Newby with a Nano Reef

CasperOe · Nov 17, 2023

Welcome to R2R!

Looks like you're off to a good start..

cdemoss01 · Nov 17, 2023

stalkem said:
A friend recently gave me an Oceanic BioCube 29 HQI, which I've done a deep dive into for my 3 year old's enjoyment. Free tank and then ~$2,000 later... and I'm about 3 months into the endeavor. Open to fish/coral recommendations (towards the end of this).

Water Parameters:
Temp is about 77° (temp sensor is the bottom corner of the tank opposite of the heater, but when I use the handheld 7 in 1 meter, it reads about 74°)
Ca - 450
Mg - 1290
KH - 8.6
Ph - meter says 7.91, but I think that reads low. Getting a new meter to double check, since the API drops are between about 8.2 and 8.4.
SG - 1.024
Ammonia & Nitrites are 0.
Nitrates are under 5PPM. API test kit isn't great for this, so just picked up a Salifert kit to test that.
Phosphate - NYOS test kit on its way.

Equipment:
I replaced the broken stock light with a SMATFARM 60 Watt Reef light, currently set on an LPS setting. I put a Hydro Koralia Nano on the opposite side of the return pump, located high mid section angled towards the front glass a bit, creating some nice flow, but not too strong on the rocks. Green Killing Machine (9 W) located in chamber 3 of the bio cube, along with the return pump. Coralife BioCube Protein Skimmer located in chamber 1, along with the heater. All that is plugged into a Smart Power Strip surge protector for easy toggle on and off for feeding.

I've got an Aquatic Life RODI filter with a float shutoff hooked up to a 40 gallon brute container. I was getting 000 TDS readings off that. I've been using Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt Mix (a bucket that my friend had given me with the tank).

I'm still using the Coralife BioCube filter cartridges at the top of chamber 2. I also have 2 3D printed Copepod "hotels" and a small piece live rock weighing them down in the bottom of chamber 2.

Setup:
My friend gave me the sand he had in it, which was maybe 1" or less on the bottom. I also added a 20lb back of CaribSea Alive Fiji sand. I put maybe 30-35lbs of Real Reef Premium Live Rock in the tank. I bought a 40lb box, but seemed impossible to get that all into the cube. I used FritzZyme Turbo Start 900 and had a quick cycle. I did drop some Vibrant Aquarium Cleaner in when the uglies started.

Stock:
I currently have it stocked with 2 (paired) ocellaris clownfish (a vivid and a mocha), a dragonet, a royal gramma, a hi fin red banded goby, and a candy cane pistol shrimp. The dragonet comes right up to my pipet and takes frozen food. I have also been hatching brine shrimp eggs with the ring hatcher to feed him. He's recently been getting much bolder and swimming up to the top and picking pellets... so I think I'm happy with that progress. I also got one of those glass feeding tubes for the side of the tank, but we're still working on figuring that out. I got the goby and shrimp together with hopes that they pair, but I have not found my shrimps hiding spot yet. From what I've researched, sometimes it just becomes noticeable after a month or 2. The goby found a nice hole front and center at the bottom of the rock near the sand, so it's fun to watch it pop in and out.

I also have a CUC of mostly snails (for tackling the uglies) from reefcleaners.org... 11 astraea, 30 dwarf ceriths, 12 Florida ceriths, 12 nassarius vibex, 4 nerites, 2 Indo Turbos, and 2 scarlet hermit crabs. Now that things are picking up in the tank, I'm going to get some more crabs, 5 blue legged hermits, 5 red legged hermits, 5 more scarlet reef hermits, and a cleaner shrimp.

I also have a little island rock with some green star polyps on it, an orange zoa (sorry, idk if it has a fancy name or not), and recently added a hammer coral. I've been hazing some issues with the zoas being tiny, but I think that's because I put them too high in the tank (too much light) from the blue lights at the LFS. I recently moved them down a bit, so hoping for better results... but adding a marked up picture of what I'd like.

I'd like to get a torch on the lower rock (to sort of mimic the look of an anemone). I know it's not likely for the clowns to get hosted in that, nor is it necessarily a good idea for the sake of the coral... but that's the look I'm striving for. Plus that should give the polyps enough room to grow and move around without issues. I'd also like to get a few different colors of zoas for that top rock corner... open to suggestions on any other colorful options with full light!

I'd also like to add another fish to fill the top/open water space of the tank, since the current fish typically are in/around the rocks. Any recommendations on what gets along with the rest and adds a little bit of color? It was originally suggested to get a small yellow tang, and then trade it back/sell it when it gets too big for the tank, but after researching that more, I'm not thrilled with the idea, as it's not fair to the fish (or my child that will get attached to it).

Welcome to Reef2Reef!