24 Gal Cube SPS nano reef tank

project1004 · Nov 23, 2024

pic 1

Did a water changes on this morning.

Sunkist bounce mushroom is as big as juggernaut bounce mushroom.

SPS tank looking vibrant

project1004 · Dec 28, 2024

Made some changes to the tanks.

I got a new Fiji 22ext to replace the Jbj aio. (Thought about getting bigger tank but main reason I went with nano have all the equipments at hand). I still had to buy new rms mounting kit and plumbing kits.

I also aquascaped both tanks while making some minor changes like moving it away from the corner of the wall for better access etc.

Currently adding kalk and esv 2pt to being back the tank from 5.0-5.5 dkH to 7.5-8.0dkh. Not sure how long it was that low.

I made this big island expending from wall to wall front and the sides. Middle section of the aqua scape is hallow underneath. Also changed powerhead to gyres for better water movement. Changed out the light mount due to sagging too much.

For the 2nd tank, I went with 2 tall standing islands. Lots of spaces to fill. All negative spaces. Also added 2nd mocha clownfish to pair em. So 4 fishes in each tank. Took the skimmers out of both tank because it needed to be cleaned. Not going to put ‘em back for now.

Close up sps

Close up lps

project1004 · Jan 22, 2025

While I was out of the town last week, my return pump died. Apex shows temp dropping to below 60 around Tuesday at 12pm. But I didn’t get back home til wed around 5pm. (And this was purely out of luck due to catching a flu while in New Orleans for work).
Apex shows temp drop on Tuesday around noon. Came home Wednesday late afternoon and return died again next day dropping the temp of the tank again.

So the tank was running without sump and at very low temp for about day and a half while sump was being cooked.

I came home and the tank was white as snow. (ESV 2pt dosing at 18ml per day). I have kalk dosing at 3liter per day into the sump. So kalk was being added into the sump. 2pts into the main display.

Tank was super cold and the Sump water was boiling hot (i have the temp sensor in the overflow box and the heater in the return chamber, the heater kept cooking the sump). Vectors s2 Return pump (bought brand new July 2024) was not running.

So I wiggled it and it started to work again. So I just went to sleep trying to get better.

Next morning, the return pump was turned off again and the tank was white as snow again.

Realizing that the return needs immediate attention, I got old Innovative Marine return pump to replace the vectra pump for few days. I went and got the new vectra pump from Lfs yesterday and the broken one now heading to EcoTech for service under warranty. The inner pump don’t spin “freely” at all?!! I assume the magnet is the problem perhaps.

I went and took kalk and 2pt off line for about 3days. I lost few tiny frags and few corals are paled out but the damage was minimal.
I got lots of dust (probably die offs in phosphate) on the glasses than before.

LPS tank - was not effected at all since it’s a separate system.

project1004 · Feb 3, 2025

Took a top down shot while doing a 10% weekly water change <><

project1004 · Feb 15, 2025

My AI Axis40 return pump on the 2nd tank has failed thru out the week while I am still out of the town T.T.

And it seems to have completely died as of last night. I was able to have my wife put the heater into the main display so I hope the damage will be minimal. -.-;

I never turn off my return pumps unless I am servicing them. Which is like every 3 months. I use the filter roller for this reason.

Unfortunately the 2nd tank’s klir filter roller only works manually and being out of the town, it didn’t get shifted. And I do ask my wife to feed heavier than I usually do when I travel so it’s easier for me to clean up than do add more food when I come back to town.

Idk, it’s 2nd time return pump has failed on me. 1st one from ecotech, (still waiting for return under warranty and was planning to replace this one with that).

I push way below the flow rate for my return lines, granted I do run high flows thru the sump for my system. Probably, just need some good cleaning perhaps?!

Idk, I told my wife, as long as one tank is okay, I can come back. Lol

It’s been a roller coaster ride watching that return pump kicking in and out it seems but it did ended up dieing and was not able to reset from here.

Started acting up on Monday

I’ve asked her to put the heater in the main display. Thru the week, she did say they looked okay as usual.

project1004 · Feb 15, 2025

I finally got home and was able to replace the return pump to the spare for now.

What I realize is that there is about 2.5Gallon of kalk solution /rodi added to the sump which is now all mixed up in the tank -.-

Idk, will see. They should be alright~ I think.

project1004 · Feb 16, 2025

So I went and cleaned out the Axis40 return pump but it won’t start. Granted not much gunk was there. It makes buzzing noise trying to start but fails. Oh well -.- It’s new to me that return pumps been giving me troubles lately.

Seems like the kalkwasser (2.5gal) that was dosed into the sump precipitated and had zero impact to the my Alk. This tank don’t get tested so I’m going to assume this is going to be okay.

As for the SPS tank. Alk is down (increased in consumption) 0.2dkH from last week testing. I will text middle of next week and adjust accordingly~.

I have two Alk tester. At about two year mark I bought another one just to be on the safer side. Im simply using same sample and test at the same time. Works great. (And old one always register at higher concentration as well).

project1004 · Feb 16, 2025

Would you look at that x.x
All is good~. No need to stress. Ha

Light on 30mins ago~

project1004 · Feb 18, 2025

I just caught my small Mocha clown hosting a clam. -.- I had to use the zoom! Camera shy I think.

Time to bring out the LED light trick and hope it will find the anemone. Worked in the past in the 120. 4ft away. Pitch dark! Shine the bright light on the anemone. They swim up to it! Get stung few times and they are one! Perhaps! Will see~. Anemone are big enough I think.

project1004 · Feb 18, 2025

I hope this trick works.

Will they find their final destination?

project1004 · Feb 26, 2025

So the tanks been pretty good.

SPS tank FTS

LPS Tank FTS

Changed up the aqua scape to see if that will help the clownfish with anemone. The light trick didnt work first time. Woke up to dead flesh light. Anyways, clownfish seems to roam around the anemone so I’m hopeful.

project1004 · Mar 10, 2025

Tanks are doing good. Lost small frag (rainbow Millie?) in the spa tank due to too much light -.-;

Tank has been taking up much nutrients as well as supplements. Coraline is everywhere -.-

Added another set of caribsea’s dry reef rock in the tank due to fish aggression due to too much of open scape. Think they are much happier.

Sorry for the dirty glasses. This tank does not get any test or any thing special done other than 1/2 strength kalk ato at 0.5 gal a day.

Still waiting for the vecta s2 return pump back from ecotech to replace the return.

project1004 · Saturday at 7:41 PM

Took a top down shot while doing a water changes this morning.

Phosphate on the LPS tank was at 0.6ppm and 8.2 Nitrate as of March 22nd. So I’m just doing extra water change by using 2.5Gal from the sps tank with new SW of 2.5Gal atm. So 5Gal wc on LPs and 2.5Gal wc on sps per every two weeks.

I also added 2 Red Sea wave 25 on SPS due to hygger wave makers giving error messages. Maybe I am overworking them?!? So I have bunch of hygger and mp10 pumps in cleaning X.X

The red sea wave has reverse gyre flow mode. So I now have flow on sps to flow to right side for 30mins (on one forward/one reverse) and to left side for 30mins and repeat. My evaporation had drop to only 0.5Gal per day from 1.0Gal a day.

Also added ATK ato to the LPS Tank due to one of specturapure litter meter pump dying. Specturapure actually makes products as customer orders. Yet they took over 10days before I had to give up and cancel the order.

I took random flow generator from the sps tank and put it on the lps tank. LPS tank is now only getting return pump as the flow. For last week or so as well. All things are looking good!

Also replaced return pump on LPS tank to Vetra S2 dc pump I finally gotten back after having to call them. SMH.

Also gotten this new controller display cabinet. I’m just using to store my dosing chemicals atm.

SPS Topdown

LPS topdown

SPS with Redsea wave 25’s on SPS tank

Random Flow generator’s on LPS Tank

project1004 · 2025-04-03T12:25:21-0400

I am certain that this 48Gallon Fiji cube will be up and running over this weekend. I’ll be transferring all the SPS from the smaller nano.

I am in the process of gathering all the parts atm.

Also, I sow my female clownfish mingling in the anemone other day granted the anemone was not puffed up. There will be some changes coming to the LPS tank as well due to upgrade. So will see

Fiji cube 48.