BioCube 8

[KMP]

houssic - stallen, thanks for the info.

[stallen]

hey stallen....i noticed u have the same type of digital timer i got.......do u know if it can control 2 devices at different time settings?

 

I'm not totally sure, but I don't think so. That's why I have three of them. One for dusk/dawn with my center actinic. The second one for my other two 18W bulbs and the third timer for the fuge light.

 

Have you seen my countdown timer to turn the pump back on automatically? I think that is a must have for any tank.

[KMP]

stallen, is the locline and flare nozzles you used 1/2" or 1/4"?

[stallen]

stallen, is the locline and flare nozzles you used 1/2" or 1/4"?

 

As far as I know, loline comes in 1/2 and 3/4. I used the 1/2 stuff. I also had to use the stock outlet ball fitting to attach it to. This locline is kinda expensive. I found epetpals.com had it the cheapest when I got mine.

[KMP]

thanks. i'm considering reducing it from 1/2" to 1/4". locline from the pet stores can be expensive; this is a better option:

 

http://www.modularhose.com/

[Gvtv44]

Looking good stallen!

[octoalex]

Looking good stallen!

 

Hey, well I put another update in my post about my biocube8. I want to know if you think my filter is adiquate. First chamber, I took out the stock thing and have just a bag of chem-pure from Drs and my heater. The second chamber I have floss and live rock. I also took out the sponge. I do not feel like this is enough, but I hear LR is a really good filtration system by itself.

 

Check out my new pics. Just getting hold of a nasty hairy algea bloom though.

[stallen]

Well, to be honest I think what I have going for filtration is the ideal. At least it's working great for me. I don't know if you've read my entire thread or not, but it's got a lot of good ideas. It is at least enough to get somebody started and inspire someone to come up with even better ideas. About half of my mods were ideas that I took from others and re-modified them to my liking.

 

Since these BC8's don't really have a protein skimmer option. I figured I would beef up my mechanical and chemical filtration. Purigen is an excellent product that is very cost effective. I've even heard some say that it will do a similar job to your water quality that a protein skimmer can accomplish. That is absolutely not true. It definitely isn't oxygenating my water like a protein skimmer would, but it does do an excellent job of reducing nitrates. Chemi-pure is another excellent product that polishes the water and removes heavy metals, ammonia, nitrites and can help stabilize pH.

 

I like the idea of having a cheato fuge in the second chamber. Cheato will help reduce the nutrients (nitrate and phosphate) in your water that algae needs to grow. Ideally you want to grow cheato to compete against algea to grow in your display. I the cheato gets the nutrient uptake then there isn't enough for your algea in the display to grow.

 

The other thing you need to do is make sure you have an adequate clean-up crew. I have 3 of the large nassarius snails (there are two sizes. Some only get the size of a pea and the others get about as big around as a quarter). I have one margarita snail, two astrea snails, and two hermit crabs. I did have five hermit crabs when I first started my tank. So I would recommend starting with a clean-up crew similar to what I started with. Definitely get 4-5 red or blue leg hermit crabs.

 

So get a good clean-up crew, widen the opening between chamber 1 and 2 to improve flow, get some cheato and set up chamber 2 in a similar fashion like mine. My tank looked worse than your does right now for a few weeks until I did the above. It took care of my algae problems within a few weeks and I haven't had any trouble since. Also, some of this algae bloom is part of a new tank's natural cycle. With proper filtration, clean-up crew, weekly 15-20% water changes it'll pass.

 

Hope this helps...

[octoalex]

Well, to be honest I think what I have going for filtration is the ideal. At least it's working great for me. I don't know if you've read my entire thread or not, but it's got a lot of good ideas. It is at least enough to get somebody started and inspire someone to come up with even better ideas. About half of my mods were ideas that I took from others and re-modified them to my liking.

 

Since these BC8's don't really have a protein skimmer option. I figured I would beef up my mechanical and chemical filtration. Purigen is an excellent product that is very cost effective. I've even heard some say that it will do a similar job to your water quality that a protein skimmer can accomplish. That is absolutely not true. It definitely isn't oxygenating my water like a protein skimmer would, but it does do an excellent job of reducing nitrates. Chemi-pure is another excellent product that polishes the water and removes heavy metals, ammonia, nitrites and can help stabilize pH.

 

I like the idea of having a cheato fuge in the second chamber. Cheato will help reduce the nutrients (nitrate and phosphate) in your water that algae needs to grow. Ideally you want to grow cheato to compete against algea to grow in your display. I the cheato gets the nutrient uptake then there isn't enough for your algea in the display to grow.

 

The other thing you need to do is make sure you have an adequate clean-up crew. I have 3 of the large nassarius snails (there are two sizes. Some only get the size of a pea and the others get about as big around as a quarter). I have one margarita snail, two astrea snails, and two hermit crabs. I did have five hermit crabs when I first started my tank. So I would recommend starting with a clean-up crew similar to what I started with. Definitely get 4-5 red or blue leg hermit crabs.

 

So get a good clean-up crew, widen the opening between chamber 1 and 2 to improve flow, get some cheato and set up chamber 2 in a similar fashion like mine. My tank looked worse than your does right now for a few weeks until I did the above. It took care of my algae problems within a few weeks and I haven't had any trouble since. Also, some of this algae bloom is part of a new tank's natural cycle. With proper filtration, clean-up crew, weekly 15-20% water changes it'll pass.

 

Hope this helps...

Helps a ton. I did read this post... that's how I started it all up. I will have to look into the cheato thing at some point. Just getting these micro bubbles to go away is a pain. I have a small clean up crew... my LFS was limited in their selection. I will order some from live aquaria I think.

 

Thanks again.

 

a

[octoalex]

Helps a ton. I did read this post... that's how I started it all up. I will have to look into the cheato thing at some point. Just getting these micro bubbles to go away is a pain. I have a small clean up crew... my LFS was limited in their selection. I will order some from live aquaria I think.

 

Thanks again.

 

a

 

 

BTW, are you using any additives in your 8? I have the kent nano AB.. but not sure if I should be using it. I used it and I am going to test my calc and alk levels again tonight.

[Darklyte24]

i think my alk is too high and what might have killed my fish

[stallen]

BTW, are you using any additives in your 8? I have the kent nano AB.. but not sure if I should be using it. I used it and I am going to test my calc and alk levels again tonight.

 

Yes, I use b-ionic 2 part. It is about the same thing as Kent Nano AB only it seems to be much more widely used and recommended than the Kent product.

 

This is what I use with my dosing pump. It's been mentioned several times in this thread.

 

It is really the only thing you will ever need to dose in a nano tank... along with regular water changes with a good quality salt mix will provide everything your livestock will need to thrive. (Well, aside from food and light )

[octoalex]

Stallen!

 

Cannot tell you how excited I am (thanks to you and others, salty etc)... I've had my fuge up and running now for a week or so... and look at this.... I am sure the clean up crew has helped but this is awesome.

 

 

Ugly stage a week ago:

 

 

 

And now... May 23, 2007

 

Regarding your coral selection for this tank... I am thinking about doing a beginner or nano pack from Drsfosternsmith.com in a few weeks.. what do you think?

[Darklyte24]

nice much cleaner mine never got that bad,

[stallen]

Octoalex - Very Nice!! It's amazing how quickly that mess can get cleaned up! I had a little algae remaining on the back wall as well. I scraped it off with a credit card. You could just leave it. The snails will get it soon enough. Glad things are working out for you!

[KMP]

thanks for your help stallen. biocube 8 is up, cycled, and modded.

 

mod 1 - (done) bye bye bio balls. 2nd chamber is now a fuge w/submersible 10w bulb.

 

mod 2 - (done) dremmeled between 1st and 2nd chamber behind filter to increase water flow.

 

mod 3 - (done) added a second pump, minijet 606 w/taam rio dual duckbill (picture below) centered and exiting over the back wall. the dual duckbill breaks up the high flow well. bounces off front glass, goes down across the sand and up the back wall. nice circular flow in the tank. no sand disruption.

 

mod 4 - (waiting part) simple, just putting a 1/2" locline 90 degree angle off the stock return water outlet to point behind the rocks.

 

all said, i have 260gph flowing through the tank. i also got a great deal on a neptune aquacontroller jr from a local reefer so everything is automated - but, most importantly, things can be shut off at different temps if the tank gets hot.

 

added lots of stuff - yellow watchman goby, rainford goby, red leg hermit, 4 black reef snails, 1 nassauris snail, 2 orange mushrooms, 1 big zoa conlony (red and green), sun coral, orange monti cap, armor of god zoas, blue tub zoas, neon green dragon zoas, and tickle me pink zoas. i have a 3 headed duncan that i'll be putting in tuesday.

 

 

[stallen]

Sounds Great!! I'd like to see some pics of mod #3 on the tank. And, of course, a FTS!

[KMP]

here you go. just put a minijet 606 in the 3d chamber over the stock pump. 1/2" hose up to a 90 degree, 1/2" hose to the taam rio dual duckbill. there's enough clearance between the hood and tank so this does not interfere w/closing the lid.

 

 

 

 

 

here's a full tank shot. you can see the duckbills at the top. they could be higher by simply pivoting them upward. as you can see, i have a lot of something floating around. not sure what. my first thoughts are small pieces of sand, but i don't see any sand being disturbed. if it does not clear up then i'll tone the minijet 606 down as it is going at 159gph now.

 

 

 

 

 

here's the best shot...

 

 

[stallen]

Nice Mod! I like it! I think I would point one (or maybe both) of those duck bills up to get better surface agitation. It helps with O2/CO2 exchange.

 

I'm a little surprise by the orange monti cap. I like them, but I figured I don't have enough light to keep one. And I've got an extra 18W bulb! I'm no expert on SPS, I'm actually in the process of learning more about them. But, I figured most all SPS need MH or T5 bulbs.

 

BTW, cute kids. I've got two girls also.

[KMP]

thanks stallen.

 

the monti's are much more forgiving than other sps. they can maintain in low light - side effect, it could loose coloration.

 

i decided to give it a try, if it didn't work w/the nano i'd transfer to my bigger tank w/mh lighting. so far, the monti's color has improved - hoping it continues to do well. seems as though it being high in the tank about 5" directly below the light is a good thing so far.

[luxo1]

Well, to be honest I think what I have going for filtration is the ideal. At least it's working great for me. I don't know if you've read my entire thread or not, but it's got a lot of good ideas. It is at least enough to get somebody started and inspire someone to come up with even better ideas. About half of my mods were ideas that I took from others and re-modified them to my liking.

 

Since these BC8's don't really have a protein skimmer option. I figured I would beef up my mechanical and chemical filtration. Purigen is an excellent product that is very cost effective. I've even heard some say that it will do a similar job to your water quality that a protein skimmer can accomplish. That is absolutely not true. It definitely isn't oxygenating my water like a protein skimmer would, but it does do an excellent job of reducing nitrates. Chemi-pure is another excellent product that polishes the water and removes heavy metals, ammonia, nitrites and can help stabilize pH.

 

I like the idea of having a cheato fuge in the second chamber. Cheato will help reduce the nutrients (nitrate and phosphate) in your water that algae needs to grow. Ideally you want to grow cheato to compete against algea to grow in your display. I the cheato gets the nutrient uptake then there isn't enough for your algea in the display to grow.

 

The other thing you need to do is make sure you have an adequate clean-up crew. I have 3 of the large nassarius snails (there are two sizes. Some only get the size of a pea and the others get about as big around as a quarter). I have one margarita snail, two astrea snails, and two hermit crabs. I did have five hermit crabs when I first started my tank. So I would recommend starting with a clean-up crew similar to what I started with. Definitely get 4-5 red or blue leg hermit crabs.

 

So get a good clean-up crew, widen the opening between chamber 1 and 2 to improve flow, get some cheato and set up chamber 2 in a similar fashion like mine. My tank looked worse than your does right now for a few weeks until I did the above. It took care of my algae problems within a few weeks and I haven't had any trouble since. Also, some of this algae bloom is part of a new tank's natural cycle. With proper filtration, clean-up crew, weekly 15-20% water changes it'll pass.

 

Hope this helps...

 

Great thread, Stallen!

A few questions for you:

 

1.Would these same mods work in a Biocube 29g? Right now I have a modded stock filter pad in chamber one....I make my own filter pads.....I have not removed the bottom grate.....can this be removed in the larger biocubes? If it could be, than I would stick my heater in there before the modified filter pad. I am a bit wary that I might break something trying to remove the grate from Chamber one in my Biocube 29g.....and if I remove the grate, that means a lot more water to be topped off everyday, yes? I would also dremel away some of the plastic between chambers one and two?

 

2. I like what you did to Chamber two........

rubble.....chemipure/purigen/cheato/eggcrate/filterfloss. If I understand correctly, you removed the grate on the bottom of chamber two as well? Also, do you directly lay/lie (?) the Purigen bag right on top of the Chemipure bag? Nothing in between those layers? I know Cheato needs light --- thinking I could buy one somewhere online, as I am not that comfortable with the DIY aspect of building wiring my own. I do have a problem with the stock lighting and el cheapo fans that come with the biocube causing my temps to spike. Do wonder if even more heat from a light over chamber two might cause even more of a temp rise.....?? I'm thinking I need to get stronger fans on my hood, but there are mixed reviews as to how much that will help regulate temps, and I am still reading learning about lighting, and what I might want to do.

 

3. Chamber three would remain untouched? Stock filter that pumps out water to the tank.......

 

Thanks so much for your help!!!!

 

----Lux

[stallen]

lux - I'm pretty sure ALL of my mods would work with your tank. It's basically the same tank only everything is on a larger scale.

 

However, if I had the extra room, I might do things differently. I might put a fuge in chamber 1 (maybe). I'd have the option of putting a protein skimmer in chamber 2. One thing for sure is I would want to improve flow. I'm not sure what kind of flow the stock pump has, but I'd consider something like the maxi-jet 900. I'd actually consider two of them. You could drill a hole through the false wall of chamber 1 and have a second output there with the pump sitting on the bottom of chamber 1. Do a search for Stoney Waters 12 gallon tank. EDIT: Here you go: http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...c=59497&hl= He did a lot of great mods.

 

As for the fuge lighting, if you are not a DIY'er, I would consider getting a submersible bulb that you could just drop into the fuge to provide the lighting. Do a search for "submersible light (or bulb) here in this forum to find out more.

[luxo1]

Lot's to think about, thanks much for the quick response!

 

---Chip

[luxo1]

Stallen: Even with your second chamber set up of live rock and purigen and chemipure, and cheetoh, etc. you would still want a protein skimmer? Do you think it would make that much of a difference in a biocube??

 

Thanks.

[stallen]

Stallen: Even with your second chamber set up of live rock and purigen and chemipure, and cheetoh, etc. you would still want a protein skimmer? Do you think it would make that much of a difference in a biocube??

 

Thanks.

 

Probably not. I think a lot of people put protein skimmers in a nano tank (less than about 50 gallons) just because they can. There are advantages and disadvantages in a small tank. I think the disadvantages are more prevalent as the tank size gets smaller. Regular water changes is all you need really on a small tank. This article can explain it better than I can:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/articles/?article=3

"Studies of skimmers have shown that they remove various trace elements, along with pods and plankton. When people run protein skimmers, they dose trace elements to replenish them after their corals and skimmers use them. Because the skimmer removes most of the elements, such as iodine, it is dosed back in causing almost an endless cycle. The main problem this holds in nano reefing is that many of the trace elements cannot be easily tested for, so no one ever knows where their level is. This can lead to overdosing which will crash a nano reef in a matter of hours. The skimmer also begins to starve your corals by removing their food source. It's simply too risky."

 

Then have a look here for more good information: http://www.nano-reef.com/articles/

 

It's been awhile since I've read them these articles. I mostly beleive in them, but I've found that dosing with a good 2-part solution such as b-ionic is necessary to keep my ph, alk, and calcuim at the proper levels.