Help starting a nano cube marine tank

[Jlkayden]

Hello all. I’m new to this hobby. Have been keeping shrimps and planted tanks. Would like to receive some help and advice on the set up of a cube tank for marine tank. Looking at probably a 30 cm tank. Doesn’t have to be really TOP notch equipment etc as Long as it works and can support the life forms. 
 

was hoping to keep some corals, marine shrimps and clown fish mayb? 
 

Would also help to receive some help on where to get the equipment. I managed to scroll through Taobao etc but didn’t know what to secure as there are quite a lot. 

Edited March 5, 2020 by Jlkayden

[Solo77]

Look for secondhand items. 

[Solo77]

Once u settled the tank, then use the volume to buy the necessary equiemt. 

[Jlkayden]

2 hours ago, Solo77 said:

Look for secondhand items. 

I’ve scanned through the forum marketplace but most items are quite unfamiliar or either that, they are mostly livestocks. 

[soggycookies]

I’ve scanned through the forum marketplace but most items are quite unfamiliar or either that, they are mostly livestocks. 

you can try your luck on the src fb group
or carousell hahaha


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[R0B]

Suggest you first get a nice cup of tea and sit down and watch BRSTV 5min guide:
(

)

Ok now you have spent 2 hours improving your understanding there are some basics you will need.

1. A Tank. Bigger is better. Suggest you check out the tanks here on the forum. There are some amazing deals here. Figure out if you want an all in one tank (internal overflow sump - ios) or run an external sump (basically another tank below) IMHO go with a sump. But that does open up the costs a little. IOS are also awesome but you have limited space.

2. Lighting. Corals need good light. Not just reasonably strong, but also the correct spectrum. Cheap lights that you use in fresh water simply won't cut it if you are serious. Check out AI prime as a basic entry into reef lighting it is an awesome light. Again loads of brands.

3. Flow. You will need some flow in your tank. So check out the jebao range for a fairly reliable but cheap range. A RW4 is the smaller wave maker ideal for a 2 ft tank or smaller (will cost you max 40bucks second hand). They go up in size RW8, 15, 20. Pick one that is appropriately sized. A good alternative is the SLW20, Nero 5, or Rosemont mover. There are loads of brands out there each doing the same thing.. they push water.

4. Mechanical filtration. If you go with an IOS tank then this will be filter floss and a mini skimmer. Skimmers are awesome as they create bubbles that lift the organics out of the tank. You need to do that before the orgsnics decay and produces loads of bad chemicals. For an external sump you will most likely have filter socks and a larger skimmer (dont oversize a skimmer.. just dont be tempted).

5. Chemical Filtration. Basically you will need a bag of Carbon and a phosphate remover. You can either throw these into a filter bag and place them into high moving areas of the sump. Reactors basically control the flow over these chemical removers.

6. Biological Filtration. You need to create the right environment to do that keep your nitrates low. One way is to have an ATS algea turf scrubber. Really difficult for a ios tank. But not impossible. Chinese black box ATS cost 40bucks. Refugiums also work excellently . Get some bio blocks to make sure your bacteria have a place to live.

7. Test kits. Get some test kits. You need to know where your tank is to drive it forward. Also get a refractometer to test salinity.

8. Salt water. Rodi 0tds water is key, simply add salt. But you can get NSW (natural sea water) from some local lfs. You will also need a way to add top off RODI water to the tank. The easiest way is an upside down bottle with two tubes hanging from it. But you can buy ato systems/pumps.

9. Temperature controller. Get something like an ink bird temperature controller.

There are loads of other items, food supplements, doses, other toys. But go with 1-9 then add rocks, sand, simple corals and fish.

Just an idea. Save some cash and see if any reefer is getting out the hobby. You can pick up a great bargain then.

Good luck.


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[Solo77]

If u not a book person, good to visit 1 lfs to see and enquire. Good if any kind reefer can meet you and answer your query. Where do you stay? 

[Jlkayden]

Thanks everyone! I made the jump to start up my first reef tank. Added in the live sand, live rocks and seawater from LFS, and started the Cycling process. Added in some nitrifying bacteria to kickstart the process. 
 

filter media: coral chips, regular biohouse filter media. 
 

just to check, guys, is there anything I have missed out? 
 

I also got a tester kit ready for the various aspects, ph, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. 

[Jlkayden]

During the process of cycling, is it advisable to fix on the hang on refugium with chaeto? Or do I do so after the tank is cycled? 

[Jlkayden]

On 3/6/2020 at 3:43 AM, R0B said:

Suggest you first get a nice cup of tea and sit down and watch BRSTV 5min guide:
(

)

Ok now you have spent 2 hours improving your understanding there are some basics you will need.

1. A Tank. Bigger is better. Suggest you check out the tanks here on the forum. There are some amazing deals here. Figure out if you want an all in one tank (internal overflow sump - ios) or run an external sump (basically another tank below) IMHO go with a sump. But that does open up the costs a little. IOS are also awesome but you have limited space.

2. Lighting. Corals need good light. Not just reasonably strong, but also the correct spectrum. Cheap lights that you use in fresh water simply won't cut it if you are serious. Check out AI prime as a basic entry into reef lighting it is an awesome light. Again loads of brands.

3. Flow. You will need some flow in your tank. So check out the jebao range for a fairly reliable but cheap range. A RW4 is the smaller wave maker ideal for a 2 ft tank or smaller (will cost you max 40bucks second hand). They go up in size RW8, 15, 20. Pick one that is appropriately sized. A good alternative is the SLW20, Nero 5, or Rosemont mover. There are loads of brands out there each doing the same thing.. they push water.

4. Mechanical filtration. If you go with an IOS tank then this will be filter floss and a mini skimmer. Skimmers are awesome as they create bubbles that lift the organics out of the tank. You need to do that before the orgsnics decay and produces loads of bad chemicals. For an external sump you will most likely have filter socks and a larger skimmer (dont oversize a skimmer.. just dont be tempted).

5. Chemical Filtration. Basically you will need a bag of Carbon and a phosphate remover. You can either throw these into a filter bag and place them into high moving areas of the sump. Reactors basically control the flow over these chemical removers.

6. Biological Filtration. You need to create the right environment to do that keep your nitrates low. One way is to have an ATS algea turf scrubber. Really difficult for a ios tank. But not impossible. Chinese black box ATS cost 40bucks. Refugiums also work excellently . Get some bio blocks to make sure your bacteria have a place to live.

7. Test kits. Get some test kits. You need to know where your tank is to drive it forward. Also get a refractometer to test salinity.

8. Salt water. Rodi 0tds water is key, simply add salt. But you can get NSW (natural sea water) from some local lfs. You will also need a way to add top off RODI water to the tank. The easiest way is an upside down bottle with two tubes hanging from it. But you can buy ato systems/pumps.

9. Temperature controller. Get something like an ink bird temperature controller.

There are loads of other items, food supplements, doses, other toys. But go with 1-9 then add rocks, sand, simple corals and fish.

Just an idea. Save some cash and see if any reefer is getting out the hobby. You can pick up a great bargain then.

Good luck.


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Thanks a million for the exhaustive list  

[R0B]

No it not. Whilst you can run an ATS during cycling as hair algea magically appears from nowhere refugiums are different. To sustain Chaeto you need nitrates and phosphates not nitrites and ammonia. If you add the chaeto you will stall your cycle. Which is not a good thing.

As soon as the tank has cycled you can add a small amount of chaeto and go from there. Brightwell does a product called chaeto gro, although I have no personal experience of it, I heard it's good at promoting growth .

One big tip. Please please consider where you get your chaeto from, because it is a really easy way to add pests into a brand new tank!! I recently got some and put it in QT You'll be amazed what crawls out after a few days. (Another reason why an ATS is actually slightly better than a refugium imho).

During the process of cycling, is it advisable to fix on the hang on refugium with chaeto? Or do I do so after the tank is cycled? 

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[Jlkayden]

I heard that chaeto which is home cultivated tends to be less risky. 
 

another question, for ATS, i don’t have to start with any Algae? Or do I have to still get some algae and place it within the ATS? 

[R0B]

I heard that chaeto which is home cultivated tends to be less risky. 
 
another question, for ATS, i don’t have to start with any Algae? Or do I have to still get some algae and place it within the ATS? 

No need to use a 'starter' it will grow when you add a combination of light, water, chlorophyll, carbon dioxide and nutrients (basically an ATS and reef water). The algea will grow only as much as there are nutrients available, thus it grows in balance with the tank.



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