Cstar_BC 60G Cube ULM Tank Build

Cstar_BC

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2x Hydor Koralia 565gph Circulation Pumps
Aquatop Xyclone Protein Skimmer
300w blackbox LED
24 t5
No sump
No RO/DI

Progress - 7 Weeks into Cycle, no ammonia but still high nitrites so continuing to dose ammonia until nitrites drop
The taped on LED lights are from Ikea and are keeping my macroalgae alive

IMG_4679.jpg IMG_4682.jpg

Dec 6 :
Installed protein skimmer
Added:
2 turbo snails
3 astrea snails
1 cerith? Snail
4 hermit crabs (red legged)
1 tuxedo urchin

1 fire fish (yay
 
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Cstar_BC

Cstar_BC

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How long before your nitrites dropped?

I am on Day 3 of my tank cycle. You seem wayyy more patient that me lol.

Honestly nitrites took the longest - I think about 6 weeks . I started with bleached rocks , regular sand and dosed bright well Microbacter 7 - and ghost fed. Hang in there !!
 
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Cstar_BC

Cstar_BC

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is that macro in the back? please make a macro tank! or softie tank idk something unusual. good start

Yes ! Red gracilaria and grape caulerpa . I’m hoping they will happily grow in the rear portion- I have no sump for this tank so hoping to integrate the Macro with the anemones and corals in one big happy ecosystem
 
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Cstar_BC

Cstar_BC

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So update time :
I have placed my protein skimmer and turned it on and almost set my house on fire

the water shot up so fast and went everywhere , some splashed on my Natural Wave Multi-cycle pump timer and it started smoking -eeek! , mild heart attack and hastily pulling the plug I’m now sitting here drying the inside of my timer hoping I didn’t fry it .(and maybe trying not to cry)

RANT - the directions for this protein skimmer are ghastly !! It took 3YouTube videos to figure out the outlet tubes pull down(what the heck?!) - no mention anywhere in the directions . I now know what spitting mad is .There is absolutely no way I would have gotten this right without that nugget .
-now I know you get what you pay for , but I am an entry level person , who saved up a long time for this (this was the highlight of my week finally setting this up ) and you can’t give me decent directions that would at least give me some success .

Ugghhhh !!!!
Went to the store - bought some CUC and 1 fish - updated thread

2 turbo snails
3 astrea snails
1 cerith? Snail
4 hermit crabs (red legged)
1 tuxedo urchin

1 fire fish (yay)

B1E18984-5FBD-45C6-AA2B-78D39EB30989.jpeg 5F9C361C-FAE6-4298-B4B3-C2D974FB17FE.jpeg
 
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Cstar_BC

Cstar_BC

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Update

here is my beautiful tank - a bit too clean?? Maybe - I don’t know - everyone says the diatom phase is the worst - but it looks like my CUC has it firmly under control - I cleaned the front glass about 2-3weeks ago with my magnet cleaner and it’s still spotless - so yay!

Deaths : 1 turbo snail

no RODI and so far nothing strange - no huge algae blooms , not a lot of green hit algae , not a lot of diatoms anymore .

I think I’m finally ready for more life in this tank -have a lead on 4 clowns - 2 Wyoming whites and 2 black ice- are already living together in a tank the seller is also throwing in some RBTA
CA4BACA5-061E-4DE1-B3A9-74EB92C7D233.jpeg


I think I’m finally ready for more life in this tank -have a lead on 4 clowns - 2 Wyoming whites and 2 black ice- are already living together in a tank the seller is also throwing in some RBTA


0971288F-BBE6-4B8B-8B68-93F075F200D6.jpeg
 
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Cstar_BC

Cstar_BC

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Just wanted to post a tank update . No deaths so far . Definitely did not purchase enough snails /crabs so will hopefully be adding some more CUC soon.

can’t wait for the anemones to pick their spots So I can get some corals in here !!
8D098A27-C041-4301-BB90-D4DDA8F41ED5.jpeg

CA5E60DC-688C-4382-AA76-161C7A7C8AE4.jpeg
 

samnaz

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Love the macro algae!

My best and only iPhone photo tip is turn up the whites on your light fixture when you take photos, easy and it works better than having to edit the photo.
 
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