12 Gallon Nano Filtration

[James Smith]

Hey all,

First post on this forum, but not new to the hobby... I recently purchased a 12 gallon Nano-Cube DX for my office and am thinking about changing the filtration in the back. The person I bought it from was running the stock sponge filters/bioballs. I have been thinking about replacing both media, but was wondering what all you with a little more biocube experience run for media in each of the 3 chambers. I do not want to get too complex in this, so the simpler the better. Thanks for the help...

[Eklikewhoa]

Change the pump to a maxi-jet 900
Remove all the sponges and bio-balls

You could either run some chaeto in the back with light for a small refugium, fill it with Live rock, add Chem-pure/purigen or all of the above.

[chujai]

i find putting a fuge light in the back to light it up is a lot of work

if you want macro algae, just have some nice stuff in the display.

i have all live rock in back for mine just so i don thave to install a light in back. but i do have a little phosphate problem i find. i do get accelerated algae growth but i do a water change once a month and its fine.

also fitting a 900 in the back is great for flow, but i find it too loud. mines in my bed room...

i think the 600 should be sufficient, and still whisper quite.

if you are really handy, put 2 pumps... 2 600.... i wish i did that at the begining instead of now.

[James Smith]

I was hopping to get more replies on this, so maybe I can get some comments on what I was thinking about doing. I was thinking I would put LR rubble in section 1, LR rubble topped with an activated carbon bag in section 2, and return pump section 3. Does this sound like a good plan? Thanks again...

[REDDAWG43]

How many pounds of LR do you have or will have in the display?
I believe that if you have enough LR in the display theres no need for it in the back chambers.
I have a 12g nano set up with LR in the back chamber, and it cathes a lot of deatris (sp)....
I feel that a mini reefigium is better or really nothing at all except stuff like purigen, charcoal, filter floss, and so forth.

I did change the return pump to a mj900 and it is dead silent. I wold check the placement of yours if its making noise. If not a rio pump is small and works well too.

[bad santa]

chamber #1: put a bag of chemi-pure & a bag of purigen

chamber #2: just put a bit of cheato with a fuge light in the back.
you can buy the parts for the light at HD for about $15. Its really simple to hook it up.

chamber #3: Put your maxijet 600 & a visi-therm stealth heater.

heres the link to the DIY fuge light:
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1215893

[Eklikewhoa]

I did not find peeling the black background off and putting a light next to the tank hard at all.

My MJ900 is dead silent too but I have the suction cups holding it to the bottom glass and the sides are not touching the tank.

I have no algae in my tank and the nitrogen is 0 or undetectable at all times.