Biocube 32 protein skimmer and refugium

Strawberry

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 3, 2019
Messages
768
Reaction score
1,049
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
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.

20191119_233636.jpg 20191121_000511.jpg 20191120_234830.jpg 20191122_212253.jpg
With a shop like that to work in, your budget is the limit! lol that looks really nice.
 

Phildago

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 11, 2019
Messages
854
Reaction score
933
Location
Broad Channel
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I always kept my skimmer in chamber 1 with the heater bellow it because this chamber does not really see any change in water level. Any other chamber for the protein skimmer and it would constantly be going between over flowing or running too dry. I kept my heater in the 3rd chamber successfully, but it was a gamble that made me nervous, so I switched it back to the first chamber and kept it there.
 

Strawberry

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 3, 2019
Messages
768
Reaction score
1,049
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I always kept my skimmer in chamber 1 with the heater bellow it because this chamber does not really see any change in water level. Any other chamber for the protein skimmer and it would constantly be going between over flowing or running too dry. I kept my heater in the 3rd chamber successfully, but it was a gamble that made me nervous, so I switched it back to the first chamber and kept it there.
I also keep my skimmer and heater in the first chamber for the same reason :)
 
OP
OP
wolfwood469

wolfwood469

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Messages
18
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Got the tank set up and cycling. So far only hitchhiker I have seen is asterina starfish... and not to sure how I feel about it because I plan to do a zoa field on the rock in the front left. Everything I've read says asterina starfish and zoas dont mix

20191213_005517.jpg 20191213_211114.jpg 20191214_140927.jpg 20191213_005529.jpg
 

Strawberry

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 3, 2019
Messages
768
Reaction score
1,049
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Got the tank set up and cycling. So far only hitchhiker I have seen is asterina starfish... and not to sure how I feel about it because I plan to do a zoa field on the rock in the front left. Everything I've read says asterina starfish and zoas dont mix

20191213_005517.jpg 20191213_211114.jpg 20191214_140927.jpg 20191213_005529.jpg
I’d try to get it out if you plan on having zoas.
 

45ZoaGarden

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 24, 2019
Messages
2,672
Reaction score
2,218
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Eh. Those starfish shouldn’t bother zoas. They can but it isn’t likely. As for ato, you want that in your return section. Heater can go anywhere. I would use the media basket in chamber one to get the big stuff floating in the water out. What are you going to do for lighting? Reactors?
 

raketemensch

Ape That Likes Fish
View Badges
Joined
Oct 13, 2019
Messages
378
Reaction score
478
Location
Northwest CT
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've just been building out a grow tank in the basement for my first tank -- I've basically got a QT and a grow tank.

But man, now I really want a tank for the living room, and these biocubes look awesome for that. I've been searching Facebook Marketplace pretty much daily looking for a cheap one.
 

45ZoaGarden

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 24, 2019
Messages
2,672
Reaction score
2,218
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Che
I've just been building out a grow tank in the basement for my first tank -- I've basically got a QT and a grow tank.

But man, now I really want a tank for the living room, and these biocubes look awesome for that. I've been searching Facebook Marketplace pretty much daily looking for a cheap one.
check out the Jbj 45. I’ve found the biocubes are pretty easy to grow out of. And when I mean easy, like a year and a half of growth easy. You might want to look into something a bit bigger. If you shop around, you can get a 45 with a stand for around $400... I think it looks pretty awesome in my living room ;)

2F691100-2BC1-415E-956C-909D11DA2311.jpeg F5AD9092-42DA-482D-9403-2127207321CC.jpeg 096DEEE9-0DDF-43AB-8FFA-4B719F78A56D.jpeg
 

raketemensch

Ape That Likes Fish
View Badges
Joined
Oct 13, 2019
Messages
378
Reaction score
478
Location
Northwest CT
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Well, I’d like something small for the living room, partly because I want to build a nem-only tank, with a clown and a cleaner. 16 feels about right to me, any bigger and I’d be risking wife aggro :)
 
OP
OP
wolfwood469

wolfwood469

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Messages
18
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Eh. Those starfish shouldn’t bother zoas. They can but it isn’t likely. As for ato, you want that in your return section. Heater can go anywhere. I would use the media basket in chamber one to get the big stuff floating in the water out. What are you going to do for lighting? Reactors?
As of now I set the tank up with heater in chamber one with the bio cube skimmer then in chamber 2 i have my eshopp nano skimmer. I'm thinking of using the media basket with floss to catch the large particles of waste. I did get a pump and hose so I can suck out the sump of detrastis. As for lighting I have the stock biocube 32 led I'm thinking of adding a led blue strip to the front of the hood.
 
OP
OP
wolfwood469

wolfwood469

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Messages
18
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Che

check out the Jbj 45. I’ve found the biocubes are pretty easy to grow out of. And when I mean easy, like a year and a half of growth easy. You might want to look into something a bit bigger. If you shop around, you can get a 45 with a stand for around $400... I think it looks pretty awesome in my living room ;)

2F691100-2BC1-415E-956C-909D11DA2311.jpeg F5AD9092-42DA-482D-9403-2127207321CC.jpeg 096DEEE9-0DDF-43AB-8FFA-4B719F78A56D.jpeg
I do like that. I got the biocube with alot of stuff for $200. So I couldn't pass on it. I have it in my bed room with one of my 29g freshwater planted tanks and a 5g betta. I plan on setting a 180g up in about 6 months or so.
 
OP
OP
wolfwood469

wolfwood469

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Messages
18
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Added my 2 clowns and 5 new coral to the tank. Unsure what the two corals are that's growing on the rock work prior is. one you can hardly see about 2 o'clock from what I think is a trumpet coral. Also would I benefit moving the mp 10 to the back where I have my magnet sweeper or to the left side. since I have the hydro rotating water deflector it rotates counterclockwise.
20191222_133703.jpg
20191222_133714.jpg
20191222_133526.jpg


20191222_124929.jpg 20191222_134026.jpg
 
OP
OP
wolfwood469

wolfwood469

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Messages
18
Reaction score
19
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Added my 2 clowns and 5 new coral to the tank. Unsure what the two corals are that's growing on the rock work prior is. one you can hardly see about 2 o'clock from what I think is a trumpet coral. Also would I benefit moving the mp 10 to the back where I have my magnet sweeper or to the left side. since I have the hydro rotating water deflector it rotates counterclockwise.
20191222_133703.jpg
20191222_133714.jpg
20191222_133526.jpg


20191222_124929.jpg 20191222_134026.jpg
Update: figured out what it is Aiptasia so I'll be hearing up to fight it out of the tank
 

BPCGuy

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 6, 2020
Messages
36
Reaction score
16
Location
Washington, DC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have a Biocube 32, about 6 months old. In chamber 1 I have the heater. At one point I fit the Coralife skimmer and heater in there but it was comically loud and not effective. Chamber 2 is the Intank media basket with floss, purigen, and chemipure elite. Second half of Chamber 2 is Intank fuge basket with chaeto. I made some DIY sides for the basket out of parts of the stock media tray. I use the sponge between chambers 2 & e. Chamber 3 is temperature probe, a pod hotel, and a bag of Brightwell Aquatics NO3 export cubes clipped to the wall to keep It above the pump.
 

Madonia

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 9, 2020
Messages
393
Reaction score
271
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
get a better skimmer. I have the aquamaxx in sump skimmer and places it in the 2nd chamber next to the intake media basket. My first chamber has my heater. My 3rd chamber has an ATO, an Aquamaxx media reactor (for GFO) and my tunzee ATO.

you’ll need better lights. I have the Steve’s LEDs. If you wanna buy them from me sometime in December let me know. I just upgraded to a much bigger setup.
 
Back
Top