jervismun

That's the thing about tank... I am very concerned about my JBJ Nano Cube too. My next tank is definitely going to be a custom, with glasses as thick as I can afford (and quality too) and the joints must be clearly specified and QC. Wow! How big was your tank? Must be a disaster... got pic of that disaster to share with us?

Yalor You will see.... hehehe

Hehe bro, I think you misuderstood him, he used to own a fish-only tank.

The chiller has been running for 3 days now, still haven't get used to the noise it emits, lol. I find it quite efficient for a 24g tank. Will probably adding a 10g sump to my setup soon, so will let you guys know if the Teco RA240 still works flawlessly in a 34g setup.

Thanks bro, will let you know tomorrow night.

The best way is to run through all bro's and sis' threads, books are secondary, they usually not very specific to your needs. Ask more questions, they will be answered. Although I am still new, IMO these are the few things you need to really consider when starting a nano reef tank: 1. Lighting 2. Temp (chill or not to chill, depending on lighting selection) 3. Filtration 4. Protein skimmer (not optional, a must!) 5. Life rocks and a decent sand bed Also, look at your existing equipments, see what can be recycled. Tanks are cheap nowadays, so if the existing one is not suitable, just get a new one. If you are getting a new tank, consider the following: 1. How many fishes you plan to keep 2. What type of fish? (For example: My fav fish is Juvenile Emperor Angel, but due to my tank size, can't keep... lack of planning) 3. How many inverts / corals? What's their requirements when it comes to water quality, lighting and water flow? Once you decide on all these, you will automatically knows what equipments to go for. Books with detailed specimens pixs will help or go website for info like www.liveaquaria.com Good luck

Can you tell us more about your setup like lighting? But if you have Metal Halide fixtures, chiller is almost a must. I tried running my 24g NC with 150W MH without chiller, the temperature went up to almost 32ºC... die like that! So do let us know what's your lighting... it affects the rest of the setup.

To add-on to the budget relocation issue... do plan carefully. Coz, the best time to introduce equipments and modify is at the beginning stage. Anything done later will either stress out your lifestocks or affect the balance of the biotope. This hobby (especially for small setups) is all about balance and control. Any equipments u introduce later will definitely affect the balance in one way or another... just like taking medicines really, one cure create one problem... so the best is create a satisfactory system and test it, then only introduce your lifestocks, hopefully they will stay alive and happy for many years to come. That's why I am focusing on it right now, once I introduce my corals and fishes, will not do any changes to the system.

I am exploring the idea of getting sump tank too, for the following reasons: 1. Better manage my equipments, currenly my Nano Cube is quite packed with equipments, the vibration from the pumps must be really annoying to the fishes. 2. Need a refugerium too with lot's of Chaeto and deep sand bed. 3. Need an area for quarantine. 4. Add more volume to the overall system, 24 gallon is a bit low, fluctuates very easily. Do check out my link below for updates and progress of my tank. Cheers.

Yes some bros mentioned some shop that will do the job, but they will not guarantee "no-crack" la. But these guys are pro, they don't do home service. How big is your tank?

Thanks bro, that' very nice you. I will bring my testpen to Reborn tomorrow, then get hold of some calibration solution... if can't find, I'll let you know. pH this morning (after 8 hours of darkness) is 8.6, so unpredictable!

I think they are very pretty... I will try to look for some this weekend. Meanwhile, I am very happy with what the macroalgae has done to my tank, my Nitrates was pulled down from 100 to 2 within days. Amazing!

I think 28ºC to 29ºC is good for most fishes and standard corals. You may find that some demanding corals may require colder water especially those found in deep ocean. So, do check properly before rising the temp. For me, it's a matter of balance, if I set the tank too cold, I will suffer due to the heat and noise emitted by the chiller... so balance lah! And yes, always bear the utility bill in mind. Any bro out there to correct me? Prob some may find 28ºC too warm, sorta defeat the purpose of having a chiller, lol. A lot will say... a few fans will do.

Latest news!!! I removed the Caulerpa from my tank to avoid a catastrophe. A bro suggested that my Caulerpa looks like it's dying... so for the sake of my only Green Chromis... I have to act fast... so don't flame me for being so cruel to an algae. I can assure you this will not happen to my corals and fishes.

Funny... pH this morning (after 8 hours of darkness) is 8.6! Oh dear, my pH fluctuates so much... probably due to the absence of a good sandbed. Will think of a way to better buffer the fluctuation. Seriously, I'm thinking of adding a sump tank ###### refugerium next to my tank. Probably looking at around 10g of water... and a place to put all my equipments. Then I can have a much larger tank to play with... currently not even enough sand bed area to put some nice pieces of Zoos. What you guys think?

A lot of bros claim Biohome is a lot better than conventional ceramic rings as they are more coarse hence more surface to grow beneficial bacteria. I will add them into my tank once Nitrates is out of control (or at least showing sign of).

Bro Elune, the reason I quoted a more realistic budget is because I've seen the TM NCs myself. Definitely not Fish-only tank. So there's really no reason for me to restrict anyone to a Fish-only tank. So if I am to start a 2 feet reef tank, how much will it cost (conservatively)? Is $1500 too far fetch? It's just that I am experiencing it right now, so wanna share with you guys... do plan ahead, allocate the money. You will need it as a lot of LFS do not accept credit card, lol.

I've already bought a pack of Chaeto from a fellow reefer. What about Ulva? Mind show how it looks like in a tank environment? Thinking of adding it into my main tank.

Bro another thing, how did you mount your light? Just be careful... if the whole fixture is to drop into the tank... well, that's it 0 Agree with Jem that your protein skimmer is gonna be a hinderence in the long run. Keep a lookout at the Pasar Malam section.

Oh such as waste Juv Emperor is my fav fish... I feel dizzy and happy (at the same time) everytime I look at it... like magic, lol.

And you shall be the guy volunteer for this ambitious task... way to go man! Good to hear that our hobby is bringing us good career opportunities too

Not to say you kena chop la. It's just that whatever Atlantis offer you may not be truly built for marine fish keeping. Probably it will fare better keeping freshwater... but hey, I'm not suggesting you do that. Been keeping FW all my life, nothing comes close to the ocean, lol. Yes, do show us once your camera is working. Maybe all the experienced bro can help you add in a protein skimmer.

Ok I will look for those algaes... thks bro!

I will stop by Reborn these 2 days and look for the calibration solution. Meanwhile, I will still do the 10% water change just to be on the save side. No wonder my protein skimmer is skimming oddly yesterday, not much bubble.

Bro Abyss has a pair to sell: http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=45989 I sorta booked (waiting for some clarifications from him), if you like, you can have it first. Those are true percs.