Installation of new main pump, salinity adjustment, and feeding

In order to replace the pump and run the new power cord and gromet through the hood notch, I had to remove the hood of my 2004 JBJ Nanocube 24DX. While doing this the plastic of the hinges will squeek and make you think it will break, but here's how you do it:

1. Stand in front of the tank, and ensure hood is lowered
2. Place hands on both back corners
3. Pull slowly but firmly forward - the hinges will release

I remove the stock pump, and installed the new Rio Hyperflow 6HF (3.9" X 2" X 2.5", 350 gph @ 1ft) using the existing tube, but with new wire-tie "clamps". There's a much more noticable flow, and I adjusted the output nozzel to aim a bit down and more towards the center of the tank. I had to adjust surface skimmer lower, and the height difference the tank and sump is greater than before, but the surface seemed to clear better than ever before. Light ripples can now be seen, although not as pronounced as under MHs.

I will need to turn off the new pump for feeding and water changes (to avoid spray/splashing with low water line, and to prevent running the sump dry), but there's no switch or any easy way of doing this. Something to look into.

Livestock response:

• 2-tentacled Hair worm (Spionids Polychaete) - in the bottom middle, tentacles waving randomly
• Pulsing Xenia (Xeniid) - front left colony closed
• Blastomussa wellsi colony - retracted
• 1 green hairy mushrooms (Order Corallimorpharia) - closed up by front of tank

Performed 32oz fresh water replacement, to lower salinity: SG changed from 1.0265 to 1.0255.

New twice-weekly feeding schedule:

• 1 "feeder fish" by California All Natural Pet Foods
• 1 drop of LiquidLife's MarinePlankton (made with Cyclop-eeze)
• 1/2 cap-fulls of DT'S LIVE Marine Phytoplankton
• ~1/10th tsp DT's Natural Reef Diet (Oyster Eggs)
• Two pinches of Aquatrol Spirulina 20 flakes.

I didn't turn off the main pump, but feed the coarse food very slowly and it seemed to work out OK.

About 3 hrs later the livestock seems to have adjusted.