New Aquatop 21 gallon!!!

[Brandon Hammen]

Hello everyone,
I am new to this forum, but not new to fish-keeping at all. I Have just picked up an Aquatop 21 gallon biocube that will be going in our living room. I just wanted to know a few things. I might have a lot of questions and i may run on a little but I feel that I need everything to be answered for me to feel safe about going on this journey.

I just got the 21 gallon biocube a month ago for $300. I know that it is a steel but the people who gave it to my lfs forgot to include a stand in the price, so I got both. I already have a 120 gallon planted tank and a 55 gallon mbuna cichlid tank. I also have a 10 gallon that has been up since about 1998!

Questions:
1. Has anyone heard anything about the Aquatop 21 gallon biocube?

2. Can the led's grow any corals or are they just for fish?

3. What kind or corals can I grow if any?

4. I am doing natural sand. Or is cc better?

5. Stocking list: 1 Black ocellaris clown, 1 regular clown, 1 two spot goby, than obviously the cleaner crew. Is this going to be alright? I don't want to overstock.

6. What corals are best for beginner reefers? (a list of fairly common, cheap and hardy)

7. Can I place the tank near a window that does not get much sunlight if any at all?

8. If I am going to be gone for a month should I start after I get back? My lfs said it would be alright but I feel like it may go bad. I know that I will cycle the tank for 4-6 weeks. There will be somebody coming over every day to take care of the other tanks but i don't want them messing up the saltwater or anything. It would be great if I could leave it while i am away but I feel this will not be a good idea.

9. Is it better to buy an RO/DI system or just get water from my lfs.

10. I feel that I have the basics covered. Is there anything else that i should be aware of?

Thank you very much for reading my post and it will help a lot of you could answer at least one of my questions.

 

[Reef.ductionist]

Hey there, Congrats on your new biocube!
The Aquaatop 21 comes stocked with a Skimmer, at least if ypurs did then I would assume it is the Aquatop saltwater version. The saltwater version comes stocked with 10,000k white and 10,000k actinic LED lighting. It also comes stocked with Actinic nightlight and return pump.
It can be used to house soft corals, and some sps (short polyped stony corals) . However, adding the corals is the last thing you should do. Cycling the tank will take several months. After the first three weeks of cycling you can add a fish, say one fish every three weeks. After about three to fourmonths you could add one coral.
Nothing in the reef hobby happens overnight so I recommend reading a few books by either Julian Sprung or Charles Delbeek or Albert Theil. Albert Theil's latest book is titled The Nano Reef Aquarium and you can buy the e-version of it for only 20.00 dollars. So go on your trip and while you are away just have your friend turn the lights on and off every day and add some top-off water once a week while your gone ... and read ,read , read planning your approach to stocking. Half of the fun in this hobby is in the planning anyways. Remember the first stage in building a reef aquarium is development of the ecosystem. Setting up a new tank is exciting, congratulations!

 

[tylerandersen]

How is your tank coming along? I have the same tank and am making progress slowly. My fans went out on the hood so I am looking into replacing them. I also am trying to figure out a way for the lights to be times independently..

 

[Brandon Hammen]

My tank is doing great! The fan over the blue lights went out but the other one is still kicking.

 

[tylerandersen]

I bought a second one and put nano box retro LEDs in the hood connected to a storm controller.

 

[Jen in AZ]

Help with this tank... AquaTop 21 Gal.

Husband set up this tank as a fun hobby tank, and we are having some issues... Watchman Goby disappeared, and we need replacement intake grates. (had to cut one up to free an anemone that decided to get sucked in.)
I'm worried that the protein skimmer isn't working anymore, and am noticing that we shouldn't have the second intake grate down by the live sand. any info that can be shared would be greatly appreciated!