14 Gallon Biocube Reef Tank with Updates

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
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djm5222

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 3, 2009
191
0
0
Wisconsin
My dream has become a reality;

First let me share how I came to this place in my life:

The past year I started an African Cichlid tank, 55 gallon to be exact. It started with mixed africans then gradually switched the a Tanganyika tank. I had 4 Synodontis, 1 Eretmodus Cyanostictus, 1 Neolamprologus tetracanthus, and 5 Cyprichromis Leptosoma "Utinta." I also had Vallisneria growing in the tank. I bought a 108 T8 HO Light Fixture; it was great for the Vallisneria, but not my room. It caused to much Evaporation and I didn't have a tight fitting lid. My room was covered in mold. I spent who knows how much money on this tank. All of these fish were my babies; I loved the tank. My parents, I'm only 16, told me I had to take down the tank. I told them if I do, I will downsize. I had to take down the 55 and then, I bought a tank that made my dreams become a reality.

Okay, Now that we are caught up.

I bought a 14 gallon biocube with the plans of building a nano reef. (I've dreamed of a Saltwater tank forever, First with the 55 gallon with a Snowflake eel, then a 10 gallon nano reef tank) I made my parents take my old fish back (Since I was to upset to take them back myself) and ask about a nano reef tank. (I do have a job and make my own money; I work at Culvers in my city) They came back and said the tank was 14 gallon and $200 dollars. It would cost $400 to get it completely set up.

So, a week passes by and I firmly decide I'm going to do it.

I go there get: the tank, 2 pounds of live rock, 4 pounds of base rock, hydrometer, test kit, fish food, Yellow Clown Goby, and 15 gallons of Saltwater RO water. This all costed me $298.

I got the tank all setup and it's been setup for 2 days now. I've took on a new project and want to share it with all of you.

I'm worried, Yellow Clown Goby has now sprouted bumps over his body. I did not notice this in the store. I've read online that this could mean that he was malnourished or not eating. I'm worried that he wasn't eating. (I trust this fish store) I don't believe this is ich. (Even though I don't know what ich looks like because none of my fish have ever had ich) I put flake food in there yesterday; I didn't see him eat any, but I didn't sit there watching for a long time. Today, I noticed the bumps; and I put some bloodworms in there thinking it was just him being finicky. Still didn't notice him eating. Any suggestions/advice?

I will be back later today or tomorrow with pictures of the tank.

Happy New Year everyone! This is officially my 2011 project.
 
djm5222;4752781; said:
My dream has become a reality;

First let me share how I came to this place in my life:

The past year I started an African Cichlid tank, 55 gallon to be exact. It started with mixed africans then gradually switched the a Tanganyika tank. I had 4 Synodontis, 1 Eretmodus Cyanostictus, 1 Neolamprologus tetracanthus, and 5 Cyprichromis Leptosoma "Utinta." I also had Vallisneria growing in the tank. I bought a 108 T8 HO Light Fixture; it was great for the Vallisneria, but not my room. It caused to much Evaporation and I didn't have a tight fitting lid. My room was covered in mold. I spent who knows how much money on this tank. All of these fish were my babies; I loved the tank. My parents, I'm only 16, told me I had to take down the tank. I told them if I do, I will downsize. I had to take down the 55 and then, I bought a tank that made my dreams become a reality.

Okay, Now that we are caught up.

I bought a 14 gallon biocube with the plans of building a nano reef. (I've dreamed of a Saltwater tank forever, First with the 55 gallon with a Snowflake eel, then a 10 gallon nano reef tank) I made my parents take my old fish back (Since I was to upset to take them back myself) and ask about a nano reef tank. (I do have a job and make my own money; I work at Culvers in my city) They came back and said the tank was 14 gallon and $200 dollars. It would cost $400 to get it completely set up.

So, a week passes by and I firmly decide I'm going to do it.

I go there get: the tank, 2 pounds of live rock, 4 pounds of base rock, hydrometer, test kit, fish food, Yellow Clown Goby, and 15 gallons of Saltwater RO water. This all costed me $298.

I got the tank all setup and it's been setup for 2 days now. I've took on a new project and want to share it with all of you.

I'm worried, Yellow Clown Goby has now sprouted bumps over his body. I did not notice this in the store. I've read online that this could mean that he was malnourished or not eating. I'm worried that he wasn't eating. (I trust this fish store) I don't believe this is ich. (Even though I don't know what ich looks like because none of my fish have ever had ich) I put flake food in there yesterday; I didn't see him eat any, but I didn't sit there watching for a long time. Today, I noticed the bumps; and I put some bloodworms in there thinking it was just him being finicky. Still didn't notice him eating. Any suggestions/advice?

I will be back later today or tomorrow with pictures of the tank.

Happy New Year everyone! This is officially my 2011 project.
Click to expand...

Happy New Year!!

Did you buy everything at once and set it up? Or did you let the tank cycle?

Do you have any pics? Can you post them so we can give you an idea of what it is?

I think you should try to feed live brine shrimp, almost all fish find these to be irresistible.

Hopefully they should work, but if the fish is sick(either ich or new tank syndrome/ammonia poisoning) it may not eat no matter what the food is. I must reiterate that brine shrimp is not a sustainable food and you should not use it regularly. There really is no substance to brine shrimp. Long term Mysis shrimp is the way to go with a quality marine flake/pellet.
 
I did buy everything at once because the place told me I should cycle the tank with a fish. This is what had me most worried about the bumps because the tank is cycling.

I have to leave for work soon, but I will try and get a picture up of the fish

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That LFS is a crapper!!
 
You should not have brought the fish. Just let the live rock cycle the tank.
 
Hey man cool story. I am in the same boat. Getting a 14 gallon biocube hopefully this week(recovering from surgery) and I will be starting with my first reef.. However, I would have not brought the fish home right away. Reefs/SW take a little while to mature, and giving it a month or two would have been better.. Anyhoo, will be looking for updates!
 
daphilster08;4754227; said:
Hey man cool story. I am in the same boat. Getting a 14 gallon biocube hopefully this week(recovering from surgery) and I will be starting with my first reef.. However, I would have not brought the fish home right away. Reefs/SW take a little while to mature, and giving it a month or two would have been better.. Anyhoo, will be looking for updates!
Click to expand...

+1 Agreed on the fish and letting the tank cycle with just the rock.

Nothing you can do now however, so we need to keep this fish healthy. Based on the pictures, it looks like Ich unless you have a source making little air bubbles that are sticking to the side of the fish. If it is indeed Ich, which needs to be verified, you will need to treat the fish in a different tank than the live rock. Otherwise, you will kill the live rock in the tank with treatment.

I am struggling to see exactly how big the bumps are, how big is the fish?
 
Fish is about an inch right now... From what I see online and what I see on the fish... It just doesn't look like Ich to me... I've read many different things about whether doing a fishless cycle and a cycle with fish... But whatever... Today, he did start eating some food and does look a lil better
 
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