Newbie: JBJ 12 gallon nano build

[ahoDMV]

Not sure yet. Need to do some research on that.

Any recommendations? I'm new to this hobby so I want to do something that is easy to take care of.

[Jmkb02]

Well depending on your lighting, you can pretty much go with anything with the different levels of lr you have. I would start with mushrooms and softies or polyps. A nice frogspawn would look pretty cool on the bottom in that nice big open space or maybe a hammer. Just thinking out loud here

[ahoDMV]

i'll look into it. Would I need a protein skimmer if i start buying corals?

[Jacobsal91]

Originally Posted by ahoDMV

i'll look into it. Would I need a protein skimmer if i start buying corals?

It would definatly help but in a nano reef isnt completly nessasary. But just know if u dont have one, u gotta do those water changes!!

[Jmkb02]

^^^+1 gotta keep up on those water changes! I know rio makes a decent skimmer for around 30-35 bucks and it does the job. You are going to be limited on your tank though. Make sure when you do start to add corals, you add and wait, test them test again. Slow and steady will win this race

[ahoDMV]

I will probably invest in a protein skimmer just to be on the safer side.

[ahoDMV]

Parameters from last night June 25th:

Temp - 80
NH3 - 0
N02 - 0
N03 - 5.0
PH - 8.0

[Jmkb02]

Looking great! What's your salinity? Also watch that temp, right now it doesn't matter but I guarantee it will when you get some coral and such. Have you done any more water changes?

[ahoDMV]

Originally Posted by Jmkb02

Looking great! What's your salinity? Also watch that temp, right now it doesn't matter but I guarantee it will when you get some coral and such. Have you done any more water changes?

Salinity is at 1.026. What should the temp be with corals?

I'll be doing another water change this Thursday.

[ahoDMV]

Originally Posted by Jmkb02

Looking great! What's your salinity? Also watch that temp, right now it doesn't matter but I guarantee it will when you get some coral and such. Have you done any more water changes?

Salinity is at 1.026. What should the temp be with corals?

I'll be doing another water change this Thursday.

[Jmkb02]

Temp should be between 72 and 78 for most corals some like it a little warmer but as a rule of thumb you wanna keep it in those parameters. Salinity is looking great, almost there. Maybe one more water change and a couple days and you should be ready for stock. Meant to ask you, did you figure out what you wanna do yet? what kind of coral and if you wanted any fish??

[ahoDMV]

not sure which fishes I want in the tank since its a 12 gallon. But I know I want to get a clown fish.

Looked up some corals. torch, hammer, and frogspawn interested me but I am not sure if it'll be fine in my tank.

Is there a link that shows different corals?

[Jmkb02]

Liveaquaria.com is a great site to refer to different specs for the fish and also coral.

Frogspawn will be great in that tank, I have one in my pico and it is doing great. Also a clown would not be a good choice a they need at least 30 or more gallons. They have a nano section on that website, I would check it out and see what you like. Coral you can pretty much do anything (light depending) but super limited on fish. I would recommend looking into goby's. They are pretty active and can be in that small of a tank, but look in that section and see what you like.

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Everyone with a tank wants a clownfish because they think that they are small, cute little fish. I had a bigger one in my old 30 gallon tank and it made that tank look small. I would not put a clown in anything under 20 gallons for sure

[ahoDMV]

_MG_2122 by OTP Photography, on Flickr

what kind of coral is that above? is it some sort of green hammer?

[carey]

That looks like a frogspawn. Hammers have little "hammerheads" on the ends.

[Jacobsal91]

I currently have a small clown in my 12 gallon, With a fairy wrasse its a bit of a bioload but i keep up with waterchanges and whatnot and have no problems. If you were to get a clownfish try to get the smallest species available. For example; a cinnamon or tomato clown is a bad idea. Where a percula clown would work a bit better. And for the record, i keep my aquarium between 76 and 78 always, In case anyone wanted that input.

[ahoDMV]

thanks guys!

Had the parameters checked tonight:

Temp - 80 (trying to lower it and keeping it stable)
NH3 - 0
N02 - 0
N03 - 0
PH - 8.2

salinity - 1.026

[Jacobsal91]

Originally Posted by ahoDMV

thanks guys!

Had the parameters checked tonight:

Temp - 80 (trying to lower it and keeping it stable)
NH3 - 0
N02 - 0
N03 - 0
PH - 8.2

salinity - 1.026

Lookin good! Honestly buying a chiller is a waste of money, and if you have compact florecent bulbs they can genorate a lot of heat, I place a desk fan next to the tank and leave it on for a few hours a day and you would be surprised with the differance it makes lol
LED lights dont create anywhere near as mich heat as other bulbs, they also have a longer life, totally worth the investment

[ahoDMV]

would I be able to throw in some CUC this friday?? and maybe a coral?

I'll be doing a water change later tonight.