The Biocube Resource Guide

[srpntmage]

If anyone is interested in a brand new Coralife Biocube 29 hood let me know, I am selling one. Never been used. I am willing to ship at buyers expense.

[Jdc88]

Hello, I am new to saltwater aquariums and i want to do plenty of research before i invest a lot of money. I am interested in starting a 29g biocube. is it recommended that i get an all in one or just buy the tank only. i just want a reef tank with about 2 or 3 small fish. i see most people change out the lights and filter system. that is the reason why i was asking about the all in one tank. I would like to get all types of corals and a maybe anemone and clam. so i want good lighting. what lights do i need and filter system? thanks.

[michaelrzachmann]

Hello, I am new to saltwater aquariums and i want to do plenty of research before i invest a lot of money. I am interested in starting a 29g biocube. is it recommended that i get an all in one or just buy the tank only. i just want a reef tank with about 2 or 3 small fish. i see most people change out the lights and filter system. that is the reason why i was asking about the all in one tank. I would like to get all types of corals and a maybe anemone and clam. so i want good lighting. what lights do i need and filter system? thanks.

For lights reach out to dave fason. He is on this site and owns nano box reef. He can set you up with a retrofit for a cube that wont cost that much and all you have to do is install into hood. I have only heard amazing things about those lights and have plenty of power to keep anything you want.

[Jdc88]

Thanks for the reply Mike. i contacted dave.

[Pancetta]

The Biocube 29g is a good first SW tank in my opinion. I have a Biocube 14g which is my first venture into SW. Started last March.

I wish I had gone with the 29g. The 14g has reached its fish population.

 

The AIO route lets you concentrate on learning the chemistry and husbandry instead of worrying about plumbing etc.

 

I would second the NanoBox retrofit recommendation. I did one 5 months ago and it has made a world of difference.

Corals are growing great and no heat problems.

[michaelrzachmann]

Thanks for the reply Mike. i contacted dave.

awesome, i'm jealous hahaha

[LongDoggy]

The biocube is a great beginner tank. You can run it stock and have success. You can also modify it and keep pretty much any coral.

My 14 was my first reef tank and it's been running for almost three years. It has never looked better.

[Jdc88]

Thanks for the reply guys. Can anybody inform me on what type of corals i can have with a stock tank. I think i might wait to upgrade my lights when ever I get to that step. i'm sure i'm still months away.

[Pancetta]

I started of with softies. Zoas, Palys, Acans and Hammerheads. They are all doing fine.

Rock flower anemones will also live under the stock Biocube lights.

[Jdc88]

Rock flower anemones? do you think a percular clown will host?

[uwwmatt]

Rock flower anemones? do you think a percular clown will host?

You never know with clowns. I wouldn't buy one with the expectation that the clown would host it.

 

My clown hosts hammer coral.

[SquishyFishy]

IM Nuvo 16 cracked and blew out Tues. Now in BC 29: here are the pics of the retro fit with Dave's Nano Box in the hood:

 

 

We didn't even have to take anything out of the hood, so all appliances in the hood were not touched, we just took off the light cover, and after removing the light unit from the metal housing, we installed the Nano Box Duo with zip ties which were mounted on the additional LED fixtures already there:

 

The black empty space in the middle between the two square power bricks and the tubes is where we attached the Nano Box. We just slipped in a few "spacers" which were actually butter bean low voltage electrical connectors that were the perfect size to slip snugly into the heat sink and keep the fan away and free to circulate even better.

 

 

Then we just ran the cord out and down behind the outlet for the other wiring by cutting a small piece out of the grommet that insulates the light cover and then out the back of the hood. We simply drilled a hole and then snipped a piece out of the hole the BC wiring went through, pushed the Nano Box cord into it and voila done! Connected all the power and the Storm controller and we're in business, so proud of us!

 

Working great:

 

Still trying to incorporate my extras into the rear. Need to use my IM Ghost skimmer and need to replumb my 2 little fishes 150 nano reactor to fit. Trying to go over all the posts on 43 pages now. Why does no one like the bio ball filtration?

[SquishyFishy]

O.K. I found out, they are gone...waiting on Stevie's basket and other stuff.

[SquishyFishy]

Need to know if the new pump I ordered for my reactor will work for replacing the stock pump in my new 29.

 

Its a Rio plus 1400 puts out 420GPH. Too much? I have a Nano Koralia 420 powerhead in it too.

 

Hurry back as I have 15 days to return it if you think it's too much, I want my $40 back.

 

Thanks fellow BCers

[basser1]

SquishyFishy, on 19 Feb 2015 - 4:40 PM, said:

IM Nuvo 16 cracked and blew out Tues. Now in BC 29: here are the pics of the retro fit with Dave's Nano Box in the hood:

 

 

We didn't even have to take anything out of the hood, so all appliances in the hood were not touched, we just took off the light cover, and after removing the light unit from the metal housing, we installed the Nano Box Duo with zip ties which were mounted on the additional LED fixtures already there:

 

The black empty space in the middle between the two square power bricks and the tubes is where we attached the Nano Box. We just slipped in a few "spacers" which were actually butter bean low voltage electrical connectors that were the perfect size to slip snugly into the heat sink and keep the fan away and free to circulate even better.

 

 

Then we just ran the cord out and down behind the outlet for the other wiring by cutting a small piece out of the grommet that insulates the light cover and then out the back of the hood. We simply drilled a hole and then snipped a piece out of the hole the BC wiring went through, pushed the Nano Box cord into it and voila done! Connected all the power and the Storm controller and we're in business, so proud of us!

 

Working great:

 

Still trying to incorporate my extras into the rear. Need to use my IM Ghost skimmer and need to replumb my 2 little fishes 150 nano reactor to fit. Trying to go over all the posts on 43 pages now. Why does no one like the bio ball filtration?

 

Looks really good!!

 

You can't go wrong with Daves' lights!! I know I've been pleased with mine!!

 

BTW, I'm not familiar with that pump, but I use a Rio 6hf. One thing we need to be aware of is heat output. The Rio 6hf does not produce a lot of heat, less than the maxi-jets. Also you need to be concerned about fit. The space in that chamber is very limited. I'd swap out pumps for the 6hf if you can.

 

Just me 2 pennies.....

[saleen385]

I recently picked up a used BioCube 29 to upgrade my sons 10g.

 

I have a couple of questions, I purchased a Tunze 9001 skimmer and am going to put it in the second chamber, which side of the chamber do you think would be the best spot?

Also do you think a Tunze 6040 would make good wave action in this size tank?

 

Thanks,

Jim

[jamescstein]

I recently picked up a used BioCube 29 to upgrade my sons 10g.

 

I have a couple of questions, I purchased a Tunze 9001 skimmer and am going to put it in the second chamber, which side of the chamber do you think would be the best spot?

Also do you think a Tunze 6040 would make good wave action in this size tank?

 

Thanks,

Jim

 

Regarding the 9001 in the BioCube 29. Check http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/349113-the-new-tunze-9001-is-here/page-3#entry4795063

[mozer67]

Day 2 after setting up the 29, clean-up crew ridding my LR of algae from old tank. Hydro slim skim nano, korallia nano 425, ViaAqua 100 watt heater, good to go for now. Now all I need is a media rack and nanobox retro

[SquishyFishy]

I need to ask about ATO with the BioCube....I never connected it because I am always here, but we are going on a 2 wk vacation next week and I need accurate levels. The problem, I don't know where to put the sensor. Where do all of you have yours????

 

Since water levels in all 3 chambers are never the same, it is confusing. I think my answer would be to put it in the middle chamber. I have my skimmer and Intank media basket in there so it will be crowded, but that chamber seems to be the one I have to add water to maintain level most. I can't put it in the display which never seems to go down at all.

 

So what is the consensus of opinion on ATO with a BioCube.

[dcullen]

I need to ask about ATO with the BioCube....I never connected it because I am always here, but we are going on a 2 wk vacation next week and I need accurate levels. The problem, I don't know where to put the sensor. Where do all of you have yours????

 

Since water levels in all 3 chambers are never the same, it is confusing. I think my answer would be to put it in the middle chamber. I have my skimmer and Intank media basket in there so it will be crowded, but that chamber seems to be the one I have to add water to maintain level most. I can't put it in the display which never seems to go down at all.

 

So what is the consensus of opinion on ATO with a BioCube.

Mines in the last (pump) chamber. Thats the one that drops fastest. I send make up water into chamber 2. Keeps SG dead stable

[SgtBhaji]

I have a spare spinstream lying around that I was thinking of sticking in a coralife Biocube that we currently have cycling, though it doesn't quite fit on the return... It's just slightly too small. Anybody have any suggestions on how to get it in there?

 

Thanks!

[burhoo]

Posted this elsewhere, but no response...

I bought a Oceanic bc29, already has panorama led bars installed. The previous owner unhooked the power cable to the little driver for the fans/moonlights. So...moonlights and fans all connect to the board, but no AC coming to power the little board. I know I can bypass and set up a 12v supply for the fans, but I'd like to have the nightlights if possible. Any idea what kind of voltage/power I need to run to this little board?

[DefStatic]

Posted this elsewhere, but no response...

I bought a Oceanic bc29, already has panorama led bars installed. The previous owner unhooked the power cable to the little driver for the fans/moonlights. So...moonlights and fans all connect to the board, but no AC coming to power the little board. I know I can bypass and set up a 12v supply for the fans, but I'd like to have the nightlights if possible. Any idea what kind of voltage/power I need to run to this little board?

 

Hey, I did something like this to mine. Glad to see someone else figured that was the best way to do it LOL. Do you still have the bullet connector that went to that board? You'll have to excuse me, I know just enough about electronics to be dangerous and it was a while ago I changed my setup.

 

I have my fans hooked up to that same board. I had ditched the LED moonlights but wanted to still have an easy way to use the fans. So I connected them into the same spots the LEDs were. I still had the original light power supply. But it did not produce enough power to really move the fans. So I purchased a universal adapter from Walmart, matching what the average PC fan requires. Then I spliced it into the original bullet connector. Works great.

 

I can see if I can get the exact specs for you. I may even still have the original power supply. If you are going to run all the fans and LEDs off this, you will need to make adjustments to the calculations of what you will require.

I need to ask about ATO with the BioCube....I never connected it because I am always here, but we are going on a 2 wk vacation next week and I need accurate levels. The problem, I don't know where to put the sensor. Where do all of you have yours????

 

Since water levels in all 3 chambers are never the same, it is confusing. I think my answer would be to put it in the middle chamber. I have my skimmer and Intank media basket in there so it will be crowded, but that chamber seems to be the one I have to add water to maintain level most. I can't put it in the display which never seems to go down at all.

 

So what is the consensus of opinion on ATO with a BioCube.

 

 

Well, actually, chamber one should always be higher that 2 and 3, unless you have it filled that much. Which isn't a big deal. 2 and 3 will always be close to the same. But 3 should be the one that lowers before the rest.

 

I thought about getting an ATO. But with these things, just provide some proper water in a small enough container and ask whomever watches to top off.

 

My problem is going to be my skimmer. I do not trust anyone changing it out.

[burhoo]

Cool, if you can get me the specs to drive the board that'd be cool, I may end up running the fans on a different circuit, but I've got the moonlights, might as well use them.

[franciscosalazar]

Who has the most basic yet effective filtration setup on their 29bc?