Biocube 32

gar732 · Jun 17, 2026

It’s hard to pass up a good deal, lol. I’ve already been tempted to upgrade the biocube but the cats always remind me it’s not a good idea. If I had a nice sump I could have banished the clown to the sump for a while. That would have been ideal. After setting up my son’s betta tank I even kicked around the idea of setting up a proper sized planted tank, but again cats. It’s amazing how aquariums like to multiply. Here’s a my son’s betta tank, it’s got some growing out to do but I think it’s a good start.

I agree every tank seems to be a different experience. This is the first time I’ve started a reef from nothing. I remember inspecting my first tank with a flashlight to see what critters came out of the rock work. I don’t get any of that now, not even pods. But I’ve so far been spared anything bad, knock on wood,though I think there might be some kind of tiny flat worms. I actually thought they were pods at first, they’re about the same size but look like flat worms. I think a six line might be in future plans though there are other fish I want first.

gar732 · Jun 18, 2026

I think the orange clown is confused about how this pairing up thing is supposed to work.

It’s hanging out with the blenny like they’re paired up, the blenny looks guilty, meanwhile the black clown is in hiding. I haven’t seen the orange clown go after him much but the fact that he’s in hiding tells me there is still an issue. Ugh.

overhead · Jun 18, 2026

gar732 said:
It’s hard to pass up a good deal, lol. I’ve already been tempted to upgrade the biocube but the cats always remind me it’s not a good idea. If I had a nice sump I could have banished the clown to the sump for a while. That would have been ideal. After setting up my son’s betta tank I even kicked around the idea of setting up a proper sized planted tank, but again cats. It’s amazing how aquariums like to multiply. Here’s a my son’s betta tank, it’s got some growing out to do but I think it’s a good start.

I agree every tank seems to be a different experience. This is the first time I’ve started a reef from nothing. I remember inspecting my first tank with a flashlight to see what critters came out of the rock work. I don’t get any of that now, not even pods. But I’ve so far been spared anything bad, knock on wood,though I think there might be some kind of tiny flat worms. I actually thought they were pods at first, they’re about the same size but look like flat worms. I think a six line might be in future plans though there are other fish I want first

That is a cool tank. I had copepods in my Biocube and a couple of bivalves (that lasted for months, I was shocked) in the live rock. I did not see much else. The IM15 had all kinds of pods, copepods, isopods, amphipods ,etc. The larger pods in the tank have me a little concerned, they are big enough to see with the naked eye pretty easily, they zoom around all over the sand. They have not messed with the coral or livestock that I have seen, but it appears they are crushing the copepod population. I will add a goby and shrimp to the IM15, but I am not adding any fish to the biocube soon. The Royal Gramma is just too nasty, the clown fish seems to be able to handle it. I am afraid it would kill anything smaller.

gar732 · Jun 21, 2026

In the latest clown news, the orange clown is behaving better. Still not the nicest tank mate but tolerable and I don’t think the black clown is a risk at all any longer. At least for now. Also the orange clown is getting more black coming in, like the picassos get. I didn’t think these guys got color like that, but I like it.

I also decided to “lease” a hippo tang. I was leaning towards getting a starki damsel but apparently they don’t get them too often at my local lfs and it would have cost more than the tang. I also would have had to worry more about aggression with it. The lfs was having a sale so I got him for a good price. The plan is to grow him out for a while until he is no longer comfortable in this tank then bring him back to the lfs and trade for another juvenile tang. On the other hand if I upgrade tanks before that, then I get to keep him. We’ll see what happens. I think im done adding fish to the tank. I want to be able to feed them all well so I don’t want to much more of a bio load.

gar732 · Jul 9, 2026

Lastest full tank shot. Got some new euphyllia and some other lps. I’m pretty happy with the euphyllia garden but I have to organize the lps on the base of the rock a little better. There are a few corals I might swap out as colors adjust. Some corals aren’t what I thought they’d be or just aren’t what I order like some of the acans. The zoas are growing, slowly, but they are growing. Pretty much just have to keep things stable and watch everything grow.