grassi Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Hi all! I've been on the nano-reef forums for a while, and I'm so happy to find something more local (clap) I have a 14g Biocube with about 21lbs LR. It was set up with 8lbs of LR and 5 Damsels for 6 months before I bought it. The first livestock we added was a small CUC of 4 little snails and 2 scarlet hermits. Then we had added an emerald crab with the initial CUC, although later we found out he was evil as he pulled out my large feather duster and ripped him in half right in front of me and stalked all other living creatures in the tanks... :o needless to say he went back to the store! We're having tons of fun looking at the LR everyday for new growths and hitchhikers, which has been really eventful! I'm now obsessed with identifying every HH we find... Hitchhikers to date: - peanut, spaghetti, and hair worms - feather dusters (including many of white tubes and bright red/orange/pink "feathers") - tons of brittle starfish - pineapple sponges - brachiopod (according to the identification section of the forum) - Actinodiscus shroom (12/28/08) - Stomatellas (4 so far) - 3 Orange Ball Anemone (Pseudocorynactis) Livestock (purchased): (not including stock in "quarantine/frag tank") - Scarlet and Blue Leg Hermits, 7 snails - Zoas, Polyps, Shrooms, and 12 ricordea - Green Star Polyp - Candy Cane - Frogspawn - Hammer (very neon!) - Torch - Pagoda Coral - Duncans (2 varieties) - Sun Coral - ORA Birdsnest - Rufus (giant!) - 2 Ocellaris Clowns (local tank raised babies) "FISH" and "CHIPS" Modifications: - Koralia nano powerhead - Hydor Flo Deflector - Chaeto, Filter Floss, and LR rubble (took out bio balls and biobag filter) - Maxi Jet 900 - Remora skimmer w/1200 maxi jet - 16.5 inch Sunpod 12/09/08 - added 7lbs cured LR to what the tank came with 12/27/08 - after adding 4.5lbs more very cured LR and re-scaping 01/06/09 - after adding my frags and finishing the rockscaping (sorry for the crappy pic, hubby is traveling with the good camera!) 02/03/09 - busy month! Added two baby clowns, some frags, MJ 900, and a SUNPOD 03/23/09 After too many changes and lessons to list! lol Feels like a real tank now... so happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 Bump... apparently when I update the original post it doesn't bump up! New pics up! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAD Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Very cool. How often do you have to do water changes? I hear its a lot harder to keep the smaller tanks, yours looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Looks very nice, hows the growth on your sps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stylaster Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 looking good and it was nice to meet you also! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Very nice...(rock2) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertareef Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Great looking tank! I am always impressed when people can maintain a small tank with so much diversity... must be doing something right. Or, more accurately, a lot of stuff right! (clap) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 Very cool. How often do you have to do water changes? I hear its a lot harder to keep the smaller tanks' date=' yours looks great.[/quote'] Thanks! (clap) We do 10-20% once a week. Twice if we think we've been feeding a bit too much or did some fragging.. Sometimes 1% a day for a few days. Hubby is in charge of equipment and water changes so depends on how he thinks it's looking or based on how much the skimmer pulls out overnight. I've never had a larger tank, so I couldn't say how much more work it might be?? Anyone run both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 We haven't been doing SPS for too long, but the Birdsnest and Yellow Pagoda are growing very quickly. The giant rufus (was purchased large 2 weeks ago) is a bit slower, about 1cm so far. Right now we're dosing with Bionic and Purple Up which seems to help a lot. Stylaster - it was great meeting you too! Frank - I can't wait to get your monti in here (naughty) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwinson85 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Hey, awesome tank! I just got into by BC14 not too long ago. What did you guys do as far as modding the filtration? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 Thanks! We should update the FTS pics. Now it looks even better :-) As filtration there is filter floss on top of chamber 2, sitting on some egg crate, then live rock rubble. I used to have a fuge with some cheato in chamber 2, but the submersible light failed 2 times. So now the cheato is into the display area. In chamber 2 there is also the input and output of a Remora nano skimmer hob. In chamber 3, where there was the blu sponge I run a bag of chemi pure elite. The rest of the filtration is the huge amount of LR in the display. The return pump was upgraded to a Maxy-Jet 900. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason7504 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 your tanks looking good grassi! i love sps dominated tanks and mixed reefs but i love the mixed because of the diverse types, mines a mixed reef too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 Thanks Jason! We are also running a 10g Mixed, but it is slowly going to be a nano sps only tank. I'm running a 150w MH on top of it and most of the soft corals don't like all that light and there is not enought room to create some shade :-( I'm for the mixed too, and so is gonna be the 65g we started 2 months ago :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwinson85 Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Thanks for the info. i just got my fuge going on my 14 with some cheato and some live rubble under it. did you guys cut the intake "tab"? I read a lot about this to increase flow? Let me know what you think. And do you recommend any lfs to get a some chemi pure elite? I need to get some of that in the tank as well. Again, your tank looks great and i hope mine gets there one day as well! ill try and get some pix up soon!! Thanks! We should update the FTS pics. Now it looks even better :-) As filtration there is filter floss on top of chamber 2, sitting on some egg crate, then live rock rubble. I used to have a fuge with some cheato in chamber 2, but the submersible light failed 2 times. So now the cheato is into the display area. In chamber 2 there is also the input and output of a Remora nano skimmer hob. In chamber 3, where there was the blu sponge I run a bag of chemi pure elite. The rest of the filtration is the huge amount of LR in the display. The return pump was upgraded to a Maxy-Jet 900. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share Posted September 22, 2009 Yes I did, about 1 inch. Start with a little portion and see how it goes depending on your pump. I used a dremel and if worked great. I think I saw the Elite at Waves and Saltwather Fantaseas. Get the small guy (5oz), rinse it very well. Then place a rubber bend half way. This will make very easy to fit it into that little spot where the blue sponge used to be (I removed it, as many other BC owners). Thas is the perfect position because the flow is gonna be forced to pass throught. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwinson85 Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Awesome I will try and get some elite in there this week. That's good for a few months right? Thanks again for the good info... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stylaster Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 looking great, how is that chalice piece that you got from perry doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share Posted September 22, 2009 Yes, it should be good for at least 3 months. You will notice when is time to change. If your tank is inda new (let me say.. less than 2 months) I will wait before to put Chemi Pure. @stylaster - Perry's chalice is doing great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason7504 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 grassi, where did you get that black arm that your pendant is suspended from over your 10g? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwinson85 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 its about a month old, you say i should wait to put chemi pure in? how long? Yes, it should be good for at least 3 months. You will notice when is time to change. If your tank is inda new (let me say.. less than 2 months) I will wait before to put Chemi Pure. @stylaster - Perry's chalice is doing great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 @jason - I made it. I can bend one for you as well. @cwin - Wait another month or two. Let your bacteria grow, you don't want to kill them with carbon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason7504 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 that would be sweet grassi! how would i attach it then since i have the solana stand, could i just bolt it to the stand? would that hold? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 mine is made of 1/2 inch alluminum tube. I did attach it with some plastic U brackets in the bac of the stand, with some stainless steel bolts. same on my 65 and they work well. all this stuff is available at HD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason7504 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 ok i will take a bent piece of tubing for my lighting..what do you need to bend one? can you post some pics of the back of your stand where its attached at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 you need a pipe bender for 1/2inch tube. Don't buy one and make HD more rich. It cost some $35. You can borrow it from me. I will post some pics, but it is pretty easy to attach it to the stand. What's the weight of your fixture? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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