New to Saltwater, JBJ 24g tank

I've always wanted one. Now that I live by myself in an apartment I decided I'd set one up. I got a JBJ 24g nano cube from a friend of mines. I found some liveand rock locally from pjracer/Pete on the forum and a backup maxijet 1200 from another forum member as well. Pete was very helpful, helped me with all the questions I had. My local LFS near me is mid-cities aquarium and that place is very nice. The workers are very helpful and great. I just mixed my first batch of sw and just recently poured it into my tank so it's still cloudy.

JBJ 24g Nano Cube
K2 Viper Metal Halide
40lb Carribsea Fiji Pink Live Sand
Around 30lbs of Live Rock
Maxijet 1200 ph
Eheim Jager Heater
Spectrapure RO/DI




I noticed some white foamy stuff floating on top of the tank. I research and think it's called salt creep. Should I be concerned?

[ntl555]

The foam is from your sand and salt mixing together. This should go away when the sand settles and when your filtration picks up the misc. stuff.

Salt creep will happen over time as salt collects from the splashing of the salt water.

Thanks for the reply. I just found out I have this bag of ceramic rings, is this for filtration? Where am I suppose to put this bag?

[ntl555]

The tiles are part of the filtration, I left mines out and replaced it with live rock. I even took out the sponge and bio-balls.

First Chamber - I have the In-Tank Media Basket with a filter floss in the top. Middle I have cheato algae. Last I have purigen and chemi-pure.
http://shop.mediabaskets.com/Nano-Cube-24-Media-Basket-NC24MR.htm

Second Chamber - Rock Rubble

Third Chamber - Return Pump and Heater.

Thanks I just put everything in the main tank. I'm going to move my heater to the back than so it'll look cleaner. I guess I do not need the ceramic rings since I have live rock. I don't have a return pump though, is it required?

[ntl555]

I have live rock in the main tank and more live rock rubble in the back chambers. The rock rubble is a safe haven for copepods and other critters.

Is your maxijet 1200 in the back last chamber? That should be your return pump. To add more flow in the display tank, you can add a tunze or Koralia nano.

I put the maxijet 1200 up front. Oops am I suppose to put it in the back/last champer? The maxijet 1200 looks kind of big, I thought it was suppose to go in the main area.

[ntl555]

Nope. It is for the back area. It should connect to the nozzle in the upper right corner.

Here is someones drawing of what they have in the back chambers.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/201/jbj24bc0.jpg/sr=1#

So I moved it, like this?

[Hook'em2006]

So I moved it, like this?

not exactly. It should sit at the bottom of that chamber with a piece of hosing connecting the 2.

What type of hosing? I don't think I have any hosing long enough to have it sit at the bottom of the chamber? Is it a piece that comes with the mj1200? Would you happen to have a picture? Thanks

Edit: I think I know what type of hosing you're talking about. I had recently bought 15' of 1/2" ID vinyl hose to transfer the water into the tank. I can use that to hook it to the mj12 and connect it to that hose? What's wrong with the way I have it where it's directly connected? It does feel a little loose.

The pump typically sits at the bottom of the chamber to prevent it running dry when your water level drops due to evaporation. You 1/2 inch hose/tubing should work great. Sometimes squeezing the tubing over the MJ outlet is tough, so you might have to heat the tubing up on one end by sticking in boiling water which will make it stretch a litte bit.

[Hook'em2006]

With it being at the top of the chamber, any evaporation can cause your pump to run dry. I think 1/2" sounds right. I'm not by my tanks to check.

[Hook'em2006]

Should look something like this

[Hook'em2006]

Also, I think you may have a bit too much water in your tank. The water should flow between the small divider in between chamber 2 & 3, if it's like a 12gal nano.

Well this sucks I think I messed up and dumped out too much water. So now I have to mix up some more saltwater. I accidently took water out of chamber 2 instead of chamber 3 and it sucked out like 3 gallons of water. So I have to mix up saltwater wait 24hours again to refill? I don't have two powerhead yet to keep one in the tank and to have one for mixing yet. I do have two heaters though. Would the tank be fine for now without any flow so I can use it to mix the sw?

[Hook'em2006]

You don't have to throw the water out as long as whatever you drained it into is clean. If you have no life, why not just add water and salt and let it mix in the tank?

I have no experience mixing my own water. I buy mine from the fish store. When I set my 28 gal and 12 gal nano cubes up, it was a pain to figure out the right water levels. The "instruction" book included was of no help with that.

I forgot to clean out the bucket I had drained it in. So it was dirty. I was told it's best to mix in a separate container before filling up my tank. So I mixed it in a 18gallon container for 24hours and than moved it over to the tank. I might just go buy 3 gallons so I can have the tank filled up and the water I'm mixing now would just be backup.

[Hook'em2006]

Also remember this, when you get your water level set, all the evaporation is going to happen in the return chamber. The display tank and chambers 1 and 2 will remain the same. So just keep an eye on the third chamber. In my 12gal. I have to be on top of it. I refill 1 or 2 times a day. If I don't, I get micro bubbles blowing in because the bump starts picking up air from the water rushing into chamber 3.

[Hook'em2006]

I buy my water at Dallas North, it's only like 4 bucks for 5 gallons.

[Hook'em2006]

Where are you located? I wouldn't mind coming by to help you out if you are close.

I'm right next to DFW Airport. I went to mid-cities aquarium and picked up 5gallons so I wouldn't have to mix again. I filled up the tank again and it looks the same as before. I think I should be fine if it'll eventually evaporate anyways. I re-did the pump and put it at the bottom of the tank and connected it to a tube as well. Thanks for the help guys

as new as you are it would be a great help to get a mentor close to you to come over and help you get started. Hands on is better to understand and many members are willing to help, this is a great club. Keep reading this forum for advise and you will learn a lot. Start slow and with cheap fish and corals till you get the hang of things. Patience, patience, patience is the hardest part.

blamm

[Hook'em2006]

The evaporation is going to cause your salinity to increase. When you too off, only use RO/DI water. If you pour more salt water in, it's going to increase your SG of the water. You wanna stay between 1.021 and 1.026, depending on what your tank will house. Reefs like it a tad higher. I keep mine at 1.025.

My salinity right now is at 1.025, temp is sitting at 79degrees.. Is this all I need to check while my tank is cycling? When would I need to start checking ammonia/nitrate/nitritie/ph/alk/calcium? I've read during cycling I do not do any water changes. I just need to add RO/DI water when water is evaporated to keep my salinity stablized?

[Hook'em2006]

That is correct. What type or rock did you put in? Cured or uncured? Live or base? Also, are you using a refractometer or hydrometer?

I put in Fiji live rock. I believe it's cured since the forum member I bought it from had it in his cycled tank. I'm also using a refractometer. Where are you located hookem?

[Hook'em2006]

I'm in Plano by Parker and Tollway. I would wait atleast 2-3 days to check the water quality. When I started my nanos, the cycled extremely fast, like 3-4 days. When you nitrates come comeback down to around 5, you can add some snails, and crabs and a hardy little fish is you want. But don't fall in love with the rock work! I had to remove all rock to get the damsel out when I wanted to add a couple clowns.

Little update. Most of the water cleared up. Everything seems to look like its going good I think. I just have sand all over my live rock that I need to somehow get off without causing a sandstorm. I have another piece of live rock, I"m not sure if I should put it in. I thought I already had too much in the tank, what do ya think? I'm super excited about every little thing that's happening!!



The kenya tree grew fast, it looked all dead when it was sitting in my container.



I think these are zoanthids that are starting to grow. What's the big thing that's growing?

Anyone know if there are any LFS that sells the media basket?

[bimmerzs]

Hi,
Everything's looking good so far, just remain patient and keep researching. That looks like aiptasia, a pest anemone, you will have to kill that now before it spread's. Are you sure the tank finished cycling????

Cheers,

I don't think the tank is anywhere near finish cycling as it's only been setup for 1 day so far. Oh no are those aiptasia pest anemone normal? How would I get rid of it, I saw like 3 of them. Just counted. I have a total of 4 that I can spot. Also how long/often am I suppose to be keeping my light on during cycling? I've read a mixture of things about it.

[bimmerzs]

You really should not have anything in the tank, until after it cycles. http://www.melevsreef.com/tanks.html

Cheers,

I thought I read I can add live sand and live rock for the cycling? That's all I have.

[Hook'em2006]

You should have you live rock and live sand in during your cycle. I believe those zoos were hitch hikers? As far as aiptasia, I have heard that Aiptasia X works well.

Im about to go pick some up. Hopefully it gets rid of them. The live rocks had patches of zoa and mushrooms I think on there. Not sure if that's considered hitchhikers

[Eric81]

Reasearch how to kill the Aiptasia.....if you just try to scrape it off, it will spread! I used a syringe and squirted vinegar into its mouth while it was open. That seemed to do the trick for me. Don't let it get out of hand, especially if you are starting a new tank....you don't want to have to battle it! If your tank does a cycle, your Kenya trees probably won't survive. If you used already established LR, and the KT and Zoas were already on them, then you might have a minimal cycle that your coral may survive.

Went to the LFS as soon as I woke up and picked up some Aiptasia-X. About to get rid of them so I got my fingers cross that they'll work. The kenya tree was on its own little rock. The zoa's were already on the rock as well, both came from another member that was in his tank for a few years I believe. Hopefully they stay alive.

I'll keep things posted to see how things go

[Hook'em2006]

Hopefully that will work! Test your water today and let us know where you're at!

I just did it and it zapped the suckers away immediately. I bought a mesh/filter bag and I didn't know purigen comes in different/finer size. The mesh bag I bought was not fine enough now I have purigen flying everywhere.