My JBJ 28 Nanocube (2nd time around)

[Barryrey]

Completely started over on my 28 gallon nanocube. Had it up and running for about four years but had major issues with temp swings due to having the HQI MH model. This time around I added a chiller so hopefully the tank will be much more stable. It has only been up since for about seven weeks now. Will end up being a mixed reef once it matures a bit more.

Specs
HQI model, with JBJ stand
MJ 1200 return pumps running both at the same time, one plumbed into chiller, the other plumbed into BRS mini 5" reactor
MP10
1/15 JBJ Artica Chiller
ViaAqua 100w heater
BRS mini 5" reactor, their GFO and ROX Carbon
InTank media basket, filter floss in top, chaeto in both middle and lower chamber, JBJ Nano Glo LED
Phoenix 14K MH bulb
2 18w Actinic PC bulbs
Around 24lbs of live rock
Went with Carib-Sea Hawaiian Black sand to have a bit different look.

Livestock
Clean up crew (hermit crabs, snails, and cleaner shrimp)
Firefish
GSP, Zoas, one ricordea and another green mushroom

 

[MrDJeep123]

lol the BRS baby canister. It looks so funny. Very nice. Sometimes it sucks starting over. I've done it many times. Mainly due to moves. But it's refreshing each time. :yo:

Do you plan on keeping just the ff? Or do you plan on any more stock?

 

[CaliforniaCoralCo]

It looks great! How do you like the baby reactor?

-Nick

 

[Barryrey]

lol the BRS baby canister. It looks so funny. Very nice. Sometimes it sucks starting over. I've done it many times. Mainly due to moves. But it's refreshing each time. :yo:

Do you plan on keeping just the ff? Or do you plan on any more stock?

I will probably add a pair of clowns and maybe one more fish, I had a Chalk Bass before that I liked.

 

[Barryrey]

It looks great! How do you like the baby reactor?

-Nick

I just hooked up the reactor today. By this evening my tank was looking really clear. Before I just had chemipure in the media basket. This is my first time using GFO. With this one being it is so small you can't have it tumbling. Mix 1/4 cup of GFO with 1/2 cup of carbon. I will check my phosphates in a couple of days, they had been at .25 but that was with an API kit so don't know how accurate that is. It will be a bit of a pain to change, I may end up ordering another ball valve so can at least shut off the water from both sides

 

[Barryrey]

Decided to try out the Red Sea Reef Care Program (RCP). I have already been using their Coral Pro Salt and while at their website went through all of their RCP videos. I will be starting out today with their Foundation Program, the test kit and the A, B, and C additives were delivered yesterday. After my water change I will start using the test kit. I have been using API test kits so it will be interesting to see the difference with these. With such a small tank I went with their liquid additives, the Foundation Starter Kit. Being that I am using carbon and GFO with my BRS reactor I will not be using their NOPOX dosing. I will be adding some SPS frags within the next few weeks, have a small red monti cap in there right now. Once those are in I will start using their Reef Energy product. I will continue posting the results on this thread.

 

[nanoman28g]

Looks nice.

 

[Barryrey]

New Pics

Here a few new pics. Added some SPS (birdsnest, purple digitata, and a purple stylophora). Also picked up a nice colony of green palys and yellow polyps from a local reefer.

Running the combo of carbon and gfo in the mini reactor solidified within a week and reduced the flow quite a bit. Ended up going with just carbon in the reactor and a small amount of gfo in a bag within the media chamber.

Even after reading some not so positive posts, did end up adding a small six-line wrasse. So far haven't had any issues. Pleased the the way the tank is coming out so far.

 

[SantaMonicaHelp]

your corals look great in your tank! what about a full tank shot with your new corals?

 

[Barryrey]

Here are some recent pictures. After a conversation with the owner of one of my favorite LFS' I went away from the Red Sea Reef Foundation dosing and am using B-Ionic two part instead.

 

[Barryrey]

Just got a galaxy note 4, camera much better than my HTC windows phone.

 

[BigdaddyO]

So the MH light makes that big of a difference in temp? I have the jbj nano 24 hqi. I was more worried about the power consumption and was leaning towards a led retrofit kit for the hood on account i want to keep the hood. what do u recommend i do? I will have corals ofcourse.

 

[Barryrey]

Without the chiller my tank would get up to about 84 degrees during the summertime. I had it looking good but then started losing corals, had only soft and lps. I decided to stay with the MH. With the chiller it stays at a steady 78-79.

In the long run you are probably better off with the led's due the the extra electricity cost from the light and the chiller. Plus you get the extra noise from the chiller not to mention the risk of having a hose leak. Fun hobby isn't it!

 

[!Jonathan!]

How are you placing your maxi jets to stick inside your tank without vibrations? The auction cups it comes with doesn't fit into the JBJ

 

[Barryrey]

I have them in there without the suction cups about a quarter to half inch off the bottom. Every so often I do have to play with the hose to reposition the pumps where they are not as noisy. I seem to have more problems with one than the other.

 

[Rob.D]

Nice healthy looking system! I love the ricordia garden!

 

[nanoman28g]

Nice! Any updates?

 

[glb]

Great tank!!!

 

[Barryrey]

Tanks been up for seven months. Have been very religious on the weekly water changes. Switched out the black sand with white, didn't care for the way the black looked. Everything is growing at a decent rate. Here are a few pics.

 

[Tahoe61]

I had almost the exact layout on my JBJ right down to the Phoenix and chiller. I did have a CPR fuge with a Tunze 9002 though.

This tank runs hot with the HQI. I ran mine for almost 7 years, had some really great sps growth over the years.

A pair of clowns and one other fish worked well.

If you can not find a Phoenix DE, Radium is an excellent choice.

One regret was growing GSP on the back wall for a couple years, might have the same issue with the Yellow Star Polyps.

Nice looking tank.

Definitely better with the white substrate.