Madadium's 32g Biocube

[madadium]

Hi all,

This tank has been up and running since July 6th, 2018. I'll document my progress up to this point and beyond. I'm hoping this will help anyone else with a 32g Biocube as they optimize their system.

Important modification I've made:

• InTank Media Basket (running poly filter floss + carbon + chemi-pure)
• InTank Fuge Basket w/ chaetomorpha (added 1 month into cycle) + 30W LED Grow Lamp
• Nanobox Duo LEDs (retrofit; added ~1.5 months into cycle)
• Cobalt MJ1200 Return Pump
• VCA Random Flow Generator Nozzle
• 1050 GPH Powerhead aimed at rockwork and surface (until I can get an MP10)
• Removed filter sponge from b/w 2nd+3rd compartment in back; replaced with plastic cross-stich canvas to prevent chaeto from contacting return pump

Back chamber:

Grow Lamp (runs opposite to main display LEDs):

2018-07-11:
Dust has settled. Started with ~13 lbs of live rock and Caribsea Ocean Direct live sand + fine crushed coral.

2018-07-13:
Added 10lbs of dry rock and formed a few structures out of it using JB Waterweld epoxy.

2018-07-31:
Diatom and nitrogen cycle complete; relied on die-off from live rock for source of ammonia.

2018-08-11:
Added 4 hermit crabs, 1 clownfish, a few snails, and some hardy soft corals. Corals and snails died almost immediately, more on that next post. Added another ~5lbs of live rock to fill in the structure (there's ~28lbs of rock total).

2018-08-21:
HUGE ERROR IN SALINITY! Bought a cheap refractometer on Amazon that didn't calibrate properly with RO/DI water. Turns out my salinity this entire time has been 1.040 instead of 1.026. I'm amazed that the hermits and clownfish have survived. Gradually corrected to 1.026 and added about 1lb of live rock rubble to reseed with important fauna the salinity may have killed.

2018-09-03:
After fixing salinity a couple weeks ago I'm finally seeing lots of copepods and other marine life spreading throughout the tank. Snails and corals no longer dying. Nanobox LEDs are in but blue channel malfunctioned; replacement array should be here next month.

2018-09-11:
Royal gramma added along with more corals. Everything looks healthy, water parameters are good and currently dosing to keep calcium between 400-500 ppm. Nitrates and phosphates have never been an issue and have consistently tested zero or trace. I'm very careful not to overfeed the fish. Soft corals are fed mysis and SPS are given spurts of nano reef roids every few days. I've been pulling chaeto out of the fuge every two weeks and doing a monthly 5 gallon water change.

Will continue to update this thread with notes and additions. Feedback is appreciated!

 

[JVan82]

Looking good, i had a nightmare with my retrofit lights... never again. Went topless with XR15. My only concern is the JB weld, I haven't researched it to see if it can leach toxins. Ive always use superglue,

 

[PanchoG]

I like the aquascaping, it is spread and therefore good to accommodate corals in several levels.

Sorry for your loses, I never experienced losses to salinity but as you know there are always some bumps in the beginning.

Following along!

 

[Ruben's Reef]

Great progress !!!! Looking nice.

 

[madadium]

Looking good, i had a nightmare with my retrofit lights... never again. Went topless with XR15. My only concern is the JB weld, I haven't researched it to see if it can leach toxins. Ive always use superglue,

What problem did you have with your retrofit? Steve's LEDs or NanoBox?

Yeah I researched JB waterweld beforehand, seemed to be reef safe and didn't have any problems. I use super glue for frags.

Thanks for the feedback so far!

 

[JVan82]

What problem did you have with your retrofit? Steve's LEDs or NanoBox?

Yeah I researched JB waterweld beforehand, seemed to be reef safe and didn't have any problems. I use super glue for frags.

Thanks for the feedback so far!

Nanobox, white channep didnt work...

 

[madadium]

Nanobox, white channep didnt work...

Did it just stop working? And you went with a full refund? My blue channel stopped about a week in, really hoping it doesn't happen again with the replacement array...

 

[NY_Caveman]

Nice setup!

 

[Waynerock]

Like your tank! We have very similar set up going on, got the mj1200, korila, rfg, intank, very cool. Wish you the best of luck I’ve had mine running for a bit and really enjoy the 32. They fill up so fast[emoji22]. I was thinking of getting the fuge intank how do you like yours? Does your cheto come loose often? Would you recommend making the filter for chamber 2 to 3 like you have does it clog often?

 

[madadium]

Like your tank! We have very similar set up going on, got the mj1200, korila, rfg, intank, very cool. Wish you the best of luck I’ve had mine running for a bit and really enjoy the 32. They fill up so fast[emoji22]. I was thinking of getting the fuge intank how do you like yours? Does your cheto come loose often? Would you recommend making the filter for chamber 2 to 3 like you have does it clog often?

Loving the black sand you went with in yours! Looks amazing! I'm guessing by all the softies you've stuck with the stock LEDs? How long has she been up and running?

To be honest I'm kind of up in the air about the InTank Fuge. It is definately a very important part of the my system as it's the major nutrient exporter, especially since I don't have a skimmer. I've seen that some people have stuck chaeto in one of the two chambers that the InTank Media Basket provides. This would work as well although you'd have to change it more often and you'd be giving up a spot for filter media.

My main complaint about the Fuge basket is the lack of flow. Chaeto seems to do best (high growth and great green coloration) when it's rotating in medium flow. The Fuge basket just doesn't provide enough flow to grow it effectively without collecting detritus. I've even considered putting the smallest submersible pump or powerhead that I can find in that chamber to optimize it. But I've managed to come up with a few workarounds:

• Once a week I'll grab the chaeto and give it a shake in the main display (being careful to avoid spilling chaeto fragments). This seems to really prevent detritus buildup and dumps a huge amount of copepods and other life into the display. The corals don't seem bothered by it either (quite the opposite actually)
• Once or twice a week I'll pick up the whole fuge basket and rotate it 180 degrees so the other side of the chaeto ball gets good lighting

Those "hacks" seem to get around the flow problem for now; my nitrates and phosphates have never been more than trace but at the same time I'm really careful about overfeeding.

Also regarding the cross-stich filter: I was getting sick of reaching down to pull out the sponge and give it a rinse (otherwise it would collect a lot of detritus). I also figured it would slow down the migration of copepods from the fuge into the return pump. So I put the cross-stich there and have never looked back. No fragments make it through and there's good flow through it.

 

[Waynerock]

Cool thanks for the ideas I was also thinking of trying this hang on fuge that looked interesting I just hate having all that empty space in the other half of chamber 2. I do have a ai prime hd on my cube with the lid off I just like lps mostly cause I don’t have much luck with Sps except montipora. Think my nitrates are always a hair too high. My torches and hammers love it though.