Help or Advice

[reefaroo]

Hi, I have had this 12 gallon bio-cube type tank sitting around for 12+ years and I would finally like to set it up. It has no name on it anywhere. It looks like a standard curved front little tank. I'm kind of confused about the flow path of the water and what to put where. There were 2 open intake grills in the first chamber which I sealed shut because I would like to just use the overflow grate. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I can provide more pictures if necessary. It came with a sponge in the intake chamber which I don't have anymore. The question mark is the bottom chamber connected to the pump chamber. It looks to me like it would be kind of a dead space?

[Euphylin me]

it is dead space, to make sure your pump has enough water in the event you forget to top off the tank. i would recommend blowing it out with a turkey baster every other week. and congrats! cant wait to see it set up. maybe see if the intake filter floss holder would fit on this tank. second chamber i would do biological filtration and the third chemical filtration

[reefaroo]

Thank you! I ordered the floss holder. What about a small refugium with some chaeto? I also ordered chemi-pure blue.

Ted

[Euphylin me]

that would work!

[reefaroo]

Thanks!

[Euphylin me]

i would put some sort of black backing on the back of the tank and cut out the fuge area

[reefaroo]

LOL, It had that on there and I just cut it off to see what was going on back there. I guess I could put more on or paint it?

[Euphylin me]

i would just get some cheap static cling backing....this way if you needed to remove it to see if something was clogged up in the back it can be easily done

[reefaroo]

Thanks. I have a Cobalt heater. Where would you put that?

[Euphylin me]

lol i have no idea....i keep mine where the pump is but people advise against it bc all in one tanks tend to evaporate quickly. i think those are fully submersible, you might be able to put it under the intake filter floss holder

[reefaroo]

OK, thanks. I have an ATO that I was planning on using on a 90 but that plan went south. Maybe I'll try hooking it up to this. Evaporation is bad here. I have a FW tank too.

[Euphylin me]

Just now, reefaroo said:

OK, thanks. I have an ATO that I was planning on using on a 90 but that plan went south. Maybe I'll try hooking it up to this. Evaporation is bad here. I have a FW tank too.

good luck! and dont forget to post pictures!

[Clown79]

Put a media basket in the main over flow chamber(the chamber water enters)

 

Floss should be first and changed twice a week.

 

Then carbon(cheaper to buy in bulk and bag yourself) change out carbon every 2-3 weeks.

 

Chemipure is convenient but costly and doesn't last 4mnths.

 

Purigen is a nice media to use. It needs changing when it goes brown.

 

You can use media like phosguard as needed.

 

You don't need biological media as your liverock plays that role so the chambers your pump isn't in can be used for a chaeto fuge and heater.

 

You don't and shouldn't place a heater in the chamber with your pump. It's dangerous.

[Euphylin me]

Just now, Clown79 said:

Put a media basket in the main over flow chamber(the chamber water enters)

 

Floss should be first and changed twice a week.

 

Then carbon(cheaper to by in bulk and bag yourself)

Chemipure is convenient but costly and doesn't last 4mnths.

 

You can use media like phosguard as needed.

 

You don't need biological media as your liverock plays that role so the chambers your pump isn't in can be used for a chaeto fuge and heater.

 

You don't and shouldn't place a heater in the chamber with your pump. It's dangerous.

but i like living on the edge! lol jk i am moving stuff around. this is my first all in one tank!

[Clown79]

5 minutes ago, Euphylin me said:

but i like living on the edge! lol jk i am moving stuff around. this is my first all in one tank!

A heater should not be exposed to changing water levels and hoses/pumps shouldn't be exposed to the heater.

 

To prevent malfunction or shattering heaters it's best to place them in a chamber where the water is consistently the same level.

 

 

[Euphylin me]

Just now, Clown79 said:

A heater should not be exposed to changing water levels and hoses/pumps shouldn't be exposed to the heater.

 

To prevent malfunction or shattering heaters it's best to place them in a chamber where the water is consistently the same level.

 

 

oh trust me i know, i always keep up with the top off and it never gets past the head on the heater but i moved it to the second chamber just to be safe, or if something happened to where i couldnt attend the tank for a few days

[Clown79]

51 minutes ago, Euphylin me said:

oh trust me i know, i always keep up with the top off and it never gets past the head on the heater but i moved it to the second chamber just to be safe, or if something happened to where i couldnt attend the tank for a few days

I also unplug my heater during waterchanges- had my smoke up pretty good when the water level dropped.