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Any suggestions for improvements on my BC14?


blizzardscout2

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blizzardscout2

3 months in....

 

Equipment:

 

Biocube 14

Koralia Nano

100w Stealth Heater

Maxi-Jet 900 (replaced stock pump)

72 watts with the 3.24 Lighting upgrade (added 24w bulb)

 

Media:

 

Filter Floss (change every few days)

Chaeto

Carbon

 

Livestock:

 

2 False Perculas

1 Yellow Clown Goby

1 Yashia Goby

4 Sexy Shrimp

1 Peppermint Shrimp

1 Fire Shrimp

1 Squamosa Clam

2 Hermits

13+ Snails (multiplying ;) )

 

Coral:

 

Frogspawn (2 varieties)

Fox Coral

Star Polyps

Hammer Coral

Maze Coral

Flower Pot Coral

Clove Polyps

Mushrooms (Green, Red, Striped Green)

Ricordias

Aussie Acans

Zoas (Green, Orange, Blue, Eagle Eyes)

Striped Green Palys

Candy Cane Coral

 

Plant:

Halimeda

 

The beginning.......

IMG_1246.jpg

 

A little over a month later.......

IMG_1461.jpg

 

Over 5 months in.......

IMG_1672.jpg

 

Reese

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blizzardscout2
Sweet tank, you have some really nice rocks in there :) It's gonna look awesome when you get some stuff in it. :D

 

Thanks! I dont have much experience with what looks good for live rock, but I definitely like the zen of the tank if you will. :-)

 

I almost forgot to ask a question! I have seen on other peoples posts that it is good to have really good circulation for reef tanks, especially with anenomes. I was looking at the Hydor Nano circ pump as an addition to help that. Is this a good idea and where would proper placement be in a tank like mine? Thanks!

 

Reese

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Great pump i have one in my 14 gal biocube.I placed on other side like the factory one is.

 

also i would replace the stock pump with a mj900.

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blizzardscout2
Great pump i have one in my 14 gal biocube.I placed on other side like the factory one is.

 

also i would replace the stock pump with a mj900.

 

 

Will the mj900 fit in there? What kind of light is the one on your tank and how much was it? Plus I checked out your glass tops, how much are you selling one for? I really like your setup, especially the clam and mushrooms. Will the stock lighting sustain a clam? Thanks! And NICE TANK! Something to shoot for!

 

Reese

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Thanks im running a 16.5 70 watt sunpod.They are no longer made but can find nice used one for under 150 shipped.Im all out of them but could have some more made.I was selling for 30 shipped and making no money.Stock light is a no no with a clam.

 

Mushrooms will be all gone soon hopefully lol.I hope my rbta stings them all to death when i get him

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blizzardscout2
Thanks im running a 16.5 70 watt sunpod.They are no longer made but can find nice used one for under 150 shipped.Im all out of them but could have some more made.I was selling for 30 shipped and making no money.Stock light is a no no with a clam.

 

Mushrooms will be all gone soon hopefully lol.I hope my rbta stings them all to death when i get him

 

Do you want me to take those off your hands! I will pay for the shipping and even pay for them if really cheap! Plus I think I might be interested in a glass cover in the future (gotta talk my gf into the idea :-) )

 

I have been looking all over for that 70watt sunpod and cant find it anywhere for a decent price. Is there another fixture out there that will fit the BioCube 14?

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nothing that will fit decent that i know of.I still have to get some shrooms out for another on here.I just never get time to get them sent out.Ill see what can do.look on here for one that wasnt used long.There good lights and hold up well.

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Looks like you are off to a great start Reese. I placed a hydor nano in my tank just under the grate. It circulates the water well. I also replaced the stock pump with a maxijet 900 and threw on a hydorflo. It kept blowing off so I stuck the original piece back on until I find a way to keep the hydorflo on. Anyways here is a link to my install. Check it out and I hope you have fun reefing in the BC14.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...t&p=1785260

 

Jon

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blizzardscout2
Looks like you are off to a great start Reese. I placed a hydor nano in my tank just under the grate. It circulates the water well. I also replaced the stock pump with a maxijet 900 and threw on a hydorflo. It kept blowing off so I stuck the original piece back on until I find a way to keep the hydorflo on. Anyways here is a link to my install. Check it out and I hope you have fun reefing in the BC14.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...t&p=1785260

 

Jon

 

Thanks.... I think I will hit up a couple of my LFS and see if they have a hydor nano and MJ 900.

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blizzardscout2
nothing that will fit decent that i know of.I still have to get some shrooms out for another on here.I just never get time to get them sent out.Ill see what can do.look on here for one that wasnt used long.There good lights and hold up well.

 

Looks like the light is a no go.......for now. My gf is pretty adament about keeping "the clean look" of the setup.

 

Is there any way to add to the existing hood that would allow me to have a clam? How many watts of light would I need to add to the existing 48w? The only alternative is to wait until I can convert my 72g to saltwater which has to wait until I buy a house ( buy a house = a couple years :-) ). Thanks.

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blizzardscout2
This is just about the only option you have if you want to maintain the stock hood.

 

http://www.nanocustoms.com/product_info.ph...;products_id=56

 

I checked out the mod and decided that is exactly what I need! Thanks a lot xenon! I actually checked out that site earlier looking for a MH mod for the hood, I never thought to look for a PC mod. Well I ordered it and it is on the way. I will post new pics when finished.

 

Reese :D

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The sunpod looks good.You could have bought a used sunpod for lets say 125-150 to your door and sold the stock hood lights ballast for lets say 75 total and have 75 bucks max into the best mod can do to these tanks imo.Have fun with the stock ballast burning out etc.At one point both my ballast were burnt out while waiting for them to send replacements to me.I had alot of angry stuff in my tank.Stock lighting stinks.

 

Oh and still no clam under the pc lights

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blizzardscout2
The sunpod looks good.You could have bought a used sunpod for lets say 125-150 to your door and sold the stock hood lights ballast for lets say 75 total and have 75 bucks max into the best mod can do to these tanks imo.Have fun with the stock ballast burning out etc.At one point both my ballast were burnt out while waiting for them to send replacements to me.I had alot of angry stuff in my tank.Stock lighting stinks.

 

Oh and still no clam under the pc lights

 

Yeah i know, no clam.... but at least my corals will do better. Plus by the time my ballasts burn out, I will be able to switch my 72 over to saltwater, and then I can do whatever I want with the 14g. =) I appreciate the help though, I will definitely do that when the time comes. Just for future sake, would 150 or 250 watts be over doing it or would 75w be sufficient for that size of tank? What about a 29g biocube?

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blizzardscout2

Well since the cured live rock put me a few weeks ahead, I already have a little algae growing. I added 3 hermits for the start of my CUC. (Plus my GF wont complain about staring at just rocks now ;) ). And Im ordering the Hydor Nano PH since all THREE of my LFS were out of them.

 

IMG_1265.jpg

 

Another question: Will leaving my light on for longer during the day speed up the process of the cycle or no? Thanks!

 

Reese

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I purchased the ballast upgrade from nanotuners as well as the lighting upgrade kit and am very happy with both purchases. I sent them everything UPS and they installed it all for free and returned it to me.

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blizzardscout2
I purchased the ballast upgrade from nanotuners as well as the lighting upgrade kit and am very happy with both purchases. I sent them everything UPS and they installed it all for free and returned it to me.

 

I checked that kit out, it looks pretty good. I will keep that in mind when my ballasts go out.

 

Just checked my water after getting a test kit today:

 

pH: 8.0

Amonia 1

Nitrates 0

Nitrites 0

Phosphate 0

Calcium 420

KH 8

Salinity 1.025

Temp 78-79

 

(DAY 3)

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I checked out the mod and decided that is exactly what I need! Thanks a lot xenon! I actually checked out that site earlier looking for a MH mod for the hood, I never thought to look for a PC mod. Well I ordered it and it is on the way. I will post new pics when finished.

 

Reese :D

 

 

That's what I call an impulse buyer haha. Good luck with the install. Hopefully it turns out nice.

 

I checked that kit out, it looks pretty good. I will keep that in mind when my ballasts go out.

 

Just checked my water after getting a test kit today:

 

pH: 8.0

Amonia 1

Nitrates 0

Nitrites 0

Phosphate 0

Calcium 420

KH 8

Salinity 1.025

Temp 78-79

 

(DAY 3)

 

Looks like you have a good 3 weeks ahead of you. I would just leave the lights on 8 hours a day. If you want to speed up the cycle process just get an existing SW filter pad and a scoop of live sand. It should maybe give you an extra week or so.

Hope that helps.

 

Where are you going to position the hydor nano?

Last night I fixed my hydor flo. Seems like I just had to push it in super hard. haha

 

Jon

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well just thought i would say hi to another Reese, although my name is Reece and not Reese, anywho looks like ur off to a better start then i am, as im dealing with some red slime

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well just thought i would say hi to another Reese, although my name is Reece and not Reese, anywho looks like ur off to a better start then i am, as im dealing with some red slime

 

Wish I could help. I don't know much about red slime. Do you have a thread here?

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blizzardscout2
That's what I call an impulse buyer haha. Good luck with the install. Hopefully it turns out nice.

 

 

Looks like you have a good 3 weeks ahead of you. I would just leave the lights on 8 hours a day. If you want to speed up the cycle process just get an existing SW filter pad and a scoop of live sand. It should maybe give you an extra week or so.

Hope that helps.

 

Where are you going to position the hydor nano?

Last night I fixed my hydor flo. Seems like I just had to push it in super hard. haha

 

Jon

 

:D I like to call it quick decision making! Yeah I might just do that. I was looking at putting it either just to the left and below the filter outlet or just below the grating intake.

 

Now whats your take on Bio-balls? I have seen mixed reviews about them. I actually use them in my freshwater fluval 404 canister and have had good experience. But I do see where they are coming from with all the debris that they collect. Would live rock in the back chambers be a better option? Thanks.

 

Reese

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blizzardscout2
well just thought i would say hi to another Reese, although my name is Reece and not Reese, anywho looks like ur off to a better start then i am, as im dealing with some red slime

 

Hi Reece, its not everyday you meet someone with such a great name! ;) Red slime huh? I will research it for you, just in case I get it too.

 

Reese

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"Now whats your take on Bio-balls? I have seen mixed reviews about them. I actually use them in my freshwater fluval 404 canister and have had good experience. But I do see where they are coming from with all the debris that they collect. Would live rock in the back chambers be a better option? Thanks."

 

 

I would pull the bioballs and the rack that holds them up at the bottom of the chamber. I leave the middle chamber empty in my Biocube 14, it's been 7 months and my tank is doing fine. 20 pounds of LR in your display should give it all of the biological filtration you need. I also removed the sponge in chamber three. I would only fill the middle chamber with rock rubble if you are planning on turning it into a fuge.

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blizzardscout2

Just because I am waiting for my tank to cycle... :( Here is a photo of my 72g last year (it is has been neglected lately because of work) but now I have more time.

 

055.jpg

 

Not the best Freshwater tank out there, but I have plans for it too.

 

Reese

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