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GTi's 29 Gallon BioCube


GTi

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I finally decided to put together a post detailing my tank and experiences with it. Some of the details area bit scant and the photos aren't great but I will try to do a better job from here on!

Oceanic 29 Gallon BioCube. Approximately 30lb of live rock, 30lb of dry sand. Started Cycle 28 August 2011.

Modifications:

Removed bioballs
Removed stock filter
Removed false floors in chambers 1 and 2
Increased the size of the cut out between chambers 1 and 2
Removed the blue sponge between chambers 2 and 3
Swapped 10000k and actinic bulbs around so the fans come on with the actinics (sunrise and sunset)
Thinned out the fan slots and trimmed the metal heat shield to increase air flow
Added Fan over rear compartments, controller by Apex Jr

Korallia Nano 425 gph added for extra flow
Vortech MP10es

Eheim Jager 100w heater in chamber 1

Blue stunner strip
30 LED retrofit

Coralife dual timer to control lighting
Typhon lighting controller

Apex Jr controller

Reconditioned SpectrPure RODI system (much easier than going to the LFS!)

Instant Ocean Reef Crystals

I tried a mixture of live rock rubble and chaeto (lit on the opposite cycle to the main tank) in chamber 2. I still had nitrates up to 40 ppm so I replaced them with the InTank media rack in chamber 2. In the rack I have filter pad on the top, purigen in the middle and a mixture of carbon and granulated ferrous oxide in the bottom chamber. The bag with the carbon and GFO is tied to the bottom of the middle shelf so it doesn't block the drain holes in the bottom shelf.

I replaced the stock pump with a MaxiJet 1200. I removed the bulkhead elbow in chamber 3 and connected the (new) tubing directly between the pump outlet and the bulkhead fitting. I added a Hydor Flo to the tank side of the bulkhead fitting.

I have a JBJ auto topoff and MJ600 waiting to be hooked up. A used Tunze 9002 skimmer waiting to go in to chamber 2 next to the media rack and an LED kit, Typhon controller and cooling fan kit on order. I'll get these done when I return from my business trip)

Tank inhabitants:

2 Ocellaris
Red Firefish
Yellow Watchman Goby
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse (was supposed to be a Carpenter's!)
3 Peppermint shrimp removed
Emerald Crab
Quad colour bubble tip anemone
Snails
Hermits


Coral:

Green Star Polyps (originally on a rock, now on back wall)
Frogspawn Traded in
Orange and green zoas
Clove polyps Melted away
Devil's armor zoas
Yellow leather - died
Radioactive Dragon's Eye zoas Moved to frag tank
Ricordea Yuma - died
Toadstool removed
Candy Cane
Blue Solomon Tree - traded in
Ultra Frogspawn Moved to frag tank
Green polyp toadstool Moved to frag tank as Emerald crab was eating it
Superman mushroom - MIA
Green hairy mushroom - traded in
Ricordea Florida
Green Duncans
Dragon's eye zoas
Red Montipora Cap
Green Nephthea - Died
Acans - Traded in
War coral - Traded in
Alien Eye Chalice
Pink birdsnest
Miami Hurricane Chalice
Scoly
Ice Fire Echinata
Red Aussie Prism Favia - Traded in
Rasta Zoas
Strawberry Fields (Monti?)
Green Monti Cap
Red Setosa
Blue Millepora
Torch
Turbinaria


19 September 2011:
2011_09_14_0133_zps27f73dff.jpg

12 October 2011:

FTS12Oct.jpg

 

 

29 October 2011:

FTS29Oct.jpg

 

 

 

 

7 November 2011:

FTS7Nov.jpg

9 December 2011:
2011_12_09_0220_zpsbc3b8593.jpg

14 January 2012:
2012_01_14_1042_zpsb5d713df.jpg

26 February 2012:
2012_02_26_1356_zpsbd6e3945.jpg

1 April 2012:
2012_03_31_1483_zpsbbab4027.jpg

25 May 2012:
2012_05_24_1589_zps6571c46e.jpg

24 June 2012:

IMG-20120624-00175_zps2df090c8.jpg

Edit: 29 Nov - Added coral list, updated equipment list
Edit: 9 Dec - Added new FTS
Edit: 18 Dec - Updated coral list
Edit: 1 Jan - Updated coral list and added photos
Edit: 14 Jan - New FTS
Edit: 15 Feb - Updated equipment and coral lists
Edit: 26 Feb - New FTS
Edit: 1 April - New FTS
Edit: 26 May - New FTS. Updated coral list.
Edit: 24 June - New FTS

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Looks good!

Nice aquascape :D

Thanks! I have Updated with a few more pictures from a proper camera. I just got back from a work trip and can see the difference in coralline and some of the corals growing. Also, no more diatoms - woohoo! I think the GFO, carbon and purigen plus new SpectraPure RODI system helped.

 

Rapid LED parts arrived, Typhon controller and cooling fan and controller. Those are meant to be a Christmas present but I'll see if I can wait or not! I'm planning to do a build thread for the LEDs, controller and cooling.

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Really nice monti you have :)

Thanks - I'm really pleased with it. I was at Tropicorium (a huge LFS/Warehouse near me) looking for some softies and maybe a LPS or two when I saw a nice frag of the Monti. I knew SPS wasn't meant to work under stock BioCube lighting but I thought I'd give it a try and put it high up to give it the best chance. Well, when gluing it to the rock, I broke it and there are 2 pieces on right at the top and one a bit lower. Both are growing and have good polyp extension. It was doing ok under the stock lighting but I have added a blue stunner strip and it seems even happier.

 

Love your avatar btw. The look on Brody's face always makes me smile!

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Looks great!

 

Love the monti.

Thanks - I'm gald to be getting some views! I started the thread with some cell phone shots and they were rather sad to say the least. Now I'm home I finally got some half-decent photos up.

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Fwiw, my thread went 2 weeks without a comment, it happens :lol:

 

You keep adding coral like the ones you just added and you're not going to have problems with views.

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Fwiw, my thread went 2 weeks without a comment, it happens :lol:

 

You keep adding coral like the ones you just added and you're not going to have problems with views.

Thanks. <cough> Cultivated Reef and Phil Your Aquarium <cough> ;)

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Trust me it happens. Took a while to get responses. Joel is great at making sure to read newer threads etc. Big thing, go into the other parts of the forum and get to know people, that will get you views and responses.

 

It really does looks nice.

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Love the McKosker's. Aquascape is nice too. It will be fun watching this one fill out.

Thanks! He is a very active fish and really perks up the tank. I actually ordered a Carpenter's and didn't realise he was a McCosker's for a few weeks - I thought he hadn't developed all of the adult characteristics! He is a character.

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Trust me it happens. Took a while to get responses. Joel is great at making sure to read newer threads etc. Big thing, go into the other parts of the forum and get to know people, that will get you views and responses.

 

It really does looks nice.

Thanks! I know what you mean - I have seen it with other threads - some get a lot of posts and others very few or none. I guess it is human nature to click on a post by someone you know. As my knowledge increases bit by bit I'm posting more. I don't like to ask too many questions without paying it back with some answers, too!

 

 

Hope to hook up the JBJ ATO this weekend if I get time to pop out to HD to get the hose and fittings!

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Took a few photos of the fish with varying degrees of success.

McCosker's Flasher Wrasse:
2011_12_10_0363_zps2b75b62d.jpg

Firefish:
2011_12_10_0285_zpsb674db17.jpg

No-longer-Yellow Watchman Goby:
2011_12_10_0270_zps0bd5b2c7.jpg

Ocellaris hiding out in the corner (as usual):
2011_12_10_0288_zpsa3e04ee5.jpg

One of the Peppermint Shrimp:
2011_12_10_0284_zps201eee51.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

I came back from a week away yesterday. I had set up an Eheim 'Every Day Fish Feeder' automatic feeder to dispense food pellets while I was gone. I had to modify the opening slightly to get it to dispense the small pellets consistently. Everything was in good shape when I got back. The glass needed a clean and I have water stabilizing for a 20% change tomorrow.

 

Time to get the LED retrofit underway!

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Traded in a few corals and frags (Blue Solomon Tree, Devil's Armor Palys, Hairy Mushroom, One piece of Monti Cap, Pink Zoas) at the LFS yesterday and came away with a tiger pistol shrimp and some new live rock for the pico tank and a pink birdsnest for the BioCube.

 

LEDs are mounted to the heatsink and wired. I need a trip to Radio Shack to get some odds and ends before hooking up to the drivers, Typhon and fan and controller.

 

Will update LED build thread and coral photo soon.

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Yo ill be fallowing ur tank. I started my first sw in September and its a 29 gallon....but enough of that why im fallowing is i have a 2007 Volkswagen Fahrenheit GTI....and my cousin has a 2005 GTI as well so VeeDub.

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Yo ill be fallowing ur tank. I started my first sw in September and its a 29 gallon....but enough of that why im fallowing is i have a 2007 Volkswagen Fahrenheit GTI....and my cousin has a 2005 GTI as well so VeeDub.

Nice! Mine's a 2011 6 speed in Carbon Steel Gray. I've wanted a GTI ever since I learned to drive and finally did it. No regrets!

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