Mech's Biocube 32

[a_pmech84]

Started this tank in August of 2019. This isn't the first tank I've done, it's the 5th. The first I lost in 2008 in an ice storm that took my power out for 2 weeks, nothing made it. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th were all kinda one. It started as a 55gal but I made a real stupid decision on filters and a bad choice on sand. I use a big HOB filter and learned a hard lesson and I bought what was said to be black sand and it was actually more like lava rock BB to slightly bigger in size. Didn't really lose anything but made the decision to break it down into a 20L and a 13. I had to leave them in Tennessee with one of my sons when we moved to another state. So after the move my wife encouraged me to do it again. I am definitely obsessed with this hobby. So i went with a Biocube 32. I very pleased with it. I upgraded the filtration to the InTank media and fuge baskets. I have currently stayed with the stock hood LED. I've considered upgrading it to a Steve's LED but haven't seen the need as of yet. All the coral I currently keep do great under the stock light. I used basic live sand and rock. Water changes generally happen weekly on the the occasion every other week. There are basic inverts snails and hermits, a pistol shrimp paired with a watchman goby, an orange storm clown and a blacker ice clown. Coral wise I have a Green Duncan with 8 heads currently, blue spot mushroom, a green ricordea, several different colors of zoas, an elegance, two rock flower anemone, two colors of acans, a maze brain, green hammers, green pocillappra, and a green lepto. All are frags with the exception of the elegance, it's currently about the size of my palm and the maze is maybe 3 inches or so across. It's been about 6 months and everything is loving life knock on wood. I feed every other day with frozen shrimp and reef roids. The tank shot isn't current. The addiction continues I've got an Evo 13 going through a start up cycle and planning a 40gal to do maybe in the next few months. This community has taught me a lot and I look forward a lot more learning. Thanks

[Matthew_S]

Hi, I'm new to the hobby and just got a biocube32.

 My plan is to get the intank basket but not sure what media I should put in also considering a skimmer and trying to grow some cheeto back there in a basket is all that necessary or am I over thinking it. What did you do for your filtration the tank looks great btw

[a_pmech84]

So the tank is awesome and I definitely recommend the intank baskets. Thanks for the compliments. For the filtration I use the blue and white sponge that intank sells. It was cheap and you get 3 big sheets and it cuts well with scissors. I also have fluval ceramic cylinders in the second level of the basket and some chemicals pure blue and phosbond in the third level of the basket. I have the fuge basket as well and I just keep a wad of chaeto back there. I bought some cheap led grow lights that I mounted behind the tank to provide light for the chaeto. That's all the mods I've done to it and I can keep a lot of different corals thriving in it. They sell a plug and play led upgrade for the hood through Steve's led I think is the name but they are about 400 bucks and I haven't really run into the need to do it. I'm real satisfied with it so far. It's been running since August 2019. Let me know if you need anymore advice. I attached a pic to show the diversity that I have had success with.