Biocube 29 and 10g Reboot

[jk_s124]

First attempt at videoing the tank, didn't come out to badly. I still need to figure out how to rotate it with the video being blurry. I also sold a few frags and ordered the Icecap 2K, it says it should be here on Wednesday!!

Congrats on the sales! The 2k looks pretty awesome. Should be a nice pairing with the wave engine. Your video skills aren’t too bad either.

 

[Lazydayz]

Congrats on the sales! The 2k looks pretty awesome. Should be a nice pairing with the wave engine. Your video skills aren’t too bad either.

Thank you! I have to say I am a little nervous to add the 2k I know it is on the bigger side, but it will be nice to reduce the amount of cords in and under the tank.

 

[Lazydayz]

I just had to post this morning. It has been 1 month since I added my first SPS coral and I'm proud to post that I am actually getting growth!!!!! I am over the moon right now I've always been so intimidated by SPS. Now after I get the frag tank built and cycling I think I will try some Acros. It's not a ton of growth but here are the before and after pics:
Jedi Mindtrick 6/15/20

7/13/2020

Blueberry stylo 6/15/2020

7/13/2020

 

[jk_s124]

Thats awesome man! That’s some great growth for that short period of time!

 

[Lazydayz]

Thats awesome man! That’s some great growth for that short period of time!

Thank you! Love the gif, I miss that show haha

 

[Lazydayz]

Yes it is finally here and hooked up!! There are so many different patterns and ways to program this that I feel like it will be a while to get it dialed in. Can't wait to play around with it some more tomorrow.

 

[jk_s124]

Looks great! I’m sure you have that dialed in in no time. Your sps are going to love the extra flow!

 

[Lazydayz]

Looks great! I’m sure you have that dialed in in no time. Your sps are going to love the extra flow!

You were right about the power of these things. I am going to try moving it around to different sides but on the lowest setting where it is now the Zoas on the frag rack look like palm trees in a hurricane haha

 

[jk_s124]

It takes time, but you’ll find a way to make it work. High flow is good! But high flow is also challenging.

 

[Lazydayz]

It takes time, but you’ll find a way to make it work. High flow is good! But high flow is also challenging.

True! I am looking forward to adding it to the frag tank as well, maybe I will be able to use the same WaveEngine for both.

 

[Lazydayz]

Played around with the pump today, I think I'm about 90% there. Definitely moving some waste around off the sand bed! Tried to video it again think it came out alright.

 

[Lazydayz]

So I think I finally got the Icecap dialed in! It is working great and the WaveEngine has been so much fun to program my settings. I'll try and get a video of it tomorrow. The corals seem so happy, growing and coloring up quickly! I think that has to do with the new pump and the Red Sea ab+! I'm debating if I want to try and frag my JINGLE BELLS cyphastrea or not. I left it on the plug raised up so I could pop the plug off and let it grow over the tile. The growth on the tile is finally starting to get the green color. Does anyone think it is safe to use a razor blade around the base of the plug then pop the frag plug off the tile?

 

[jk_s124]

So I think I finally got the Icecap dialed in! It is working great and the WaveEngine has been so much fun to program my settings. I'll try and get a video of it tomorrow. The corals seem so happy, growing and coloring up quickly! I think that has to do with the new pump and the Red Sea ab+! I'm debating if I want to try and frag my JINGLE BELLS cyphastrea or not. I left it on the plug raised up so I could pop the plug off and let it grow over the tile. The growth on the tile is finally starting to get the green color. Does anyone think it is safe to use a razor blade around the base of the plug then pop the frag plug off the tile?

Worth a shot. Looks like it’s healthy and thriving, so if it is damaged while trying it should recover well.

 

[Lazydayz]

Oh i forgot, I have baby snails!! Not the best pictures but there are several of them all through out the tank.

I also spotted the brittle star after months of thinking that he was a goner.

I haven't been able to get a picture of it because it is so far back in the rockwork but I have a tiny feather duster as well!

 

[jk_s124]

That’s so cool! I have never had baby snails that I have known about at least. Lots of limpets though. I love feather dusters and tube worms. I honestly don’t even mind my colonial hydroids all that much any more. The more little living things on the rock the cooler it is when you look close. Little things like baby snails are what make this hobby so cool.

 

[Lazydayz]

That’s so cool! I have never had baby snails that I have known about at least. Lots of limpets though. I love feather dusters and tube worms. I honestly don’t even mind my colonial hydroids all that much any more. The more little living things on the rock the cooler it is when you look close. Little things like baby snails are what make this hobby so cool.

I agree it is absolutely amazing to see little things like that and it is why this hobby is so great!

 

[Lazydayz]

As promised a video of the tank with the pump settings in. The highest I was able to get it was 45% and only in short bursts. I have to admit that I used the settings @Carlos@CoralVue put in the YouTube video on how to setup the WaveEngine. I did add a mode that slows the pump to 25% for 15 minutes when I broadcast feed the Red Sea AB+.


With all the growth of the new SPS I started to test Alk, and calcium everyday just to see how the tank was reacting. I think I may need to start dosing soon but I'm not sure. Alk looks like it is dropping about .2 dkh per day and calcium is dropping but not consistently, it is like 5 ppm every other day. I'm going to continue for another week to see if my numbers were right.

 

[jk_s124]

Looking good Lazy! Make sure you watch how your Alk and calcium look after water changes. If you are doing weekly water changes you may still be evening things out weekly just from that. And a few things to consider with the potential of needing to dose. I personally love kalkwasser in the ato. It’s very easy to use and helps with ph and supplementing some other trace elements. With you not having a canopy, you’re evaporation rate should be high enough to keep a fair amount of sps with kalk alone. That could help keep things super simple and save money with not having to invest in more pumps and maintaining those pumps and buying more additives. That being said, I run two part with kalk because I have a low evaporation rate, and the two part works great too.

Also your icecap looks like it’s doing the trick! I would bet you will see even more growth with the added flow. Nice work man!

 

[Lazydayz]

Looking good Lazy! Make sure you watch how your Alk and calcium look after water changes. If you are doing weekly water changes you may still be evening things out weekly just from that. And a few things to consider with the potential of needing to dose. I personally love kalkwasser in the ato. It’s very easy to use and helps with ph and supplementing some other trace elements. With you not having a canopy, you’re evaporation rate should be high enough to keep a fair amount of sps with kalk alone. That could help keep things super simple and save money with not having to invest in more pumps and maintaining those pumps and buying more additives. That being said, I run two part with kalk because I have a low evaporation rate, and the two part works great too.

Also your icecap looks like it’s doing the trick! I would bet you will see even more growth with the added flow. Nice work man!

Thank you! I am definitely on the fence about dosing since it's such a small drop each day. I do like to do the weekly water changes, so here are my numbers maybe you can help me decide on my next step. I dont have an ATO so I replace about a gallon every 2-3 days. My water after a water change has an Alk of 11.8 and Calcium of 470. So after a week (yesterday) my Alk was 10.5 and Calcium only dropped to 465. After the water change today I double checked and the Alk is back up to 11.8 and Calcium back at 470. I'm afraid that it maybe too much of a swing so was thinking of dosing to stabilize a little bit more. Do you think the Kalkwasser would be the better option with the evaporation I have?

 

[jk_s124]

I think your good for now. That’s a pretty gradual swing through the week. Looks like your water change is replenishing all you need for the time being. If it were me, the ATO would be my next investment.