Biocube filter mod

[Gvtv44]

THe pura pad has carbon built in, and other things- its superior to carbon

[luxo1]

THe pura pad has carbon built in, and other things- its superior to carbon

 

How's it working out ??? Did you dremel out the sides like the directions said in the beginning of this topic?

[stallen]

I don't wanna hijack, but this is related to BC filtration...

 

I was gonna go the modified stock filter route, but then I came up with this idea for chamber 2 and it works out great. Go to my thread if you want more information and pics. Even if you don't like this set-up, I recommend to replace the stock drip tray with egg-crate at the very least.

 

[luxo1]

Ok.....I did this with the Petsmart filter pad......and now the flow is too fast, and the water in my pump chamber is way above the maximum line. Before I did this...the water was right below the maximum line. Please help!!

[stallen]

Ok.....I did this with the Petsmart filter pad......and now the flow is too fast, and the water in my pump chamber is way above the maximum line. Before I did this...the water was right below the maximum line. Please help!!

 

The only reason you would want your water level below the maximum line is if you are still using bio-balls. Otherwise most all of us have our water level way above the maximum line. No troubles.

[luxo1]

I panicked, and put the little sponge parts, (cleaned them thoroughly) back behind the Petsmart filter pad. I still use the bioballs, they haven't caused me a problem, and seem to be working out so far, until I get a protein skimmer. Chem tests are fine.

 

So now, purigen in chamber two, under the tray.......and Chemipure elite, (few weeks old, has never really done anything to clean the water) where the pump is, chamber three.

[OneHump]

As part of my learning experience, I have been experimenting a lot with the various methods of DIY filtering on the forum, and hybrids of them.

 

I'm still cycling, so I have not added Purigen and carbon yet, but plan to. Here is what I have:

 

#1: Widened significantly to accomodate MJ900 and restricted flow due to floss. Bag of LR rubble filling most of the chamber. 50w Stealth heater. Filter floss on top.

 

#2: Bag of LR rubble all the way to the water line. Filter floss on top.

 

#3: MJ900 and temp probe.

 

A few notes:

 

-I'm going to widen #1 almost all the way to the tank wall. I don't currently have a lot of room for evaporation, and tend to have issues when the FF gets clogged a little.

 

-I'm not sure how you all are growing Chaeto in #2, because my water level there is about 40% of the chamber height. Maybe it will go up after I further mod the spill over.

 

-Some will say the temp probe in the same chamber with the pump will alter the reading. I had it in the back/center of my tank before. The readings are exactly the same.

 

-I found the stock filter to be less effective than the setup I currently have. Prior to removing the stock filter, it took nearly a day to remove all the particulate generated by my frequent LR moves (cycling remember), and it would never get rid of all of it. My new setup clears the water completely in about 10 minutes.

 

-I removed the chamber floor and drip tray in #2. The FF in #2 makes the spill over completely silent. This is a huge plus compared to the other noisy things I have experimented with.

 

-After modding #1, I found that water did bypass the stock filter, though it could be wedged in at an angle. I found that stuffing filterfloss on top of the bag of LR ensured that no water leaves the chamber unfiltered.

 

-Once the cycle is over, I'm adding Purigen to #1 and carbon to #2.

 

I still have very little idea about what I'm doing, but the learning process has been fun.

 

-OneHump

[Argent]

you can remove the floor of chamber 1??? I'll have to figure that one out as mine is all full of sand now.

 

I have my heater in chamber 1, trimmed the overflow so it's level across the entire width of the chambers - which overflows on to filter floss sitting on top of LR - I cut slits in the side of the intake of my MJ900 to allow more water to get in (I figured with the intake pressed against the wall it might restrict flow) and I have my temp probe in chamber 3 as well - All pushed out through a Hydor flo.

 

Oh and my $3 soap dish chaeto holder in the tank in front of the upper intake to chamber 1

 

the only time I've used the stock filter is when I dosed the tank with FWE

[CrazyAggie05]

Hey what do ya'll do about your pods? If you are running bags of chemipure and purigen under the chaeto isnt that going to keep them from going into the main tank? The only thing you could do it shake it out in the main tank every so often... Also, if you run LR rubble in the bottom of chamber 2 do you need the foam block in front of the pump? And lastly, is there any where to put LS or mud in one of the back chambers? It would be great to have some mud or LS in chmaber 2, but I don't see any way to do it because it would all get sucked into the pump.

[stallen]

you can remove the floor of chamber 1??? I'll have to figure that one out as mine is all full of sand now.

Stick a butter knife deep down into one of the slats; twist kinda hard and pull up. Don't be afraid to get mean with it, it'll come out.

 

Hey what do ya'll do about your pods? If you are running bags of chemipure and purigen under the chaeto isnt that going to keep them from going into the main tank? The only thing you could do it shake it out in the main tank every so often... Also, if you run LR rubble in the bottom of chamber 2 do you need the foam block in front of the pump? And lastly, is there any where to put LS or mud in one of the back chambers? It would be great to have some mud or LS in chmaber 2, but I don't see any way to do it because it would all get sucked into the pump.

I'm sure some pods get caught in the chemi-pure and purigen bags. I'm sure plenty make their way around and into the display. I'm not too concerned about pods. My chaeto fuge is for nutrient export. Any pods are just a bonus. The rubble that I originally had in chamber 2 is now in the display in the back and sides in some small piles. Pods love piles of rubble to hide in. I figure I'm covered in the pod department. I'm not trying to keep a mandarin or anything. (Although I hope to someday when I have a much much larger system )

[luxo1]

Stick a butter knife deep down into one of the slats; twist kinda hard and pull up. Don't be afraid to get mean with it, it'll come out.

 

Stallen: That will work for even the biocube 29g? If I do that, there will be nothing to hold the filter pad in place.......

[stallen]

I don't use filter pads.

[John30507]

is VIOLA the same thing as the blue filter pad or different?

 

 

 

 

[hodori]

I just attempted this "mod" on my 29g BC, and I had a couple questions that I hope you guys could answer..

 

I decided to use just 4 smaller pieces of the petsmart filter pad (mostly because I was lazy and didn't want to cut off the walls) and they fit perfectly. Blue side up, white side down. I also bought a box of AQUACLEAR - Filter insert Activated Carbon, because I thought I need some carbon.

 

Currently I have the drip tray, then the filter (blue side up), then a bag of aquaclear, and then bioballs. I had to take out a couple (like 8 bio balls) in order to have everything fit.

 

Does this setup sound ok to you guys? Am I doing anything wrong?

 

I also did a water test couple days ago

 

pH: 8.2

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 20

 

This test was before I did the filter mod. It seems like the Nitrate is a little high... is that ok?

 

Thanks guys!

[crazyatc]

Hello All. I have had my BC 29 for almost a year and have tried a few different filter steups. Fist I did the usual mods for chamber one. Chamber 2 had live rock rubble and cheato. Then I added a canister filter with a return directly in the display. Later I tossed the cheato and added puigen and the stupid bio balls. This worked well for a while. Then I began have flow issues. It seems that no matter how I try to reconfigure the 2nd chamber media, not enough water get to the pump. I even split the return with lockline and have one side flowing back into chamber 2 and removed the top drip tray. I have switched back and forth from the stock pump and a MJ1200, both give me the same problem. Is it possible to have too much or too little media. Right now I am doing a bare bones approach in the 2nd chamber with 1 small bag of puigen and a filter sponge only. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[HeyLookItsCaps]

bump for a genius mod!

[sna66]

do you have problems with the surface being skimmed, this is my issue with a filter in chamber 1. I currently run chamber 1 with a heater, grounding probe and temp probe. chamber 2 has lr and cheato with filter floss on top. i might look into this pura pad thing to replace the filter floss, but it runs great as is

[Bonsai]

I'm new here, and I found this thread very helpful for BioCube users like myself ... so it deserves a bump.

 

I did have another question for BioCube users though -- I pulled the BioBalls out of Chamber 2, but now the tank is really loud because Chamber 2 has very little water in it, so it sounds like there is a loud water feature in my living room now. The water going over the top of chamber 1's side, then down into chamber 2 is loud.

 

Any idea how I can either:

 

1. Silence this sound

2. Make chamber 2 run full

 

Thanks!

[Kirin1]

1&2: Add more water to chamber3, ignoring the fill lines. Mine is filled up to the bottom of the plastic elbow on the return line. Chambers 2&3 share a common fill level, with more water the spill-over water from Ch1 should not fall as far and will be quieter.

[Bonsai]

1&2: Add more water to chamber3, ignoring the fill lines. Mine is filled up to the bottom of the plastic elbow on the return line. Chambers 2&3 share a common fill level, with more water the spill-over water from Ch1 should not fall as far and will be quieter.

 

Worked perfectly - thanks!

[kookie_guy]

off topic I know, but stallen, that magic eye 3D thing is awesome. First time I've seen one that moves, hehe.

[lostone]

This test was before I did the filter mod. It seems like the Nitrate is a little high... is that ok?

get rid of the bio-balls they trap stuff and increases your nitrates, put LR rubble in there.

[bpkenn]

Yes, and Yes.... I have the bottom grate removed from the first chamber also, so some of it goes around the filter, but it still pulls a TON of junk out of the water.... Ill take another pic of it in a few days to show everyone...

 

How is the filter held in place if you removed the grate?

[bpkenn]

figured it out. There is a lip underneath the shelf. have to remove the shelf to see it.

[lshane]

I have been running my tank for about three months now and I HATE the stock filter it constantly gets clogged up and they are really expensive. I haven't changed anything from how it came yet besides adding a heater. I have two fish and a few corals and inverts so I need to be careful with making mods that I don't do anything to harm them.

 

I have heard removing the bioballs can start a new cycle? Any ideas for what mods I should do and how I should do them in order to get rid of the stock filter, have really clear water and not kill any of my livestock while I am doing it???

 

Thanks.

L.