Our Biocube 8 gallon

[duggy]

A month ago we bought a used 8 gallon Biocube. It came with live sand, some rubble, a couple of frags, some hitchhikers, and about 5-6 gallons of water. It had been run as an established tank for a few months. We brought it home and got it going. The next day we went to the LFS and bought about 6 lb live rock, and 4 small hermits. A few days later, we bought 2 clowns and a Bubble tip anemone. The BTA found its way into a crack in the rock, and we had to remove the rock to get it out (very very carefully). We set it someplace else (and filled the hole) and it found its way into another crack. We decided that we would leave it be this time, but it still wasn't happy. It moved around until it was hanging upside down and hiding from the lights. Stupid thing eventually died, but as we were not totally sure, we left it in for a couple more days. By this time, we also had a small frog spawn frag and a couple of other frags. Once we noticed the other corals not looking so good, and we tested the nitrates, we realized that the BTA had indeed passed on to the big ocean in the sky. I removed it, and stunk up the whole house

We recently added a high-fin shrimp goby and a pistol shrimp. They both hid immediately (the shrimp had a little trouble, as the clowns thought we were feeding them). The goby came out 2-3 days later, but it has been over a week and the shrimp has not been seen. My wife says she hears clicking every once in while, and we are trying to determine if it is the shrimp or some tank mechanism noise. I am sure he is around, just playing shy. The goby, on the other hand, while shy, still comes out to feed on brine shrimp. He does not like the nassarius, nor does he like the Mexican hermits, but the clown fish are curious, and a bit protective. very cute to watch.

Here is a link to my Picasso album. It is always being updated.
Picasa Web Albums - Doug Hilton - New Biocube 8

Does anyone have any advice regarding the right corals? As you see in the pics, there is a sun coral, but it is dying, and will likely be replaced with something. It is currently offering a hiding place for the goby, so I don't want to remove it right away. We are not sure why it died, but the LFS suggests an infection, and has offered a credit (to my delightful surprise!)

Anyways, looking forward to meeting people on the site.

Thanks

Doug

 

[maxst2]

You have way too many critters in that tank. 8 gallon tank can really only support like one clown.. and thats it....

 

[iDream]

look into getting soft corals like mushrooms, palythoas, zoanthids, ricordeas, and maybe xenia. soft corals are all you're really gonna be able to keep under that light.

the anemone died because the light isnt that strong and the water quality probably wasnt good enough for one, as they need well established tanks.

did you feed the sun coral some of the brine when its tentacles were extended? if not then that's probably why it died.

also, the clicking you hear is almost certainly the pistol, that's what they're known to do, my biocube makes no sounds like that at all.

from those pictures that tank looks covered in cyanobacteria, you should cut down feedings and turn the lights on only 6 hours a day or so, just cut back on both lights on and feedings and do some PWCs and siphon out as much of that cyano as you can, that's probably why the corals aren't doing well, i suggest taking them all out for now, removing one clown, and having just one clown, the goby, and the pistol at the VERY most to stock in there, but keep the water changes to every 2 weeks because for 8 gallons thats quite the bioload.

i probably forgot a few things, but just stay on and we'll help you get that tank in tiptop shape if you follow our directions and take our advice and get some nice looking corals in there eventually. just remember this: nothing good happens in SW aquaria fast

 

[duggy]

Cyano

look into getting soft corals like mushrooms, palythoas, zoanthids, ricordeas, and maybe xenia. soft corals are all you're really gonna be able to keep under that light.

Yes, soft corals are what we will stick with now

the anemone died because the light isnt that strong and the water quality probably wasnt good enough for one, as they need well established tanks.

Serves us right for thinking we can trust the advise of a LFS - [moderator edit]

did you feed the sun coral some of the brine when its tentacles were extended? if not then that's probably why it died.

The first night it barely opened, but it was suggested to wait a couple of day for it to settle in before feeding it. I did not heed that advise, and I placed brine shrimp into its stalks the next day, hoping it would eat. It did not open after that.

also, the clicking you hear is almost certainly the pistol, that's what they're known to do, my biocube makes no sounds like that at all.

Good to know

from those pictures that tank looks covered in cyanobacteria, you should cut down feedings and turn the lights on only 6 hours a day or so, just cut back on both lights on and feedings and do some PWCs and siphon out as much of that cyano as you can, that's probably why the corals aren't doing well, i suggest taking them all out for now, removing one clown, and having just one clown, the goby, and the pistol at the VERY most to stock in there, but keep the water changes to every 2 weeks because for 8 gallons thats quite the bioload.

That [moderator edit] cyano! We had the same problem in our old 55 gallon, and found out it was the water (we were using conditioned tap water - bad bad bad), but we use bottled de-mineralized water only. The cyano started up when the anemone died, and has stabilized since changing our lights to 6.5 hours for the daylight, and about 1.5 shouldering for the night (purple - whatever its called). The cyano is almost gone by morning, and creeps back halfway through the day. I can adjust the light more, but the frogspawn and star polyps don't like it. I am not a user of chemicals, but maybe I should consider something that will blitz the cyano once and for all?

Also, we aren't ready to give away a clown, so we want to stick with 2 clowns, the goby, and the shrimp. The snails and crabs are CUC; are they part of the bioload? And we do weekly PWCs of about 1 gallon. When you've only got 6 gallons of water, that's a decent amount, isn't it?

Thanks again Dream

 

[iDream]

yeah try 3 gallons every 1.5-2 weeks. it does actually hold 8G, but the rock and sand displace that much. the anemone dying definitely makes sense why the cyano started, try scrubbing off the rocks and siphoning it out when you do water changes. and if your lights are down that much just try to turn feedings into every other day (once every other day, that is) and just watch everything carefully for changes, ask around on here (most will say your tank is overstocked and to get rid of some fish, but my tank was overstocked too until i decided to just ditch my clowns)

 

[duggy]

Ditch the clowns! That's why we got the tank LOL
When you say "scrub the rocks", you mean while they are inside the tank? What should I scrub with, an old toothbrush or something? I assume that I would scrub first, then siphon as much out as possible during a PCW, correct?
Am I correct is saying that the CUC does not count to the bioload? What about the urchin? (who is, IMO, too big for the tank)

Thanks Dream, you've been helpful

 

[duggy]

What about the dead coral

Ok, by the looks of it, the sun coral is dead. Should I remove it?

 

[iDream]

yeah, old toothbrush is good, and yeah in the tank then siphon it afterwards. just how you said it.

and yeah sorry for missing that question, CUCs don't count nearly at all towards a bioload, speaking of, what is your CUC consist of? i know i keep saying this but i'd say ditch the urchin.

and yes, definitely remove it before your water parameters go out of whack even more.

and no problem! i'm just about the only one who lurks through the nano reef section, because i dig them lol

 

[duggy]

Not sure if the scrubbing thing is going to work, but we will keep trying to get rid of it naturally.
CUC's:
Globe Urchin, three medium-sized Mexican hermit crabs, four tiny red-leg hermit crabs, one medium nassarius snail, one smallish cerinth snail, one medium stomatella, one tiny snail of unknown origin, and a very small sea star. Their might also be a brittle star, a brittle worm, and a couple 100 amphipods and copipods

The coral is out - the LFS is credited me (what a shock!). Maybe I should boil the coral and see if I can use it as a decoration LOL

Thanks for lurking, I hope to graduate from leecher to lurker sometime in the future

 

[iDream]

okay, well you definitely need some more snails, turbos are good if you don't have any fragile rockwork, as they're kinda like bulldozers. and for a small tank i'd ditch the medium hermits, they kill snails and other hermits for no reason most of the time.

the urchin IMO is too big for that tank, brittle worms and both the pods are good to have and are a good sign of a developing tank. make sure you wear gloves when you're in the tank because those bristle worms can sting you.

boiling may be an option, i have some dead coral pieces, but they've been dead for over 15 years easily.

scrubbing and siphoning should get a jumpstart and an all around nicer looking tank, cut back feeding and everything should begin to fall into place

 

[iDream]

hows the tank coming along?

 

[duggy]

Hi again. The cyano getting a lot better. We've had the lights down more for the past couple of weeks, upgraded to a MiniJet 606 (for better flow), and cut back on feedings. The clowns hate us now (boy are they ever pigs!)

The goby is out most of the time, or at least just outside of his hole. We removed the coral and replaced it with a yellow polyp, which is doing very well. The shrimp is still in hiding, but there are more signs of it now, ie more clicking, and a sand pile from inside the goby den, so it is likely sticking around the goby, just hiding.

The frogspawn isn't too happy lately, as it seems to be sucked right in. it was small to begin with. Hope it is still okay.

Anyways, just wanted to update y'all.

 

[iDream]

sounds good! glad to hear all is getting better, the polyps are well suited corals for a biocubes stock lights.

as for the shrimp thats good news, the two form a symbiotic relationship and live in the same hole/den so thats good as well.

as for the frogspawn where is it located in the tank? i.e. high or low? fast or slow flow? it could just be its placement right now