12 Gallon Nanocube DX

hobokendude

hobokendude

New Member
Here's my 1 month old 12 gallon Nanocube DX. I recently inherited this tank and some pieces of live rock, leather back coral, mushroom corals, star polyps, red hermit crab, and a few starfish from my neighbor (he upgraded to a 24 gallon). After about 3 weeks of letting the tank stabilize and getting used to the maintenance routine, I've added a red anemone, 2 snails, 1 zebra hermit crab, 1 coneshell hermit crab, and 2 baby false pecula clownfish. So far things seems to be going ok! Most tests have resulted in good levels.

Salinity: 1.020 (but I've read that I should probably gradually try increase this to 1.023ish)
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0
Calcium: Started at 390 (on 8/20), but currently at 210 (9/17)
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: <20 (aqua pharm test) & <10 (instant ocean test)
Alkalinity: Started at 7 (8/20), but currently 4.5 (9/17)
Phosphate: <0.2
Temp: Try to keep it between 79 to 81

I've been noticing that my calcium and alkalinity have been dropping each week. I've been using liquid calcium, C balance, and reef builder to try to raise both. It's been a couple of weeks, but I haven't seen an increase. Any helpful suggestions?

Thanks you!!!!
 

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RickD

New Member
Doesn't look like you have enough coral to take down that much calcium over a small period of time.

There are other things that affect the trace elements in the water column, like Magnesium.

I would do a water change to replenish, you trace elements. Start with a 20% water changes test be sure to test for alkalinity, and calcium on the new water and after you replace the water in the tank. Depending on the type of salt, it should raise the value...I know that Oceanic salt has lots of calcium in it, but you have to provide additives for alkalinity and PH.

If it looks like things you are moving in the right direction, let the system stabilize then go with another water change the next day....

Also you might consider letting your LFS test the water.
 
hobokendude

hobokendude

New Member
I've been doing 10% water changes once a week using the pre-made salt water that I buy from the LPS that comes in 4.5 gallon containers. I don't mix my own salt water, as it is a small tank.

When I do the water changes, I add in purple up, vitamin C (5 drops), C balance, reef builder, reef buffer, and now also the liquid calcium. Usually about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of each. This was the same routine that my friend who gave me the tank followed, so not sure why alkalinity and calcium are dropping off on me. Are you suggesting that I may have a Magnesium problem? Maybe need to look for a solution this weekend.

Thank you for listening and the advice!!!
 
hobokendude

hobokendude

New Member
Just uploaded the newest arrangment in my tank. Added a new piece of live rock and a colony of polyps. Hope they grow!
 
hobokendude

hobokendude

New Member
I talked to a guy at the fish store over the weekend regarding the calcium and alkalinity drop. Since I was adding both supplements at the same time, he thinks they may be cancelling each other out (i.e. when calcium goes up, alkalinity goes down; when alkalinity goes up, calcium goes down). So this week, I've waited a day in between to add the supplements to increase both. I'll see how it goes, then test again next week.
 
EDGRAY

EDGRAY

New Member
hobokendude said:
I talked to a guy at the fish store over the weekend regarding the calcium and alkalinity drop. Since I was adding both supplements at the same time, he thinks they may be cancelling each other out (i.e. when calcium goes up, alkalinity goes down; when alkalinity goes up, calcium goes down). So this week, I've waited a day in between to add the supplements to increase both. I'll see how it goes, then test again next week.
Click to expand...
This is wrong alk & calcium work together. but well why are you dosing with tanks this small you just need water changes and even more that you dont have any corals that need calcium... but if you most just do small amount less than directed...

By the way LFS will tell you anything to make you buy any supplements but they are not needed only during water changes depending on the parameters of the new water you will need a ph buffer or DKH buffer and thats it really in such small tank other thing that will help your corals will be Plankton thats it....

HTH

EDDY
 
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reefman23

New Member
EDGRAY said:
This is wrong alk & calcium work together.
Click to expand...
Actually, having high KH and high Ca at the same time is not really possible. One would be high, the other would be low. Check out this slice of an article written by Anthony Calfo...

"Ironically, within the recommended ranges of 350 and 450 ppm Ca (calcium) and 8-12 dKH Alk (alkalinity) it is not necessary to maintain both parameters at the higher end concurrently. In fact, it is not practical or easily attained in most systems. In gross terms, high calcium and high alkalinity are mutually exclusive. Alas, too many aquarists get caught up in the roller coaster application of excessive amounts of supplements (randomly applied or not) and skew the balance of Ca and Alk in the system. Maintaining stable and consistent levels should not be difficult at all."

Here is an illustration that he gave to help explain the above quote...

"The Marble Analogy

Fact: it is only possible to dissolve so many solids into a given volume of water (calcium, carbonates, and everything else). At the risk of oversimplifying the dynamic, imagine a bowl that holds one hundred marbles representing the total dissolved solids in seawater in a given system. If red marbles represented calcium, and blue marbles represented carbonates (alkalinity), the bowl can still only hold one hundred marbles no matter what mix of color they are. Now, if seventy marbles were the equivalent of 400-ppm calcium and the remaining marbles were blue, the only way to increase calcium would be to displace alkalinity (to remove blue marbles). In troubled systems, the misapplication of calcium supplements (dosing suddenly or to excess) is known to cause a sudden precipitation of carbonates (the alkalinity falls/crashes) that is commonly referred to as a “snowstormâ€
 
hobokendude

hobokendude

New Member
I just had my first casualty. I got a fire scallop on Sunday. He looked good yesterday and I thought he would be a nice addition to the tank. I think one of my hermit crabs got to him and shredded him up. When I got home today, I saw one of the crabs over the scallop shell feasting. I turned the shell and confirmed he's passed. I guess I'll let mother nature take her course by letting the rest of the clean up crew finish their gourmet meal. :( At least it wasn't an expensive piece to lose. I guess scallops are safe with hermit crabs. Lesson learned.
 
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reefman23

New Member
Personally, I would remove as much of the tissue as I could. That thing will through things way out of whack. BTW, it probably died AND THEN the hermits destroyed him... scallops in general arent a good choice for most any tank unfortunately.

SOrry for your loss.

Jesse
 
hobokendude

hobokendude

New Member
I removed what was floating around when I got home last night. The clean up crew pretty much cleaned out the shell. Knock on wood, but everything else in the tank seems to be doing ok. No more scallops for me. :mrgreen:
 
hobokendude

hobokendude

New Member
Just posted an updated picture (up there all the way at the top). I think I'm getting the hang of it. Waiting to find a good (larger tank) home for the pink leather coral. He is absolutely beautiful and I haven't seen any store with as long "tentacles" as my current one has. They usually look really sad in the stores. Anyway, I hope to get some room when I can get that leather coral out. Then I'll see what I can get next. Hopefully something that moves with the current and is colorful. May need to get another piece of live rock. What do you guys think?
 
hobokendude

hobokendude

New Member
2 Years later....

It's been about 2 years since I was handed down the 12 gal nanocube DX from my friend. One major upgrade to the 28 gal HQI, many deaths, and $$$$ later....here's a quick snapshot of where I am today. Not quite as good as I'd like to be, but I think in ok shape.

 
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