Cycling & Adding First Corals to the Reef Casa Studio 12 | Nano Reef Tank Setup Part 3

In this video, I show you how to setup a saltwater aquarium for beginners! This is part 2 of my Reef Casa Studio 12 nano tank series where I start the cycle and add my first corals and clean up crew!
Reef Casa website -
reefcasa.com/
A big thank you to Fragbox Corals for sponsoring this video.
fragbox.ca/reef-casa-aquariums/
Buy 3D printed aquarium accessories from my Etsy store: www.reefdork.etsy.com
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @reefdork
The best algae scraper in the world - amzn.to/3lRCOVb
The best RO/DI filter for most people - amzn.to/46RXGRq
Best test kits for every parameter:
Salinity - amzn.to/3tkVovy
Alkalinity - amzn.to/3z8kKxM
Calcium - amzn.to/48ubKlL
Magnesium - amzn.to/3rnLYPD
Phosphate - amzn.to/3PQ2OxN
Nitrate - amzn.to/3wWfL1M
The kalkwasser I use: amzn.to/48Ud2H4
My vlogging equipment
Video
Fujifilm XT-4 amzn.to/3LYfyPY
16mm F1.4 amzn.to/3z7706r
80mm F2.8 macro shorturl.at/uvMN7
Fujifilm X-S10 shorturl.at/aQ169
Sony ZV-E10 amzn.to/3PVarUL
Tiffen 85b orange filters amzn.to/3wYhpjh
Elgato stream deck XL amzn.to/3dKLlbn
Audio
Sennheiser MKE600 amzn.to/3me3S17
Zoom H6 amzn.to/3ajJsAO
Focusrite Scarlett Solo amzn.to/3N4Ggrw
Deity V-Mic D4 Mini amzn.to/3pvIKov
Rode Lavalier Go amzn.to/3LYOeRw
Zoom H1N amzn.to/3NMp8qo
Audio Technica AT2020 amzn.to/3AdcGe8
Shure SM58 amzn.to/3Tl9ghH
Sliders
iFootage Nano amzn.to/43jvsOz
Neewer motorised slider amzn.to/3N5Jsmz
GVM 24 inch motorised slider amzn.to/3N312aL
Lighting
Elgato Keylight amzn.to/3wVM9S7
Elgato light strip amzn.to/3CiZE1e
Raleno PLV-S192 (fill light) amzn.to/3wXGjzt
Lume Cube Panel Go amzn.to/3a69cR8
Art
Canvases Instagram @coraldesign.pl
Software Epidemic Sounds streamyard.com/pal/6266920650...
Streamyard (get $10 off) streamyard.com/pal/6266920650...
Some of these links have an affiliate code - so if you make a purchase, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
For any commercial enquiries, please send me a PM, contact me via Instagram or leave a comment below.
0:00 Intro
0:23 Cycling the tank
1:55 Adding the first coral
2:43 Start of the ugly stage
4:17 Flow for the corals
5:22 Adding a 2nd coral

[@ReefDork]

Here's part 4 - adding first fish and coral update ! kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWK1imN7erKJirM

[@dereks3207]

utter chaos look sooo good, but man, they takeover FAST.

[@maebholeary2734]

Those are gorgeous! I'm thinking of adding my first coral to my nano soon too 🎉

[@TomoBishBosh]

Whoa whoa Barbour? Not Ralph Lauren? Alex what’s happening?! Good to see the next update so soon! Especially after what you said on the live show and wanted to make videos

[@jaysrealreefuk]

Really enjoying the reef casa series. It's a beautiful little nano tank and the setting for the tank looks perfect. Excited to see your fish choice. Merry Christmas to your family 👍

[@drew-shourd]

Nice tank for sure. Can't agree that that's the best location, on top of a washer and dryer aye m8? Between the vibration and heat variances, was that the only spot you had lad?

[@chrisallan-lancashirereef5130]

Nice watch….

[@FoolOfATuque]

Where you at March? Lol!

[@jtdr2023]

Two Reef Dork videos in two days. #Blessed. I think that’s how you do that. I’m old.

[@ReefDork]

🤣

[@jonathanstephens7804]

Looking good. Do you find the salinity to be out with the low temp?

[@ReefDork]

No, any salinity measuring device compensates for temperature so they should still read correctly

[@jonathanstephens7804]

@@ReefDork fair point :)

[@robertjeffrey6681]

Hi could you tell me where you can get the ammonia chloride from . I have been trying everywhere in the uk for some but its always sold out . Many thanks

[@ReefDork]

It just came with the kit - i've only every bought whatever I can get from my LFS I'm afraid

[@robertjeffrey6681]

No problem thanks for letting me know. I bought the dr tims all in 1 and would rather do a fishless cycle than live fish .

[@Noodur1]

Prospective first time reefer question… how low above the water could I get away with setting the light? I have a great spot in my living room, but not a ton of clearance below the built in cabinet above. Also, any opinion on their larger Studio 24 model? Would hate to limit what fish I could support. Thanks!

[@ReefDork]

If you want it close to the water surface, go for an AI Blade instead. 24 would be better but all small tanks are limited on fish choices

[@FoolOfATuque]

Height allows the par to be more evenly spread throughout the tank and helps avoid hotspots. Height can have a lot of factors such as the dimensions of the tank, light you are using, and quantity of lights. Strip lights, like the AI blade, are good for even distribution compared to the primes, hydras, etc. I have a friend who has a single 30" blade grow mounted on his Waterbox Marine X 90.3 with the elevated mount that puts it ~3" above the water and it lights the tank really well. Corals are growing and happy and the single light is sufficient for LPS corals on his tank. The only issue with the Blade Grow lights is they lack the UV that Hydras, Primes, and Radions have so the color you see in the coral shop may be a bit lacking when you get them home in your tank. The solution is to add a Blade Grow to the system, but you can add that later very easily. Happy reefing!

[@FoolOfATuque]

One more thing. Reef Casa is owned by March from FragBox Corals. He has some pretty good videos on his channel FragboxTV and has some series on setting up his tanks. Recently they set one up with a mantis shrimp.

[@Noodur1]

Thanks guys. I’ve watched some of the Fragbox guy’s videos, so maybe I’ll reach out. I have a small wet bar recessed into the wall of my living room. It’s the perfect spot for an aquarium… very visible, kind of the center of the house, no direct sunlight, and even a small sink in the counter for easy cleanup and disposal during water changes. I think my kids would love it. The problem is there’s a cabinet over the empty counter side of it that is about 15.5” above the counter. I considered trying to max out the counter with as large a tank as possible and then put a sump tank in the cabinet underneath, but I’d have to cut holes in the wall or tile counter to run tubing, and I’m an absolute beginner. Looking forward to future videos as this tank progresses.

[@smokeandkippers]

Don’t forget you need a fair bit of clearance to get your arm in for maintenance. And, salt water evaporation will eventually warp the cabinet. Personally, if it’s a long term project I would utilise the space and modify or remove the cabinet, box in the lights and frame the display. You could even add a section to the sump down pipe to the sink waste pipe for easy water changes. By the time you’ve spent the money on kit you might as well spend a bit more on the cabinet if you want to keep corals because lighting is so important. If it’s fish only then the light isn’t an issue.

[@mryes413]

Are there any plans for 2024?

[@ReefDork]

Update video with future plans going live this Friday 🙂

[@roflsyndrome]

Fluval Evo 13.5 vs. Reef Casa Studio 12. What is your pick?

[@ReefDork]

Reef Casa is much nicer but also more expensive

[@roflsyndrome]

@@ReefDork Ahh ok thanks. I've been looking around for a nano tank to get back into the hobby. I was looking at those two, but then decided to go with the Fusion 15 desktop. Thanks again.