JBJ 28 gallon owners thread.

I have the CF Quad and when I went to buy a birds nest coral a few weeks ago the guy at the lfs told me that these PCs aren't enough light for sps. I was just reading through and it seems some have had success keeping some sps after all. Anyone keeping a birds nest in theirs with success?

 

You can do some SPS up higher in the rock work. You probably will not get same color under the PC lighting but you can grow and keep some SPS.

Try some montipora, pocillopora or some BN.

 

Need some guidance, At my Local LFS I can get the following
JBJ Led Pro, Stand, Heater, Themometer, API Test Kit, 20Lbs Live Sand, 20Lbs Live Rock
OR FOR ABOUT THE SAME PRICE
JBJ CF Quad, Stand, JBJ Digital Heat Controller & Heater, JBJ ATO w Pump, Vortec MP10, API Test Kit

I am leaning towards the CF Quad system because I plan on mostly Soft Corals no SPS or Clams, also The Supporting Equipment List is much better and I can always upgrade the lighting at a later time if needed. What are your thoughts ?

Thanks In Advance

John

 

I've had all their version, the HQI, Quad and the LED. I liked the quad. I liked the color of the light more and thought the LED was a blaring spotlight. We actually put window film over the LEDs to tone them down. We ended up removing the LED hood and putting on one of the old ones. The noise of the fans were painful. You know how your ears feel when you leave a loud concert and go home? I swear when these shut off in the evening, that's how my ears felt. I should say I have scary good hearing, but it even bothered my husband, who has very poor hearing.

Oh, but the reduced energy consumption and heat output of the LEDs..... I really wanted to like the lights.

 

I have a CF Quad, and I have a nicely growing Green Slimer Acro under the PC's. I replaced the PC's with a Rapid LED kit, and now getting more into SPS. So yes you can have SPS under the PC's, just high up as Cherly mentioned.

And as far as buying a new one, I would buy the CF Quad and then upgrade to LED's down the road if you want to go with SPS corals.

 

Ok so I have made a descision, here is the equipment list, am I missing anything ?
1 - JBJ 28G PC Quad Nano
1 - Tunze 9002 Skimmer w/ In-Tank Square Skimmer Cup
2 - Cobalt Aquatics MJ1200 Powerheads
1 – Vortech MP10
1 - Tunze 3152 Auto Top Off
1 – JBJ True Temp Digital Heater Controller w Heater

I will not be setting up the tank until the end of June as I am going to Europe for two weeks on June 7th and don't want to start anything that I can't monitor in the mean time I can start accumulating the equipment.

Thanks All for your help

 

Very comprehensive list! I will say that there should be no reason (IMO) to replace the stock pumps until they need to be replaced, especially if you are getting an MP10 in there.

Otherwise, just throwing this out there, you are spending ~$100 on the ATO, and another $80-100 on the temp control; you could get a basic reef controller that will do both, plus a lot more for around $200. A basic Reef Angel will do ATO (just need a $15 Aqualifter pump), temp monitoring and control (would allow you to control a chiller or fan as well), wavemaker if needed, lighting, feeding modes, constant pH monitoring, etc. There are other options as well; I just personally have Reef Angels on 2 of my tanks and love them.

 

Marshall - Thanks for your insight, I guess I could pass on the power heads for now, as for the Reef Angel I did seriously think about that however I am still a bit of Old School and am concerned about the if One System Fails all Systems Fail philosophy. With that being said my thought is that when I upgrade the lighting to the system that you have I will also get the Reef Angel at that time, This will then provide me with the ability to control the lights on/off/dimming as well as temp and ATO among other items and still leave me with back up equipment incase of Equipment failure.

 

And so it starts, Picked up the Tank Last night and put the stand together, over the next few weeks I will be gathering all the equipment should be up and running by the end of June to start the cycle

EDIT: Big Brown Truck just paid me a visit

 

Returning to the hobby - need some advice

I don't know if this thread is still active or viewed, but I am returning to the hobby after a little over 10 years away. I would like some help with getting things started the right way.

I have picked up a used JBJ 28g quad with some extras, and also have some old equipment I would like to use as well. This is what I have currently:

1x JBJ 28g quad (with modded LED additional lighting added to hood)
1x Eheim 9002 protein skimmer (already modded with magnet removed)
1x Eheim Professional 3 - 350 canister Filter
1x Eheim eco Pro 130 Canister filter
2x maxijet 1200 powerheads
2x OEM powerheads (came with tank)
1x marineland doublebight LED Light strip (EXACT height of tank - refugium light?)
3x digital thermometers (1 with temp set and alarm function)
1x Wavemaker unit
3x Heaters of various wattages and build types.


I am using the maxijets to mix water and perhaps with an auto-refill unit.
My questions are as follows:

1. Will I benefit from a refugium Or should I just use either of the canister filters and some type of phosphate remover? I know the fugium will help with pods, but does it help that much? The larger Eheim will add water capacity and if I simply empty it out and refill it, it amounts to an easy water change, so I was on the fence about that part.

2. If I do go with a refugium in the center column of the tank, will it degrade things without the protein skimmer?

3. If I use a refugium, I will custom build a rack to hold mechanical filter above it, but if I use the protein skimmer, what do I do about mechanical filtering??? Or would a canister pulling water from section 2/3 of the tank suffice for that purpose?

I plan on 2-3 inches of live sand and roughly 35 pounds of live rock. I am planning a simple stocking (2 clownfish, a goby and a cleanup crew along with an anemone and a few other inverts).

I would just like ideas on the best starting point and setup given the parts and components I already have. I will purchase/improve components as I go.

;D Thanks for any help, ideas and assistance!!!