How high to fill the biocube 32

[FrancineJ]

Me again! Lol

 

so we got our water in (nailed the salinity first try... not bad lol 1.024) At least I don’t think that’s bad for a first full up lol

 

question-

i am wondering if we have slightly over filled it? 

The lens cover for the light seems to be always covered in condensation... I’m wondering if this will go away? Or if it’s because we may have just a tad too much water in it?

the description of filling it is a little confusing in the manual.... we were not sure if we should have filled it to the line you can see when looking into the tank or the line you see from the outside of the tank?

i know there is a very very slight difference however im wondering if this slight amount may be what’s causing it to fog up so bad (and yes we have the lights off) 

 

i also just wanted to make sure we have the back chambers filled up correctly- 

1st chamber full to tank level

2nd and third chambers are filled to just where the slide in green thing is under the filter floss.....

i read about everyone having to change theirs when cycling like everyday, 2 times a day sometimes and we changed ours this morning (nearly 24hours) and it was just barely even dirty... tiny tiny bit of brown.... now we were able to pour in our water so the sand was nearly undistirbed so I’m wondering if that’s why maybe? 

We are still changing it daily... just to be safe but it doesn’t appear to be catching much... could that just be because there is nothing to catch? Right now we have the output pointing towards the rock and out KPS on at 80% (840 gph) right at the main part of the rock on the left side... when our other KPS comes I plan on pointing it on the right side at about 80% as well...(this is just for the cycling period as I know flow helps get things up and running faster....

we used dr tims ammonia drops and Bio-Spira.... we are due for our first test (using his chart as we always do) in about half an hour or so....

jusg wondering about the filling and if I should remove a tad bit of water...

thanks 

[banasophia]

Hi Francine, are you able to post a picture to show the surface of the water in the tank and chambers to show how high everything is? 

[FrancineJ]

Yup I’ll attach them...

the first chamber Is all the way to the top (even with the tank level) and the second and third chambers are the same level (about 31/4’s) because I had to fill it to the bottom of the first InTank compartment.... it’s dark so I will put my finger where the line is just in case you can’t see it....

 

So on the inside it is filled to the bottom of that lip where I made the line... I’m thinking we should have been only filling it to the bottom of the outside line maybe - instead of the inside line??

 

so hard to get pictures....

[FrancineJ]

Just did our first test results using the Dr Tims drops and Bio-Spira we have:

ammonia: 0.5

nitrites: 2

PH 8.0

 

Thats after 24 hours and we dosed the Dr Tim’s to 2ppm... so I’d say that’s not too bad of a start... it already seems to be processing some ammonia 

[OPtasia]

That's fine. I usually fill the tank up so that you have a nice flow from chamber one to chamber two and then stop filling.

[OPtasia]

Yep, the ammonia loving bacteria get established pretty quickly. It's the nitrite loving bacteria that can take time. Good luck.

[FrancineJ]

Yes lol I know the dreaded nitrite spike lol I’m just praying they don’t go above 5ppm... I’m assuming it’s the same with SW where once they do it starts to slow things down or stall them? And should do a small water change? (From what I’ve read that part isn’t much different)

and PH I don’t want below 7 (while cycling) right? 

 

So it it doesn’t matter that my whole lid and the LED part are completely full of condensation? And even chambers 2 and 3 have some near the top where the waterline stops? My concern is once we get fish and corals and such will that condensation block out the lights or effect how they preform? 

 

And I only have the temp set to 78... was gonna crank it up for cycling but now I’m worried to do that lol 

[banasophia]

Kinda hard to tell from the pics. In my Biocube 16, the level in the display is about 1/4 inch below the plastic rim looking from the inside. Looks level from the outside. I keep my water level in the third chamber filled to approximately two inches from the top. People do it differently though...

 

I get a little condensation, but not much. When I first set mine up the issue was water level being too high and also splashing the lens when coming out the return nozzle. 

 

 

 

 

 

[banasophia]

I would keep the temp set at 78... while you are cycling is a good time to test your system and see if it can maintain that temp. Sometimes Biocubes can overheat due to having the lid, which prevents evaporative cooling, best to monitor that before you add your livestock. (I ended up getting a chiller for mine, but that was in the summer.) 

[FrancineJ]

So far it has kept the temp at exact 78.1... I have the heater (in chamber 1) and the temp probe in chamber 3 and the heater (cobalt neotherm 150) is set for 78.... so that seems to be ok so far... 

 

My main concern is if i have it too full... it’s certainly not to the top of the tank... it’s right at the black line... the part the refer to as the “moulding” however I just sort of read the instructions again and I have it filled to the black part (if you have the lid opened and are looking into the tank)

But now taking a closer look at the actual instructions it shows it should be filled to the top of the outside lip... there is a very slight difference I’m just wondering if there is a way to tell if this is a big problem and causing more condensation problems?

i think it would be a difference of maybe an equivalent to like taking out like half a gallon.. a gallon at the absolute most...

 

its tss hard to tell where the flow is going because all I have in there right now is the Heater, InTank media basket with their filter floss on top and then the MJ1200 for my return pump (and the KPS inside the tank) 

but I could wipe off the condensation that’s on the LED panel and go back 2 seconds later and it’s right back.... that’s why I am wondering if it’s too full... 

or once again just being over paranoid (like usual... lol)

[FrancineJ]

I’m trying to think of the easiest way to describe it.... so on the inside of the black “moulding” there is a part that sticks out all around the inside of the tank... my tank is filled to right under there... however when you look at the “directions” lol it looks like it’s telling you to only fill it to this part in the picture it just took...

[banasophia]

Mine seems to adjust the level in the display to the correct level automatically once I turn the pump on, then the level in the third chamber is what changes. If I need to add more water or take some out, I do so by adding or subtracting with my turkey baster to get it to where the third chamber is about two inches down like in my picture. 

[FrancineJ]

Ya I know my chambers are right.... it’s the DT I’m talking about...

i know the chambers in the back are ok because I am using the InTank media rack and you are just supposed to fill it to the bottom of the chamber where the filter floss goes... so that part I’m satisfied with.... but I’m concerned that the DT has too much water in it...

 

Like I mentioned in the “instructions” it shows to fill it to the outer part... but I filled mine.... as best I can describe just under the part that sticks out on the inside of the DT part... 

mom sure it will be fine as I’m going to lose a bit of water in the DT over the next couple weeks from testing anyway... so I will see if it takes it down any or if it stays the same...

 

Also @inTank... so I have added the water the the second chamber so that it just goes to the shelf under the filter floss... this has chamber 2 and 3 (as I know they are tied together around 3/4 full...

My only concern is the part that skips the water from chamber 1 to chamber 2... it seems to be a bit lose and wobbly... (not terrible) is that normal? 

I just want to make sure I have it connected properly... On the 32 biocube it should be connected to BOTH the wall of chamber 1 AND the side of the InTank basket correct? It just seems like only half of the filter floss is getting wet... the side closest to chamber 2/3 is near dry for the first several hours (8 hours or more?)

 

[tofer]

The level you have it as is okay it could be a little lower like @banasophia said 1/4" below that inside ledge .  I get that condensation on my light cover I wipe it down with a cloth with  RO DI when i change the water every week . 

[FrancineJ]

So when you guys say 1/4 from the ledge are you talking about the lip on the inside? Because if I took it down that much you would be able to see the water line when looking into the DT... or are you taking about if I measured 1/4 inch from the outside...should you see the water line when looking in? In the other pics of people I have seen I never noticed the water line... damn they make these things so stupid lol most of my other tanks have an exact line that says “fill to here” or w maximum line however these ones just have minimum lines now and the instructions are not very clear lol 

sorry for all the questions and things not being clear to me my brain injury does not help me process stuff like this easily... like I don’t know if you guys are talking about the same parts I am... grrrr lol oh well at least it’s cycling lol

 

 Basically I guess this will answer my question: hypothetically if I put water into the 2nd or 3rd chamber with the pump on (that’s how InTank recommends getting it to the right level for their media basket) will it affect the water level in my DT/1st chamber.... and again with the pump running... if it does then it’s filled to the right spot.... also adversely if I remove water from the DT with the pump on....will it drop the levels in my 2nd/3rd chamber? Again if this happens then I know I have the water levels right because it’s filled to where it needs to be for the InTank media rack and if I unplug my pump and turn it back on... everything fills right back up to where it is now... even the increased volume in the 2nd/3rd chamber

 

[FISHnChix]

You really shouldn’t have any control over your display level. The wall between chamber 1 and 2 controls that and it’s not adjustable . I mean technically if you use the intank water director it could add some height to the display but it’s minimal.. if you have so much stuff in your media rack it backs up that might effect it too but then again it’s minimal. Or if you added something to restrict the chamber one intake grate then that would obviously effect it too.. wait actually it shouldn’t either unless the bottom intake grate was restricted

[FrancineJ]

All I have in it now (in the back) is the heater in chamber 1

intank tray with their floss in the top of chamber 2

and A tiny little temp probe and pump (MJ1200) in chamber 3

 

im just wondering if I filled it too much initially? Because of the way InTank gets you to get chamber 2 and 3 to proper levels... you have to add water in there with the pump running until it gets the to bottom of the tray holding the filterfloss... (top tray)....

maybe in the am I will shut everything off so there is no flow and take a better picture in the day light.... 

 

so what chamber controls how much water is in the DT? Chamber 2/3?

if so then it’s right because I have it exactly where InTank says it needs to be in order for their equipment to work...

[tofer]

Where is the water leveling the side sight glass  ?  

I just reread your post with the filter floss change every 2 to 3 days right now i still using the stock media basket but will be changing to intank in the near future . 

[FrancineJ]

Side sight glass?? I’m not sure what you mean? Are you talking about the Coralife Biocube 32? Or about the InTank media basket?

im not great with the actual terms of what they call things lol 

[tofer]

On the tank chamber 3 side has a water level sight glass . Where is the water level in that ? I keep mine at the very top of that .

[FrancineJ]

It’s not the back chambers that I’m wondering about... I know they are right (and the levels have to be above that sight glass thing to work with the InTank media tray).... that’s how I know the back is ok because you have to fill chamber 2 or 3 with the pump on in order to get it to the bottom of the first InTank tray where the floss is....

My concern was that my DT was too full... I’m 100% on the back chambers because it’s easy to do that part lol you just match the waterline with just at the bottom of the floss....

[tofer]

Then your fine with the tank level 

[FrancineJ]

Ok it just seems a bit full.....

If I Take a bit of water out of the DT will the water in the back drop?

 

and if so.... and then I add it back to chamber 2....that should work right? As long as I do it with the pump running?

 

What Upon my first full up was did the display first and then when it was full I waited until the back filled up on its own and then filled (with the pump on) chamber 2 but it didn’t put more water into the DT.... 

 

Does that make sense?

[banasophia]

I would suggest giving it a try so you can see what happens. 🙂  You don’t have any livestock in it so it’s a good time to get a feel for how the tank and levels work. You usually want to make the adjustments while the pump is running, but you can also test it out to see what happens if you try to adjust it when it’s not running and then plug the pump back in. Just have a pot or bucket and scooper or baster ready to remove some of the saltwater if you determine there’s a little too much. 

[FrancineJ]

Ya I don’t think I’ll try it with the punp

off lol im not that brave and would be afraid it would overflow... at least I know it won’t with the pump on... also I do know if you disconnect it or “lose” power that the levels in the back will go back to where you had them set... lol 

Thanks