Biocube upgrades

[Primeval]

Thanks. I will give it a try this week before I start working again on my 20 Hex.

 

I try to have as much photo evidence of what I am doing as possible. One of this forum's most important purposes is to educate.

[Primeval]

Okay guys - You get to pick my cleanup crew.

 

Be reasonable =)

 

 

Also remember that I am eventually adding a Neon Pseudochromis to this tank so shrimp are out of the question.

 

I will eventually have coral again but just your beginner basics: mushrooms, button polyps, a few zoas and maybe a leather of some type if I can get away with it with my current lighting.

 

I already have one large scarlet-reef hermit in there and I think one larger blue-leg. I would like to keep the crabs to a minimum and maybe go mostly snails to avoid 1) the dottyback eating them and 2)them bothering my future coral.

 

I have a little bit of red slime algae on one of my rocks so I was considering a few black turbos to keep that in check so it doesn't become an issue.

 

I have also been a fan of Zebra Turbos since they are excellent glass and rock cleaners - however, they get bigger than a golfball and probably turn things over once larger.

 

Lets here it..

[Primeval]

I decided to tackle the extra piece between chambers 1 and 2 today. I tried a razor but I wasn't really doing much with it. I decided to go with pruners instead.

 

 

Not an even break at the bottom but it worked pretty well.

 

 

Break at the bottom

 

 

Fish Saver installed

 

 

Flow diverter installed

[Primeval]

Scarlett Hermit. About the size of a nickel

 

 

Back wall coraline growth

 

 

Closeup

 

 

 

 

[Primeval]

No suggestions on a cleanup crew?

[seabass]

Due to their impact on beneficial fauna, I wouldn't really consider shrimp and crabs part of a cleanup crew (although keeping the two that you have should be OK). Snails (along with pods and worms) make good cleanup crews.

 

However, the substrate might not be very suitable for burrowing snails like Cerith or Nassarius snails (it might also be a contributor to your Cyano problem). I know you like your substrate, but you might be better in the long run by switching it out before you add fish. Just a thought.

[Primeval]

Due to their impact on beneficial fauna, I wouldn't really consider shrimp and crabs part of a cleanup crew (although keeping the two that you have should be OK). Snails (along with pods and worms) make good cleanup crews.

 

However, the substrate might not be very suitable for burrowing snails like Cerith or Nassarius snails (it might also be a contributor to your Cyano problem). I know you like your substrate, but you might be better in the long run by switching it out before you add fish. Just a thought.

 

 

I can't add a shrimp. I know I want a Neon Pseudochromis. A shrimp wouldn't even make it to the bottom of the tank from the collection cup.

 

And the thicker sand may certainly be a contributor. Neglecting my tanks for a while lead me to believe overall water quality might be the biggest factor, though.

 

Please note that most of my sand (maybe 2/3 or more) is 1.0mm - 2.0mm that comes with your popular Arag Alive bag. I just mixed in some larger stuff for cosmetics - which shows up great in pictures after it becomes purple from coraline growth. I think it might be West Caribean but I am not sure anymore.

 

I had this tank running for at least a year with no issues until I started neglecting it.

 

If I notice detritus or other issues later I will consider syphoning it out slowly.

 

 

You make a great point regarding sand-sifters in the substrate. Given that the majority of the sand is "standard" size I hope I can avoid any issues if I get any of the little guys.

 

 

I've used the oolite stuff in the past and it was just too small of a grain. I could never keep it laying down and provide adequate flow at the same time. Water changes would always destroy my filters too.

[spanko]

Do you feel that having the Korallia placed where it is might be inhibiting the overflow slots from removing as much as they could? In other words is the Korallia blowing suspended materials away from the slots?

[Primeval]

Do you feel that having the Korallia placed where it is might be inhibiting the overflow slots from removing as much as they could? In other words is the Korallia blowing suspended materials away from the slots?

 

 

That's very possible. I need to aim it down a bit anyway to keep flow moving over the rock and to the center of the tank. I like its placement - but I may need to reconsider which way it is pointing. I would like to think that its placement is pulling suspended materials towards that area a little.

[spanko]

IDK as the water flows towards the overflow slots the K has to pull water into it's slots on the side. Just seems like it is so close to the wall slots it could be sucking in particles. I guess a good check would be to put some flake food floating on the top of the water and see what happens.

Just a thought.

[Primeval]

I'll try that. The Koralia deflector keeps the surface pretty clear. The addition of the media basket takes care of the rest.

 

Once the red slime is gone (it seems to be going away) then I will add livestock.

[Primeval]

I am picking these up at my LPS this afternoon:

 

 

Black Turbo Snail - 2

Cerith Sand Sifting Snail - 3

Blue Legs - 5

Nassarius Snail - 3

Zebra-stripe Turbo Snail- 1

[Primeval]

I checked my parameters just before adding the cleanup items mentioned above and wasn't really happy that my nitrates are still up after a water change.

 

 

pH - 8.2

Nitrates - ~20ppm

Specific Gravity - 1.024

[Primeval]

Black turbos are eating a bit of the red algae. I think I'm going to have to go in and scrap it off though.

 

I've cut my lights down to 2 hours for now.

[RobyRob]

Black turbos are eating a bit of the red algae. I think I'm going to have to go in and scrap it off though.

 

I've cut my lights down to 2 hours for now.

Awesome tank thread. I think i will be right behind ya with almost an identical setup. i went with astrea snails though and they love the brown algae I'm still waiting on my order from intank. c'mon stevie..

[Primeval]

About a month ago I went to Oceanic's website and sent them an email through their web-contact form regarding my crappy stock fans in my Biocube 14 that make tons of noise.

 

I'm pretty sure my Biocube is not still under warranty but they did send me faulty parts since it started sounding like that since its early days.

 

I come home to find a package on my doorstep.

 

 

 

 

I was thinking how weird it was to be getting another package since everything I have recently ordered has already arrived. I see that the return address is All Glass Aquarium. Strange again.

 

 

I opened it up to find goodies from Oceanic!

 

 

Two replacement fans, a replacement 24w ballast and a replacement 10k 24w bulb. Nice.

 

 

Good job Oceanic. Free stuff unexpectedly is sweet.

 

 

Too bad I wouldn't know where to start to use the ballast to retro in another 24w. I was looking at the retro from nanocustoms.com but I didn't commit to the project.

 

I suppose these will just be nice replacements down the road.

 

 

I installed the fans yesterday and they are almost silent.

[Primeval]

I'm doing another 20% water change today. Hopefully I will have a fish in this tank by the end of the week.

[Primeval]

the store sold the neon pseudochromis that I had my eye on. I guess that one will have to wait.

[seabass]

the store sold the neon pseudochromis that I had my eye on. I guess that one will have to wait.

Nice, but it will limit other fish that you may want to add.

[Primeval]

Nice, but it will limit other fish that you may want to add.

 

 

Understandably so. Given that it is only a 12, I was thinking he would be the only fish.

[seabass]

Understandably so. Given that it is only a 12, I was thinking he would be the only fish.

It might work, but a tank twice that size would be better.

[Primeval]

Naturally. I will keep wishing it bigger.

[Primeval]

I've had the lights on for just 1 hour a day for 5 days and the submersible light on the chaeto on 24hrs a day. The cyano is smaller and looks to be fading again.

 

We'll see how it goes.

[Primeval]

Adjusting the lighting did nothing. I am going to have to go in and scrape it off and keep doing excessive water changes so I can reverse what is happening here.

 

I think I have a phosphate test somewhere.

 

I also heard dosing the tank is an option too.

[Primeval]

Water changes and low light (2 hrs a day max) have not seemed to help. The black turbos are busy with the glass and dont seem to be too interested in the red algae.

 

I don't want to add a fish just yet and up the bioload and give the cyano more growing power.