New to Nano Tanks. Help me build a system Please !

427HISS · Nov 7, 2013

Hey everyone !

I'm new to these smaller tanks and would appreciate your help & advise in building a complete system.

I had several tanks back in the 90's including a 75 gal. in the wall above the TV in the living room, 40 gal. short height clam & mushroom, 200 gal. fish only and a 40 gal. mixed. I built the VHO/halide lighting, plumbing, air driven skimmers (6ft tall for the reef) & mixed my own calcium chloride with a home made drip doser's. I had to sell give away all my inhabitaints to friends and fellow reefers due to health problems, but now I want back into this very rewarding and beautiful hobby. I don't have the budget this time around, so rather than setting up my 75 reef again because of cost (for now anyway) I'm very excited about a Nano tank system. I don't see being happy with a tank under 28 gallons, because I want a fairly high fish load with soft corals.

I know we want a clown fish with a great anemone. (love,... the symbiotic relationship)
Sand on the bottom for a Goby. (again, love how they sift sand & tunnels)
Other Goby's.
Red or Blue Linckia Sea Star.
Maybe a Pygmy Angle fish.
Purple Tang (maybe too big but of my favorite fish)
Wrasse's.
Hermit carb.
Clam
Mushrooms

I'll have many questions and wanting discussion's about todays products. I realize everyone has different opinions on what products & reef keeping are best.

From researching so far, it seems that the JBJ is liked best ? (Please explain why)

At some point, I'm sure I'll add SPS corals, so I want to build a system to handle their needs the first,..... time around.

JBJ has several of the same type & gallons, but one is a Intermediate 28 gal. and a Professional 25 gal. with different lighting and watts. I assume the LED is best and for my tank, or should I go with the 105 Watt Compact Fluorescent Quad Lamp ?

Is their "all in one" system the way to go ?

What skimmer and other options ?

I don't know if I'll buy their stand, make my own or maybe buy a nice piece of furniture to set the tank on.

For my needs, should I make or buy a separate sump below the tank for a larger skimmer, media chamber & more filtration ?

Please let me know what model number you recommend, as it gets confusing. It will also help greatly,.... with shopping for the best price.

Here's one on ebay (just for info) of the 28 gal. "Pro" LED, but has only 89 watts. Is more needed like their 100 watts (+) for SPS ?

JBJ 28g Pro LED Nano Cube Aquarium 89 Watts | eBay

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JBJ 28 Gallon Nano Cube 27 Watt "Intermediate" LED.

JBJ 28 Gallon Nano Cube 27 Watt Intermediate LED Aquar | eBay

Learn me people !

Thanks,
Kevin

glb · Nov 7, 2013

I've had a jbj 12g for 4 years and am very happy with the quality! Mine has compact flourescent bulbs and I'm upgrading soon to LEDs. Companies like Steve's LEDs have great upgrade kits and might be better lights than the stock led ones jbj offers. Hopefully someone who has your size can chime in. Overall though, jbj makes a great product and I'm super pleased. Good luck!

427HISS · Nov 7, 2013

What does he have for upgrades vs stock JBJ ?

427HISS · Nov 7, 2013

Just looked it up and he's states,..."Biocube 29 Gallon LED retrofit kit, Tired of not having enough light in your tank? This kit was designed to provide too much light. Of course you can dim it down with the turn of a knob. It provides an equivalent of 250W metal halide light

, enough light for a 55 gallon tank! No limits on what you can grow - Softies, LPS, SPS, Clams, etc! This light kit is more than 30% brighter than all other known Biocube 29 Retrofit kits, including the ones that use Cree LEDs (XT-E)"

$250 though. :squigglemouth:

MoeManTheSnowMan · Nov 7, 2013

If you still have it, why not set up your 40?

427HISS · Nov 7, 2013

To stay smaller, and I don't have any of the equipment for the 40. The only stuff I have left is for the 75g.

glb · Nov 7, 2013

427HISS said:
Just looked it up and he's states,..."Biocube 29 Gallon LED retrofit kit, Tired of not having enough light in your tank? This kit was designed to provide too much light. Of course you can dim it down with the turn of a knob. It provides an equivalent of 250W metal halide light, enough light for a 55 gallon tank! No limits on what you can grow - Softies, LPS, SPS, Clams, etc! This light kit is more than 30% brighter than all other known Biocube 29 Retrofit kits, including the ones that use Cree LEDs (XT-E)"

$250 though. :squigglemouth:

Yikes. But I've heard they're super lights. Lol.

Tek · Dec 6, 2013

The JBJ 30G Rimless is what I am running and love it. All you need to get started is the tank, a nano skimmer(I am using the Hydor slim skim), and a decent LED setup. I went with a DIY kit from RapidLed after trying a cheap route which failed miserably. I keep 2 clowns, chromis, yellow wrasse, bangai cardinal, squamosa clam, mostly SPS, a toadstool, and zoas. I do not run a seperate sump since I wanted it all in one. The tank is a year old now and running smooth with minimal maintenance.

I would not suggest the Tang since it will outgrow the tank and possible get aggressive.

427HISS · Jan 31, 2014

How well does the Hydor skimmer work and fitments in back of the tank ?
Can you post a pic of the tank, lighting and skimmer ?

We did buy two 14g Oceanic cubes from a young man that bought them in high school and now in college, he doesn't have time to care for them. Both tanks have bacteria and the glass are scratched from cleaning the wrong way, so I'm hoping that I can polish most of them out. Depending on the clean up results, they'll either be for displays or just quarantine for fish & corals. We will be looking at a 29g Oceanic cube this weekend that is in a lot better condition and plan on making it for Patty's tank.

She likes the look of the hoods rather than a open tank, so the lighting must fit. It will also be quieter and the cats landing on top of the tank will keep them dry. lol

I'll look into the lighting as mentioned, is there any other lighting and skimmer ideas ?

McAllyn · Jan 31, 2014

If you're looking at or doing the BioCube, then go with the Tunze 9002 with the upgraded cup from inTank. I prefered my BioCube to my JBJ, but only because it was wider and shallower. The JBJ is narrow and taller. The BioCube is much easier to mod, as well.

As far as lights goes, there are a couple places that do the LED retro kits for either system, and for the ability to grow what you want, they are definitely worth it. I wish NanoTuners was still around.

One caution about the BioCube, though, the factory hood fans HAVE TO GO. They are notorious for being loud or getting very loud very quickly. This is easily remedied with good quality computer fans.

Mac

427HISS · Jan 31, 2014

I'll want a great skimmer because of the fish load plans, so far anyway.

Have you seen the LED,... TrueLumenPro Nano-Retrofit Kit ?
The spectrums look very nice and easy to install.

Truelumen Pro Dual Nano LED Striplight Kit | Current-USA

427HISS · Jan 31, 2014

I'm cleaning the 14g BioCube and removed two grates, but the corner that has the mechanical filter, the grate won't come out as the bars that hold the filter in-place make it so it won't come. Is the grate not,....supposed to be removed ?

McAllyn · Jan 31, 2014

Mine was the 29, so I don't know for sure on the 14, but the false floor in the first chamber just pushed out. I pushed down a bit, one side popped loose, then I grabbed it and it came right out. It was only held in with silicon-ish material, no tabs or bars or anything.

Can you get pictures of what you're seeing so we can see if we're on the same page?

Mac

ETA: Just looked it up, and it looks like in the BioCube 14, there ARE tabs under the second false floor in the main compartment. Is this the grate you're referring to? You would have to hook onto the bottom grate and pull up, instead of pushing down.

427HISS · Jan 31, 2014

You can see the slots on both sides that the filter slides into. Those are in the way to lift the grate out. It's really not an issue, but it would be nice to take it all apart to clean though.

McAllyn · Jan 31, 2014

Ok, yeah, that grate at the bottom is sealed in. You can actually see the sealant around it. I used a butter knife wedged in between the plastic to push down on the sealant. Once it started to give, one side fell in, the other popped up. Pulled right out after that. I used a longer heater, so needed it out anyway. Always seemed like the one flaw in the design, since stuff would fall through there and you'd never be able to get it out (detritus, etc.)

Mac

Tek · Feb 13, 2014

Sorry I missed your reply. Below is the link to my thread and has everything from startup and changes I made later. I started it out as an all SPS tank and it still is but the one thing I had to upgrade was the lighting. Don't skimp out on good lighting.

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/jbj-nano-club/110285-jbj-30g-rimless-aquarium-build.html