Labor Day 2022 (20g cube):
November 2021 (20g cube):
December 2020 (14g cube):
Ground Zero, Labor Day 2019:
Some of my favorite videos/posts:
My minimalist 1 foot cube nano
Somebody else's video I love
My post on "Axioms To Reef By"
Proof a nano can be truly awesome (somebody else's tank!
Update: (5/15/2021)
This 14 gallon Aqueon cube has been transferred to a Waterbox "Clear Mini" 20g cube. Link to first post of 20g transfer within this thread. The "Clear Mini" is the same size as Waterbox's All-In-One cube, but minus the back AIO filter section, giving it a clean traditional look with more in-tank space.
Intro: (9/3/2019)
My very first saltwater tank in 1985 was a 2' long, 15g tank with under gravel and back filters, and simple fluorescent bulb lighting. I managed to keep a Sebae anemone, a pair of Clarkii clowns, and a dwarf lion fish all happy in that tank for a couple years until I moved, so with today's technology and many years of my own experience with larger tanks I figured it might be fun to get back to my nano roots with this anemone specific cube.
The14 gallon 20 gallon cube currently houses:
Current Equipment:
Lessons learned (2021):
(Legacy posting):
I'm using Red Sea Salt Blue Label for the first time, as well as Dr. Tim's One & Only to use the pure ammonia method for initial cycling (first time trying this as well). [See how the Dr. Tim's went in the history below. I would recommend the Fritzyme TurboStart 900 from now on.]
This will be the first time I set up a tank with an UV filter from the start (after establishing the initial cycle so as to not kill the waterborne bacteria introduced with Dr. Tims). Recent videos posted on BRS would indicate that a lot of the initial "brown" cycle can be minimized or avoided with the use of UV up front.
November 2021 (20g cube):
December 2020 (14g cube):
Ground Zero, Labor Day 2019:
Some of my favorite videos/posts:
My minimalist 1 foot cube nano
Somebody else's video I love
My post on "Axioms To Reef By"
Proof a nano can be truly awesome (somebody else's tank!
Update: (5/15/2021)
This 14 gallon Aqueon cube has been transferred to a Waterbox "Clear Mini" 20g cube. Link to first post of 20g transfer within this thread. The "Clear Mini" is the same size as Waterbox's All-In-One cube, but minus the back AIO filter section, giving it a clean traditional look with more in-tank space.
Intro: (9/3/2019)
My very first saltwater tank in 1985 was a 2' long, 15g tank with under gravel and back filters, and simple fluorescent bulb lighting. I managed to keep a Sebae anemone, a pair of Clarkii clowns, and a dwarf lion fish all happy in that tank for a couple years until I moved, so with today's technology and many years of my own experience with larger tanks I figured it might be fun to get back to my nano roots with this anemone specific cube.
The
- Green Bubble Tip Anemone
- Rainbow/Rose BTAs x
3, make that12,ok, I have lost count now. - Rock Anemones x 22
- Ricordea Florida x 14
- Green Star Polyps
- Various macro algae (weeds!)
- Zebra Turbo Snails x 5
- Coral Banded Shrimp
- 2 Sexy Shrimp
- Fire Clownfish (Amphiprion ephippium)
- Cryptic (Pink Streaked) Wrasse
- Red Head Goby (Elacatinus puncticulatus)
- Tiger Goby (Tigrigobius macrodon)
- Green Banded Gobies x 2
Current Equipment:
- Waterbox Clear Mini 20 Gallon Cube (17.7"×17.7"×15.7")
- Stand: Coralife Designer BioCube 29/32
- Black ABS Plexiglass tank bottom from TAP Plastics
- 3 x AI Primes (2 HD, 1 original)
Tunze Comline 9012 Skimmer (what a workhorse!)- Oase Biomaster 350 Canister Filter
- Glass Lily pipe input - surface skimmer
- 60ppi sponges
- Aqua Advantage 15 Watt HOB UV
- Aqua Clear 20 HOB (very slow flow rate by putting micro fiber in input tube)
- Chemipure Elite (for its GFO/phoshate removal)
- Nero 5 Powerhead
- Anemone Guard (3dreefgear.com)
- Cobalt 75W Heater
- MarcoRocks Reef Saver Dry Rock
- 1 Piece of Gulf Live Rock
Lessons learned (2021):
- 5-6 months did not prove to be sufficient time before adding the BTAs, though one managed to survive up until today (January 2021 as of this edit). Cleaning up after a dying anemone is NOT worth the risk, not to mention the ethical issues.
- Cycling in a bare bottom, dry rock environment takes significantly longer than one with either live rock or even just a sterile sand bed (thinking back to decades earlier). The bottled bacteria, while helpful, is not an instant solution. While we all want to be able to add fish right away, just do the right thing and be patient.
- Nitrite doesn't mean beans. Don't worry about it. (Search for Randy Holmes-Farley's article).
- The UV did not hold off algae once the lightning was turned up for the anemones.
- Clean up crew were only added after about a year's time and made a HUGE difference. (Zebra Turbo Snails and a single Purple Pincushion Urchin).
- Even though the test kits were showing 0 Nitrate and very low (0.03) Phosphate largely due to weekly 80% water changes, long hair algae thrived magnificently until clean up crew were added.
- Daily rinsing of any sponge material which traps detritus goes a long way to keeping Nitrate and Phosphate levels from rising. Same thing goes for wiping out the neck of the skimmer where it remains in constant contact with the water column and accumulates a dirty slime coating.
- Even though the two fire clowns were added as very small juveniles, one (the female) eventually harassed the smaller one until I had to isolate him.
- The pin cushion urchin will mow over and attach to anything that is not securely fastened down.
(Legacy posting):
I'm using Red Sea Salt Blue Label for the first time, as well as Dr. Tim's One & Only to use the pure ammonia method for initial cycling (first time trying this as well). [See how the Dr. Tim's went in the history below. I would recommend the Fritzyme TurboStart 900 from now on.]
This will be the first time I set up a tank with an UV filter from the start (after establishing the initial cycle so as to not kill the waterborne bacteria introduced with Dr. Tims). Recent videos posted on BRS would indicate that a lot of the initial "brown" cycle can be minimized or avoided with the use of UV up front.
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