The Life of Karatetag's 14G BioCube!

[Karatetag]

Hey everyone, me and my girl have just started a 14G Biocube and decided to share it with everyone here. Ive learned so much from other peoples tank threads so i decided to create one of our own. So here it goes. We decided to go reef(of course) and have done a few mods so far before we even started the tank.

 

First Mods

-MJ1200

-Hydor 50w Heater in Chamber 1

-Filter Floss in Chamber 2

 

Reason i got the MJ 1200 is because i plan on running a Y tube out and attaching two Hydor Flos to those for a nice amount of flow in the tank. I am just waiting to play around with it a bit. Didnt have the time to go looking considering my gf had work and we were on a toght schedule. So here are some pictures of the tank's first minutes set up and i will be updating this pretty frequently. Please write any comments or suggestions that you may feel are necessary for a biocube. Thanks and enjoy.

 

 

 

More Pics...Last two are of the tank after a few hours of filtration.

[neutral]

I like the aquascaping

[Karatetag]

Also quick question, should i remove the bioballs? Ive heard so many mixed reviews about them and i plan on just leaving them in or possibly taking a handful out and putting some chemipure elite and purigen in there as well. Also what should i do with the sponge in chamber 3? One more thing haha, trying to get this all in one post, has anyone done the Y split and what pieces did you use or did you have to make it custom? Thanks in advance!

[latteslave]

I would remove the bio-balls... I have never used, and the consensus is that if they are not well maintained, they can cause nitrate issues. I read a bit about them, and it also seems that they are not really meant for reef tanks, more for fish only tanks that might not have enough natural filtration (ie live rock)

 

People do different things with their filtration - I would say read up and try some different things. What works for you might not work for me. My Nano Cube has filter floss in chamber 1 (intake), Carbon in two (am modding to add refugium with light and chaeto), and chamber three is my heater and powerhead. So far this is working well, but again my tank is only a couple of months in. I here chemipure elite is good.

 

I DIG the aquascape!

 

I am sure you have already seen, but here is the link for the BioCube resource guide:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=180788

[Karatetag]

I like the aquascaping

 

Thankyou! I was pretty happy with the rock layout that we put together. Way better than my 55gal i put together in the past. Cant wait to get it goin with some corals!

 

I would remove the bio-balls... I have never used, and the consensus is that if they are not well maintained, they can cause nitrate issues. I read a bit about them, and it also seems that they are not really meant for reef tanks, more for fish only tanks that might not have enough natural filtration (ie live rock)

 

People do different things with their filtration - I would say read up and try some different things. What works for you might not work for me. My Nano Cube has filter floss in chamber 1 (intake), Carbon in two (am modding to add refugium with light and chaeto), and chamber three is my heater and powerhead. So far this is working well, but again my tank is only a couple of months in. I here chemipure elite is good.

 

I DIG the aquascape!

 

I am sure you have already seen, but here is the link for the BioCube resource guide:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=180788

 

Thanks for the info man. Ill wait on the bioballs for now, I will go to the lfs hopefully later today when the wifey goes to work hah and check out the carbon and all the things i could possibly throw into my 2nd chamber where the bioballs are. The biocubes already have a cut out in the back so i may throw some chaeto in the back there and attach a light to keep on it.

[westcoastreefer84]

Bioballs aren't necessary if you have LR, you should look into media racks, stevie t makes some sweet ones but limited to specific tanks, none for my ap12 or nc6 but I used his design to make my own, definitely made my filtration more efficient

[Karatetag]

Bioballs aren't necessary if you have LR, you should look into media racks, stevie t makes some sweet ones but limited to specific tanks, none for my ap12 or nc6 but I used his design to make my own, definitely made my filtration more efficient

 

That sounds like a good idea. Maybe ill get together with this guy ando who made his own and he lives over near me. Thanks. What would you recommend as the media that goes into chamber two instead of the bioballs?

[Ando]

Ya dude I could make you a filter media rack. I just use black diamond carbon and floss which is from wal-mart...its pillow case stuffing works great! Some people use chemipure or purigen too but I am not...I probably wouldn't notice it in my tank anyway lol.

 

But I would take the bioballs out.. You wont need them.

 

Also another question? Is your tank sitting totally flat on the stand? It looks like some of your tank sticks out over the stand?

[plainrt]

1200 sucks.Too much heat.Get a 900 it dont flow much less really but has a ton less heat.Oh and get a koralia 1 or nano.Look at my old 14 gal in sig for ideas.

[Karatetag]

1200 sucks.Too much heat.Get a 900 it dont flow much less really but has a ton less heat.Oh and get a koralia 1 or nano.Look at my old 14 gal in sig for ideas.

 

Well ive already got the 1200 and it does work fine. About the heat issue, my tanks sitting at 80 degrees constant which is good right? I used the Y splitter and just waiting to get a hydor flo to attach to one of the ends.

It seems to be working fine for me to be honest.

 

Ya dude I could make you a filter media rack. I just use black diamond carbon and floss which is from wal-mart...its pillow case stuffing works great! Some people use chemipure or purigen too but I am not...I probably wouldn't notice it in my tank anyway lol.

 

But I would take the bioballs out.. You wont need them.

 

Also another question? Is your tank sitting totally flat on the stand? It looks like some of your tank sticks out over the stand?

 

Yea thatd be great man, ill pm you my number and just send me yours back or just txt. As far as the stand goes, the tank is about an inch longer so i have about an inch all around that its sticking out. The stand is 14x14 and the biocube is 15x15 i believe.

[Karatetag]

Here are some pics of the y pipe setup.

Im just waiting for my lfs to receive more hydor flos

[plainrt]

Thats still not really much flow.Best way would have been to add a koralia nano or 1 to the other side............

[Karatetag]

Thats still not really much flow.Best way would have been to add a koralia nano or 1 to the other side............

 

well time will tell i guess, ill give it a shot and if not ill go with the koralia

[Karatetag]

Well i threw in my CUC(few turbos, 20 blue legs, and an emerald) today and they are going at it. I dont have much to clean just yet, just anticipating the algae that always comes along but so far so good. I will most likely be bringing a water sample to the lfs soon to check my parameters.

 

When should I do my first water change. It is only 4 days old so just wana know before its too late. Perhaps in another week?

[Karatetag]

I also put out an order yesterday for a coral life digital thermometer, hydor flo, chemipure elite, and purigen.

[Karatetag]

Well, went to get my water check yesterday at the LFS and seems like my water conditions are doing really well! Nitrites are a tad high but nothing that bad. So....the itch got to both of us and we couldnt help it but purchase the first corals for our tank. We grabbed some green star polyps, bahama mama zoos, a very small hammer frag, a small hairy mushroom, and a mushroom the guy threw in for free which im not sure what kind it is. Its a florescent red, really nice color. Got them all from Coral Connection. Here are some pictures of our tank so far!

 

 

.

[Karatetag]

Hey everyone, havent updated this in a few days so thought id make a little post. I got the ChemiPure Elite, Purigen, Hydor Flo, and Corallife Therm in a few days ago. Im waiting on the chemipure and purigen for a few more days but i did get the thermometer hooked up as well as the hydor flo. Took the emerald out because he was being a pain and was a bit too big for the tank anyway. Corals are doing really great especially with the flow of water ive got going on now. Added a small piece of eagle eyes in there as well. Ill post pictures next time i get the chance.

[Bamato]

I'm kind of curious, was your rock cured?

 

Also, your clean-up crew seems a bit large. Did you really put 20 blue leg hermits in there?

 

And maybe I misunderstood the timeline, but you only waited about a week to cycle the tank before you put corals in? Did you have a diatom bloom yet? Did you soft cycle your tank?

 

Looks good though

[watersedge]

^ what he said.

i think you should slow down and give it time....

i'm diggin the aquascape!

[Karatetag]

I'm kind of curious, was your rock cured?

 

Also, your clean-up crew seems a bit large. Did you really put 20 blue leg hermits in there?

 

And maybe I misunderstood the timeline, but you only waited about a week to cycle the tank before you put corals in? Did you have a diatom bloom yet? Did you soft cycle your tank?

 

Looks good though

 

Yep rock was cured, put 20 little blue legs in there. They are really small and do a really good job. No kind of algae bloom what so ever. Water parameters are really good, just a tad bit of nitrates. Have a ton of copepods in there already. Tank is doing very very well. I threw in some hardy corals for the start just cause of the itch. Dont worry, i know what im doing to a certain extent but i do appreciate the comments. It was a bit quick but i felt the tank was in good shape to throw in some non expensive corals.

[Bamato]

Cool I hope to see pics as the tank ages Rockscaping looks good, and I like your selection of corals

[Karatetag]

Cool I hope to see pics as the tank ages Rockscaping looks good, and I like your selection of corals

 

Thanks! Im probably going to wait another week and get the water checked once more and get our first fish! Probably clowns

[Ando]

How's the tank?

[Karatetag]

How's the tank?

 

Doing great, just going through a tiny bit of brown algae. Whats the easiest way to rid that from the tank? Ill post some pictures when i get my camera back from my parents house.

[Ando]

open window.... grab your tank...... then drop and watch it fall... this will get rid of any algae... works GREAT!

 

hahaha jk

 

Maybe your tank is not done cycling yet..?

 

But I just keep up on my water changes one 5gallon water change a week and run carbon and floss and my tank has been great.... Also with the help of the CUC. And I use the mag float every day to keep the glass clean. Are you going to be dosing your tank with Calcium or alkalinity?