Ibuyen 14 gal biocube

[ibuyen]

Well I decided to jump into the saltwater world. I been reading about it for about two years.

Tank
14g Coralife biocube

Equipment
Stock lighting plus extra blue led bar
Stock pump
Biocube protein skimmer
100w heater
Biocube UV sterilizer
In tank meadia basket
10w underwater light

About 19 lbs of live rock
20 pounds live sand
Some Zoas
leather finger
long leather poly
Chaeto

3 Astraea snails

Current test results
Ph- 8.2
Ammonia- 0 ppm
Nitrate - 10 ppm
Nitrite- 0 ppm
Calcium- 400 mg/l ppm
KH Carbon Hardness- 8 dkh 143.2 ppmkh
Phosphate- 0.0 ppm
Specific gravity- 1.022

Using API master and reef set

Will add pictures as soon as I can

[Northerly]

Sounds cool! Any plans for some tiny fish or crustaceans? Would love to see pics.

[Cliff]

I'm looking forward to seeing pics

Just a word of warning tho, your corasl likely won't do to well (as well as the could) and it will be more difficult to keep your parameters stable with a salinity that low. Natural sea water is 1.027, so at 1.022, you are very low. I would suggest keeping it between 1.025 and 1.026. That will help a lot and give you a little flexability if you get some evaporation.

[ibuyen]

have about 16 pictures from time to start been about three weeks

[ibuyen]

some more pictures

[ibuyen]

and some more

[Northerly]

Good job! Looks great.

[ibuyen]

and more pics

[ibuyen]

Current full tank shot

[ibuyen]

I'm looking forward to seeing pics

Just a word of warning tho, your corasl likely won't do to well (as well as the could) and it will be more difficult to keep your parameters stable with a salinity that low. Natural sea water is 1.027, so at 1.022, you are very low. I would suggest keeping it between 1.025 and 1.026. That will help a lot and give you a little flexability if you get some evaporation.

will try to increase my my salinity. I tried off by used the petco natural saltwater, when i was just that it readin about 1.023. since then i added about gal of distilled water which i can see how i got down to 1.022. Is it okay if i use distilled water right from my grocery store? not sure if i want to get a ro/di setup yet. been looking at 160 dollar one by coralife that is 4 stages.

[Cliff]

Nice looking tank. Is that a toad-stool leather near the top of your tank ? How long have you had this coral in your tank ?

Using distilled water (not mineral water) from the grocery store is a OK option. RO/DI water is best. Many LFS also sell that for a little cheaper than buying distilled from a grocery store (at least that's true were I live).

Have you also been testing you Mag levels ? The reason why I ask is that maintain your Mag levels will also help your Cal & dKH to become and stay balances and will also help to stabilize your pH.

[ibuyen]

I don't believe I have a test yet for MAG, i will have to look into it. I read about my leather is very similar to toadstool leather. He doing pretty good lately. things i did today was take corals off plugs that i have currently and attach them to my live rock. still fighting some brown algae but that's normal. Also my reef keeper lite came in the mail today. Need to figure how to set that up.

other things on list to do.
attach corals to live rock once they come in.
figure out how to remove chamber in number one.
Replace 100 w heater with 50 w... not liking my temps are around 82 to 83
hook up reef keeper
learn how to glue frags properly without getting glue everywhere
hook up MJ1200 once it comes in. Hope its not to powerful, got it for 18 shipped on other forum.

[ibuyen]

Really didn't do much to the tank today, was stuck at work most of the day, luckily I came up with a want and need list of items i felt i might need.


Want
New LED lights
RO/DI Unit
ATO
Other Reef Keeper items

Need
Hydro Flo to replace the nozzle coming out of Chamber three
Need PH and ORP Probes
Would Like a new stand with more space underneath
50 W Heater to replace 100w one currently in the tank
More CUC looking for prolly snails heard crabs don't do much
Salt Mix Stocked my tank with lfs premade water (1.023) and would like to increase it to about (1.025) I still have about 6 gallons of premade water so slowing add salt and test to figure how to increase my salt levels. I plan of doing this with about 2 wc a week till this happens.

and for pictures I have My unknown name Zoas on my stick with the feather worm. If you know the name let me know. Also have My Green Star Polyps and Pretty in Pink Zoa opening up soon in their new spots. Still need to glue GSP need to find good spot for it to cover. My Radio Active Zoa look dead not sure if from shipping or stress. and of course a FTS. Also fixed the pictures through editing them. Sorry using the iphone.

[ibuyen]

got my coral shipment in from Aqua Scrappers today. good stuff there.
Got a couple zoas and Ricordea florida. Also my pump came in. Did about a 15% water change. Have off tomorrow where think might go shopping for some more cuc.

[Northerly]

I like the progress:)

[ibuyen]

Added two hermit crabs and two turbo snails today. One of the hermits is small blue leg, other normal med size one. Turbo snails seemed to be sticking to my live rock where my other snails normally on glass or back. Crabs have been doing great job cleaning up my brown algae. They clean up the sand well. As for coral most of zoas open up so far, few still look okay but have not open up. Also picked up a 50w heater. Notice temperature was about 88 last night got down to 84 so far. Have no heater currently plugged in till temp drops more

[ibuyen]

Added one more Astraea Snail, 3 more EBL hermits

Since heater been off tank dropped to about 82 degrees.
Ordered the Biocube 29 stand for more space.
Plan on having a 10 gal Sump added to tank.
Maybe ATO now too. Not sure

Pictures
Gsp starting to come out.
Green People Eater Zoa like thier new spot.
Hermits are slowing taking away diatoms on the sand.
And my first born coral in my tank. New Zoa on my still unnamed Zoa.

[ibuyen]

So far rearrange the rock for more of a wall look, might change a bit.
I think my sump is going to be 10 gallons. Still gives me a little bit of room in the stand. Prolly buy 5.5 gal to use the glass or 2.5 haven't planned that far yet. Overflow box is either going be lifereef or eshopps. Might be getting a lifereef nano from another forum but guy hasn't gotten back to me. Started playing around with the reef keeper today. Can't get my itemp to work. Not sure whats wrong with it. I also have advance lighting control not quick sure what I am going to use that for. It came with my package deal. Hoping for some kind of fish in the tank hopefully in a month or so. I would like maybe two small tank raised clowns but might chose something else. Everyone wants me to get clowns tho.

[Cliff]

A 14 gallon tank with some rock in it will be far too small for a clown fish. I would suggest the smallest tank you could keep one in would be a 20 gallon tank, and even that is pushing it

Some of the smaller gobys or maybe blue-eyed cardinal fish would be a better fit for your tank

[ibuyen]

how do you feel about blue yellow tail damsel and goby or I know Shrimp Goby pair would also work.

[Cliff]

Damsels (including the yellowtail) typically become highly territorial. When that happens (not if) your will have some aggression issues to deal with in a tank that small. Damsels need room to claim as their own and need no less than a 36" tank (30 gallon at least). Perhaps a fire fish to go with the shrimp/goby combo ?

[ibuyen]

Fire fish wouldn't be bad. I really like the yellow watchman goby and tiger pistol shrimp combo as well. Should I add any in any order. I would like to try to do shrimp goby pair where hide in caves together like I seen on YouTube .

[Surfdog]

I too love the shrimp/goby combo. Sadly my mandarin and shrimp don't mimic that behaviour...

[ibuyen]

Built my Biocube 29 stand today. Also picked up a 10g for a sump and some green mushrooms. I am not quite sure on what kind of pump to get. I have a mj1200 doing nothing and coralife one running in the tank now. Hope I can use one of them. Still need to order an overflow box. Eshopps is about $50 to 60. Lifereef is about $100 to 150 depending if you can find a used one.

Corals are doing somewhat well. Few Zoa frags did not make it. Also lost about one or two hermits. Tank is clean though which is a good sign.

[ibuyen]

been awhile since I added. the tank has pretty much changed. Found a local place that was a guy in his basement, which had great corals and fish. Ended up picking up two fish. Also got my lifereef nano overflow with silencer and the return pump. Still need to get the pvc for the plumbing. In the pictures noticing a lot of green growth on my rocks. Also both fish are in the one picture.

[ibuyen]

Is green growth possible that it is coralline growth?

[Cliff]

It certainly is possible, but its not that common. If you can easily remove it, its not coraline

[ibuyen]

Both fish are doing good both eating well. Purple firefish stays in the bottom left corner most of the time.also the yellow watchman cave right behind there. Seem fine together.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/BED18CF8-323A-45AB-ABCE-F7553BD95049-45710-00002AB49ABC2692.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/5EE6A64F-7BA1-431D-8C19-CF0BFDE59315-45710-00002AB479BD59B8.jpg


http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/F0F44A1B-4797-48C1-8635-6F8CC0C09EC2-45710-00002AB4593AD58F.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/268CFDDA-91D9-4D68-B705-59A4B0458A55-45710-00002AB44AD12FD8.jpg

[Cliff]

Is the leather coral at the top of the last picture a Cauliflower / Colt leather or a Carnation leather ?

[ibuyen]

i believe it is a colt coral, sure does look like it. Pretty cool coral gets huge doing the day and very small at night. Was attacking my Green People Eaters so I had to move them a little.

[Cliff]

Yes, that is a really nice looking coral. Pictures seldom do them justice. I used to have on in my 90 gallon but it never did color up like yours is

Colt corals can also be some what aggressive. You might want to give him a little more room from your other corals

[ibuyen]

Yeah it was only 15 dollars and had small toadstool that I was able to frag off of it. It's about inch to inch and half away from the hammer now. Might just the live rock a little bit so colt is towards back more once it grows. Also plan on fraging the colt a lot once it fills up a bit. Just Clip of a piece when it's extended right? Feed my maxi mini which was fun to watch.

[ibuyen]

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/3CA1DC01-A38B-49C1-9ADD-A504B986D30E-46899-00002BBA3FDE6F80.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/C9CADC95-BB14-494A-99FA-6BAC7C3D30D0-46899-00002BBA3794E218.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/34B0ED60-AFB7-4674-AB9C-2F87E3EA7056-46899-00002BBA3075E541.jpg

I been watching this grow for while, not quite sure what it is, think might be a sponge.

[ibuyen]

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/398BB17B-BA16-44CB-B1B5-C610B5CEC177-27716-000048A7A940083A.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/894747EE-26D1-4945-AC22-222A841E5403-27716-000048A7BBE919A0.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/516C27B1-DD56-4690-8890-78F09ADDBBA2-27716-000048A7C6FC5FED.jpg

[ibuyen]

Night time pics

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/8A9A1D81-7032-4D95-99EF-AAFF56C36F3C-54982-000034A3B61C6515.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/A1AB265F-5984-43EC-90C1-1F4F3A434A66-54982-000034A3BE53FA2D.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/714FA527-3F84-4B21-BC5A-8B3A03505D79-54982-000034A3C76FBE9B.jpg

[ibuyen]

Better ones
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/8AB09CCA-BD30-473E-A340-DF6046FDE760-55077-000034AA623D0E15.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/FAA3B11C-B6F9-4D1C-ADB8-BA1EB0D4B667-55077-000034AA6BC3C5EF.jpg

[ibuyen]

Finally got my sump into place, pump overflows the top tank, so I need to figure how to fix that.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/BFBD0489-D53A-4DB8-A316-F272993A7EAE-57235-00003730C2D3DF7B.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/C32E2B95-0312-4D60-8C8B-AE2F44254135-57235-00003730D57FEDBF.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/263B1133-B75A-40A2-BA17-BDDBEEAAED7A-57235-00003730EB8A3E41.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/164BDDC9-01C8-4321-9D72-82535A69D090-57235-00003730DFC468A6.jpg

[ibuyen]

Holiday update

Everything is well with the cube, finally got the sump fully running. Just need to figure how to silence the down pipe. Also my yellow watchman goby is really a female. Frag racks are little full right now. Working on converting my 8 gal bio cube into frag tank.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/12F11B10-417D-459A-9EC0-93B4B2F44A3C-64805-00003F90102D1D1D.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/DE1EF46E-DF2F-4590-99EA-CEA892A9EB97-67162-0000411A3A3A97C7.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/DD211EA1-051F-4104-AEA7-82A58BA6968A-67162-0000411A1F29CF92.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/5712C59B-096C-4544-88FD-362C5C0C894D-67162-0000411A28D68A4E.jpg

[ibuyen]

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/B40BB791-A63E-421B-86A0-86135E7665BA-67162-0000411A316C2668.jpg
That poly grown like 6 heads since I got it.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/D2B540CC-BAD3-45C2-AE1A-26FF41E5A0D5-67162-0000411A5BA00827.jpg
Gsp grown about 1/2 it original size.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/A9146E70-17E5-4A7A-A4CA-2CAD6FC952AF-67162-0000411A53873F91.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/61B57937-15AD-45B4-9399-7310F0AB38DA-67162-0000411A49793B56.jpg

[xximanoobxx]

Very nice! Keep up the good work!

[glarior]

Looks great!

[ibuyen]

Adding more coral,
Two maxi mini
Red and gold Zoas
Blue cloves

Almost came with hollywood stunner chalice and bam bam zoa frag but idk if they are going to make it.

Also upgraded from bio cube skimmer to bubble magus nac 3

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/D41A6A50-E4CC-4467-AF79-1470D804FB17-74193-000048C3984170C2.jpg

[Cliff]

I've read great things about that skimmer. I would be interested to read about how you like it once it is broken in

That a nice little anemone as well. He should color up even more than he is right now once he has had a chance to settle into his new home

[ibuyen]

It's a little loud so far, might switch it out with the mj1200 and see how it is. Also need to find a cap for the drain line of the cup. But for 65 dollars I couldn't pass it up.

[ibuyen]

Current Updated Stocking List

Tank

14 gallon bio cube

Sump

10 gallon AGA

Equipment

Oceanic Sterilizer
Oceanic Circulation Fan
Bubble Magus Nac 3 Protein Skimmer
Coralife Pump
1.5 Sicce Syncra Silent Pump ( Sump Return)
Life Reef Nano Overflow Box With Silencer
100 Watt Tetra Heater ( Display)
50 Watt Tetra Heater ( Sump)
Reef Keeper Lite ( ITemp)
ALC Module ( 2 Lunar, 2 White )
SL1 ( PH and Temp Probe, 2 Float Switches)
(2) PC4'S
Stock Biocube Lighting with 2 LED Bars
Coralife Mini T5 18 Watt ( Fuge Light)

Live Rock Fiji

Fish

Purple Firefish
Female Yellow Watchman Goby

Invertebrates

(1) Large Feather Dusters
(2) Medium Feather Dusters
Mini Feather Dusters
(1) Hermit Crab
(5) Blue Leggier Hermits
(3) Astrea Snails
(2) Turbo Snails
Stomatella Snails
Bristle Worms

Coral

Kenya Tree
Toadstool Leather
Neon Green Toadstool Leather
Thick Finger Leather
Green Tipped Hammer ( 2 Heads)
Green Striped Mushrooms
Green Anemones Mushrooms
Green Star Polyps
Lunar Eclipse Palys
(3) Unnamed Zoas
Pretty In Pink Zoas
Speckled Green People Eaters Zoas
Lighthouse Vice Zoas
Blue Leopard Vice Zoas
Technicolor Dream Zoas
Yellow Dragon Eyes Zoas
Radioactive Dragon Eyes Zoas
Bam Bam Zoas
Blue Hornet Zoas
Green Implosions Zoas
(2) Florida Ricordea
Candy Cane? Trumpet ? ( 4 heads)
(3) Maxi Mini Carpet Anemones
Blue Cloves
Grape Ape Acan ( 2 heads)
T Rex Acan

Fuge
Live rock
Chaetomorpha
Blue Ochtodes
Dragon Breath

[ibuyen]

So my first maxi mini moved today to front of the tank about three inches. I Am happy nothing was there when it moved and now I can see it all the time.
I ended up selling my biocube 8, I ordered a Ada 60 F tank with the money I got from it. Should be here tomorrow. It's perfect for a frag tank . L x W x H = 24" x 12" x 7".

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/5305F345-D041-42BC-82A4-74D96F8D2E43-1081-000000860EFABAFE.jpg

[ibuyen]

Ada 60 f came in today.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/A5B825AE-611A-43AB-9C26-48FE25DCB5E9-3783-0000018828978A20.jpg

Egg crate in

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/44E7E9E2-8820-4F28-BDFD-0F6766DA45BC-3783-0000018830F18F7D.jpg

Light tempory on it, might hang it.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/66C19021-226F-4CC6-BECE-F8D90CA5E061-3783-000001898565F501.jpg

[ibuyen]

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/79DC4D08-DBB4-4693-8D47-687BF8F73EB3-31919-000054411FEEC4B1.jpg

Worked on mixing some saltwater today. Also need to either raise the ac110 for the Ada 60 f or trim the intake. Might raise it but worried about the noise.

[ibuyen]

I Might of lost a snail tonight to my big hermit. He has been going after him for about a week. Even to the top of the glass of the aquarium! I tried saving and moving them apart but I can't always be there.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/2B8121B6-7D1D-409B-9336-0B00D77768C5-32584-0000551949143FC8.jpg

Cube little packed at the moment till the frag tank is ready. Prolly won't be adding much considering running low on funds. Might sell some extra equipment I have lying around.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/A5F693E5-B5A8-45ED-B17D-9FDAB00575C0-2287-000001B747E0CE80.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/E9559312-EA60-47EE-A360-4FB8058DCDA0-32584-00005517987ECA2F.jpg

[hockeyhead019]

That really is a gorgeous nano you have! Well done on the coral keeping they all look super healthy!

[ibuyen]

Thanks i am in struggle with salinity right now, sadly it's at about 1.032 right now. Slowly I am doing per gallon changing of tank water with distilled Walmart water daily. Also working on turning a 5.2 gallon trash can into a ato setup threw the reef keeper. Should have it done tomorrow if I go buy some tubing.

This guy started out with only one starfish finger
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/76E4544F-C3F2-4E94-8567-97D50E1DE2F4-32584-0000567FD18695EB.jpg

Light going to use for Ada 60-f, waiting for hanging kit to come in.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/42572122-1704-4C46-9068-4B919191CA5C-32584-0000567FDC3C1884.jpg

[ibuyen]

ATO all finished and wired into the reef keeper.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/9413CEBD-0658-4DFC-A182-DC2BBC7E6FE3-15178-00000CC903C36066.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/0A5AC316-D9BC-4A5A-8CED-57E4E1374F62-15178-00000CC90BC8C16B.jpg

Light is finally hanged.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/58C2D328-81F1-475B-BBC0-4EBCD483C355-15178-00000CC923976100.jpg


Fts

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/FC05B60A-1782-4527-8B27-94B938493ECF-15178-00000CC91B9B1A52.jpg

[Cliff]

When I set-up my last reef tank, I added a ATO to the sump. I will always have one from now on.

Is your ATO and DIY system ?

[ibuyen]

Made a video today, trying to get a shot of the blue hornets but just couldn't get it clear. All well just iPhone video. Sorry prolly should of muted the tv.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/5F1F60E4-8F71-4CDA-9613-8B3EA2E625AD-16175-00000DA3BCF80C0D.mp4

[ibuyen]

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/5F1F60E4-8F71-4CDA-9613-8B3EA2E625AD-16175-00000DA3BCF80C0D.mp4

[ibuyen]

It's mainly DIY

Whole thing is magfloat, zip ties, part coat hanger, two float switches.

Wired them in serries to switch b to reef keeper. Will not run if trash can is empty.

[hockeyhead019]

definitely a good idea having the dual switches so you don't toast the motor if the trash can is empty lol... tank looks good now that you have most of the extra frags out of there lol

[ibuyen]

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/A23FBD11-43A3-4D5E-9C81-C76A44BC483A-38937-0000616C946F1D65.jpg

New pistol shrimp paired with my YWG

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/11F9884B-2557-4BFA-A9FF-36EC3E249275-38937-0000616C09F0844C.jpg

Frag tank finally cycled

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/33169B38-8886-4C07-BFEE-45406BB2539A-38937-0000616C151031E2.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/Jwar13/3E7880B6-795A-438A-81EA-D5A8A4A0E717-38937-0000616C277E0D4E.jpg