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swilbert76 biocube14 setup


swilbert76

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I know there have been a ton of 14g biocube setup threads, but this is my first salt tank ( 17yrs freshwater vetern ) so I thought I would document it. Got a great deal on the tank @ Petco for $25 on clearance sale and decided to take the dive into saltwater. Next I spent a month doing research on nanoreef.com as well as reading a few book before starting the tank.

Having read a few of Biocubes factory problems

I immediately started doing fan modifications and throwing out the bio balls and filter. I replaced both of the 10,000k cooling fans and added a third 70mm 12volt fan to the back of the lid. For placement of the third fan I thought putting in directly over the second chamber blowing down onto the running water would be a great place to cool the water.

I also cut the flow tab between chamber 1 and chamber 2. My next order of business was to order StevieT's media basket from InTank ( www.mediabaskets.com ). I also want to add a refug to my media basket, but it's on hold until InTank can restock their 10watt submergable light. I've seen a few great mods that people have made by scraping off the back paint and building a light box, but for me I really want an easy setup for the fuge thats super easy to set up. For the time being I have filter floss top level, Purigen 2nd level, and Chemi-pure Elite bottom level of the media basket.

For water flow I kept the stock pump ( may upgrade in the future but for now it works so why fix it) and I added in a Hydor 425 gph to add some circulation.

Theres about 30 pounds of sand and 17 pounds of live rock compliments of ThatFishPlace. I also used premixed ocean water instead of mixing my own. I figured for $30 for 15 gallons of wated wouldnt break me, I know that sounds a bit lazy, but I just wanted everything perfect for my initial cycle. In the future I will be mixing my own and storing it.

Now the waiting process begins!! I did put a few hermits in due to the fact that I am impatient at times and these guys will quell my thirst to add anything to the tank. I plan on waiting at least a month before adding anything else into the system. Cycling has begun :D:P

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Kevin- Thanks for the hook up on the lights, Ive been searching everywhere online and couldnt find it. They are actually the exact same light that InTank is selling. The only difference being that with your site there are two lights on the strand instead of one ( BONUS!! :lol: ) and they are $3 dollars cheaper. :D

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Day Five and things seem to be doing good in the Biocube. Ammonia is up, Nitrites and Nitrates are peaking, PH is @ 8.0, Salinity is stabel, Temps are holding @ 79 degrees. I haven't run the lights yet so the fan in the back is actually working too good causing my heater to run to keep it at a steady 79. The downside of the rear fan is the evaporation. I try to keep the water level between the minimum and maximum on the guide window, and yesterday I came home and the water was down below the top of the return pump. So it was sucking air and water causing it to throw micro bubbles and give me a semi heart attack.

I also have discovered life that hitchhiked in on my live rock. Props to Deckoz2302 ;) for the ID -Homotrema rubrum - Red tree Foraminifera. They are the little purple guys growing on the rocks.

 

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Nothing new to report today.. Ammonia is still up 1.0ppm, Trites 5.0ppm through the roof, Trates 15ppm, PH 8.0, Temps are at a constant 80degrees. Starting to see a funky yellowish green alegae on a few rocks and thats about it for signs of life. Evaporation seems to be a constant with 70mm fan in place ( about a cup a day ) which I'm a little unhappy about. I really dont want to add an ATO to this tiny system, but I'm concerned that I'll never be able to leave it alone for more than two days at a time without problems.

I am still leaving the lights off full time in the tank other than turning them on for a sneak peak when I get home to check for signs of life :happy: . I started the tank up 6 days ago. Can I get a few opinions from ppl on when I should start adding light into the tank and for how long per day? I do have a timer already.

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Temps 79, PH 8.0, ammonia 0.50, nitrite 1.0, nitrate 20ppm, life in tank 0.00.. Fuge lights will be arriving on Monday, and Cheato will be here next Wednesday so I will have something growing to keep me happy. I will wait. I can wait. Patience is fun!! Crap no it isn't.

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Welcome! I'm a fellow BC14 starter. Mine's about 16 days in right now. I started my lights maybe a week in? I figured if it caused an algae bloom then at least my CUC will have something to do when this cycle is over!

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Thanx for the reply Banshee!! I guess this weekend it's lights on and we'll see from there. Doesn't seem like many ppl want to talk on here :huh: Nice to meet you!

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Planning a trip to Capt. Nemo's tomorrow to pick up a bag of Cheato for my media basket. Fuge lights should be waiting on my doorstep when I get home. The guy at the store said theres all kind of pods in the Cheato already so I hope they survive the ride back home :o Pictures tomorrow of the fuge w/ lights...........maybe

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Tank update: Ph 8.0 / ammonia 0.25 / nitrite 0.25 / nitrate .50 / temps 79 / salinity 1.023

 

Fuge lights came in the mail today :lol: and they are awesome!! So I'm heading to Capt. Nemo's for Cheato first thing in the morning. At least if I have some Cheato and some Pods in there I will have life in the tank.

 

 

 

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LOL update to the update!! I did a 30% water change to try and help speed up the cycle in the tank. Fingers crossed I hope the parameters drop a bit more in time for the cheato to come home. I really dont want to lose any of the Pods when I bring them home.

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Day 7 Update: last nights water change did the trick. PH 8.0, ammonia 0, Trites 0, Trates 0. / I'm gonna pick up a phosphate and calcium test kit at Nemos. Anyone have any ideas of what else I might need for a new tank in the months ahead? It's a long drive to Nemos and I won't be making the trek again until it's time to add fish.

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Actually the tests results reading 0 could be from the water change. You should be ok, but I would wait a day or so and make sure everything stays that way before doing anything. As far as an ATO goes, I do not use one, but that because it is such little water (cup a day) that I just add it to my sump when I feed/do whatever im doing to the tank. Thats part of the joy of it, iis not just letting it run, but the constant interaction with it. Good luck and happy reefing!

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Water changes usually prolong the cycle. Hopefully your params will stay down and you'll be adding livestock soon though! I have a feeling my cycle is going to be the longest one on record! Day 17 and counting!

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Well all my water levels remain at 0 so I guess the cycle has truely ended. Big thank you to all the ppl on nano reef who's threads were so helpful in my initial setup. Without this forum I know setup would've been way more difficult. My LFS gave way different advice on setup which I'm sure may have worked but by following the tried and true advice of many of you my tank cycled in a week and seems to be quite healthy.

I added the Cheato micro bacteria into my media basket and it seems to be ok. The lights I added into the Fuge added a little added heat to the tank which made me adjust light cycles and fan speeds to cap the temp at 80.

I also saw a Brisle worm last night when I poked a flashlight in. I'm not sure how I feel about that, I've read up on them and most ppl either don't mind or extremely hate having them in their tank.

Thoughts or suggestions?

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Bristle worms are fine depending on what corals you plan to keep. Some sps corals cant be in a tank with bristle worms, but most anything else is fine.

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Just wanted to post a few pics of me adding the Cheato to my media basket.

Added a small CUC 4 red legged hermits and a bristle worm!!! nice to have something to watch in there.post-72778-1330958166_thumb.jpg

 

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So jealous of your cycle being over! Mine is *almost* there now but I'm dying to add stuff! Three weeks tomorrow!

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heres a question on cycling someone might be able to answer. I have always used about 5 gallons from a friends established tank to set mine up in the past. This time however I decided to just wait it out. Ii have had a diatom bloom for about a week now, and am starting to lose it cleaning the glass :) my parameters are reading as if my cycle is finished. (0-0-10 to 20). Anyone have any ideas why I would still have diatoms? Could it be because the tank is skimmer-less?

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heres a question on cycling someone might be able to answer. I have always used about 5 gallons from a friends established tank to set mine up in the past. This time however I decided to just wait it out. Ii have had a diatom bloom for about a week now, and am starting to lose it cleaning the glass :) my parameters are reading as if my cycle is finished. (0-0-10 to 20). Anyone have any ideas why I would still have diatoms? Could it be because the tank is skimmer-less?

 

What are your phosphate levels? What kind of water did you use? Any water other than ro/di water could contain enough phosphate to add a longer bloom. Are you using a water buffer? The chemicals in the buffer can add phosphates into the water. How is your water flow? If your not getting enough movement in there it increases your chances of algae.

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So jealous of your cycle being over! Mine is *almost* there now but I'm dying to add stuff! Three weeks tomorrow!

 

 

LOL!! I know right!! Just one piece of coral, thats all I need is just one piece. I added the hermits out of desperation to stop myself from adding anything else.

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I used my well water... Please dont say RO/DI blah blah blah... lol I actually have really good water here almost 0 tds and it has a lot of calcium in it. :) oh and i have 0 phosphate.

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I used my well water... Please dont say RO/DI blah blah blah... lol I actually have really good water here almost 0 tds and it has a lot of calcium in it. :) oh and i have 0 phosphate.

 

My friend and I both started our tanks at the same time. We used the same rock, sand, and water. I have no bloom and he is scraping glass...what's different? We can't figure it. Temp fluctuations maybe?

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