29gl Oceanic Biocube - Week 1

Hey Reefers

Here's the first video of my 29gl Oceanic Biocube I just recently started. I will be logging my process along the way and I look for feedback and or input along the way in terms of filtration and lighting are the next things I am looking to modify and/or add to the tank. Thanks in advance for your help

 

Welcome, the biocube is a fantastic and tons of fun to run. One mod I would make is a fish saver, divider between the back wall of the tank and top of the hood. It will prevent fish from jumping over. I made one with a piece of acrylic

Here is a link to one to purchase or at least get the ideal shape from http://www.shop.mediabaskets.com/Bi...d-BC29FS.htm?gclid=CIaMor7RpcACFYqBfgodFrQA5w

 

Scape is awesome.

Now for some constructive criticism, the fine grain sand might prove to be an issue down the road if you start to have Cyanobacteria issues or algae issues. If you're so inclined you can suction it out now as it's pretty easy to do with a larger diameter hose and scoop out what you can. If you like the look a lot then by all means give it a go. Medium grade Aragonite is a good choice.

Tunze 9002 Doc is a great skimmer in my experience I ran one on my JBJ 28 gallon, a very efficient and quite skimmer.

Nice job on getting the InTank media basket. Also nice job on cleaning up the suspended particles with the canister, I never thought of that.

The water level in the last chamber should be higher, I am pretty sure the pump should be completely submerged but wait for someone with a BioCube to chime in.

Excellent buy for 140.00 I would have taken it in a heart beat.

 

@Steve34 thanks a bunch I will check that out! I saw them on InTank's website I was wondering how valuable they really were. Found out that the HQI version the back wall comes all the way to the top of the hood so it's no need. But for the Oceanic Biocube it's looking like I will need to pick one up. Thanks for the input!

@Corailline Thanks again for chiming in, and for the input the other day I've heard that once the tank is cycled that the natural bacteria in the tank will weigh down the sand eventually but I've also heard some negatives about the oolite sand that it's blown around so much that some of the corals have ingested it and died. So this is something I've definitely taken into consideration. Possibly a half and half mixture? I also was lucky enough to get the media basket free as the previous owner purchased it and put the darn thing in the wrong way! Instead of having it easily placing it in chamber two they jammed it in the wrong way and I had to use two butter knives to get the thing out as it was underneath the trim of the tank and the back wall. Some people... lol I agree that water level does need to be much higher. As I was typing this, I figured out why it was so low... When I added the canister to clean up the tank when I disconnected it the water inside the canister was the remaining water that was in the tank. Meaning the water level went down to expediting the cleaning process. Duh!

 

Do you know what kind of power head you'll be looking for? If you do not go with the an MP10 look at the Koralia,

I used this one, but I like a lot of flow.

http://www.marinedepot.com/Hydor_Ko...m_Powerheads-Hydor_USA-HD00717-FIPHFF-vi.html

And the 600 gph.

 

Couple things to think about, at least stuff that I did to my BioCube:
Remove the top (once you get new lights) it just caused lower levels of dissolved O2 and lower pH.
Protein skimmer in the first chamber, Eshopps, cadlight, and tunze all make great nano skimmers, I ran the eshopps nano and I loved mine.
Unless you're running bioballs in the 2nd chamber, fill it and the third chamber up to 1/4" under the tank level, the extra volume helps if you forget to top off for a day.
Once I took my top off, I also de rimmed the tank, makes it look much sleeker.
The back glass usually have a black film over the outside of it to prevent light from getting in, I took a razor and scraped it off over the second chamber and filled it with chaeto algae and clipped a CFL floodlight to the glass to help the chaeto grow, went from a fist size to as big as the chamber in a few months.
GET RID OF THE STOCK PUMP. seriously it sucks. I used a maxijet 1200 in mine, modded slightly. I suggest getting the biggest pump that can fit back there.
I then put the stock pump upside down in the first chamber to blow around any detritus that would settle (believe me it gets bad back there).
If you can afford it, get an MP10.

 

@Corailline I actually stopped at 3 places today and no one had nano powerheads. I have a Aqueon 950 from another tank I had before I moved up here to GA. But of course it's wayyy too much it blows that oolite sand everywhere! So I may just throw it up on CraigsList... I was thinking 2 Koralias or possibly one on the right side and facing the return pump to make the two of them collide as I've heard that's imperative for Biocubes. I want the MP10 but $200 on a powerhead is more than I paid for the entire tank and stand, as well as the live rock. I've read the many advantages of the MP10, I just don't see it necessary for me right now as I am still learning things I'm sure I will upgrade at some point I will check in to the one you've posted though!

 

Why not put the Tunze next to the media basket? Is a chaeto and a skimmer a bit overkill? Or is nothing ever overkill? haha

Negatory on the bio balls.. Was thinking about doing the above ^

How hard was it to de-rim the top of the tank? Also wouldn't that make you have to cut the plexiglass with an overhang... obviously. I'm interested to see how that looked. Maybe you have some photos of it? In terms of the chaeto light I've seen people use velcro for an 3 row LED light that was about 10-12" tall seemed like a pretty interesting idea. In terms of the return pump, is it necessary to upgrade if I will be getting powerheads? Or is it one or the other? Sorry for all the questions and I greatly appreciate everyone's advice! Such a great community so far. Learning lots.

 

Because the water level fluctuates daily in the second and third chamber so this wont work for a skimmer because they need a constant water level.

Didn't seem to be over kill in my tank, and I only kept one fish. Don't think of it as overkill more so a safety net.

De rimming was a bit tidious because I had water and corals and everything in there so I had to do it while it was on the stand. IDK how yours works (age being a big Difference) but mine i just slid a razor blade up between the trim and glass on each side and pried it off. Heres a pic:

I'm not sure what you mean about plexiglass though. The upgraded pump is more to keep detritus from settling in the third chamber than it is about flow. I don't know anyone that hasn't upgraded the stock pump in any all-in-one tank.