Jasonanatal's JBJ 28 gallon Nano Cube HQI Nano Reef Aquarium.

[pnoyreefer]

Jason Beautiful pics of family.. Goodluck on your new set up so far it looks amazing.. thanks for sharing

 

[Jasonanatal]

Looks good Jason. Did you have to cure the rocks?

Chiefmcfuz, no curing necessary just create and add.

 

[Jasonanatal]

Compensating for Evaporation While Minimizing Swings In Salinity.

Due to having a limited volume of available water evaporation is one aspect that must be checked in order to minimize the swing in salinity. I have installed a Do-it-yourself Automatic Freshwater Top Off System to effectively reduce the effect of Salinity reduction due to evaperation. The Float Switch is installed in the rear chamber of the JBJ 28 gallon Nano Cube Reef Aquarium which is activated when the water level falls below a particular level. Fresh RO/DI Water is then pulled from a 2.5 gallon All Glass Aquarium Resevior by use of a Tom's Aqualifter Pneumatic Pump rated at 3 gph. Once the water level has returned to normal the pump is deactivated and water flow stops. Their is a secondary safety float that will deactivate the unit should the primary float switch become stuck and continue to pull water from the Freshwater RO/DI Resevior to prevent an overflow of water into the aquarium which would result in a sever drop in salinity and a flood.

Personal Observation: I am definitely pleased with the results of the Do-it-yourself Automatic Freshwater Automatic Top Off System. However, their are some shortcoming to this system. Evaporation is currently occuring at a rate of about 0.75 gallon per week which represents about 50% of the Freshwater RO/DI Resevior capacity. I anticipate that once I incorporate Kalkwasser or another type of Calcium Additive that evaporation will increase requiring a need to upgrade the resevior capacity. Also the JBJ Wavemaker which is currently set to alternate pumps every 2 minutes causes chamber where the float switch is installed to have a slight reduction in water level with causes premature dosing of Freshwater into the Aquarium. I'm considering upgrading the the Tunze Osmolator Universal 3155 "Water Level Regulation System with Static Sensor".

Photograph, Thursday, October 26, 2007 - Do-it-yourself Automatic Freshwater RO/DI Top Off Float Switch with Secondary Overflow Sensor.

Photograph, Thursday, October 26, 2007 - Freshwater RO/DI Resevior with Tom's Aqualifter Pneumatic Pump.

Photograph Saturday, November 10, 2007 - Water Flow Diagram of the Do-it-yourself Automatic Freshwater RO/DI Top Off System and Toms Aqualifter Pneumatic Pump.

 

[EmilyT]

i still can't get over that rock work! you make the nano look so big! my nano has a 29 gallon display but its more rectangular. my rocks are ok, but i didn't have alot of choices when i was aquascaping because some had mushrooms on it that i didnt want to smoosh into the sandbed. Kudos kudos kudos!!!! is there space around the edges, or is the rock touching the glass?

 

[Jasonanatal]

Jason Beautiful pics of family.. Goodluck on your new set up so far it looks amazing.. thanks for sharing

Pnoyreefer, thank you very much for the compliments.

 

[Jasonanatal]

i still can't get over that rock work! you make the nano look so big! my nano has a 29 gallon display but its more rectangular. my rocks are ok, but i didn't have alot of choices when i was aquascaping because some had mushrooms on it that i didnt want to smoosh into the sandbed. Kudos kudos kudos!!!! is there space around the edges, or is the rock touching the glass?

Etomkins, thank you very much once again. There is actually plenty of space between the rocks and the glass of the Aquarium. Some of the smaller areas are about 0.25 Inch to 0.50 Inch of space and some areas the front glass is space about 1.0 Inch to 3.5 Inches of space.

 

[Awibrandy]

Jason you have a very good looking family there! BJ(hope you don't mind) looks alot like mommy, but that will change in short time. In any case he is absolutely a cutie! Many blessings for a wonderful future.
Tank is looking real good. Love the aquascaping, only problem I see is the Maroone outgrowing the tank.

 

[Jasonanatal]

Jason you have a very good looking family there! BJ(hope you don't mind) looks alot like mommy, but that will change in short time. In any case he is absolutely a cutie! Many blessings for a wonderful future.
Tank is looking real good. Love the aquascaping, only problem I see is the Maroone outgrowing the tank.

Awibrandy, thank you once again for the compliments. That is actually a first for someone to say that Jayson looks like his mother. As far as the Gold Stripped Maroon Clownfish goes she was a resident of my 90 gallon aquarium and has been with me for 7 months. The only reason that she is in this aquarium is because I don't have another home for her to go to. She is extremely strong survived a massive Cryptocaryn Outbreak which killed everything except for her.

Photograph Saturday, November 10, 2007 - My 7 month old Gold Stripped Maroon Clownfish.

 

[ellebelle]

Beautiful aquascaping, and of course, beautiful family. Good luck with the nano which you've obviously thought out very well. I just have one problem with something you said:

Many of the Nano Aquariums available on the market currently availble with only Power Compact Lighting Systems which can sustain Soft Coral such a Mushrooms and Leathers at best.

I agree that PC lighting is not going to support many SPS corals, and I agree that PC lighting would have been a very poor choice for the kind of tank you want to keep. However, it has been my experience that you can keep almost any LPS or soft coral under PC lighting with great growth and color. I'm even keeping some SPS under and while they are browning out, I'm still getting excellent growth. PC lighting is a really great option for people who are just starting in the reef keeping hobby.

 

[Jasonanatal]

Beautiful aquascaping, and of course, beautiful family. Good luck with the nano which you've obviously thought out very well. I just have one problem with something you said:



I agree that PC lighting is not going to support many SPS corals, and I agree that PC lighting would have been a very poor choice for the kind of tank you want to keep. However, it has been my experience that you can keep almost any LPS or soft coral under PC lighting with great growth and color. I'm even keeping some SPS under and while they are browning out, I'm still getting excellent growth. PC lighting is a really great option for people who are just starting in the reef keeping hobby.

Ellebelle, thank you very much for the compliments. I completely agree with your statement. I should be more detailed with my statements but personally Power Compact Lighting has never allowed me to sustain a thriving SPS Reef Aquarium. But at the end of the day all that matters is that each of our methods work.

 

[ducati335i]

looking good, i want one !!!!

do you have to run a chiller in this tank?

 

[Jasonanatal]

looking good, i want one !!!!

do you have to run a chiller in this tank?

This particular Aquarium comes stock with a 150 watt Metal Halide Lighting System I personally would strongly recommend running with a chiller but each person has their own opinion about what temperature is an optimum level to run their Aquarium at. I personally keep mine at 78 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

[Jasonanatal]

Electrical Sparks: Bringing Life to the Aquarium.

In order to allow all my toys to work of course electricity is required. I have used 3 seperate Power Strips to provide more then enough outlets for all the gadgets within the Aquarium while allowing plenty of space to add more. The load for each outlet is staggered to the next seperating each set of electrical components based on the level of importance. I'm not pulling an extreme level of power but just a precautionary measure.

Personal Observation: I'm considering replacing all power strips with an Eletronic Aquarium Controller such as the Digital Aquatics Reef Keeper 2 or the Neptune Systems Aquacontroller 3. This will allow me to better automate components of the aquarium with less clutter and allow for digital logging and control through a Personal Computer.

Photograph Thursday, October 27, 2007 - 3 seperate power strips mounted within the lower cubicle of the Aquarium Stand each with Electrical Power Surge Supressing capabilities.

Photograph Thursday, October 27, 2007 - Electrical Wiring Diagram for my JBJ 28 gallon Nano Cube HQI SPS Reef Aquarium.

 

[KathyC]

Chiefmcfuz, no curing necessary just create and add.

Congrats to you & your wife for your beautiful new baby.

I am certain that Marco rocks need to be cured before using them. Why don't you believe they do?
Have you been testing all of your parameters?
Best of luck with the new tank.

 

[Jasonanatal]

Congrats to you & your wife for your beautiful new baby.

I am certain that Marco rocks need to be cured before using them. Why don't you believe they do?
Have you been testing all of your parameters?
Best of luck with the new tank.

KathyC, thank you for the compliments. My apologies on the misunderstanding concerning the curing of the Marco Rocks. What I meant to say was that I place them inside my aquarium to allow them to cure since Marco Rocks are completely dry. I also test my Aquarium water parameters on a weekly basis.

 

[Jasonanatal]

Phosphate/Carbon Reactor: Giving That Extra Touch of Perfection.

I have incorporated a Precision Marine Fluidized Reactor which is filled with Fauna Marin Ultra Carb L (Fauna Marin Ultra Carb L is an extremely pure, vapour-activated and pre-washed activated carbon for efficient removal of yellowness, turbidity and harmful toxins, essential for maintaining good water quality in any aquarium. Ultracarb is almost entirely free of phosphate and has an extremely high capacity). This Reactor is maintained for 1 month and then media is swapped out. For the next month I will use ROWAphos (ROWAphos is the most effective phosphate remover on the market today. ROWAphos will not only remove phosphates but will never release them back into the system. The product is easy to use and will improve the water quality wherever Phosphate or Silicate is a problem. It is of interest to Marine and Reef Aquariums where its unrivalled capabilities have shown it to be extremely beneficial in the control of nuisance algae?s and the growth of hard corals. Unlike other phosphate removal products, it does not shock the animals or cause problems when used regularly. In fact constant use of the product is recommended, as its abilities to control nuisance algae is a major benefit). This schedule will rotate continuously for every month.

Personal Observation: I am considering purchasing a second Precision Marine Fluidized Reactor which will be daisy chained to provide constant removal of Ammonia, Phosphate, Silicates, etc. without the need to have a swapped media schedule within a shared Reactor.

Photograph Thursday, October 26, 2007 - Precision Marine Fluidized Reaactor currently filled with Fauna Marin Ultra Carb L media for another 2 weeks.

Photograph Thursday, October 26, 2007 - Precision Marine Fluidized Reactor Water Flow Diagram.

 

[Jasonanatal]

Water Quality & Chemical Test Results.

Date: Monday, November 05, 2007
Previous Water Change: Never
Temperature: 77.9 Degrees Fahrenheit
Salinity: 1.025 SG
Ammonia: 0.0 PPM or Undetectable
Nitrite: 0.0 PPM or Undetectable
Nitrate: 0.0 PPM or Undetectable
pH (Lights Off): Not Tested
pH (Lights On): 8.0 pH
Calcium: 420 PPM
Alkalinity (Carbonate Hardness): 9.0 dKH (Carbonate Hardness)
Magnesium: 975 PPM
Phosphate: 0.0 PPM or Undetectable
Notes:

• 45 ml. of Kent Marine Tech M Expert Series ionically balanced Calcium supplement added. Calcium level currently at 450 PPM.
• 62.5 ml. of Kent Marine Tech M Expert Series ionically balanced Magnesium supplement added. Magnesium level currently at 1350 PPM.
• 5 g. of Seachem Reef Builder pH supplement added. pH level currently at 8.1 pH. Alkalinity level currently at 9.5 dKH (Carbonate Hardness).
• No Alkalinity supplement added.

 

[Jasonanatal]

Moonlight: Watching the Sea Come to Life at Night.

The JBJ 28 gallon Nano Cube HQI SPS Reef Aquarium come with 4 1 watt Blue LED Moonlights built into the hood of the Aquarium. It emits a beautiful blue glow that is not intense enough to light up the room, but bright enough to allow night viewing within the Aquarium.

Photograph Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - Four 1 watt Blue LED Moonlights installed into the Hood of the JBJ 28 gallon Nano Cube HQI SPS Reef Aquarium.

Photograph Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - Moonlight viewing at night.

Photograph Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - Moonlight viewing at night.

 

[Jasonanatal]

Ultraviolet Sterilization: Safer than Ozone, Better for Fish and Corals.

After much thinking I have decided to install an my Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt Sterilizer. In my pesonal opinion I feel that it is safer then Ozone dosing and will provide a safer parasite free Aquarium environment for my Livestock and Corals with the benefit of destroying free floating Algae. The Aqua Ultratviolet 25 watt Sterilizer can handle Marine Aquariums with a total water volume of 125 gallons and features a safety window that allows you to see that the unit is currently on while still protecting you from Ultraviolet Radiation. The Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt Sterilizer has been plumbed directly into the rear center chamber of the JBJ 28 gallon Nano Cube HQI SPS Reef Aquarium and powered by a Aquarium Systems Maxi-Jet 1200 Powerheadrated at 295 gph. The unit has been mounted vertically and secured on the floor in order to ensure that air bubbles if pushed into the Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt Sterilizer are able to escape the unit.

Personal Observation: I have installed the Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt Sterilizer with some reluctance of the unit actually being to power for the total water quality. On one side of my debate you have a poweful Ultraviolet Sterilizer that will operate efficiently and eliminate any Parasite & Free Floating Algea with ease. On the other end of the spectrum you have a Ultraviolet Sterilizer that is too powerful for the setup and is not only eliminating Parasites and Free Floating Algae but beneficial Bacteria as well which could adversly effect the Aquarium Environment in some aspect. Well I guess experience will be my teacher and if any adverse effects are being observed then the unit can be easily removed from the system.

Photograph Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt Sterilizer measuring 22.5 inches in Height and 4.5 inches in Diameter.

Photograph Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt Sterilizer Ballast. Nicest looking Ballast I have seen.

Photograph Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - Aquarium Systems Maxi-Jet 1200 Power Head rated at 295 gph. This particular type and manufacturer of Power Heads have been the most reliable I have ever used in my Aquariums.

Photograph Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt Sterilizer safety window. This feature allows you to observe the light in operation while protecting you from harmful ultraviolet light so that you know the unit is operational.

Photograph Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt Sterilizer plumbed into my JBJ 28 gallon Nano Cube HQI SPS Reef Aquarium with 0.25 inch Flex Tubing.

Photograph Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt Sterilizer safety window being obeserved at night.

 

[Jasonanatal]

Ultraviolet Sterilization: Safer than Ozone, Better for Fish and Corals Continued...

Photograph Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt Sterilizer plumbed into my JBJ 28 gallon Nano Cube HQI SPS Reef Aquarium with 0.25 inch Flex Tubing.

Photograph Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - JBJ 28 gallon Nano Cube HQI SPS Reef Aquarium Diagram displaying the current equipment setup and water flow patterns.