Biocube 14 nano reef

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Hey everyone! I just got a used biocube 14 from my brother for 10, and it was currently being overtaken n algae. I tested the water and the water was perfect. The biocube is stock, and I have one clownfish, one peppermint shrimp, and about 12 snails. I have no clue what to do to get my tank into a nano reef. I have about 600$ that I saved up over time and what should I to my biocube. I plan on making it rimless. Any ideas what I should to do the biocube? And also what should I do weekly to the biocube 14?

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Thanks everyone!

 

[glb]

You should buy good led lights and good test kits with some of that money. Are you also asking about maintenance? I have a 12g nano so ask away!

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Ok cool! I was thinking about getting the acan led 300-18b 18" lighting. And ya, I was curious about the maintenance of it! Thanks! How do I upload images btw?

 

[glb]

Ok cool! I was thinking about getting the acan led 300-18b 18" lighting. And ya, I was curious about the maintenance of it! Thanks! How do I upload images btw?

As far as which led to buy, I don't have any yet, but Steve's LEDs makes good retrofit kits for biocubes and nanotubes. That's provably what I'll buy but there's a lot of other good options out there so hopefully others will chime in.

As far as maintenance, I change 10-20% of my water weekly. I clean the filter media (sponges, purigen, etc) in the water I just took out. I clean the glass on the inside and outside. Most importantly, you need to test your water. If the tank is cycling, test for ammonia,nitrites and nitrates. If the tank is up and running, test for nitrates, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, ph, salinity and temp (I think that's it). I'd buy the best kits you can afford. I use Red Sea Pro for mg, Red Sea for calcium, I have a Hanna Checker for alk and a phosphate one coming, a hydrometer for salinity (not accurate, buy a refractometer if you can), a digital ph monitor and a plain thermometer in the tank. Salifert for nitrates. I started with API but I wouldn't recommend them because they're not too accurate. But if that's all you can afford, by all means buy it. I just wouldn't get any super sensitive corals until you can get better tests.

To post pictures., click on the middle icon above the keyboard and below where you're writing. It will give you directions on how to post. Good luck!

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Ok cool! Thanks for the info! I appreciate all your help! I'm ising my iphone to post, and it says my pictures are invalid sizes, anyone know why? Thanks!

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Thanks glb!! I just tested some of my numbers and these where my results, calcium=440 phosphate=.25 alkinity= around 7.5-8 nitrate= 10. That's the only tests I just got so far so I used them and these where my results. Are they good?and I'm going to try and get some pics up soon!

 

[glb]

Thanks glb!! I just tested some of my numbers and these where my results, calcium=440 phosphate=.25 alkinity= around 7.5-8 nitrate= 10. That's the only tests I just got so far so I used them and these where my results. Are they good?and I'm going to try and get some pics up soon!

Calcium looks good. Phosphate I think is high but let someone more experienced tell you what the ideal is.

Alk is on the low normal side. Normal is 8-12kh.

Nitrates look good. Mine are usually at 10 but some say 5 is ideal. I'm still trying to get mine lower.

If you haven't already, get a mg test kit. Mg helps with alk and ca and you have to keep all three of them in balance for corals. Good luck!

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Ok thanks! Is my tank fine for adding corals to it?

 

[glb]

How long has it been running? I'd wait on corals until you have all the test kits and are comfortable dosing to maintain stable levels. I did fowlr for a while before coral and I'm glad I waited.

 

[TrishW]

.... it was currently being overtaken n algae. I tested the water and the water was perfect.

The test results are deceiving if you have algae. Most algae feeds off of phosphates, so if you have algae using the phosphate it will not show up on your test. My suggestion is that if you have live rock, you begin to switch it out - just a very small amount at the time. The reason is that if the tank has been neglected for a while the rock is probably phosphate laden. Also, if your bulbs are old the spectrum can shift and you will see an increase in algae. I am in the situation I am describing with my 12g. It went for a year with no maintenance just occasional topoff (it had nothing in it but water and rock) and when I drained and refilled it and started cycling I began to get hair algae. I am cycling rock in the sump of my 150 getting ready to begin changing out rock and I am going to check out the Steve's leds now.

As far as which led to buy, I don't have any yet, but Steve's LEDs makes good retrofit kits for biocubes and nanotubes.

Thanks for this tip. It is hard to find retrofitted leds for a JBJ 12.

As far as maintenance, I change 10-20% of my water weekly. I clean the filter media (sponges, purigen, etc) in the water I just took out. I clean the glass on the inside and outside. Most importantly, you need to test your water. If the tank is cycling, test for ammonia,nitrites and nitrates. If the tank is up and running, test for nitrates, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, ph, salinity and temp (I think that's it). I'd buy the best kits you can afford. I use Red Sea Pro for mg, Red Sea for calcium, I have a Hanna Checker for alk and a phosphate one coming, a hydrometer for salinity (not accurate, buy a refractometer if you can), a digital ph monitor and a plain thermometer in the tank. Salifert for nitrates. I started with API but I wouldn't recommend them because they're not too accurate. But if that's all you can afford, by all means buy it. I just wouldn't get any super sensitive corals until you can get better tests.

Definitely avoid the API if you can afford the Red Sea test kits. They aren't that much more expensive. You can get a decent refractometer for less than $50, you definitely need one. The only think I do different than what glb is suggesting is I don't run ANY filter media. Plain sponges, polishing pads, etc can very quickly (within a couple of days) can become a source of nitrates.

Looking forward to pics

 

[glb]

The test results are deceiving if you have algae. Most algae feeds off of phosphates, so if you have algae using the phosphate it will not show up on your test. My suggestion is that if you have live rock, you begin to switch it out - just a very small amount at the time. The reason is that if the tank has been neglected for a while the rock is probably phosphate laden. Also, if your bulbs are old the spectrum can shift and you will see an increase in algae. I am in the situation I am describing with my 12g. It went for a year with no maintenance just occasional topoff (it had nothing in it but water and rock) and when I drained and refilled it and started cycling I began to get hair algae. I am cycling rock in the sump of my 150 getting ready to begin changing out rock and I am going to check out the Steve's leds now.


Thanks for this tip. It is hard to find retrofitted leds for a JBJ 12.



Definitely avoid the API if you can afford the Red Sea test kits. They aren't that much more expensive. You can get a decent refractometer for less than $50, you definitely need one. The only think I do different than what glb is suggesting is I don't run ANY filter media. Plain sponges, polishing pads, etc can very quickly (within a couple of days) can become a source of nitrates.

Looking forward to pics

You're probably right about the sponges, media, etc. I use them because I don't have a skimmer. I added Dr. G's nitrate medium last week. What do you use instead? I'm always trying to learn more.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

Hey guys thanks for the input! My tank has been running for a couple of years but neglected. Just recentally I bought it off my brother. I had maybe 2 lbs of love rock in there and I bought different live rock that was new from my lfs. My tank has small amounts of algae and I do a water change about every 3-4 days, ussualy like a 3 gallon change. I have checked my parameters over like the last month every week and my numbers have been constant and getting better since I'm going water changes.

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

A couple days ago a purchased a kessil 150 ocean blue light and installed it in my tank. I've noticed some fast algae growth but I keep it under control. I know the algae is still being deceiving. I also am adding some phosban today to get my phosphate to 0. Is it even possible to get nitrates at 0? Also any reccomandatoms to keep them down?

 

[Longnose Hawkfish]

TrishW, what should I do about my filters than? Thanks both of you!