Needreefunds' NC 12 DX- 02-2007

[needreefunds]

So at the suggestion of Mynd I offer up a thread about my nano The tank that started me down this road of reef-obsession. Ok, after a year or so of talking myself out of trying this, I couldn't hold out any longer. Started reading online to soak up all I could before beginning. I first set up the tank and ran with fresh water for a couple days to test for leaks. Decided to upgrade the pump in chamber three to MJ900 with a hydorflo. Installed a bulkhead fitting in chamber one and retrofit stock pump there with a section of locline and the stock duckbill tip. I cut down a piece of the foam sponge into three pcs. I run a piece of sponge topped with floss sitting on the bulkhead fitting just below the return in chamber one.

I wanted some sort of splash shield for the back of the stand so I could mount the ballast and timers and stuff back there. Also not knowing what type of fuge lamp I would wind up with maybe I could use a shelf. I found an new old stock Plexiglas door at work and decided to use this. Cut to shape of tank and let overhang in the back. Countersunk two screws to hold in place.

While at lowes hunting for a lamp to use for tank maint. and also for the makings of a fuge light I found this in the clearance bin. It should serve as both. Cheesy, maybe, but It should work I hope. (Not bad for five bucks?)

Mounted ballast and timer/power strip on back of (tiny/almost useless stand)

cut back for fuge... (hope your all not bored already !)

And there you go from the front not so bad ??

Ok, Ok mixed up reef crystals and let run and get up to temp. Was able to get l/r the next day from lfs. Got home to realize I stink at rock scape-ing. Wound up with this... l/r stadium???

Tank was "born" on Super Sunday. After one day sg--1.025. Ammonia--.25 temp---79.5 'trites and trates zip at this point.

The above was copied from another forum I frequent. This was the first post of my first tank thread. I have tried to "clean" it up a bit so this will flow better. ( And we all love good flow, yes??) :

 

[needreefunds]

This was about a week later..... It is pretty funny looking back and reading this. I have learned so much since then, yet I feel like I don't know diddly at the same time. :-[ Post two.....

Alright, time for a quick update. Strange, but not much happening. Water is pretty clear. Have been testing params, cleaning l/r with baster and changing floss and stuff. I see what I think are vermetid gastropods feeding like crazy off of one or the rocks near the back of the tank. Kinda cool to watch actually. I keep testing to watch a cycle that doesn't seem to want to start
I see tiny patches of possibly gha an have some diatoms i believe.
Todays params-
s.g.- 1.025
temp-80.2
ph-8.2
amm 0-.25
nitrites-0
nitrates-0
I"ll be ordering new test kits today. Why won't the cycle start?? Did I miss it?? I've never had any tank that didn't cycle, although I've never used l/r either.
I think the ammonia reading was slightly higher the first day, but no sign of trites or trates after that. I'll see what happens this week, and will retest with new kits.
Is it possible the l/r was sooo cured that i had no die off? No die off=no ammonia
no ammonia=no start of cycle?? Maybe jump start with a chunk of frozen plankton or something?? Input need input :bowdown: Thanks all.. I'm goin back to check out all your tanks!!

 

[needreefunds]

NO,no, I am not going to re-list each post. I will try to hit the highlights. This was about 5-6 weeks in....

Hello all - Just a little update. So far so good. While cruising through my favorite lfs, I just happened to notice that there were some tiny frags in the $14 frag basket. So a few just happened to come home with me. ( two shrooms /two zoos)

Today's tests- temp. 81.3..s.g.1.025..amm/trites/trates all zero. Clean up crew is awesome. Very happy with my little box of obsession so far. thanks to all for following along. And I still cant stop staring at this tank. I'm starting to wonder if I may need professional help......


Hummm. Those last two lines....I still feel that way.

 

[needreefunds]

Boy, I'm loading this new tank up a bit fast huh? :
I did a light upgrade. Bought a kit from nanotuners. Added a 24w actinic....
I hope this isn't too annoying or lacking continuity. Trying to bring you up to date. ( without driving you nutz)

A shot with the new lighting--3.24

And one with the stock 2.24 lighting

and some of splitting 'shrooms

See the one little piece back left in the hole? and the other just broke off and dropped. Also do you guys think thats Halimeda growing next to the shroom??

And just for giggles-a pic of my Marcorocks order for my other project-my established 46g bow front is in need of a make over. I started to cycle these in a rubbermaid in my den/living/fish room. After the first day, getting home from work and walking into the house.....well..now the rock is out in the shed!! P-U-

Thanks again guys- Have a good week..Will post pics when my new guys arrive and open. Take care

 

[needreefunds]

Here are more pics as I start to gather my first frags from fellow reefers.....

FTS

Thanks for looking and I promise to work on my photo skills! Take care.

 

[needreefunds]

Be patient?? BAHH!!! Loading up on the frags continues...
( just kidding here folks, this is time laps tank cycling!!!)
Although you have heard this before, go slow, only bad things happen quickly in reefing.

Well, Its been a little while. And I have some new additions to my 12g of obsession

Sorry but all the FTS stink. A couple of side shots though.

 

[needreefunds]

Gee, doing rapid fire tank threads really boosts your post count! ;D

Its been awhile!
Hello everyone! I hope you are having a great weekend! Been busy like everyone else with spring house / yard-work type stuff. Also playing with the other tanks, the 46 bow and my new budding 20L prop tank. This one is doing well. Have been fighting unexpected temp issues. It seems the central air doesn't quite cover the heat build up in my fish / living room :lol: .So in effort to lower temps, I wound up swapping the stock pump I modded into chamber one with a new MJ600. Also cleaned up the plumbing to the pump. I got rid of the barbed elbow and nipple and used a 90* slip fit elbow instead. Much easier to service the pump now if need be. The pump upgrade helped some, but not enough, so.....
I just finished installing an ICA chiller from Nanotuners. We shall see how this works out. I will try to get some new pics up soon, right now some inhabitants are still slightly perturbed from being deprived of their normal light cycle. I put a couple work lights over top while I modded the chiller, but I couldn't fool them!
OK that's all for now......
Pics!

Edit-Pics!

Green eggs and ham from El Chuppa

some happy, some sad

Cheers!

 

[needreefunds]

Still following this???? :-[

The temperature battle continues. My den / TV / fish-room just gets too dang hot during the day. I actually added a window A/C unit in an adjacent room in effort to keep this under control. Could not do it in the fish-room as there is only a Bow window and sliding glass door. Having a window unit is pretty strange in a house that already has central air! Can't really tell how well this is working as temps have been cooler the past few days here in NJ.

OK, I will tack on another post here...

I forgot to mention that after talking to NR's resident Mad Doctor ( RayWisperer) I did tinker with my hood some more last weekend. He offered several options. Thank you Ray!! Anyway, I decided to add another fan. So now there is: The ICA fan (runs along with the ICA-24/7), I returned a stock fan to its stock left rear position but it is blowing in as is the ICA fan. I modded the two thinner evercools (I think) into the vent areas and these pull hot air out.
The weather has been strange these past couple weeks so again its tough to know how well its all going to do for me. Everything I have tried has helped some. But at this point I really need to try to keep the "fish room" cooler. Have been thinking of changing the light timing on all of the tanks to run more at night while outside temps are cooler. Or perhaps staggering the three tanks I have.......or sell everything and take up crochet????
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SO... everything went along very well for several weeks and I will now post a FTS of this tank at what I considered its PEAK 8)

I wish I could say that the fantastic luck I had with this tank continued........( tune in next time! )

Thanks for following along folks.
I hope you enjoyed the ride and the pictures.

I am always open to comments or questions, good, bad, or ugly.

 

[arvin]

When I go on business travel, sometime have to stay away for a week or two, I put a stand fan by the side of the tank and let it blow on the tank directly. I put it on a timer to run between 12 pm to 7 pm. Not a pretty solution, but you can do it until you find a permanent solution for the temperature issues.

Nice tank and nice picture, btw.

 

[needreefunds]

When I go on business travel, sometime have to stay away for a week or two, I put a stand fan by the side of the tank and let it blow on the tank directly. I put it on a timer to run between 12 pm to 7 pm. Not a pretty solution, but you can do it until you find a permanent solution for the temperature issues.

Nice tank and nice picture, btw.

Thank you Arvind!

I agree 100%. I also have a Honeywell fan blowing on this one and it runs along with the actinic lights ( first on/last off). As you say, perhaps not the most aesthetically pleasing, but much better looking than a tankful of crashing coral!!

 

[Candi]

Only have a second before running out the door but wanted to post, great looking tank!!! LOVE all the frags, where are you getting most of them from? Really nice looking colors... I could use some small/colorful frags myself.

I didn't notice as I skimmed the posts, any fish added or going to be? I'm a huge fan of my yellow clown goby... very small, very colorful, and funny to watch I think they are perfect in a small tank. I love when he hangs on the glass

 

[CONSTANTNE]

Wow! You added a lot of frags. Hopefully i will catch up to you someday. What was the lighting before you bought the kit? And like Candi said, do you plan on adding any fish? Hows the fuge in the back going? (Thinking about doing the same)

Oh, and its nice of you to join the nano crew! ;D

 

[needreefunds]

Only have a second before running out the door but wanted to post, great looking tank!!! LOVE all the frags, where are you getting most of them from? Really nice looking colors... I could use some small/colorful frags myself.

I didn't notice as I skimmed the posts, any fish added or going to be? I'm a huge fan of my yellow clown goby... very small, very colorful, and funny to watch I think they are perfect in a small tank. I love when he hangs on the glass

Thanks for the kind words Candi!
Most of the frags came from other reefers. A few were from several different LFS, although I have found slim pickin's when it comes to frags at most LFS.

As I was afraid of, my rapid fire tank thread did leave some loose ends (ptp).

Lets see... two Astrea, two cerith, and two nassarius snails. A blue leg hermit and an emerald crab. And a Sixline wrasse with more personality than I have myself. I had added an incredible looking cleaner shrimp, but after a prolonged drip in acclimation, the shrimp went in, ducked into a cave and was never seen again.... :'(

Funny, if I was going to add another fish, a yellow goby was one of my choices.

 

[needreefunds]

Wow! You added a lot of frags. Hopefully i will catch up to you someday. What was the lighting before you bought the kit? And like Candi said, do you plan on adding any fish? Hows the fuge in the back going? (Thinking about doing the same)

Oh, and its nice of you to join the nano crew! ;D

I'm a member of the nano crew now? Gee, I feel all warm and fuzzy, Thanks!! ;D

Stock lighting on the NC DX was 2 x 24w.

The fuge seems to be doing well. I just have a Tonga branch and rubble now along with the ever growing chaeto. Its really amazing, every two to three weeks the fuge is a solid brick of green spaghetti!

 

[mynd]

Muahahahaha... Can you say Fraggers Cove...

Nice work mate! Glad to have you aboard. We might be quiet from time to time during the stocking phase but be sure to keep posting.. Love to see progress. Excellent..

I see you people have not had much problem with your sand.. I knew I should have gone with live sand over a nice white aragonite. I have decided to lose the sand. Just makes it easier to clean and since it is not alive I think it is becoming a nitrate factory. Sure it is only 7 weeks old, but it just bothers me.

Awesome frags there mate.. Keep the photos coming and get some closeups! Welcome!

 

[twan]

Looking good. So I guess now you have the same lighting as me (3.24 from nanotuners).
What bulbs are you using?

I wish I had put in a bulkhead in the chamber one wall. Since I didnt and wanted extra flow later I have a tunze mini in the display. Gets the job done, but I wish it wasnt in the display. I wish I planned better! Pic of the tunze mini in the display:

Mind the cyno, I took care of it months ago. This was the best shot I had of the tunze mini placement though.

 

[needreefunds]

Thanks Twan! Your tank looks great.

Yes, I did the nanotuners upgrade to 3 x 24 and I went with the Actinic in the center and the 10k stock bulbs. Later I also purchased the ICA chiller kit from nanotuners and installed that. Great folks to deal with, always helpful.

I was fortunate enough to stumble across another forum dedicated to nano tanks : before I even purchased my tank. I also would not allow myself to even add water to it before I read Steelhlr's incredible thread. As you have also said a great how-to for anyone interested in starting a nano tank. Speaking of Steel, didn't he do an over the bulkhead output for an additional pump??
Not that I think it looks that bad, just a suggestion. Actually the more I get into this hobby, the more I appreciate the equipment and folks set ups and such. If the reef is flourishing and awesome, you tend to look past that at first anyway, no?? Maybe its just me.

 

[twan]

Amen needreefunds!

 

[needreefunds]

It has been awhile folks, sorry for the lack of updates!

OK, so I felt this tank had become sort of stagnant. I wondered if the finger leather may be annoying the other tank mates. I also had used that plastic mate-flex material as a protective base for my live rock and I worried that perhaps its honeycomb structure may be prohibiting my sand sifting critters from doing thier job properly.

Everything was removed to buckets with a powerhead, heater and some sort of lighting during the re-work. I also removed as much grape caulerpa as I could, I doubt it will stop it, but now was the time to try!

Most frags were returned, some new ones added and I relocated the leather to my 46 bow.

Now what had finally pushed me to do this was a trip to Allquatics the day before. They have a STOCK Nano-cube 12 DX on the counter that is simply amazing. The rock work was much higher, like a big boulder with corals flowing all around and "dripping" down the sides. So all the way home I thought about what was holding my cube back from being all it could be....

OK, OK, enough talk, right?? Pictures of Richie's 12 DX- Take II

So that's what I wound up with. My rock scape abilities , well, I stink at it! :

But, It is growing on me. And if the corals grow on IT, that is all I really care about.
And that temp probe HAS been relocated to the rear chambers after getting razzed from a friend on another forum. ( Why didn't I think of that ???)

I hope you are all well,

Thanks for looking!

 

[mynd]

So glad to see an update and it does look great.. Glad you got the opportunity to see a nano in full form which pushed you over the edge. Keep with the updates as it is always nice to see progress and what was added / changed with the tank. Looks really good actually and I usually will tell you if it sucks or not. I hate when people say something looks good and it really looks like ****.

There is something about it that makes it Cool. Yes, you will get growth. The only question I have is will the rock structure give you any type of depth to your corals. We will find out! muahahaha!

Nice work!