NanoCube 28 LED Build

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ITeach2Wheels

New member
I've never done a tank thread so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Quick background..... I bought the tank used from an add on Craigslist just after thanksgiving. It's a NanoCube 28 LED with a factory stand. The PO had installed a RapidLED retro kit with 2 channels and analog dimming. He had retained the factory night lights.

The stock pumps had been replaced with MJ900's.

I'm planning on removing the included driver/power supply's (Meanwell ELN-60-48D) and replacing them with Meanwell LDD drivers. This will allow the Storm LED controller I'm using on my current setup, a BioCube 8, to control the NC28 as well. The current BC8 power supply has plenty of headroom to run the 2 strings in the NC28.

I scraped the glass and did a general cleanup. Then I let the tank run in the basement with freshwater in it to check for leaks and wait for Christmas.

Since buying the tank I've bought a 100w heater. (Not going to be big enough) and got a great deal on a used Remora skimmer from a ChicagoReefs member.

I brought the tank upstairs and officially filled it with saltwater on 12/28/2015. Here is how it looks now.....
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I can't decide if I like the rock work. Is it to high? The rock in the front with all the caves is one piece except for a couple of pieces of rubble I'm using for base rock. I could also go with this configuration....

Front:
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Sides:
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Sorry for the cloudiness. Just moved the rocks. I would probably change the rocks along the back wall. Unfortunately, this configuration will mean less rick in the tank.

So.... Comments?


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I like the bottom image with the blues. Rock work looks nice. Check for dead spots. Looks like the skimmers already picking up some protein.

I think the 100w will be enough but you could get a back up 50w.

Nice set up.
 
Yeah, the skimmer has been making ski mate since day one. Nothing really dark, but more than I expected. I have the cup set as high as possible. The Rock was out of my last bigger system. Just took it out when the display started leaking and let it dry. It's been in the garage in a tote for about 3 years. Took about 3 days for the rotten rock smell to go away.

I'm probably going to keep my rock work pretty close to the bottom set. I liked the original configure better, but only really gave me one elevation.

One 100w heater definitely won't be enough. I keep my house pretty cold, somewhere around 70. The one heater didn't seem to be able to get it over 77. Thinking about just getting another 100w. They can cover each other that way.




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Think I have the rock the way I want it. Only 11 more weeks of watching and water changes till I can start adding inhabitants. Not that I'm counting or anything!!


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I put a piece from my other tank for seed. Since the rock was very old and established when I broke down my old system, want to give it plenty of time to run a full cycle and get established before I SLOWLY add load to the tank. At least that's the plan...... I have been known to get impatient and impulsive.

;-))


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I'm watching the numbers. Right now the Ammonia is heading up. But it should take a while for the bacteria to spread over the rocks. Maybe I'll start putting my water change water out of the old tank into the new one.... Hmmm


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ITeach2Wheels said:
I'm watching the numbers. Right now the Ammonia is heading up. But it should take a while for the bacteria to spread over the rocks. Maybe I'll start putting my water change water out of the old tank into the new one.... Hmmm


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Click to expand...

I did. I had about 15gals into the 125 upgrade.
No issues. The pods exploded over night
 
Still looks like a boring rubble pile to me. Feels much harder to place rock in a small-ish square than a large long tank. Never looks like enough sand to rock. Not that it really matters. Things will look totally different by next year.


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ITeach2Wheels said:
Still looks like a boring rubble pile to me. Feels much harder to place rock in a small-ish square than a large long tank. Never looks like enough sand to rock. Not that it really matters. Things will look totally different by next year.


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Click to expand...

It will look a lot better once you start getting some coral in there
 
Yep, unfortunately it takes at least a year for the rock to get really seeded and the tank to get stable. I'm amazed by how stable my BC8 is. The only time things get out of whack is if I make changes. The older it gets the easier it is to keep.


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