Coralife BioCube 14

[Lynchdude]

Im new to reef2reef so I figured I’d show my nano tank as it’s been my main focus lately because my 90 gallon is pretty much on autopilot.
So here it goes with the biocube. The tank itself has changed drastically it started out as a yard sale fund for $25 and had everything it needed but knowing I hated stock stuff the filtration got modified right away. I pulled the stock cartridge out and used a coat hanger to remove the plastic grate under it and I use that as the heater chamber. The middle chamber I pulled the bioballs and put marine pure spheres in it as the fit nicely. I pulled the stock pump and replaced with a MJ900 which will be a MJ1200 next week. Upgrading the pump because I am running a JBJ 1/15hp chiller because why not I had one sitting in the garage.
Onto lighting. When I first got the tank I just replaced the bulbs and splash guard and it was that way until about 6 weeks ago when I replaced it with a hipargero 30watt led fixture and removed the hood. I added some more coral and fragged some stuff from my 90 and stuck it in to see how it does.

Filter mods
Eheim 50 watt heater
Marinepure spheres
Mj900 (mj1200 next week)

Lighting
Hipargero 30 watt led
Removed hood

Flow
Jebao pp-4

Pretty simple tank I dose manually every other day with Red Sea foundation and weekly with coral colors ABCD and energy AB water change with Red Sea coral pro every other week 50% and test water following day.

Pictures show progression

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Looking good!

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Looks great! I like the anemone sitting front and center in the tank, makes for a great attention grabber

 

[Lynchdude]

Looks great! I like the anemone sitting front and center in the tank, makes for a great attention grabber

It is where he chose to be I have a new light coming and it might cause him to move again but we’ll see. I personally like him there to but bubble tips are not known to sit still very long in a tank that’s less than a year old

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

It is where he chose to be I have a new light coming and it might cause him to move again but we’ll see. I personally like him there to but bubble tips are not known to sit still very long in a tank that’s less than a year old

Nope, they like to do laps around the tank

 

[Lynchdude]

Nope, they like to do laps around the tank

Yeah and usually end up where you don’t want it. For like two weeks it attached to the power head and had to turn it off so my power head wouldn’t make anemone soup

 

[Lynchdude]

Little update. I scored a free AI Prime Hd so I installed it on the biocube. Turned green red and cool white down and ramped everything else up and set acclimation to reduce by 40% over the next month. Also won a ton of frags from WWC Ebay auction so they’re acclimating as well

 

[Lynchdude]

Also added some new livestock so tank has
12 blue legged hermit crabs (tiny)
3 trochus snails
3 cerith snails
3 dwarf cerith snails
1 nerite snail
1 margarita snail
1 cleaner shrimp
2 emerald crabs
1 tailspot blenny
3 bumble bee shrimp (arrive nov 12)

 

[Lynchdude]

I can say I am very happy with the look of the tank with the AI Prime HD on the biocube 14
Running a 6 hour peak with a 2 hour ramp with a spectrum of 17500k at 100% with an acclimatin setting at 35% reduction. Ramping up 5% a week should work out nicely as my corals were already under led just doing to make sure since this unit has a little more power

 

[Lynchdude]

AI Prime HD settings

 

[Sandroni]

Wow! I have a 14 bio cube aswell. It is a softie and zoo garden. I'm running a kessil a80 so I can't grow higher end stuff but your color is great!

 

[Lynchdude]

Got my dosing pump up and running. It’s a jebao DP-4 and I’m using it to dose Triton core other meathods. Currently mixed in some old 100ml Red Sea bottles as I’m waiting on some VOSS 375ml glass water bottles to use as dosing containers. Because there is only 12 gallons of water and starting dose is 2ml per 25 gallons I diluted to 7ml of solution into 93ml RODI so I can dose 10ml per day.

 

[Lynchdude]

Wow! I have a 14 bio cube aswell. It is a softie and zoo garden. I'm running a kessil a80 so I can't grow higher end stuff but your color is great!

Thanks it’s a cool little tank that I will eventually remove the rim or replace all together with a waterbox 20 cube. I’m shooting for this to be SPS dominant but haven’t fully decided

 

[Sandroni]

Thanks it’s a cool little tank that I will eventually remove the rim or replace all together with a waterbox 20 cube. I’m shooting for this to be SPS dominant but haven’t fully decided

That's cool, i think it would be great to encrust chalices in.

 

[Lynchdude]

Your A80 would be great for chalices. Most require minimal lighting. I only have one which puts up with higher light but my bubblegum and Hollywood stunner need to be at the bottom of my tank. Also acans and blasted are great LPS for low light.

 

[Lynchdude]

Got some new inverts today. Special ordered them from my LFS and he promptly got them for me. I got 3 bumble bee shrimp (Gnathophyllum americanum). There are a few of those pesky asternia starfish in the tank and hopefully these three will wipe them out in the upcoming months.

 

[beardown]

Im new to reef2reef so I figured I’d show my nano tank as it’s been my main focus lately because my 90 gallon is pretty much on autopilot.
So here it goes with the biocube. The tank itself has changed drastically it started out as a yard sale fund for $25 and had everything it needed but knowing I hated stock stuff the filtration got modified right away. I pulled the stock cartridge out and used a coat hanger to remove the plastic grate under it and I use that as the heater chamber. The middle chamber I pulled the bioballs and put marine pure spheres in it as the fit nicely. I pulled the stock pump and replaced with a MJ900 which will be a MJ1200 next week. Upgrading the pump because I am running a JBJ 1/15hp chiller because why not I had one sitting in the garage.
Onto lighting. When I first got the tank I just replaced the bulbs and splash guard and it was that way until about 6 weeks ago when I replaced it with a hipargero 30watt led fixture and removed the hood. I added some more coral and fragged some stuff from my 90 and stuck it in to see how it does.

Filter mods
Eheim 50 watt heater
Marinepure spheres
Mj900 (mj1200 next week)

Lighting
Hipargero 30 watt led
Removed hood

Flow
Jebao pp-4

Pretty simple tank I dose manually every other day with Red Sea foundation and weekly with coral colors ABCD and energy AB water change with Red Sea coral pro every other week 50% and test water following day.

Pictures show progression

Very nice nano!

 

[Lynchdude]

I got a new zoa in the mail today. PZ Bowser woohoo. This thing has so much color.

 

[Lynchdude]

Bad picture but just placed a hallucination paly in the tank. Give it a week or so and see it’s true colors

 

[Kth]

Yeah and usually end up where you don’t want it. For like two weeks it attached to the power head and had to turn it off so my power head wouldn’t make anemone soup

I agree, I had to seriously rearrange some rock-work because my rbta decided to lodge itself in the dark for a month. Keep a close eye on it.. you wouldn't want your rbta to decide to land on one.