First Nano Cube Build

[Michaelbknudsen]

Just filled up my JBJ 6 gallon with water, 6lbs of live rock, live sand, added a 30w Deep Blue heat stik and a Maxi-Jet 400.

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

Day 2... Added a rotating deflector and situated the rocks a bit. Also placed a piece of PURA filtration pad over the intake to help clear up the water so I can stare at my cycling tank. Such joy in a pile of rocks on sand, I can't even imagine how exciting it will be to stock over the next few months!!!

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

Plucked some bristle worms ( 2 larger ones ) from one of the rocks I picked up. There are a bunch of smaller ones still left, but all seem to be hanging in one piece of rock. I'm hoping the lack of food while the tank cycles brings the population in check over the next few weeks. Any thoughts on that hypothesis?

 

[Kvark27]

I never had luck catching mine but once I added my Philippines Neon Dotty Back, he apparently ate them all.. But now today I sold him back to the store for credit because you grew and became very mean. Nice looking tank!

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

I never had luck catching mine but once I added my Philippines Neon Dotty Back, he apparently ate them all.. But now today I sold him back to the store for credit because you grew and became very mean. Nice looking tank!

Thanks! I might add something in that is a predator after parameters balance out. I also read about a method using PVC pipe, capped with holes drilled in the side and a piece of food in it. You then remove the pipe at night and do the bristle worms that are inside. I don't mind a few, but don't want them to disturb anything down the line.

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

Throwing in a raw shrimp today... I was on the femme about putting it in or not. It's day 3, so I hope it's not too late! :/

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

Corynactis identified, thanks to the help of everyone. I was worried I found another unwelcome guest in my live rocks after finding some aiptasia yesterday. Im keeping my eyes peeled for any growth, which may seem like a bit of paranoia. This is my first saltwater tank though, so I want to take the right steps and set myself up for success. Water clouded up pretty quickly after I added a raw shrimp wrapped in cheesecloth.

Corynactis:

 

[Beengirl]

Looks like your off to a great start! Now the waiting game starts! The bristle worms will thin out with the lack of food, so good hypothesis! Welcome to the world of SW!

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

Looks like your off to a great start! Now the waiting game starts! The bristle worms will thin out with the lack of food, so good hypothesis! Welcome to the world of SW!

Thanks! I've long been waiting and studying up fir my first SW tank. Can't wait to add the CUC in a few weeks

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

Changed up the scape a bit... One week in and tank seems to be cycling great. Added about two pounds lr rubble to the first chamber in the back for filtration and one more piece in the tank.

 

[Beengirl]

I like the height that it adds!

 

[Cichlid-dude]

Great start! What are you stocking it with?

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

Great start! What are you stocking it with?

I was thinking of a crab, snail and ywg/pistol shrimp combo. Could I pull off one more fish down the line? The crab and snail would be the first in after the tank cycled, then the ywg and shrimp in a couple months.

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

Maybe a juv clown?

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

Working on some DIY mods to the canopy to start a refugium in the middle compartment on the back of the tank. Super glued a mini LED that was meant for a beta tank onto the hood, and this will be hooked up to a timer opposite the tank lights to stabilize PH levels in the system. My hydor nano powerhead and truelumen led strip arrive tomorrow, which should do it for the additions. Everything is falling together!

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

Pics of added lighting to the hood:

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

Parameters checked out in Monday, so I did a water change and waited until today to recheck. The tank has cycled!!!!! Just went to the lfs to grab a snail and hermit. They are hard at work, with the snail already removing a visible area off a piece of lr, and the hermit crawling around scoping the scene and munching small pieces of hair algae along the way. Pics:

 

[Charlie.636]

What kind of powerhead are you using? Looks like your doing good

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

What kind of powerhead are you using? Looks like your doing good

Thanks, I'm pretty excited how its coming together. I'm using a koralia nano 240. I wasn't going to add a powerhead at first, but the added flow seems to have been needed.

 

[Michaelbknudsen]

Better pics of my new CUC: