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2007, 2008

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 24G Deluxe Nano Cube

(Basic Set-Up)

Pet Rating System:  1= Lowest   5 = Highest

Nano Cube	1	2	3	4	5
Ease Of Care
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Overall Rating: 

A saltwater aquarium is a fun, beautiful but expensive hobby.  The reason we have rated this product low is not due to the quality of the product which is awesome but due to the fact that you need to know this is not an easy 15 minute endeavor.  We have experience and it still took us at least 4 hours to set-up.  On this page we will discuss how to set-up at 24 gallon saltwater JBJ Deluxe Nano Cube aquarium with double lighting 36w x 2 (important, the more lighting the better). 

Pros:  All-in-one, size, fairly easy set-up and looks great!

Cons:  Cost and quick evaporation (constant water topping).  We also encountered at set-up, a bubble problem (snowing effect) coming out the directional nozzle.  This was easily cured by turning the pump intake away from 2nd overflow chamber (took us awhile to figure that out).

The great thing about a JBJ Nano Cube is that they come complete with all the equipment you need to get a basic start up including; pump, filter medium, and lighting.  Check out this link for more info on what comes with the system http://www.jbjlighting.com/sys_24g_nanocube.html

The other things to purchase before starting are listed below:

*15 lbs live or cured reef rock

*10 lbs. live sand

*25 gallon saltwater mix (We prefer Oceanic)

*Zoo Med Power Sweep 212 (for water movement)

*Titanium Heater

*Digital Thermometer

*Water Testing Kit (at least tests for Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and pH)

*Salinity Tester (Specific Gravity Hydrometer)

*Dechlorinator

*Nets, Hose, Scrubbers, (2) 5 gallon buckets

BASIC SET-UP

Remember that when using live rock and live sand you still need to wait at least one week before adding your cleaning crew (blue leg crabs, turbo snails, shrimps, etc.)  Some people feel that when using live rock and sand that you can add stuff sooner...it is always better to give the tank a chance to properly cycle.  Water should be tested daily.  You will be surprised how much life pops up on the rocks in that first week!  Fish and corals can be added once the nitrogen cycle has been completed.  Click here about nitrogen cycle. The nitrogen cycle should be complete after about two weeks and tests are reading zero.

Make sure you have all the components for your aquarium listed on the box.  Follow manufacturers instructions included in the box.  The website link above is to the owner's manual for complete set-up instructions. 

NEVER USE CHEMICALS TO CLEAN THE INSIDE OF NEW TANK!

1.  Premix two 5 gallon buckets with freshwater and your salt mix.  Add the salt mix according to directions.  However, our recommendation is to mix the salt a little at a time, checking the salinity with the Hydrometer.  Keep checking the hydrometer until you reach the correct salinity.  We prefer our tanks to be at 1024 (on the hydro 1.024).  Depending on the type of tank you are going to have....reef, fish, seahorse, etc...research what works best for the type of tank you are going to have.  1024 is a good start.  Put one 5 gallon bucket with correct salinity in the tank before adding sand and rock.  Do not fill tank...the rock and sand will take up space.  Wait to add the final fill up toward the end.

You will need approximately four 5 gallon bucket fulls to complete the job (a little less depending on your live rock and sand).  Its always a good idea to keep a little leftover saltwater in a covered bucket for emergencies. 

*Temperature of water should be between 80-84 degrees depending on your reef (we prefer 83).  Always keep a constant temperature, never fluctuate more than 1 degree.

*A short cut would be to purchase already prepared saltwater from your LFS (local fish store).

2.  Be sure to add dechlorinator before you forget...following manufacturers instructions on bottle.

3.  Add live sand to the tank getting about 1 inch of coverage throughout the tank.

4.  Stack live rock, preferably cured rock.  You can rearrange things once you have added the final water.  However, once the water is filled, it is very important to make your live rock placements carefully.  Move them around and play until you find what you like.  Once you start adding fish and coral, you are not going to have much chance to change things.  Our suggestion is to make a good base up against the back of the tank with the larger rocks.  Stack the smaller rocks in the holes and move them around until you think they look good.  Make sure to leave holes for fish to swim in and around.  Have height in the back with the rock sloping gently to the front.  Keep away from the glass so not to scratch it.  After adding the rock, the water will be cloudy for up to a couple of days or may clear after several hours.

5.  Once you have your tank ready for final fill-up, fill to about a 1/2 inch above bottom of outflow slats (oval hole in back).  Turn on pump, put the skimmer cover on... water should be fill up to the proper level (not showing from the front of tank).  Check the back chambers...be sure to top off the third chamber...the water should come to just below the third chamber wall and making sure to cover the overflow slit.  Always keep the pump (the bottom of third chamber) completely covered. 

TURN LIGHTS AND HEATER TO MAKE SURE THEY WORK.  Lights should run no more than 10 hours per day...or you will see an huge algae and bacteria bloom.  Heater should be left on all the time. 

NOW ITS A WAITING GAME....at least one week, testing water daily. 

6.  Add your cleaning crew which for a 24 gallon should include at least the following:  2 blue legged hermit crabs, two turbo snails, and 1 peppermint shrimp.  You can add more later as needed. 

WAIT ONE MORE WEEK

7.  Finally, you can add your first fish (if fish tank).  We recommend adding either a tank-raised clown or some type of damsel.  Keep in mind damsels can be aggressive when adding tank mates later.  Add one type of coral or one type of fish every two weeks allowing time for water to adjust between additions.  A 24 gallon saltwater aquarium should never have more than 4 small fish.  We recommend the following combination: clownfish, type of firefish, type of goby, and a six-lined wrasse.  All are coral safe and non-aggressive. 

8.  Coral additions should be researched to be sure they are non-aggressive and know what they eat, lighting requirements and placement in the tank.  Corals that have a symbiotic relationship with algae and do not need special feeding make the best additions.  Corals that require hand feeding can make the water very dirty with the amount of food needed to make sure they are eating.  Coral should be spaced carefully allowing room for growth. 

9.  FEEDING; NEVER OVER FEED.  Feeding every other day is sufficient.  Only feed what they will eat in a few minutes.  If there is floating food in the tank untouched, you are overfeeding.  There are many types of food made specifically for what you are feeding.  Please do your research and be sure to feed appropriately.  A mixture of mysis shrimp, flake, brine shrimp, and coral food feed on a rotating basis should cover everyone.

10.  Most importantly, have fun observing all the changes taking place in your new aquarium!

NOTES:

Evaporation:  Because of the Nano's small size and heat from the closed lid, the evaporation rate is much higher than a larger tank.  This means that you should be topping off the sump (where the pump is located) every other day.  The more evaporation the stronger the salinity which can be dangerous to the fish and coral.  ALWAYS top off with dechlorinated freshwater...saltwater evaporates only the freshwater and leaves the salt...this is why the salinity gets higher....always top off with freshwater that has been dechlorinated.

Cleaning:  Also because of its small size, a Nano needs to be cleaned more frequently.  We recommend changing 25% of the water (with saltwater) at least once per week until your aquarium becomes established, (about 3 months).  After that, we recommend 25% water changes every two weeks, even if the water testing says zero.  Be sure to stir up the sand and clean the inside of the glass before draining.  You can purchase a microfiber glove in the Target automotive section for about $1 which cleans the inside of the glass well.  NEVER use chemicals in or around your aquarium.   Do not wash rags with soap and reuse...just rinse with fresh water.  During water changes, you will need to remove the black filters (2) from the back and rinse them, they can become clogged if left uncleaned.

If you have any questions, please email us

Nitrogen Cycle When you first set-up your aquarium, you will basically have a sterile environment.  Fish waste and excess food that sinks to the bottom create an ammonia spike that is very toxic to fish.  Bacteria growing in the tank (nitrosomas) begin to build-up and converts ammonia into nitrite which is still toxic to fish.  This process takes about 2 weeks.  A second bacteria (nitrobacteria) comes to the rescue and converts the nitrite to nitrate.  This process again takes about 2 weeks.  After 2 weeks, you should have no ammonia and no nitrites left in your tank.  The nitrate is less toxic to your fish but still needs to be removed.  This is where you come in…  You must change the water to remove the excess nitrate that is toxic if it is allowed to build-up in the water.  The nitrosomas bacteria are necessary to reduce toxic waste build-up in your aquarium.  When you completely clean your tank, the bacteria are destroyed.  Therefore, you should do partial water changes every 3-4 weeks (2 weeks for an established Nano tank) or as the test kit reveals a build-up of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.  Only do a complete overhaul on your tank about every year or year and a half.

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