Newbie Obsessed with her Coralife Biocube 29

[helen ann]

Hi,

I am a newbie loving my little cube even though it makes me a nervous wreck!

Little about tank ...

• Coralife Biocube 29
• I started with live sand, live rock and nutri seawater
  
• Cycled from Oct to Nov
• Added CUC at beginning of Nov (2 peppermint shrimp, 1 sally light foot crab,2 hermit crabs and a turbo snail)
• Added 2 Gobies at beginning of December (Yellow Prawn and Wheeler's Shrimp Goby)
• Week of Christmas added Black Ice Clowns( I believe that is what they are)
• Then about a week ago added Dwarf Angel ( I know that I shouldn't have but didn't know that until after the fact as the LFS said I could - Newbie Mistake!) and a Cardinal Fish.
• Modified with Cobalt Neo-Therm 100 watt in chamber 1, intank MediaRack in chamber 2 running floss on top, Purigen middle and Chemipure Elite on the botttom
• Stock in chamber 3
• Added Hydor Koralia Nano Aquarium Circulation Pump 425 to the display
• I do weekly water changes of about 5 gallons with nutri seawater and change my filter floss about every other day.
• We bought a purple firefish yesterday (which was supposed to the last fish) and it seems that he has died, I am unable to find him at all (even moved a few rocks)
• So current tank stock without the CUC is: 2 clowns, dwarf angel, cardinal and 2 gobies ( Will not be adding anything else!)

My numbers using the basic API kit seem to be ok with no major issues at this point. I have been looking into getting a protein skimmer but still researching this - goodness so many of them!!!

Look forward to poking around and learning!!!!

 

[Wiz]

Very nice. Your flame looks fine to me. Might check behind the tank for the firefish. Big jumpers. But do often "disappear" to. you have been more patient then most. Welcome to a great community!!! :-D

 

[twilliard]

Welcome to R2R!
That is looking good and glad you got pictures for us to see

 

[helen ann]

Very nice. Your flame looks fine to me. Might check behind the tank for the firefish. Big jumpers. But do often "disappear" to. you have been more patient then most. Welcome to a great community!!! :-D

Thank you for the welcome!! Yeah, I have searched all over for him Display, the back area and even the floor and nothing! I feel horrible that I might have done something wrong and he died! Think at this point going to leave my stock where it is until I learn more !!!

 

[Anthony kolodziej]

you're hooked now no escape !!! enjoy the wonder that is a reef tank !!!

 

[helen ann]

Welcome to R2R!
That is looking good and glad you got pictures for us to see

Thank you!!! Tank makes me a nervous wreck! I have had fresh water all my life and then my son kept asking for a salt water and I kept saying no cause they a different beast! So, I finally gave in and told him that it takes a while to get it up and running so we would get one and it would be his gift from mommy and daddy for xmas so the adventure started!

 

[helen ann]

you're hooked now no escape !!! enjoy the wonder that is a reef tank !!!

Good Morning! Yes, hooked! without my knowledge my hubby ordered me another Coralife Biocube 29 it is in the mail and should be here Tuesday! Told him that thing going into the garage as I am barely managing this tank! Goodness what was he thinking! He said well the current tank is really our son's and he figured I wanted my own! Men!!! LOL

 

[Wiz]

In a short while youll be wishing he got you a bigger tank. Its really not to much harder than fresh. The hard part is doing it with patients.dont worry too much about the firefish. Tragic but all to common with dartfish unfortunatly. :-( once you get a schedule down you will do fine. All you have to do is care. And i can see you do!

Good Morning! Yes, hooked! without my knowledge my hubby ordered me another Coralife Biocube 29 it is in the mail and should be here Tuesday! Told him that thing going into the garage as I am barely managing this tank! Goodness what was he thinking! He said well the current tank is really our son's and he figured I wanted my own! Men!!! LOL

 

[Reefrookie220]

You'll have a 75g in no time! Good job and good luck!

 

[kschweer]

Welcome to R2R!!! Looking good

 

[Diesel]

Nice looking cube, but.......................... I'm missing some corals!!
Now there's a reason that your hubby bought the second cube............ he wants corals
Your firefish might be in a rock as they'll find the smallest holes to get into.
If you still have Sally................ she might have made a meal out of the firefish .

 

[helen ann]

In a short while youll be wishing he got you a bigger tank. Its really not to much harder than fresh. The hard part is doing it with patients.dont worry too much about the firefish. Tragic but all to common with dartfish unfortunatly. :-( once you get a schedule down you will do fine. All you have to do is care. And i can see you do!

Yes, If I could go back I would have a bigger tank! But honestly no room for it but I would have squeezed it somewhere! But for now I will just learn and learn as much as I can on this little tank and maybe one day upgrade.

Yes, patience seems to be the way and I thought I had done everything correct until the little firefish, so know I will step back and just focus on what I have now and learning as much as possible to give them the best home I can!!

 

[helen ann]

Welcome to R2R!!! Looking good

Good Morning, Thanks for the welcome!!!

 

[helen ann]

Nice looking cube, but.......................... I'm missing some corals!!
Now there's a reason that your hubby bought the second cube............ he wants corals
Your firefish might be in a rock as they'll find the smallest holes to get into.
If you still have Sally................ she might have made a meal out of the firefish .

Corals??!!??! I am scared of those!!! But I had thought of doing corals and 2 clowns for the new tank but we shall see need to get more educated on what I have now!

Yes, I think either the peppermint shrimp or sally ate the little fellow!!

 

[helen ann]

Any suggestions on which protein skimmer to get? I am about to place an order for a other few items and would like to get one ...
aquatic life 115 skimmer or the Hydor Slim Skim Protein Skimmer

Also, been advised that I should add '"nice" looking macro algae' to my tank ... any suggestions? Where can I get this?

Sorry for all he questions!

Bet you all think all the newbies are PITA's huh? LOL

 

[Wiz]

Some macros are cool in a display. Like red fern, red titan, or grape tree. But alot are not. I would not suggest invasive types like caulerpa or chaeto as it will grow super fast. Usually macros are in fuges or sumps.and i personally love exchanging experience with everyone. Even newbies have great ideas or new perspectives. I think most on here would describe this as an obsession more than a hobby. Lol

Any suggestions on which protein skimmer to get? I am about to place an order for a other few items and would like to get one ...
aquatic life 115 skimmer or the Hydor Slim Skim Protein Skimmer

Also, been advised that I should add '"nice" looking macro algae' to my tank ... any suggestions? Where can I get this?

Sorry for all he questions!

Bet you all think all the newbies are PITA's huh? LOL

 

[helen ann]

Some macros are cool in a display. Like red fern, red titan, or grape tree. But alot are not. I would not suggest invasive types like caulerpa or chaeto as it will grow super fast. Usually macros are in fuges or sumps.and i personally love exchanging experience with everyone. Even newbies have great ideas or new perspectives. I think most on here would describe this as an obsession more than a hobby. Lol

Where might I might find this macro algae online to buy?

Thanks for all the help!

I have OCD and this tank sends it into over-drive.
I love just sitting and watching it though, especially the little gobies ... they so darn cute!!!

 

[Wiz]

Pretty much any reef site. Reefs2go, reef cleaners, saltwater.com. almost anywhere. This is my fuge so you get an idea of what your looking for. It has 9 types of macro

 

[melypr1985]

Welcome to R2R! Nice set up

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R
Nice Biocube!