Leach29 2012 Nano Contest Entry

[Leach29]

Hi everyone, I am going to be working on this with my wife Lindsay for this project, we are expecting our first child this is going to be in the nursery, call it the baby tank.

We have bought a 14 gallon biocube thinking we will be keeping it very simple, mixed reef, with some upgrades in areas that may need it after a little more research.

Thanks for following along should be fun!

Lindsay and Jeff

[nanoreefnewbie]

Got any pics yet?? Is that the tank you were selling that biocube lol??and I assume going refug in back?? Any live stock choices yet??:biggrin:

[Leach29]

The biocube I'm selling is an 8 gallon this is a 14.

Havn't made any decisions about livestock yet, still in the brainstorming faze! Hahahha

Will be getting pics up really soon

[nanoreefnewbie]

The biocube I'm selling is an 8 gallon this is a 14.

Havn't made any decisions about livestock yet, still in the brainstorming faze! Hahahha

Will be getting pics up really soon
OH srry lol...yea I just getting clean up clean in still no choices of corals needs fish yet:biggrin:

[Enigma]

Nice! Instead of one of those cheesy, noise making, fake, wind up, aquariums things, you're little babe is going to have the real thing. :)

Are you going to try to make it a little noisy? Something that most new parents purchase (or are given) is a "white noise machine." It is supposed to help babies sleep. In this case, a pump or skimmer that is a little noisy might be a good thing.

[intarsiabox]

Are you going to try to make it a little noisy? Something that most new parents purchase (or are given) is a "white noise machine." It is supposed to help babies sleep. In this case, a pump or skimmer that is a little noisy might be a good thing.

It also hopes adults sleep!

[Leach29]

That is a gret point about the noise, I don't think we will try to make it any noisier it has quiet a nice water flow sound right now.

[Leach29]

Here are some photos of my Nano 14 Gallon without anything in it!

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_5007427x640.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_5010427x640.jpg

[Leach29]

Here are the things that I have decided to upgrade to start with!

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_5022.jpg

The Hydor Water Circulator fits on to the existing pump, giving the tank more circulation. Still might add another power head but going to see how this works out for me first.

Added a Coralife 50/50 dual bulb, and a Coralife Actinic dual bulb. I went with this combo because I like the lighting a little more blue. Looks great and just what I was going for.

Went with the Maxi Jet 900 return pump as per a bunch of suggestions with this type of system, creating a lot more flow and works magic with the Hydor Circulator.

As for the Biocube skimmer I have heard very mixed reviews for this type of skimmer but I am goint to see how it works out to start with and go from there.

[Leach29]

I picked these LED's up. They put off around 8 watts total and going to mount them to the back of the tank to give the Chaeto Algae enough light to grow nicely.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_6717640x427.jpg

[nanoreefnewbie]

Looking good bud..:biggrin:

[Leach29]

Tank shot with water, and sand.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_6946.jpg

[Leach29]

As everyone probably knows that Biocubes have 3 chambers in the back of the system, I have modify each chamber which will make the system run and thrive better than what the stock Biocube can do.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/fish.jpg?t=1352006922

Chamber 1-
Oceanic Biocube skimmer and I also notched out the separator between C1 and C2 for increased flow, leaving the center of the separator for the skimmer to attach to with the stock clip that is on the skimmer.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_6940.jpg

Chamber 2-
Removed the bottom false grate and added live rock rubble, put the false grate back on then added a chunk of Chaeto Algae that is resting on the existing false bottom. This if going to provide perfect little refugium to help with denitrifying bacteria and the algae to help keep nitrates and phosphates under control, it is also a safe place for copepods and other foods for the tank to grow and reproduce.
I increased the flow through the drip plate by enlarging the drip plate holes and adding notches then have filter floss on top of the drip plate. 1.5 inches under the drip plate I made a grate to place the Pura Filtration Pad on this will catch most of the debris that the filter floss might miss and add the benefit chemical filtration power of PhosLock and activated carbon.
I mounted 4 LED light strips on the rear side of the Biocube shining through the glass to provide the Chaeto with sufficient light to grow.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_6703640x427.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_6711640x427.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_6931.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_6936.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_6938.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_6934.jpg
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_6718640x427-1.jpg

Chamber 3-
Stock black sponge used to filter between C2 and C3 keeps the Chaeto out of the C3 return pump area. Clean this out weekly with pump off so no Chaeto sucks into tank. Glued a screen on overflow square hole between C2 and C3 (it traps Chaeto and debris from flowing over into C3 when the pump if off and water level rises) 50 Watt Heater is attached to back glass wall, Maxi Jet 900 utility pump that fits into bottom of the chamber suctioned to the glass bottom perfectly and return is connected to a Hydor deflector, which works great for providing different flow for the tank.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_6713640x427.jpg

[Leach29]

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_6955.jpg

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g111/lgorkoff/baby/IMG_6958.jpg

10lbs of live rock

[new2reef]

Awesome idea. I have been wanting to put a small cube in our little one's room also but wife has been blocking the idea.

[Leach29]

We are so glad we set this up. It let's off such a nice glow at night with the 2 LEDs just enough to always be able to see the room, and a great water fall noise as well (white noise) I think they call it to help baby sleep?

[Leach29]

My goal right from the beginning was was to have fish that are active, have good colour and personalities. The most important thing to me was to have a light bio load, and fish that will work well in a 14 gallon.

I wanted lots of movement and colour for my corals as well.

Fish:

2- Occellaris Clownfish
1- Yellow Watchman Goby

Inverts:

8- Astraea Turbo Snails
2- Nassarius Snails
1- Blood Red Shrimp
1- Tiger Pistol Shrimp (paired up with yellow goby)
3- Maxi Mini
1- Green BTA

Corals:

1- Purple Plate
1- Purple Tip Hammer
1- Neon Green Frogspawn
1- Purple Torch Coral

Zoas and Palys:

Gold Mohawks
Radioactive Dragon Eyes
Misc zoas (don't no name yet?)
Misc Palys

[Leach29]

I decided to add a Maxi Jet 900 to give the tank more flow, I noticed that there was some dead spots in the tank. I added it right under the Hydor deflector and it really seems to dispurse the water nicely.

So far I have noticed a big improvement, the fish and corals seem to be thriving under the new flow.