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30g Biocube Build - Just want to make sure I am doing things right...


DefStatic

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SO I have been on here reading a lot, and made a few post. Here is what I have done so far:

 

Gutted the stock lighting, replacing with 2 Panoramic (10k/465) lights and a stunner (465)

Single ramp timer

Wired the fans (which supposedly were upgraded) into their own power adapter.

Replaced the cracked, yellowed splash shield per a guide on here

Added a hydor 425gph circ pump

Added the hydor rotating water deflector

100w heater

Built a media rack per a guide on here
Coralife skimmer

60lbs sand (I cant recall the name now, but it was some stuff that is supposed to have everything you need in it, smelled like bad eggs LOL)

20 lbs of live rock

Digital thermometer

 

Now, I am kind of worried about the 60lbs of sand thing. I read something about 1lbs of sand to 2lbs of sand per gallon. But now with everything in I really only have about 18 gallons of water. DId I go overkill on the sand? After I added two, I thought maybe I shouldnt add the third. But the LFS (non chain) place I got the stuff from said 60lbs would be best.

 

I have all the lights on the same timer. Should I keep the 465 stunner on its own timer and keep that on at night?

 

Any suggestions for what to keep in my media basket? I was going to put filter floss/pillow stuffing on the top, but I cannot ensure that if I am gone for a week that someone will be avail to change it every other day).

I will post a pic of what it looks like. I have concerns about how the rock is shaped.

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Sweet scape

Thanks!

 

The place I got the rock from, you can pretty much pick out what you want. The owner helped us and then we setup a general idea on how it should look. Once I got home though, it of course looked a bit different, as setting it up on a shelf in store was a bit different than in the tank LOL. But the general idea of the scape remained the same.

 

It was really exciting to put together. It was kind of amazing how the pieces just kind of came together.

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12_egg_Omelette

I had someone like that and broke it down to move stuff to the back so I could have more sand bed space for coral. But I have a 12. I would love to have a rock scape like this as well again. Great for zoas!

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I seem to be having a problem keeping the temps down. I thought for sure that using LEDs, it would be easy. But for some reason the temp was not going below 80. I thought maybe it was a problem with the heater. But I decided to take a temp reading of the air coming out of the fans, and the temp out was 83.

I am not sure if I have the fans turned up to the max. I rigged a universal charger that had the typical volt/amp of a fan. They are not blasting out air but not too slow either. I use LEDs (Finnex Fugerays) on my freshwater tanks and never have a problem with heat.

I think i might try turning off the heater just to be sure it isnt the problem. Or is it most likely the lights?

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NIce scape! Weird that you are having heat problems with LEDs? Try leaving the feeder hatch open and or proping the aquarium lid open.

That should help lower the temp.

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I thought it was odd too. I unplugged the heater thinking maybe it was crap. Still at 80 degrees.

 

I will try leaving the back hood open, but I really can't leave it like this.

 

I noticed on the newer ones that the hoods seem to have more vents.

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So, heater completely unplugged. Left the rear flap and front flap wide open for two hours. Not a dent in the temp.

The lights are about to turn off, I guess I will see if that drops the temp. If not, I guess it must be one of the pumps. I just have a hard time believing it is the LEDs.

Also the ambient temp is 74.

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So technically the temp was at 81. Flaps open, no drop in temp. Lights off, temp went down to 80.8 with ambient temp of 76. With ambient temp of 74, temp went down to 80.2.

 

Is it safe to say the problem is not the lights? I mean, obviously they raise it a bit.

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I seem to be having a problem keeping the temps down. I thought for sure that using LEDs, it would be easy. But for some reason the temp was not going below 80. I thought maybe it was a problem with the heater. But I decided to take a temp reading of the air coming out of the fans, and the temp out was 83.

 

I am not sure if I have the fans turned up to the max. I rigged a universal charger that had the typical volt/amp of a fan. They are not blasting out air but not too slow either. I use LEDs (Finnex Fugerays) on my freshwater tanks and never have a problem with heat.

 

I think i might try turning off the heater just to be sure it isnt the problem. Or is it most likely the lights?

 

I have a BC 29 and early on had problems getting temp below 80 - with the stock lights, not LEDs (I think the stock lights run hotter). Come to find out, I just needed to calibrate the heater. Once I figured that out, I haven't had a problem keeping temp at a steady 77 since.

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I have a BC 29 and early on had problems getting temp below 80 - with the stock lights, not LEDs (I think the stock lights run hotter). Come to find out, I just needed to calibrate the heater. Once I figured that out, I haven't had a problem keeping temp at a steady 77 since.

 

My first thought was a problem with the heater, but I do not even have it plugged in now.

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My first thought was a problem with the heater, but I do not even have it plugged in now.

Darn. I was hoping that was it! How long has the heater been unplugged? Mine took a while for temp to drop, which was surprising to me since we keep our house cold in the winter (+/- 62)

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At least 16 to 18 hours now.

My next best guess is the stock pump. I cannot imagine it is the hydor, as I have seen people with two of them in their tanks. Which actually I was thinking of doing.

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it sounds like you are only talking about a 5 degree ambient room temperature difference. if so, water can take a long time to adjust. i would give it more time with the heater unplugged. meanwhile, go calibrate the heater in a five gallon bucket.

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it sounds like you are only talking about a 5 degree ambient room temperature difference. if so, water can take a long time to adjust. i would give it more time with the heater unplugged. meanwhile, go calibrate the heater in a five gallon bucket.

Do you happen to have a guide/link for that? I Googled it but keep finding stuff mostly about Jager heaters.

 

Update:

 

The thermometer on the tank is reading 80.4. I have a little digital thermometer that I use to check my tanks (although I am not 100% confident in its accuracy) that says 79.5. I am going to leave the flaps open for a while to see if that helps cool it down faster.

 

I have never had any issue with my 30 gallon or 10 gallon freshwater. They stay right at 77.

 

Any ideas how long it takes a tank to raise or lower based on ambient temperature? I know through the seasons (New England) I have to adjust my heaters to compensate for the use of indoor hear or AC.

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No scientific idea of how long it takes to regulate, but with regards to heater I would do the following. Put in a bucket turned off filled with water. Leave off for twenty minutes. Than turn on and monitor the temp of the bucket with a couple thermometers (maybe one electric and one glass). Most heaters call for being off and submerged in water for fifteen minutes to calibrate to temperature.

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And if the tank temp still doesn't come down with no heater after a few days I would check the main pump before the Koralia. I have had two Koralias in a sealed fluval edge with no issues

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And if the tank temp still doesn't come down with no heater after a few days I would check the main pump before the Koralia. I have had two Koralias in a sealed fluval edge with no issues

I suspect the pump (being old and prob higher wattage) is partially to blame. I may still investigate replacing the pump regardless for one with lesser wattage.

 

But also to blame I guess was my expectation that the temps would change significant in hours. Although I think it should have improved more over night (my freshwater tanks were reading 79 and I adjusted them and overnight they were back down to 77).

 

The temps have now gone down to 79.

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nice to see they made iot down to 79. i think you will maybe see them hit 78 even, but if not, just try switching the main pump, as its a pretty cheap solution. good luck!

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I cannot decide between the MJ900 and the MJ1200. THe 900 has a slightly lower GPH (although who knows what the current pumps actual GPH is now) but the 1200 has a fairly higher GPH but also a higher wattage.

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Heat is always going to be an issue for these tanks. Mine would fluctuate between 78-81 everyday - with an MJ1200. I did a few things.

 

I opened up the back flap and set up a fan. That worked pretty well. I had mine hooked up to the controller so if temp ever got up to 80 it went on. Then if it got down to 78 it turned off. Kept things pretty good.

 

But then - I popped the top off completely and problem solved. Now I keep a steady 77...maybe up to 78 in the middle of the day.

 

But - plenty of people keep things just fine with 80ish range. I think its just important to keep things consistent.

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I read something recently that someone did a study and found out that the correct temperature to keep a tank at is actually 80 to 82, but no one does because that is too close to the high end of the temp range, and if something were to go wrong you would have less timeto react.

Not that I want to do that. I think I will be happy at 78 to 79 if I can keep it there.

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I still cannot seem to keep it lower than 78. It fluctuates between 79 and 80 all day. If the ambient temp is 76, its 80. If the ambient temp is 74, it is 79. 72 ambient it hit 78.

Is this going to be ok? Should I be experiencing this? I could not imagine what this would have been like with the stock lights. I will try some of the ideas suggested if needed, but I am just wondering if I am worried over nothing.

I have measured with two different devices. The coralife digital thermometer on the tank and another digital thermometer I keep around just to spot check all the tanks to make sure the thermometers are right.

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