Jackal's Biocube 16 LED - 3 Years In and Counting!

[Jackal227]

I trimmed the Cespitularia today as it was getting quite large.  I took off a large fist sized chunk.  Here's what remains:

 

The new Mandarin is still very active and has settled in well.  I'm still trying to fatten it up more.  I currently have a white worm culture going in a addition to the pod cultures.

:

 

The hermits have taken up residence in my Montipora Cap and have been there all week.  It seems that they have found the only spot in the tank where there's no algae :

 

Found some hungry corals:

 

This Favia is starting to develop some great colors around the mouths:

[Veedublu67]

On 9/20/2017 at 1:43 PM, Jackal227 said:

Tank update:

After searching for a solution to keeping my heater hidden in chamber #1 I found many threads about removing the false floor for the 14 gallon biocube.  However, I couldn't find any information on whether this was the same process on the 16 gallon model.   After messing with it today I can confirm that the false floor is removable on the 16 gallon.  It is different from what I read on the 14 gallon which is siliconed in.

 

To remove the false floor I first had to remove the 2 brackets located on the left and right side of the chamber.   These are the brackets that hold the stock filter pad.  I don't plan on using this filter so removing them was ok with me.  They came out by prying  them away from the sides with a flat head screwdriver.   They came out pretty easy except for a small corner that was sealed in.  The corner broke off with slight force and the pieces were removed.   Once they were out the false floor simply lifted straight up and out.   There was no silicone holding the floor in, it just rested between the brackets above and notches below it. 

 

Now that the floor is gone this chamber will be easy to clean out and my heater fits comfortably.   As a bonus having my heater out of the way I now have added the other 1/2 litre of Matrix to the 2nd chamber boosting the total up to a full litre now so the biological filtration should be much more than needed. 

 

Tested for ammonia today just to confirm that it is present.   Will start testing every few days now to monitor the cycle. Also added a picture of the back chamber with the false floor removed. 

I’ve been in the hobby for years (still learning), but just recently purchased a Biocube 16G.  I’m still reading through your very detailed thread, but I wanted to say thank you for the detailed instructions on how to remove the false bottom in chamber 1.  Worked very easy and didn’t have to “push HARD” on anything.  I’m hoping I can fit my Cobalt thin heater in the bottom portion and my Coralife skimmer in the top.

[Jackal227]

5 hours ago, Veedublu67 said:

I’ve been in the hobby for years (still learning), but just recently purchased a Biocube 16G.  I’m still reading through your very detailed thread, but I wanted to say thank you for the detailed instructions on how to remove the false bottom in chamber 1.  Worked very easy and didn’t have to “push HARD” on anything.  I’m hoping I can fit my Cobalt thin heater in the bottom portion and my Coralife skimmer in the top.

You're welcome. 

 

Hopefully you saw the posts further down where others managed to remove the shelf without having to remove the side brackets like I did.  Either way I haven't needed the side brackets for anything so I don't have any regrets other than it was a little extra work.

 

The cobalts are smaller heaters so it may work having them both in there.  If not there should be plenty of room in chamber 3.  With the lid on there's not much evaporation so the water level stays pretty consistent.

[Ocean_dreamer89]

On 10/8/2019 at 11:43 AM, Jackal227 said:

I trimmed the Cespitularia today as it was getting quite large.  I took off a large fist sized chunk.  Here's what remains:

 

The new Mandarin is still very active and has settled in well.  I'm still trying to fatten it up more.  I currently have a white worm culture going in a addition to the pod cultures.

:

 

The hermits have taken up residence in my Montipora Cap and have been there all week.  It seems that they have found the only spot in the tank where there's no algae :

 

Found some hungry corals:

 

This Favia is starting to develop some great colors around the mouths:

Corals all look great!! Love your monti cap. Just added one to mine today. First SPS 🤞.  What are you running in your filtration now?

[Poison Dart Frog]

Awesome looking biocube. I want one so bad. They were selling for $209 on Amazon all September but now they're back up to over $260. I should have grabbed one while they were cheaper. 

 

Are you using the stock LED? 

[Jackal227]

1 hour ago, Ocean_dreamer89 said:

Corals all look great!! Love your monti cap. Just added one to mine today. First SPS 🤞.  What are you running in your filtration now?

Thank you. 

 

In chamber 1, I have a bag of purigen.  In chamber 2, I use the stock media basket with all of the shelves removed except the top one.  On the top shelf I use filter floss on top with a bag of carbon below it.  Under the shelf is macroalgae.  In chamber 3, I use two bags of matrix media.

 

43 minutes ago, Poison Dart Frog said:

Awesome looking biocube. I want one so bad. They were selling for $209 on Amazon all September but now they're back up to over $260. I should have grabbed one while they were cheaper. 

 

Are you using the stock LED? 

Thank you. 

 

It's been a great tank and I would recommend it.  I do still use the stock LEDs (it's one of the main reasons that I chose this tank) and they've worked well for me.

[Cpl_Wiggles]

I just noticed this - did your backside of Chamber 1 have paint on it at any time? Mine does - I wish it were clear like yours!

[Ocean_dreamer89]

38 minutes ago, Cpl_Wiggles said:

I just noticed this - did your backside of Chamber 1 have paint on it at any time? Mine does - I wish it were clear like yours!

I bought mine new and it had black vinyl on it.  I was able to peel it off pretty easily, just had to get one corner started.  @Jackal227 was yours the same?

[Cpl_Wiggles]

3 minutes ago, Ocean_dreamer89 said:

I bought mine new and it had black vinyl on it.  I was able to peel it off pretty easily, just had to get one corner started.  @Jackal227 was yours the same?

Ah! You're probably right - vinyl sounds more likely instead of paint. 

[Jackal227]

It's been quite a while but I believe that I had to peel off some vinyl as well.  I don't remember it much though.

[banasophia]

Yeah mine looks like vinyl on back of chamber 1, plain glass for chamber 2 & 3.

[Jackal227]

One of my older corals in the tank (Sunny D's) has grown into a nice little colony:

 

The Duncan continues to pop out new heads:

 

The new neon green hammer coral has already split from one head into two.  I really like how the two contrasting colors look next to each other:

 

The War Coral has started putting out some sweepers so I've moved it to the sandbed before it starts causing issues:

 

The Monti Cap is starting to grow into a spiral pattern that I really look forward to seeing as it progresses:

 

I'm not sure what has changed but the GSP's lashes have been looking extra long lately:

 

The Bonsai Acro has really taken it's time basing out, but I'm very excited to see it finally start growing upwards.  I really look forward to watching this one fill out:

 

The little hitchhiker that came in my Montipora is still alive and growing.  I've noticed that the tube that it lives in has gotten bigger.  I still haven't been able to identify what kind of worm that it is though:

 

And finally a current FTS:

[banasophia]

Wow, Jackal, looks gorgeous.... your corals are all growing really well and your photos are amazing!! 😍😍😍 

[WV Reefer]

3 hours ago, Jackal227 said:

One of my older corals in the tank (Sunny D's) has grown into a nice little colony:

 

The Duncan continues to pop out new heads:

 

The new neon green hammer coral has already split from one head into two.  I really like how the two contrasting colors look next to each other:

 

The War Coral has started putting out some sweepers so I've moved it to the sandbed before it starts causing issues:

 

The Monti Cap is starting to grow into a spiral pattern that I really look forward to seeing as it progresses:

 

I'm not sure what has changed but the GSP's lashes have been looking extra long lately:

 

The Bonsai Acro has really taken it's time basing out, but I'm very excited to see it finally start growing upwards.  I really look forward to watching this one fill out:

 

The little hitchhiker that came in my Montipora is still alive and growing.  I've noticed that the tube that it lives in has gotten bigger.  I still haven't been able to identify what kind of worm that it is though:

 

And finally a current FTS:

Looks great......I’m diggin’ the shape of that monti.
 

I’ve cut down to one stalk of Cespitularia because of its ambitions to take over the world. It’s a shame because it’s so pretty. 

[Jackal227]

8 hours ago, banasophia said:

Wow, Jackal, looks gorgeous.... your corals are all growing really well and your photos are amazing!! 😍😍😍 

Thank you!  It's taken a while to get there, but things are going well with this tank.

 

8 hours ago, WV Reefer said:

Looks great......I’m diggin’ the shape of that monti.
 

I’ve cut down to one stalk of Cespitularia because of its ambitions to take over the world. It’s a shame because it’s so pretty. 

Thank you!  I agree, the Cespitularia grows incredibly fast.  I've had to trim mine about every 4-6 weeks.  I could see having an entire tank filled with it like people do with Xenia.

[Ocean_dreamer89]

On 10/30/2019 at 8:51 AM, Jackal227 said:

One of my older corals in the tank (Sunny D's) has grown into a nice little colony:

 

The Duncan continues to pop out new heads:

 

The new neon green hammer coral has already split from one head into two.  I really like how the two contrasting colors look next to each other:

 

The War Coral has started putting out some sweepers so I've moved it to the sandbed before it starts causing issues:

 

The Monti Cap is starting to grow into a spiral pattern that I really look forward to seeing as it progresses:

 

I'm not sure what has changed but the GSP's lashes have been looking extra long lately:

 

The Bonsai Acro has really taken it's time basing out, but I'm very excited to see it finally start growing upwards.  I really look forward to watching this one fill out:

 

The little hitchhiker that came in my Montipora is still alive and growing.  I've noticed that the tube that it lives in has gotten bigger.  I still haven't been able to identify what kind of worm that it is though:

 

And finally a current FTS:

Wow!!! Love how everything is growing out! Looks so different from the setup from before you’re crash and I definitely think it’s for the better! The bigger colonies are breathtaking. 

[Jackal227]

10 hours ago, Ocean_dreamer89 said:

Wow!!! Love how everything is growing out! Looks so different from the setup from before you’re crash and I definitely think it’s for the better! The bigger colonies are breathtaking. 

Thank you.  The tank has gone through several changes but I agree that it's been for the better.  The hardest part has been waiting for things to grow in.

[Christopher Marks]

It’s really starting to fill in nicely @Jackal227! I love all the zoanthid colonies scattered throughout too. Those Sunny D’s get me every time!

[Jackal227]

49 minutes ago, Christopher Marks said:

It’s really starting to fill in nicely @Jackal227! I love all the zoanthid colonies scattered throughout too. Those Sunny D’s get me every time!

Thank you.

 

I'm hoping that with a little time the Zoas will fill in the spaces on the rock between the coral colonies.

[Jackal227]

I found these Zoa polyps laying on the sand.  Can't wait for them to open up so that I can see what they are 🤔

 

The hermits were having an early morning chat:

 

Looks like the Hammer and Duncan are having a little neighbor dispute.  I'll probably have to intervene:

 

The damaged Platygyra frag is recovering nicely.  This one will be beautiful once it grows out:

 

The Monti Cap is developing some odd bumps around the rim.  Not sure what's going on here:

 

It's hard to beat the color and texture of the Jack 'o lantern Leptoseris.  It's been a slow grower but is great to look at:

 

Daylight FTS:

 

Blue Light FTS:

 

 

[banasophia]

Looks fantastic!! I really love the way your monti cap reflects off the surface... and it’s interesting how it’s developing those bumps around the front edge. 

[Jackal227]

29 minutes ago, banasophia said:

Looks fantastic!! I really love the way your monti cap reflects off the surface... and it’s interesting how it’s developing those bumps around the front edge. 

Thank you!  The back edge is actually growing out of the water but it doesn't seem to affect it.

[billygoat]

I feel like I've said it before but I'm gonna say it again: this is one of my favorite tanks here on N-R. I love the harscape and the way all the corals are arranged on the rocks. It is very pleasing and balanced. Everything looks so beautiful and happy! 😊

[Jackal227]

1 hour ago, billygoat said:

I feel like I've said it before but I'm gonna say it again: this is one of my favorite tanks here on N-R. I love the harscape and the way all the corals are arranged on the rocks. It is very pleasing and balanced. Everything looks so beautiful and happy! 😊

Thank you very much.

[Poison Dart Frog]

Some of these bio cubes are the most beautiful of any on this site. Definitely getting one someday.