Setting Up a Nano Tank

[AwesomeDartfish]

I am planning to set up a 29 gallon coralife biocube, this is going to be my first saltwater tanks so I was wondering what I will need. The biocube comes with a lot of stuff I know I would need like the integrated wet/dry biochemical filter 10,000k wat light and actinic light. I would get 30-40 pounds of live rock and 30 pounds of live sand I will also get another pump because it comes with a pump in it. I also will get a water testing kit to see how the cycle is going. What I am wondering is what else would I need and also if the fish I have chosen will work, I also need help on what corals and clean up crew I can get because I am new to saltwater. The fish I am planing to get are 1 Purple Dartfish 1 Tail Spot Blenny 2 Clownfish (dont know what kind yet) and 1 Royal Gramma. I have no idea what to get from my clean up crew and corals, I know I can only get soft corals because I dont have enough lighting for LPS corals. I would be really thankful to anyone that helps and

 

[Frankie_Garcia]

That's a lot of fish, I think you could be able to keep 2 clowns or 2 other fish.

What kind of stock lighting comes with your cube?

Soft corals are good for a cube!

 

[Frankie_Garcia]

You could also get a media rack for it. And out some rubble rock, chaetomorpha, and a bag of carbon.

 

[bribo12]

IMO 5 fish is fine just keep up on water changes. I have 4 in a 20 gallon and they do great. You could probably do lps up higher but softies look great as well.

 

[NicoC16]

You can stock the tank based on your maintenance schedule. If you have the time, you can go ahead and keep all of those fish. Also, LPS corals will be fine inthat tank's lights. I'vw had experience with that tank, and even placing LPS on the bottom will get them to grow. I would not recommend you to go with SPS though, not enough lighting for that.

 

[AwesomeDartfish]

OK I am going to my LFS tomorrow and I will see if they have all that, also I have heard people say different things about how fast these tanks cycle, some people have said 3-4 weeks and other say 1 week. Also I would want to use Reverse Osmosis water right? And would I need a clean up crew, is so what should I get?

 

[sharkiegirl94]

What does the biocube not include besides rock, sand, etc? I may be starting one soon. I need to know how much extra money i need. Do you have to gave 2 pumps? Etc?

 

[AwesomeDartfish]

The biocube is a good place to start, it comes with most of what you need already in it like a filter and all that. You may not need a second pump depending on what corals you want to have, you may want to get a protein skimmer but it is not needed right away. You will also need something called prime if you are using tap water to take out all the bad stuff in your water (I recommend you use ro/di water) also you will need a heater. In total you are probably looking at about 7 hundred to start with all your live rock and sand and all that.

 

[sharkiegirl94]

Yikes haha is it ok to use spring water? I used that for freshwater and they love it.

 

[AwesomeDartfish]

I would still use the prime just to be safe, you could use that though for sure.

 

[sharkiegirl94]

Ok thanks.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Use ro/di if at all possible. Other water will lead to problems down the line

 

[sharkiegirl94]

Have you even tried spring water? I tested it there's no amounts of anything. And I've never had a problem with it with freshwater.

 

[sharkiegirl94]

Plus it's nothing like tap.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

Salt and fresh are 2 different things. Ro/di has 0tds which is what you want. Spring water has chemicals in it for humans that are harmful to the critters your trying to keep