Newbie here>>>

[mozer67]

I just bought a 12g nano cube DX and I'm wanting some info on helping me set the thing up. I've checked with the local pet stores but I'm getting mixed advice on how to get things going, so luckily I found this website. I'm wanting to have a few corals and maybe one or two fish. What are the first steps I should take in getting the tank ready? Water I know comes first, but in what order should I add live sand, live rock, hermit crabs, stars, fish, etc.? Thanks for any help you all can give me.

Dave

[Reefland]

Hi mozer67,

Nice to see a native Louisvillian here, I'm in Bardstown.

Anyhow, let's start out like this. What equipment do you have for this tank and what supplies do you have? Knowing what equipment (read, advice you have received to this point) might allow us to prevent intitial problems and get you on the right track.

[sihaya]

I would add the water and a shallow layer of sand (if you're going to have any sand) in first... let it run a few days just to make sure everything works. Then I'd add live rock (but don't add a whole lot, in a small tank like that you don't want to display too much water). Then I'd wait a month... then add some snails (hermits are really no friends to the reef tank) after your ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are all undetectable (i.e. after your tank is done "cycling").