Back in the Game - 24g Build

DawgDiggity · Feb 12, 2016

So I have been out of the hobby for 5 years and after buying a giftcard for my buddy's daughter at the LFS I have decided to pull a dusty 24g nano out of the recesses. Here is my setup:

All Cleaned Up on January 23

The tank has only been cycling since February 3rd.

Light came in late yesterday and I installed last night. This was a $100 LED non-programmable, manual dimmer from Amazon with 76 reviews 91% 5&4 star. Will let you know how it goes. This is the new location for the tank. Plan to move this weekend.

My fuge! Did some searching and was able to find a perfect fit for less than $30!

Temporary setup before the move.

Macro-algae and some cool barnacles came in today!

I added live rock earlier this week and also BIO-Spira (Great reviews). Added the BIO-Spira and turned off the skimmer for 48hours. Skimmer has been back on for a couple of days now (foaming with lots of milky liquid needing to be dumped about every 6 hours; back to normal tonight) - my parameters as of last night:

PH 8.3
Alk 6.5
Nitrite 0.15
Nitrate 4
Ammonia 0.1
Temp 78.3 (Adding the hang-on fuge dropped the temp of the tank by almost a full degree, back up to 78.8)

Questions: How are you nano guys filtering? Does anyone use bio-media anymore? How long should I wait to add livestock?

TUSI · Feb 12, 2016

Take your time and don't rush it. Looks good but looking at your numbers the tank is not cycled yet. What do you intend to keep in it?

DawgDiggity · Feb 12, 2016

A family of gobies. I'm not a big fan of the popular ocellaris (just cause they are so popular) but may get a pair.
I also want to keep some cool acans. Is the tank too shallow to keep sps? I am assuming they would require higher intensity light and the lack of depth may not be enough shade for the acans?

fermentedhiker · Feb 12, 2016

you might find the air pump feed for the fuge creates too much salt creep. They make a small powerhead style pump to use instead.

DawgDiggity · Feb 24, 2016

Parameters Today:
Salinity 1.024
Trite 0
Trate 8
Ammonia 0
PH 8.3
Alk 9
Temp 78.4

New Permanent Location

Tank still cycling. Algae has moved in and has regressed slightly.

Little critter came out of a live rock. Are mantis shrimp reef safe?

Added miracle mud with some Bio-Spira, off-line for 48 hours and now back on-line. The red macro is branching out with some roots now in with the mud.

Flameback Pair · Feb 25, 2016

Mantis shrimp are not reef-safe and specialize in spearing or smashing your fish then eating them!

DawgDiggity · Feb 25, 2016

Thank you! I quarantined him when I had the chance. Will remove permanently, despite his cool eyes...

Marktheshark83 · Mar 5, 2016

Looking good. Where you get that fuge?

DawgDiggity · Mar 6, 2016

Thanks bro. Got the fuge on Amazon for like $15! Super stoked. After a couple of weeks I removed the air pump and am running a small 125gph pump (reptile waterfall pump). Nitrites have been at Zero after a week online. Recent pics -

I dropped Purigen in the back and since the Chaeto has died off? Anyone else have this issue?

FlyinBryan · Mar 6, 2016

Welcome back! Great setup! Really like that hob fuge, brilliant! What will be your main lighting?

Marktheshark83 · Mar 7, 2016

DawgDiggity said:
Thanks bro. Got the fuge on Amazon for like $15! Super stoked. After a couple of weeks I removed the air pump and am running a small 125gph pump (reptile waterfall pump). Nitrites have been at Zero after a week online. Recent pics -

I dropped Purigen in the back and since the Chaeto has died off? Anyone else have this issue?

Is the light sufficient enough to keep cheato alive? Only issue I could think of

DawgDiggity · Mar 7, 2016

Check this timeline out: Chaeto Dying

The Chaeto was doing great for a couple of weeks with the light. It is also dying off from outside in. If light was the cause I would assume the center shaded area would die off first? It is also getting a lot of residual light during the day from the tank light.
Started running the fuge light 24hrs as of March 3rd

DawgDiggity · May 20, 2016

An update on some modifications and additions to the tank
Tried an MR16 fixture that just did not produce results.

Upgraded to an LED fixture and after some cuts it dropped right into the lip of the fuge. I only need a screen to block the light from the display tank at night. This little fuge is working great - plenty of copepods. I have some macro-algae that is hanging on and will hopefully bloom with the new lighting. The cyano in the fuge is a result of a couple casualties in the past couple of weeks. The perpetrator is the damsel - hence the trap that is not working in the corner. I will most-likely break the tank down and get the little ******* out this weekend.

Finally... built my ATO. I was originally planning to drop this pump into a 5 gallon jug but had a very difficult time with the anti-siphon. The anti-siphon that came with this ATO system was ridiculous cheap little plastic part. The company claims this little pump has a head pressure of 6 feet, but it can't push water through a 3/8 inch check valve, therefor the ATO tank has to live pretty much side by side to your display or fuge.
Building this cube was a lot of fun. I ordered 6 sheets of acrylic from amazon, made some cutts with a table saw and put everything together. Very happy with it and learned a few things that I will do differently on the next project... like a 24x12x16 fuge.

Finally getting some extension on the gonipora

Unable to take good pictures but here is what I've got

Marktheshark83 · May 20, 2016

Very nice. Coming along great. What fuge is that? Where b u get it?

DustyXB9Reefer · May 20, 2016

Cool lookin little tank man! Did you end up getting that damsel out? That was one of my first fish and I hated it.

DawgDiggity · May 22, 2016

I did get rid of the damsel yesterday! He was mean.

The 'fuge' is a hang-on breeder box. Very happy with it and only $13! I originally used the air -pump to bring water in but that drastically elevated my evaporation. I installed a 3/8's line with a waterfall pump (meant for a reptile terrarium) and it works absolutely perfectly. Plenty of flow and not to much to disturb the mud.

All corals look pretty happy. Think I am ready to add some SPS