reefer_cosmo

Hi Bro, Thank you for your help in replying to my question regarding AZ-NO3. Yes, your experience sharing helps a lot in aiding my formulation of water change routine and general supplement dosing mix. I believe you meant to say you don"t change water now that Nitrate level is close to zero, Is that correct? I am also looking for ways to delay water change to perhaps every 2 months or so. The first water change is a must, of course, and I did a 50% change. NO3 dropped from pre-water change level of 40+ppm to after water change level of 20ppm. Then I started dosing AZ-NO3 on this JBJ tank, and 2 days later .... NO3 level is 5ppm. Quite good result on this tank i suspect is the better protein skimmer on this tank. Ammonia, Nitrite levels all 0ppm, can sleep easy. Also using low phosphate activated carbon, and ROWA-PHOS in the filter media. So, that is my strategy to delay water change as long as possible. Mixing salt is no fun. ;-) ... I am using Tropic Marin Pro-Reef salt mix, damn good quality, but expensive .... around S$30 for 4kg, which gets you around 120 liters. As for dosing, I am using Aquapharm part A & B, 5-in-1 coral food ... and of course regular dosing of AZ-NO3. Just wonder is there any harm to consistently do daily dose of AZ-NO3 ... any experienced brothers out there can answer this? Cycopleez, what kind of coral eat this? General feeding by pouring some into the water or do we need to do "spot feeding", by targeting at coral's mouth? I thought 5-in-1 coral food is already enough?

Hi guys, My JBJ 28g nano HQI has finished cycling. We have started stocking it up with fishes. Still at the begining stage. Will wait for tank to further mature before starting to add Corals. Enjoy the pictures.

Very cool huh? Even can keep reef fish (clown) in fresh water tank. It's a fresh water tank converted to marine. Lots of DIY stuff. This is my learning & experimenting tank. Now experimenting with AZ-NO3 on this tank (with a protein skimmer). I just bought a new JBJ HQ1 nano-cube last week. Rock scape and equipment all setup already. Now in the cycling process. Have to learn more about how to control the water parameters of a marine tank, so I experiment with my converted tank, with cheap (and free) marine fishes. By the way, that is not Louhan. It's Tilapia caught at Pasir Ris main (big) pond, already adjusted to salt water conditions. As for the Leopard Scat, it was caught at Bedok Jetty while we were jigging for Tamban, so that fish is also a marine fish. Once my JBJ HQ1 is ready, and once I started stocking ... I will post the pictures for you guys to see. P/S. AZ-NO3 users: The nitrate level does drop, but very slowly leh. Why some users reported that it can drop from 30 ppm to 5 ppm overnight? Another question for ROWA-PHOS users: Does the original stuff comes in a semi-wet condition. Not like totally dried food pellets, but rather a moist black almost "jelly" like texture? Or, did I got conned? Paid high price for fake goods?

Follow-up to my own post: A picture of my learning tank. As you can see, lots of DIY stuff in there. Even made my own filter media box with household items.

Hi there, Don't mean to discourage you. However, I have tried a similar sized tank with the kind of equipments that you are considering. The result: 3 times whole tank crashed and restarted 3 times. I was very inexperienced to marine tank back then too, first tank wayyyyyyy overstocked. Take a look at one of my old photo. Now after experimenting and learning with a 1.5ft tank for close to 2 years, finally put down good money to buy proper tank and equipments. Good quality equipment (and size of tank) plays a very important role. Need to gather a lot of knowledge about this hobby too, in order to know what to buy, test, add, dose, change etc. So, welcome to the world of marine tank keeping. It's comforting to know that most newbies started almost the same manner.

Hi Scrach, Sorry, no photos. Everything already placed into the water system. Now cycling and I don't want to disturb the process by disconnecting the pumps to take photos. Hope that you understand. However, if you have further clarifications (especially with regards to the JBJ HQ1 model), do ask me and I can help answer your questions. One additional note: You can try a smaller pump for the chiller water cycle if you place the chiller on the same height (level) as your tank. For my case, my tank is around 32 inches high on the cabinet, and having to add the tank's height also ... and my chiller on the floor, this creates a lot of resistant for the water flow (up/down ... coil, up again). Thus, I needed a larger and more powerful pump to drive the chiller water cycle. Tips: Look at a pump/powerhead specs, there is always a "head" rating in meters. Also a flow-rate at "L/hr". You will need to match the flow-rate of the pump to the recommended flow rate of the chiller. And pay attention to the "head" in meters, as that means how high the pump can pump the water.

Hi guys, The LFS guys just send me a spanking new JBJ HQ1 nano-cube, with cabinet stand. They were kind enough to set up the HQ1 for me, but the connection to my existing Resun CL280 chiller was left to myself. Firstly, I must say I learned the HARD way how to connect a chiller to a nano. The main hurdle being the SMALL filter sump area at the back. If you were to purchase a small powerhead (pump) measuring 4cm x 6cm, the power output is not enough to pump the water flow one complete cycle (from tank to chiller, then back to tank). So, had to try many different combinations with multiple changes of pump sizes (yes, I have quite a few of them) ... different tube connections, inside display area, also at the filter sump. In the process, TWICE my temporary tube connection (not fasten with cable ties yet) came loose and flooded my floor. Lots of scrambling to clean up before the saltwater damages any electrical equipment. Thus, now my contribution to this forum: How to sucessfully connect the HQ1 to a chiller, yet retain the pulse wave maker function. Step 1: Buy yourself a small 4cm x 6cm powerhead, I bought the Hilea brand. Get the tube that fits onto this powerhead. Just 30 cm will do. Buy some cable ties, and buy those white plumbing tape. Step 2: Insert the tube into the powerhead outlet socket, cable tie it, and trim off excess. Seal the connection between the powerhead, socket and the tube with white plumbing tape. Cut down the remaining tube to around 15 cm. Step 3: Disconnect one of the two pluse wave powerhead that came with the HQ1. Disconnect both the electrical socket and also the water tube from the powerhead to the L-shape plastic connector. Step 4: Connect the small powerhead that you created in step 2 to the above-said L-shape plastic connector in step 3. Cable tie it, so that everything is securely fasten! You don't want my kind of flooding experience! Step 5: Take the larger water tube to/from the INLET of your chiller and connect it to the water tube of the disconnected pluse wave powerhead in step 3. Cable tie the connection, fasten it tight! If you don't another flooding incident waiting for you. Step 6: Connect the electrical socket of the pluse wave powerhead in step 3/5 to a regular power socket. Now it instantly becomes a regular powerhead pump, a powerful one too! Able to push the water in a full cycle. Step 7: Connect the electrical socket of the small powerhead in step 4 to the "pluse wave duo" control box. And you have it, alternating pluse wave generation function still retained, while utilizing the supplied powerful powerhead to power your chiller water cycle. I need not describe how to have your chilled water return to your tank, do I? *grin* Just be careful not to flood your whole house. But I trust with this guide based on my actual experience, you will do much better than me! Best part of all, no ugly powerhead in the display tank area, and still able to retain the pluse wave maker function. Wow. Hope that this helps the next new owner of a JBJ HQ1.