Need some help starting up a Nano Cube

[Derek B]

Hey all,

Haven't been around in a while. I sold off my aquarioum a couple years ago due to some major life changes ... new baby :) Well now the little man is 3 and I am thinking about setting up a 12 gal nano cube for me ... I mean him :lol

I know pretty much how I am going to do it but need a little help from the experts here.

1) Is the 12 gal Nano Cube Deluxe a good product? Is the lighting sufficient for a nano reef?

2) Would I need a skimmer or is the filtration sufficient with regular maintenance of course?

3) What types of fish would you all recommend putting in there?

4) Is the water circulation sufficient with the pump provided or would you recommend something different or additional?

5) Any general recommendations on set-up that would be helpfull from those who have done it before?

I prob will have other questions as you all respond to these. Looking forward to the feedback and getting back into the hobby ... in a small way ;)

Yhanks in advance .... Derek

[fishypets]

You should check with cmydas. She has one cool nano and lives in S.A. Or you could check out Seans nano which happens to be this months TOTM

[Ross]

The stock lighting is insufficient IME. It will keep zoos and other softies alive, but growth is very slow. The pump is also insufficient, you should upgrade to a MJ 900 or minijet 606. You dont really need a skimmer, some people run one but most people dont. For fish a pair of clowns is hard to beat, a royal gramma is also cool and a firefish or similar small fish. Another cool mod is the skimmer overflow which skims off the top of the water instead of just out of the middle of the water column.

[lachrimae]

My wife wanted a small zoo tank so we set up a NanoCube DX about 6 weeks ago.

Ross is right, the lights aren't sufficient for much more than softies, maybe a few LPS varieties. We haven't upgraded the stock pump but it is relatively weak. If you are keeping softies you'll probably be OK though I may do an upgrade.

We have a green clown goby in there and plan to add 2 black/white ocellaris and probably a shrimp.

You could also consider dwarf seahorses, damsels (bleh), chromis (good damsels :)), firefish etc...

The new versions of the DX come with the surface skimmer that Ross mentioned. The design is not the greatest but it works I suppose. Our goby got through there somehow and was on a constant spin cycle until we got him out. He lived but I've kept the skimmer off ever since until I mod it.

Have fun! Here's ours in it's current infancy:

http://eliverock.com/mar/Nano_2_25_2006.jpg
(sorry for large image...)

[Derek B]

Thanks for the feedback so far. Couple additional questions ....

1) Has anybody used the Quickdip test strips .. if so, what do you think?

2) OceanPro Aquatics has a pretty cool new nano cube (made by Cube Masters) that is deeply discounted ( 12g cost is $100 and includes a moon light) compared to the JBJ. I am thinking about getting that one. Anybody heard of it or had experience with it?

3) How would a combo of Tonga Kaelini and Tonga branch rock look for this set-up???


Thanks for the help!

[TheOtherGuy]

1)Quickdip strips I guess are ok for basic ammonia, nitrite. I prefer to use the Salifert line of tests for most things.
2) Never heard of it. Would have to research that.
3) Seems like Kaelini and Branch would work. In a 12g you will not need much rock. A couple of good peices of branch and you will have room for some corals and some open space for water flow.

[blueboy]

lachrimae- is that bryopsis in the front center of you tank? if so, you will want to get rid of it while you can, and do so by removing the rock from the tank(it's totipotent). it looks pretty swaying in the current, but trust me it's hell's spawn when it gets going!

[lachrimae]

Thanks for the tip blueboy, I checked out google images & you were right (good eyesight!). I pulled that rock & will let it die off before putting it back in.
Perhaps you just saved my wife (read: me) a lot of hassle down the road :)

[cbianco]

Derek

I have a 24 Gallon Nano Cube. I love it and I have had no problems with my tank. The lighitng is a bit skimy but there are kits out there that make putting extra light in your tank easy. I don't skim, I only perform water changes. I house a pair of Pajama Cardinalfish in my tank and other than the fact that they ate all my shrimp I love them! :) I put all kinds of rock in my tank, it all works out in the end. I have various soft corals in my tank, my one acro frag is nice and brown, :lol .

You can see pictures of my tank by clicking the link in my signature. Good luck.

Christopher