glass)
1 Margarita snail (Mine loves to eat algae off the rock)
Avoid the temptation for starfish, sea cucumbers, and other sand sifting critters that might harvest your sandbed of the beneficial life other creatures need to survive (pods, bristleworms, etc...).
If your water shows zero ammonia and low nitrates toss them in. I wouldn't add them all at once, start off slow and once you see diatoms (brown sandbed algae common in newer setups) add the rest.

Sounds like your off to a good start.

 

[CPT. MURPHY]

[welcome]

CPT.

 

[dwburton21]

You Guys Rock!

You Guys Rock!

Thanks for all the insite! This is exactly why I love RC! Thanks for the advise on the cleaning crew colinadam. We where really interesting in possibly getting star. Are all stars out for a 12g-NC?

Eveyone... Please keep the advise coming.. this is great info.

Latest PIC

 

[GobyJohnKenobi]

Looks like you're off to a good start. Congratulations.

Here's my experience with stars: They are usually about as exciting as watching grass grow. All my asterinas are (were?) coral eaters, and my brittle hangs out in the surface skimmer basket of my Prizm skimmer.
Waves an arm at me once in a while. LOL