Coralife Biocube 32

[SStonefish]

It’s the one that will go down with evaporation, yes. The middle will go down as well. I would suggest raising the level of the second and third chamber to be near the level of the tank to reduce noise and add an auto top off float in the 3rd chamber for evaporation top off. Gran a tunze nano auto top off unit.

I just added the ATO. Thanks!

 

[Schlagerdogin]

I ditched the media chamber it came with and purchased the inTank media and fuge baskets but am running nothing in them at the moment except filter floss. But i have the chambers for future use!

 

[jsmkmavity]

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

Welcome to Reef2Reef

 

[DerekCaudill]

I have been a HUGE fan of the InTank Media and Fuge racks for a very long time now. There stuff is the first things I buy for my tanks. However @kevgib67 had a very successful BC32 and I see he already added the method he chose. Consistency is the key here.

 

[whalewhalewhale]

My very first tank was the biocube 32.

The best upgrades you can get is the intank filter tower insert with filter floss, mame design skimmer, and a DC pump for the noise. If you live in a hot area, that biocube lid traps heat, so I ended up getting rid of the lid and buying a better light like the AI Prime 16HD. I tried chaeto and ended up giving up. The makeshift “refugium” ends up being too tiny to be effective. Any larger designs just doesn’t get enough flow to properly grow.

If I were to start over again in a biocube, i’d likely get the nature dimensions fleece roller instead. DC pump is still a must have. Skimmer is a must have too. Stay away from the corallife skimmer. They’re pieces of junk. The mame design skimmers + eheim pumps work way better.

The tank is always the cheapest part of this hobby…

 

[Kwonny]

My very first tank was the biocube 32.

The best upgrades you can get is the intank filter tower insert with filter floss, mame design skimmer, and a DC pump for the noise. If you live in a hot area, that biocube lid traps heat, so I ended up getting rid of the lid and buying a better light like the AI Prime 16HD. I tried chaeto and ended up giving up. The makeshift “refugium” ends up being too tiny to be effective. Any larger designs just doesn’t get enough flow to properly grow.

If I were to start over again in a biocube, i’d likely get the nature dimensions fleece roller instead. DC pump is still a must have. Skimmer is a must have too. Stay away from the corallife skimmer. They’re pieces of junk. The mame design skimmers + eheim pumps work way better.

The tank is always the cheapest part of this hobby…

Im Brand new to reeling and plan on getting the Biocube32 to learn with. What do you mean by adding the DC pump? What does it come with?

 

[Fish Fan]

Im Brand new to reeling and plan on getting the Biocube32 to learn with. What do you mean by adding the DC pump? What does it come with?

Welcome to Reef2Reef and to saltwater tanks!

#WelcometoR2R

"DC" meaning "direct current", as opposed to an "AC" or "alternating current" pump. Most pumps over the years have been AC powered, they run at one speed only, and can be noisy. In recent years, DC powered controllable return pumps have become very popular, they run more quietly than AC pumps, and you can adjust the output of these pumps up or down easily with an included pump controller.

I don't have a Biocube, so I don't know what they come with for a stock pump, but *most* All-In-One aquariums seem to come with a rather underwhelming return pump, and for many that's the first thing the upgrade, often to a DC controllable pump.

Innovative Marine makes the MightyJet pumps, and Reef Octopus makes their Varios DC pumps to name a couple of the name-brade choices. Jebao is a Chinese company that makes reasonably decent aquarium gear at a modest price point, and they offer their own DC controllable return pumps.

And just a suggestion, but if you've not yet purchased your Biocube yet, have you looked at tanks from Innovative Marine, Waterbox, Cade or UNS? I quite like the AIO tanks from Innovative Marine, I think they are a very good value for a tank.

Good luck!

 

[whalewhalewhale]

Im Brand new to reeling and plan on getting the Biocube32 to learn with. What do you mean by adding the DC pump? What does it come with?

@Fish Fan answered your question about DC pumps better than I would have.

Also, I totally agree that you should look at alternatives if you haven't purchased it already. The Biocube as a concept is neat, and might've been cool a decade ago, but you really restrict yourself if you want to keep up with modern reefkeeping methodologies and end up making expensive modifications to replicate a modern tank from companies like innovative marine or waterbox. If you see my photos, you'll notice that it's been modified far beyond that the original biocube looked like. I'll have you know those modifications + the biocube cost more money than buying a waterbox or IM from the start.

 

[Fish Fan]

@Fish Fan answered your question about DC pumps better than I would have.

I didn't mean to speak for you, but this poster replied to a thread that's a month old, and I wasn't sure if you were still following this. Thank you for the compliment though, and thank you for the follow up reply

 

[Fish Fan]

Also, I totally agree that you should look at alternatives if you haven't purchased it already. The Biocube as a concept is neat, and might've been cool a decade ago, but you really restrict yourself if you want to keep up with modern reefkeeping methodologies and end up making expensive modifications to replicate a modern tank from companies like innovative marine or waterbox. If you see my photos, you'll notice that it's been modified far beyond that the original biocube looked like. I'll have you know those modifications + the biocube cost more money than buying a waterbox or IM from the start.

And I agree with this too. The Biocube was a cool concept of a tank in the way back, but it has always been plagued with shortcomings, I believe. I quite like and suggest Innovative Marine's AIO tanks.

@Kwonny I'd ask @kevgib67 for advice, who rocked a Biocube for some time before upgrading:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/biocube-32g-build.906813/