New Cube on the Block

[Livingonline]

Need advise everyone, the water in chamber 3 is way above the max line, I tried taking some out but that did not work. What is the problem?

[crazyatc]

Hello All,

So my tank have been up and running foir two weeks now. I came home yesterday and the temp. was 84 and there was brown algae everywhere. Needless to say I don't have to use a heater. Has antone else had problems with excess heat after switching to a maxi jet for the pump? I did add some cycling chemicals on Sunday, could this be the reason for the algae? I am just getting back into the aquarium seen after a 10yr break. Just want to make sure that the algae isn't going to kill all the good stuff in my live rock.

 

Thanks for the help

[br1910]

Hello All,

So my tank have been up and running foir two weeks now. I came home yesterday and the temp. was 84 and there was brown algae everywhere. Needless to say I don't have to use a heater. Has antone else had problems with excess heat after switching to a maxi jet for the pump? I did add some cycling chemicals on Sunday, could this be the reason for the algae? I am just getting back into the aquarium seen after a 10yr break. Just want to make sure that the algae isn't going to kill all the good stuff in my live rock.

 

Thanks for the help

 

 

Let me take a wild guess....... is it a MJ 1200? (Also known as the heater that has good flow )

[TEALCOBRA]

I was just thinking the same thing br1910.... After hearing from a few people about that, I dont think I will be using one anymore... Im planning on going with the Rio Hyperflow 6HF.... It uses 15 watts versus the 20 that the Maxijet uses, but yet flows 350 GPH instead of the 295 from the maxijet.... Its a little more $$$ but not too bad.

[basser1]

I don't know fellas. I'm using the maxi-jet 1200 in chamber 3 and my temps do not rise above 79 degrees. Of course the room is air conditioned and the ambient temp of the room is 74 degrees.

[crazyatc]

Let me take a wild guess....... is it a MJ 1200? (Also known as the heater that has good flow )

 

 

Yes my MH 1200, Maxi Heater, is puttig out a lot of heat . I kept the back cover open today, which brought down the temp to 81. I will still probably switch out thw MJ 1200 for either the stock pump or something else. Let me know how the Rio performs.

[Robster]

I guess that would depend on where you light it from.

 

I plan on the light to be on the back shining in through the back wall. The center chamber has a rack that is suspended near the top. I'm going to use it to hold some kind of filter media( sponge, white floss, Puri Gen, charcoal, something).I'm sure this will contain a good amount of the refugium light. But untill I actually get it done, I'm not sure to what extent.

 

I'm very curious as to how other people plan on splitting up there refugium area. I was thinking about three inchs for LR, and six inchs for the macro algea.

 

BR1920- so did you end up with filter floss on the top tray, then macro, then rock; anything else before the bottom tray? if not how do you keep bad stuff from hitting the pump?

[br1910]

BR1920- so did you end up with filter floss on the top tray, then macro, then rock; anything else before the bottom tray? if not how do you keep bad stuff from hitting the pump?

 

 

The opening betwenn chamber 2 and chamber 3 has a series of slats going across it. Then there's a baffle to go over before you can make it to the pump. IMO I don't think small chunks of LR will makwe it over the baffle. (Thats where the stock sponge at the bottom of chamber three used to be)

 

I would hate to put anything more restrictive down there. (Sponge or fine screening) If it got plugged up....... well.... I would hate to think of what might happen.....

 

Hope that helps.

 

-B

[AlBunch]

I've seen a few people mention putting a hydor flo on an mj1200 in the 29g, but will the hydor flo fit on the stock pump? I'm thinking about getting one of these - LFS has the tank and stand for $397 (not a bad deal and I can get it now instead of waiting for it to be shipped).

 

Also, anyone done any fan mods (I live in Houston) and how about lighting upgrades? I'm interested in eventually keeping SPS, or should I ditch the cube idea, get an outer orbit, a small tank and spend the serious cash...?

[TEALCOBRA]

Ive upgraded to the 144w PC lighting setup and also upgraded the fans... I have a bunch of the mods chronicled in my "Got my BC29 today" thread, check it out for more info.... Its a great tank IMO.

[Bambooyard]

I've recently purchased one of the Oceanic Biocube 29 gals., and had the same problem with the water not passing through the filter fast enough to keep up with the flow of the pump. I also cut out that part of the partition wall between section one and two, but that wasn't enough, so I took the filter cartridge and where the handle opening is on top, I snipped off the black plastic on both sides with a pair of cutters, so instead of the oval opening I ended up with about 1/2 that space left in the center and through the plastic tab away, leaving just enough space to let some water bypass by turniing the cartridge upside down so that hole is at the bottom and that took care of the flow problem for me.

[Bambooyard]

Oh, a higher water level in chamber 3 is okay, as long as the tank level is below that rim at the back by at least 1/8 of an inch, so no water goes over the edge, also, I removed the grate on top of the bio balls and replaced that with a tight fitting piece of aluminum window screening, resting on top of the balls to improve the flow. So far this is working out great, but why do we have to modify Oceanic's faulty design to work correctly?