# Other Aquarium Forums > Marine Tanks >  planning to set up a 1ft cube marine tank.

## EvolutionZ

as what i have expressed in emmanuel's marine thread, im planning on a 1ft cube marine nano tank.
tank is those BOYU all in one tank.. 1ft cube but 5cm at the back is used for IOS filter.. with fan, i can achieve 28C.. 

a few question i would like to ask :

1) where can i find small small live rocks?
2) anyone used the jebo 178 hang-on protein skimmer before?
3) can i keep zoas and mushrooms in 15watt FL light condition?

have not really decided to plunge into marine yet.. still searching for more info though.. you help will be greatly appreciated. thanks.

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## teebs

> as what i have expressed in emmanuel's marine thread, im planning on a 1ft cube marine nano tank.
> tank is those BOYU all in one tank.. 1ft cube but 5cm at the back is used for IOS filter.. with fan, i can achieve 28C.. 
> 
> a few question i would like to ask :
> 
> 1) where can i find small small live rocks?
> 2) anyone used the jebo 178 hang-on protein skimmer before?
> 3) can i keep zoas and mushrooms in 15watt FL light condition?
> 
> have not really decided to plunge into marine yet.. still searching for more info though.. you help will be greatly appreciated. thanks.


Small Live rocks can be found at most LFSes. Also Coral Farm sometimes has nice small pieces of Fiji rocks.

Mushrooms and zoas can be kept under 15W FL light.

I do not think that china made skimmers are any good but for a small nano tank, they might be sufficient. Also if keeping only zoas and mushrooms, a protein skimmer might not be necessary as these corals can thrive in nutrient rich waters.

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## MiminoloGy

1. Go to Reborn, they should have lots

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## EvolutionZ

seems like an easy to set up thing.. any idea where is reborn? how to go? im just a student without car.. thats why i cant really go to farms like iwarna..

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## MiminoloGy

U should take a train to boon keng station. 

Then walk towards eminent plaza. 

Reborn is amongst the row of old shophouses right opposite eminent plaza

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## EvolutionZ

ok.. so the equipments will be as followed :

1ft cube tank with IOS filter filled with media.
fan to keep tank at 27 - 29C
live sand - How many KG needed?
live rock - How many KG needed? where to find? i got no car since im student.. 
lighting will be 15watt FL(new tube)
coral i intend to keep only zoas and mushrooms. any other easy to maintain coral like the 2?
fish - maybe clownfish and shrimps, undecided yet.. can keep hermit crabs?
wavemaker - how many l/hr is recommanded?

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## MiminoloGy

> ok.. so the equipments will be as followed :
> 
> 1ft cube tank with IOS filter filled with media.
> fan to keep tank at 27 - 29C
> live sand - How many KG needed?
> live rock - How many KG needed? where to find? i got no car since im student.. 
> lighting will be 15watt FL(new tube)
> coral i intend to keep only zoas and mushrooms. any other easy to maintain coral like the 2?
> fish - maybe clownfish and shrimps, undecided yet.. can keep hermit crabs?
> wavemaker - how many l/hr is recommanded?


Live sand, a thin layer will do as your tank is very small and so sensitivity to water parameters is high so you would not want detritus to build up so easily.
LRs about 1/4 size of tank volume should be ok.
Don't really suggest hermits because your tank is really small and the clumsy hermit will more often than not disturb your corals from photosynthesizing aptly.
Wavemaker a NO too because tank size again and remember we are trying to recreate random waves so a wavemaker in a small tank will only create a whirlpool rather than natural waves but again make sure your filter is strong enough to stir up the detritus build up, as and when necessary.

Have fun good luck!

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## EvolutionZ

people are recommanding me getting a hydor nano K wavemaker though.. my 400l/hr pump is way too small..

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## teebs

> people are recommanding me getting a hydor nano K wavemaker though.. my 400l/hr pump is way too small..


A single hydor nano k will be more than sufficient for your tank.  :Grin:

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## EvolutionZ

maybe if can find those wavemaker slower than 900l/hr i'll get it. maybe jebo or boyu have.. i remember seeing a 300l/hr one.. frankly speaking.. paying almost $50 for a small wavemaker is really not my type of spending.

anyway, any idea what else important do i need to know? thanks.

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## MiminoloGy

That's why I said your money is better spent on a more powerful main pump since you cannot mimic random waves in that small tank anyway.

You just need one that is capable enough to stir up detritus that builds up on the bottom of the tank.

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## EvolutionZ

the problem is that the IOS space is limited for the pump area.. only a small pump can fit in...

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## MiminoloGy

Hmmm.. No other more powerful pumps that can fit?

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## BFG

Multiple pump then?

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## EvolutionZ

> Hmmm.. No other more powerful pumps that can fit?


im not too sure.. have been searching and found none..




> Multiple pump then?


thats what i have been thinking too.. both 400L/hr pump used together.. need to find the correct equipment..

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## teebs

Seriously you could just use a Hang on Back filter, something like the Eheim series which also has a compartment for you to place your carbon inside the filter. That would be more than sufficient for your tank since the filter return would be able to create the flow in your tank.

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## EvolutionZ

yea. thats what i thought too.. but was told that wavemaker and filter's flow rate is of different purposes.. haha..

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## MiminoloGy

Wavemaker, if used without controller, pretty much works the same as a return pump in terms of waves created.

Do note if you use 2 return pumps then the temperature might rise consequently too.

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## EvolutionZ

true.. i'll consider and see if the jebo 178 protein skimmer is good.. thanks!

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## teebs

> yea. thats what i thought too.. but was told that wavemaker and filter's flow rate is of different purposes.. haha..


For a 1 footer tank and the zoas and mushrooms that you are keeping, you do not require high flow rates so adding additional wavemakers in your tank might possibly be just a waste of money... :Grin: 

My friend who recently set up a 1 foot marine tank for his daughter is using the Eheim HOB filter and a 8W lightset for his tank and his zoas are doing ok.

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## cdckjn

In my opinion, for a 1ft tank, you can have an instant start-up with like this.

Get a 1ft fish tank. Get a Hang-on filter with surface skimmer attachment. Buy saltwater from the LFS. add about 1-2 cm of sand at the bottom or even go bottom-less (no sand). Add half a market prawn - to kick start the cycling process.

Let the water cycle (2 days). Buy a piece of rock with some brown mushrooms ($5-$10) - put in inside (your 1st live rock). Let it cycle another 5 days. Photo-cycle about 8 Hours daily (turn on your lights for 8 hours then off for the rest of the day). Remove the market prawn - very stinky by now!

Buy your second or third coral - (your 2nd live rock). Wait another 3 days. Buy your first fish. Should be a small fish - firefish or clown or damsel (these are rathyer hardy).
Enjoy!

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## EvolutionZ

so you guys think 400L/hr is good enough?

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## EvolutionZ

> In my opinion, for a 1ft tank, you can have an instant start-up with like this.
> 
> Get a 1ft fish tank. Get a Hang-on filter with surface skimmer attachment. Buy saltwater from the LFS. add about 1-2 cm of sand at the bottom or even go bottom-less (no sand). Add half a market prawn - to kick start the cycling process.
> 
> Let the water cycle (2 days). Buy a piece of rock with some brown mushrooms ($5-$10) - put in inside (your 1st live rock). Let it cycle another 5 days. Photo-cycle about 8 Hours daily (turn on your lights for 8 hours then off for the rest of the day). Remove the market prawn - very stinky by now!
> 
> Buy your second or third coral - (your 2nd live rock). Wait another 3 days. Buy your first fish. Should be a small fish - firefish or clown or damsel (these are rathyer hardy).
> Enjoy!


wow.. thats like so fast! haha.. i was told to cycle 4weeks before adding any live rocks.

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## eviltrain

for 400LPH i guess you might wants another canister with ceramic rings. 1 feet cube is 27 litres. 400/27 = 14.8 time cycle per hour. at this speed, i would recommend 2 outlet instead of 1. rain bar looks weird in marine tank. 
that my own preference.

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## EvolutionZ

> for 400LPH i guess you might wants another canister with ceramic rings. 1 feet cube is 27 litres. 400/27 = 14.8 time cycle per hour. at this speed, i would recommend 2 outlet instead of 1. rain bar looks weird in marine tank. 
> that my own preference.


thanks, will certainly take note.

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## BFG

Just remembered something!

What about attaching a SCWD ( pronounced as squid ) to have a wavemaker function? Google it!

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## MiminoloGy

> Just remembered something!
> 
> What about attaching a SCWD ( pronounced as squid ) to have a wavemaker function? Google it!


SCWD requires a high flow output, definitely not for 1ft

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## cdckjn

You can hurry because you are buying existing "live rocks with corals" from the LFS! so I can decrease the cycling time by half. Good to pour the existing water from the LFS to increase the time.




> wow.. thats like so fast! haha.. i was told to cycle 4weeks before adding any live rocks.

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## BFG

Actually, by adding additional live rock to the aquarium, you might start another cycle. But it will depend on the size of the live rock as to the size of the tank.

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