14 gallon biocube frag tank

[Classklown90]

So my biocube is officially a frag tank now. I figured id make a tale of tank since I have some questions. First the tank info:

Tank has been up for 3 years as a display tank until now.

Live stock is two ocellaris clowns
2 hermits
4 nerite snails
4 nassirus snails

I have 2 pieces of live rock in display, rubble in middle chamber. Biocube filter pad and heater in first chamber. Chemipure elite in middle chamber on top of live rock rubble.

My question is how often will I need to change the chemipure? I don't plan on feeding alot as I never have. It is the half unit size and is the elite. I'm also wondering what I should/need to add in order to keep my sps frags in good health. The lighting and flow will be enough I'm just worried about nitrates and ammonia due to the loss of alot of live rock. I also plan on 3 gallon weekly water changes or 5 gallon bi-weekly depending on what you guys think is better.

Lighting will be custom Steve led unit, should be here soon.

Here is a cloudy pic with the stock lights

 

[NyteGTI]

I will be doing the same thing here shortly so I'm subscribing.

I'm thinking with the 2 clowns, you might not have a large enough bio filter, you may want to re home them to something bigger. may want to think about only having a single nano fish in there. (a goby would do well) the Chemipure in my nanocube gets changed every ~3 months. some people say 6 months, but I don't believe it. if you're going with the top on look then you're pretty limited on your skimmer unless you cut the back end of the top.
This is probably your best option for skimmers. You probably don't need the skimmer, but if you want the fail safe of having one in case you don't change your water right on time this is what I'd go with. remember that if you're going to have a lot of SPS frags in there, you're going to have to keep those water changes to a weekly thing. little tank means faster problems.

 

[mnat]

I would say keep it weekly and smaller as far as water changes. I also agree with the chemi pure, roughly every three months.

 

[jgraz]

As far as WC I agree with Mike. Smaller changes more times. Personally I think with the LR you have in the tank and the rubble coupled with the live sand you have the clowns will be fine. They don't require heavy feedings anyway. Most important would be the WC's. I just took down my 20g frag tank cause I just couldn't keep the water quality up. I was also using it as a QT for fish and only had a very small piece of LR and the sponge that was in the aquaclear 110. Never had issues with ammonia/nitrites but phosphates went pretty high.

 

[Classklown90]

Thanks for all the input guys. I managed to get 2 pieces of lr in the display equaling about 8 lbs. The clowns were my first fish so id hate to rehome but if needed then I will. I do plan on keeping sps and zoas mostly in here as that's all I really like. I'm hoping the weekly water changes and chemipure will keep the phosphates low enough

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[NyteGTI]

if you've got 8lbs in there that should be good. it looked like a lot less in the original pic.

 

[Classklown90]

if you've got 8lbs in there that should be good. it looked like a lot less in the original pic.

Yea it's hard to tell by the pic but I have two nice flat pieces under the egg crate. Steves leds informed me that the lights should be shipped wed. I'm hoping to have them on by saturday. The clowns and softie/Lps frags that I have in there now seem happier than ever. Where should I start the leds for light acclimation and how often should I raise the intensity? I was thinking of starting at 10% and going up 10% bi weekly

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[MatteZ]

I just switched from power compacts to LEDs. I started them at 50% and have upped them 10% every Sunday. I'm up to 70% and all seem fine. I forgot to up to 80 yesterday. I may just stay at 70. I have seen a bunch of algae start.

 

[Classklown90]

I just switched from power compacts to LEDs. I started them at 50% and have upped them 10% every Sunday. I'm up to 70% and all seem fine. I forgot to up to 80 yesterday. I may just stay at 70. I have seen a bunch of algae start.

Okay I'll try that. I don't plan on going past 70. My display is at 65%

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[mnat]

The old standard for live rock was 1 pound per gallon but that is not really true anymore. Live rock used to be heavy dense lace rock that did not have a ton of surface area so you needed a ton of it. If you are good at picking your pieces that have a lot of room in them and more surface area than you don't need the pound per gallon. FWIW my 205 probably has roughly 100 pounds of live rock in it.

Also, if you are diligent in your weekly 10-15% water changes you will be fine.

Another quick note, if you are going to put rubble in the back chambers, put some filter floss in the first chamber and change it weekly with your water changes. This will keep the gunk out of the back of the tank and out of the LR rubble.

 

[Classklown90]

The old standard for live rock was 1 pound per gallon but that is not really true anymore. Live rock used to be heavy dense lace rock that did not have a ton of surface area so you needed a ton of it. If you are good at picking your pieces that have a lot of room in them and more surface area than you don't need the pound per gallon. FWIW my 205 probably has roughly 100 pounds of live rock in it.

Also, if you are diligent in your weekly 10-15% water changes you will be fine.

Another quick note, if you are going to put rubble in the back chambers, put some filter floss in the first chamber and change it weekly with your water changes. This will keep the gunk out of the back of the tank and out of the LR rubble.

Thanks for the advice mnat. I know this is a more expensive route but would using the stock filter pad in chamber one work just the same?

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[mnat]

The problem with that sponge is it is really hard to clean. It becomes a detritus trap over time which will not help. The standard rule amongst nano people is Step 1: Open the box Step 2: Throw away the sponge and the bio balls. Filter floss is really cheap and it only is a small amount you really put in.

Check this out:

http://shop.mediabaskets.com/Value-Pack-Poly-Filter-Floss-3PACK.htm

Also thier media baskets are awesome if youw ant to go that route.

 

[Classklown90]

The problem with that sponge is it is really hard to clean. It becomes a detritus trap over time which will not help. The standard rule amongst nano people is Step 1: Open the box Step 2: Throw away the sponge and the bio balls. Filter floss is really cheap and it only is a small amount you really put in.

Check this out:

http://shop.mediabaskets.com/Value-Pack-Poly-Filter-Floss-3PACK.htm

Also thier media baskets are awesome if youw ant to go that route.

Yes the media basket will be a definite purchase at some time. Thanks I'll.get some floss in there

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[TanksNStuff]

If you have some spare egg crate laying around, you could always just make a media basket yourself. All you need is some super glue or some zip ties and make something like this (not mine, I just googled it). You can obviously just size it to your needs:

 

[Classklown90]

If you have some spare egg crate laying around, you could always just make a media basket yourself. All you need is some super glue or some zip ties and make something like this (not mine, I just googled it). You can obviously just size it to your needs:

I have tons left over and was thinking of doing this but I read that because sides have holes as well rather than being acrylic, that it's not as efficient. But I'm not sure.how true that is.

Got my email from steves today leds are on their way and this is the color.combo I went with.

6 neutral white 5,000K,
6 Royal Blue,
1 Cyan
1 Cool Blue

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[civictuner04]

i would start lower than 50% i would start around 30 i started at 50 and kill half my corals

 

[Classklown90]

Okay I will do that thank you

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[Classklown90]

Got the leds today. They are powerful and overall I'm pretty happy. The shimmer is excellent and I'm glad I added in a cyan and regular blue. I did have a few complaints tho..for one this was suppose to be a total install, all I would need to do is plug and go but they did not mount the dimmers. I would of preferred them drilled and mounted to the hood but I just superglued them on. Works nonetheless. Second complaint is there is only one power source so no day/night cycle I suppose :/ but overall I'm happy so far. I'll put pics up tmm

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[Classklown90]

40 percent


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