Hi everyone, I'm Paul and Live in Maine, Newb to Salt Water. been reading through many posts here and also watching Youtube Videos. Always had a dream for 40+ years to have a salt water tank. Seemed really complex back then and still confused on the multitude of chemicals to adjust everything. But I want to make this happen finally.
I bought the Biocube 32 because it is all contained to hide everything since this is going in the living room and also need the cover since I have cat paws that will be interested. So far my set up has:
(the light is on only for the pictures, off to prevent algae)
*30lbs Life Rock (1/2 the height of the tank)
*40lbs Carib Bahamas live sand (~2") (and collapsed the air pockets)
*NutriSeaWater
*Aqueon Pro 150 heater
*Intank Filter with floss and Marine Pure (will add Chemipure-blue after it cycles)
*intank fuge (empty but unsure if copepods or chaeto in future)
*API Quickstart and a pinch of marine flakes food, then after a week I added Coralife Marine pure (I was waiting till intank and Marine Pure ceramic bio balls came in mail but used the stock biocube filter till then to catch any sand before it hits the pump)
*Hygger wave 951
*APC UPS 1500 (shows it will run 171 minutes when on battery in case I'm not home to run the house generator)
*magnet glass cleaner (is this tank really glass? it looks like acrylic since it has the formed edge)
*Imagitarium 20-55gal vacuum
*API Reef Testing kit with added Ammonia and Nitrite test
*magnetic defroster for food
*intank Fish Saver (why in the world would Coralife not take care of this?)
After 2 weeks, all my testing shows the numbers where they should be except my SG says 1.028? I used pre-mixed water and doesn't look like anything has evaporated. I have fresh RO water (from Whole Foods) to dilute but is there an easy calculator? I believe I have 25 gallons in there? I bought the live water to make it quicker to cycle but in the future would premix. Life rock to avoid stowaways.
My "wants" plan:
2 clowns
cleaner shrimp
snail
Zoe
anenome
Nudibranch (if compatible)
Do you think if I bring the salinity down to 1.024, Its ready? Can I get the clowns first then the shrimp and snail? Or should I get the shrimp and snail first? People seem to say you can do either. I heard Petco tests water, should I bring it there to confirm my testing? I'm not sure about a skimmer since I believe it would have to be Biocubes since I do not want to modify by cutting plastic and don't want to hang it outside.
Are there any other immediate needs? if chaeto, I have no idea how to attach the small grow light appropriately or which one. I don't think I need a chiller since the house is Central Air unless the cube light would over heat the tank?
Here are pictures of the reef. it goes through as a tunnel and cave.
I would love any input good or bad to avoid potential issues. I don't want to modify (cutting etc...) the Biocube for resale but if all this works was thinking to do a 200gal if I can contain everything inside the enclosed stand so I don't see it and it's protected from little curious paws and use the Biocube as a quarantine for new fish etc...
Thanks, Paul
I bought the Biocube 32 because it is all contained to hide everything since this is going in the living room and also need the cover since I have cat paws that will be interested. So far my set up has:
(the light is on only for the pictures, off to prevent algae)
*30lbs Life Rock (1/2 the height of the tank)
*40lbs Carib Bahamas live sand (~2") (and collapsed the air pockets)
*NutriSeaWater
*Aqueon Pro 150 heater
*Intank Filter with floss and Marine Pure (will add Chemipure-blue after it cycles)
*intank fuge (empty but unsure if copepods or chaeto in future)
*API Quickstart and a pinch of marine flakes food, then after a week I added Coralife Marine pure (I was waiting till intank and Marine Pure ceramic bio balls came in mail but used the stock biocube filter till then to catch any sand before it hits the pump)
*Hygger wave 951
*APC UPS 1500 (shows it will run 171 minutes when on battery in case I'm not home to run the house generator)
*magnet glass cleaner (is this tank really glass? it looks like acrylic since it has the formed edge)
*Imagitarium 20-55gal vacuum
*API Reef Testing kit with added Ammonia and Nitrite test
*magnetic defroster for food
*intank Fish Saver (why in the world would Coralife not take care of this?)
After 2 weeks, all my testing shows the numbers where they should be except my SG says 1.028? I used pre-mixed water and doesn't look like anything has evaporated. I have fresh RO water (from Whole Foods) to dilute but is there an easy calculator? I believe I have 25 gallons in there? I bought the live water to make it quicker to cycle but in the future would premix. Life rock to avoid stowaways.
My "wants" plan:
2 clowns
cleaner shrimp
snail
Zoe
anenome
Nudibranch (if compatible)
Do you think if I bring the salinity down to 1.024, Its ready? Can I get the clowns first then the shrimp and snail? Or should I get the shrimp and snail first? People seem to say you can do either. I heard Petco tests water, should I bring it there to confirm my testing? I'm not sure about a skimmer since I believe it would have to be Biocubes since I do not want to modify by cutting plastic and don't want to hang it outside.
Are there any other immediate needs? if chaeto, I have no idea how to attach the small grow light appropriately or which one. I don't think I need a chiller since the house is Central Air unless the cube light would over heat the tank?
Here are pictures of the reef. it goes through as a tunnel and cave.
I would love any input good or bad to avoid potential issues. I don't want to modify (cutting etc...) the Biocube for resale but if all this works was thinking to do a 200gal if I can contain everything inside the enclosed stand so I don't see it and it's protected from little curious paws and use the Biocube as a quarantine for new fish etc...
Thanks, Paul