Biocube 32 protein skimmer and refugium

[wolfwood469]

Hello I'm new to the world of reef tanks. I've had freshwater tanks for many years and finally decided to take the leap into the saltwater world. I bought a lightly used bio cube that's come with extras.

• Bio cube protein skimmer
• Mp10 Powerhead
• Intank media basket
• Intank refugium
• Heater. Not near to get brand name​
• Rotating return​

I've cleaned out the tank fresh water only and scraped it. letting it set empty for a few weeks.
My question is in the sump what chamber should the heater and skimmer be in? Can the heater be in the 3rd chamber with pump? Can the skimmer be placed in chamber 1 or in chamber 2 in the intank refugium?
I also plan to add a ATO not sure on brand and plan to buy the biocube uv light.

 

[Hemmdog]

Welcome! Congrats on your new journey. Good call on the mp10, it’s a great wavemaker. I wouldn’t bother getting the biocube UV, it doesn’t do much, same with the biocube skimmer. There are much better skimmers that don’t degrade a wood block in your tank
I had mine configured skimmer&heater 1st chamber, InTank media basket & fuge in chamber 2, only return pump in chamber 3. (Ato sensor would go here too if you plan to do that)

 

[wolfwood469]

Welcome! Congrats on your new journey. Good call on the mp10, it’s a great wavemaker. I wouldn’t bother getting the biocube UV, it doesn’t do much, same with the biocube skimmer. There are much better skimmers that don’t degrade a wood block in your tank
I had mine configured skimmer&heater 1st chamber, InTank media basket & fuge in chamber 2, only return pump in chamber 3. (Ato sensor would go here too if you plan to do that)

Thank you for the input. I have heard good things about the mp10. But everything I have read on the biocube skimmer has been it's okay not great and there is better. I was thinking of buying better skimmer from lfs. I cant remember the brand but it's about 150. For it. But what skimmers would work in chamber 1 with the heater. The heaters I have are eheim 150w I have 2 of them one was used with the tank and the other is new. Also what light would work for the refugium?

 

[Gw2kpro]

Thank you for the input. I have heard good things about the mp10. But everything I have read on the biocube skimmer has been it's okay not great and there is better. I was thinking of buying better skimmer from lfs. I cant remember the brand but it's about 150. For it. But what skimmers would work in chamber 1 with the heater. The heaters I have are eheim 150w I have 2 of them one was used with the tank and the other is new. Also what light would work for the refugium?

Might want to look at a hang on back skimmer. I put an aquamaxx 1.5 on my jbj 28 and it does great.

 

[Hemmdog]

I used an aquaticlife 115 in chamber 1 on mine when I had that tank set up. It was much better than the biocube one. You need to take the hood off to use that one though. I think reef octopus backpak is one people use that is really good, not positive though. No clue about fuge light, I could never get chaeto to grow in that tank. I just used marine pure spheres in the InTank fuge section.

 

[wolfwood469]

Might want to look at a hang on back skimmer. I put an aquamaxx 1.5 on my jbj 28 and it does great.

Ill look into those as well thanks

 

[wolfwood469]

I used an aquaticlife 115 in chamber 1 on mine when I had that tank set up. It was much better than the biocube one. You need to take the hood off to use that one though. I think reef octopus backpak is one people use that is really good, not positive though. No clue about fuge light, I could never get chaeto to grow in that tank. I just used marine pure spheres in the InTank fuge section.

I've read a few about people saying they used that I'd like to keep a hood I'm looking at getting clowns and purple firefish

 

[CasaReefer]

Welcome to R2R Wolf Build sounds great... keep us posted.

 

[wolfwood469]

Welcome to R2R Wolf Build sounds great... keep us posted.

Thank you. I will

 

[Mikedawg]

I've read a few about people saying they used that I'd like to keep a hood I'm looking at getting clowns and purple firefish

I put my Aqualife in chamber 2 next to InTank media basket using magnets I got from OctoAquatics (he's on this site) AND didn't have to remove hood. Another advantage of using magnets is that you can raise or lower skimmer easily when you are fine tuning it. Just put one magnet inside skimmer and other on outside of tank. They are strong enough to hold skimmer in place.

 

[wolfwood469]

I put my Aqualife in chamber 2 next to InTank media basket using magnets I got from OctoAquatics (he's on this site) AND didn't have to remove hood. Another advantage of using magnets is that you can raise or lower skimmer easily when you are fine tuning it. Just put one magnet inside skimmer and other on outside of tank. They are strong enough to hold skimmer in place.

I ordered a eshopp nano protein skimmer the other day. I talked with my lfs and looked at there bio cube 32 they run just it And dose. So I may just end up running the eshopp in chamber 2 then the bio cube skimmer in chamber 2 as well. Not using the intank media basket. Or would people advise against just running the protein skimmers?

 

[Mikedawg]

I ordered a eshopp nano protein skimmer the other day. I talked with my lfs and looked at there bio cube 32 they run just it And dose. So I may just end up running the eshopp in chamber 2 then the bio cube skimmer in chamber 2 as well. Not using the intank media basket. Or would people advise against just running the protein skimmers?

Think it all depends on what your water parameters are using just the skimmer; good luck

 

[Terri Caton]

Hello I'm new to the world of reef tanks. I've had freshwater tanks for many years and finally decided to take the leap into the saltwater world. I bought a lightly used bio cube that's come with extras.

• Bio cube protein skimmer
• Mp10 Powerhead
• Intank media basket
• Intank refugium
• Heater. Not near to get brand name​
• Rotating return​

I've cleaned out the tank fresh water only and scraped it. letting it set empty for a few weeks.
My question is in the sump what chamber should the heater and skimmer be in? Can the heater be in the 3rd chamber with pump? Can the skimmer be placed in chamber 1 or in chamber 2 in the intank refugium?
I also plan to add a ATO not sure on brand and plan to buy the biocube uv light.

I have one. I put the heater in the chamber with the pump. The filtration and skimmer in the 2nd (larger) chamber. Getting a refugium in with those, no idea. I was going to make the bottom area of my filtration into a small one but then I upgraded so haven't done it. Only a BTA in there right now.

 

[Strawberry]

I am pretty new to the hobby as well and I have a 29g biocube! Be warned that it’s INCREDIBLY addictive! I had the coralife protein skimmer in my biocube that I purchased used from someone a couple of months ago, but have since upgraded to an Aquamaxx 1.5 HOB skimmer from marine depot because they had 20% off for Black Friday. The difference is night and day! The back of my tank has the piping for the protein skimmer, a quart of marinepure 1.5” bioballs, and a heater so that it doesn’t show in my display tank. My second chamber also has the In Tank media rack and refugium. I am currently growing chaeto in there with a cheap 5w waterproof light that I just poke right down in the middle of the algae. Let me know if you have any specific product questions because I’ve been researching stuff compatible with the biocube 29g (which also fits the 32g) like craaaaazy. Haha welcome to the hobby!

 

[wolfwood469]

I am pretty new to the hobby as well and I have a 29g biocube! Be warned that it’s INCREDIBLY addictive! I had the coralife protein skimmer in my biocube that I purchased used from someone a couple of months ago, but have since upgraded to an Aquamaxx 1.5 HOB skimmer from marine depot because they had 20% off for Black Friday. The difference is night and day! The back of my tank has the piping for the protein skimmer, a quart of marinepure 1.5” bioballs, and a heater so that it doesn’t show in my display tank. My second chamber also has the In Tank media rack and refugium. I am currently growing chaeto in there with a cheap 5w waterproof light that I just poke right down in the middle of the algae. Let me know if you have any specific product questions because I’ve been researching stuff compatible with the biocube 29g (which also fits the 32g) like craaaaazy. Haha welcome to the hobby!

I've had freshwater tanks ever since I was about 10. Now have a 5 g betta tank a 29g planted community tank just got another 29g free havent set up for anything and a 55g discus tank. I was always told that reef tanks was super expensive etc etc. Seen the bio cubes and was like okay I got to have one for my bedroom. I had planned to just jump into reef with a 180g or minimum 125g but I'd get money saved up and had to spend it elsewhere. So I found the biocube dirt cheap 200. For everything it had from a buddy. But I still plan to do a 180g but want to get enough saved and pipe it all in and all the ro ato apex or Seneye. But for now biocube 32. So with the setup you have did you replace the hood? I see the light above also what kinda of live stock did you go with? How is the stability of the water. Any major swings in perimeters?

 

[wolfwood469]

Think it all depends on what your water parameters are using just the skimmer; good luck

I've read people only running skimmer in nanos because they dont want any build up of nitrate and phosphate so no floss, carbon filter or bio balls. just use a good flow of water so that nothing is trapped.

 

[Strawberry]

I've had freshwater tanks ever since I was about 10. Now have a 5 g betta tank a 29g planted community tank just got another 29g free havent set up for anything and a 55g discus tank. I was always told that reef tanks was super expensive etc etc. Seen the bio cubes and was like okay I got to have one for my bedroom. I had planned to just jump into reef with a 180g or minimum 125g but I'd get money saved up and had to spend it elsewhere. So I found the biocube dirt cheap 200. For everything it had from a buddy. But I still plan to do a 180g but want to get enough saved and pipe it all in and all the ro ato apex or Seneye. But for now biocube 32. So with the setup you have did you replace the hood? I see the light above also what kinda of live stock did you go with? How is the stability of the water. Any major swings in perimeters?

I actually removed the hood so that I’d have more equipment options! I currently have an AI Prime HD on there that came with the tank and it just has a default recommended light schedule from AI prime’s website. My tank is only 2 months old, but things are fairly stable! Sometimes I can go 2 weeks without having to do a 5 gallon water change, and my nitrates only get around 10ppm. I currently have 2 juvenile clowns and a juvenile diamond head goby. My CUC is 3 hermits, 7 trochus snails, and 2 packs of 5280 pods from algae barn, plus all the bristle worms I inherited. lol. They get along just fine.

 

[Strawberry]

I've had freshwater tanks ever since I was about 10. Now have a 5 g betta tank a 29g planted community tank just got another 29g free havent set up for anything and a 55g discus tank. I was always told that reef tanks was super expensive etc etc. Seen the bio cubes and was like okay I got to have one for my bedroom. I had planned to just jump into reef with a 180g or minimum 125g but I'd get money saved up and had to spend it elsewhere. So I found the biocube dirt cheap 200. For everything it had from a buddy. But I still plan to do a 180g but want to get enough saved and pipe it all in and all the ro ato apex or Seneye. But for now biocube 32. So with the setup you have did you replace the hood? I see the light above also what kinda of live stock did you go with? How is the stability of the water. Any major swings in perimeters?

Here’s an updated photo of my tank without the hood and showing off that sweet protein skimmer

 

[wolfwood469]

Here’s an updated photo of my tank without the hood and showing off that sweet protein skimmer

Nice I got my protein skimmer in the mail yesterday. I like the hood concept of the bio cube plus I plan on have firefish a red and purple 2 clown then 1 more maybe a sand shift gobby or a show piece and cuc havent decided as of yet on a star or not maybe but emerald crab snail and shrimps. Shrimps are a must for my cuc they are always funny to watch in my planted tanks. I just done the final scrap and wipe down on the tank so tomorrow I'm going to buy my rocks sand and just gonna buy premixed water for setup and start and start my cycle. I'll post a pick once I'm done

 

[wolfwood469]

This is the sand I reworked and made for it. The stand that it come with, had press wood osb and once I removed the bottom osb the thing had no stability and was way to tall for my liking on a small tank. So I added more bracing and sides shelf put a 3 inch grommet in the back. For easy wire access. Ignore the dirty tank it's clean now alot of scraping and fresh water scrubbing. Dont really have a pic of the stand prior to any alterations.