New BioCube 32 Reef attempt

[spielco]

I feel like Im finally getting somewhere. My blasto seems happier than ever this is such a interesting hobby

 

[EastTNReefing]

I’m excited to give it a try for sure! It’s all stock currently have been looking into a couple options of keeping the hood on and adding a strip or removing the hood in the future and adding a kessel

I had a Biocube for years, and I highly recommend ditching the hood and going with a kessil. They are fantastic lights. I also recommend upgrading the return pump, and using media basket. I had one from InTank that was fantastic. They are great tanks and look fantastic. Good luck!

 

[spielco]

I had a Biocube for years, and I highly recommend ditching the hood and going with a kessil. They are fantastic lights. I also recommend upgrading the return pump, and using media basket. I had one from InTank that was fantastic. They are great tanks and look fantastic. Good luck!

Just got to test my par with the stock hood and was shocked how low it was. I guess I’m not sure what I was expecting or what others create but with out the whites it’s almost entirely low light par everywhere. With the whites on there’s plenty of locations with high and medium level par.

I’m not a fan of the whites… lol
By switching to a kessil or even looking at a prime would that dramatically increase my par but with the popping actinic blue lights??

 

[Katrina71]

Steve's LED is great and you can definitely blue it up. It's an easy swap. My son was 10 when he did it.

 

[spielco]

Steve's LED is great and you can definitely blue it up. It's an easy swap. My son was 10 when he did it.

For the cost do you think it was worth it instead of going the kessil route?

I’ve heard great things about Steve’s hood design just comparing removing the hood vs…

 

[Katrina71]

For the cost do you think it was worth it instead of going the kessil route?

I’ve heard great things about Steve’s hood design just comparing removing the hood vs…

Yes.

 

[Katrina71]

Also, they sell on eBay and sometimes they are cheaper. Check before you buy from their site.

 

[Katrina71]

Nevermind eBay. They aren't listed anymore.

 

[Katrina71]

I will say @kevgib67 has a beautiful tank too, so I would compare price. Definitely keep the hood. Imo

 

[spielco]

I believe my chalice is happier up closer to the light he seems to really be happier up here. Didn’t think I’d be a fan but I’m getting pulled in with the colors

 

[spielco]

Did a little moving around. Frank the tank(urchin) has been naughty lately and won’t stay the F off his frags and relocating them these guys are truly fun he’s got a favorite and I swear it’s like a puppy if I move it he’s a strollin over to take a look.

I’m so happy with the progress and this hobbies veterans. I’ve gotten so much help from others in the forums and reaching out. Thank you!

I’ve got a long ways to keep going but about time to sit back and let everyone grow

 

[spielco]

1.026
77•
9.2 dkh
436 ca
.03 po4
1200mg
7.8 PH
20ppm Nitrate

 

[spielco]

Well fun…. Got up this morning and my daughter was lookin at the tank with me and k asked. You wanna put in the teenage mutant ninja turtles juice. (AB+) lol. She’s in love the color it is when you pour it into the tank.

Continue to do so and I say here press this button now. I had the wave maker and return pumps disabled. She clicked the button and nothing happens…. Well. I say try again. I hear it click and nothing. I’m kinda lost. She’s not sending my concern and thinks she did something. Not a chance did she do anything wrong it just wouldn’t turn back on. So after talking and messing checking outlets and so on. I figure it’s shot I go to pull it out but I can’t get the tube to disconnect from the pump. Still lost thinking this shouldn’t be that difficult. I decide to hit the pump button one more time and boom. It kicks on! What!?

Either way I’m now shopping for a return pump lol. Not taking a chance with this one anymore lol

 

[spielco]

Picked up an arrow crab over the weekend. My boy has been crazy about these since he first saw them. They give me the heebie-jeebies but if I can get others excited in the house about me spending waaaayyyy to much on this hobby it may not cause and fighting from the misses!?

 

[spielco]

Couple weeks apart and seeing some growth already on him.
Getting ready for an exciting shipment from wwc coming tomorrow. Got a little WAY to involved on their sale the other day here in r2r.

 

[spielco]

Well onset panic….

Was looking over everything and decided to clean up a little before getting all the new corals tomorrow. In turning off my pumps I fat fingered it and turned on my dosing pump….

Around 45 min later. For some reason it clicks. Man. Why was the dosing pump running at that time so I got into the app and sure enough it’s running..

45min at 1.1ml/min.
My standard currently is 5ml per day broke out in 3 segments.

So enduce panic so do I empty the tank. Do I change 50% what do I do. What else did I just destroy. I just sure enough killed everything I got right!?

after reading I found the equation for AFR and broke out what I ended up truly doing to the tank and to my fingers crossed luck I think this is managble with out harm.

I ended testing prior to the issues happened and recorded 8dkh which is low. I’m normally in the 9-9.5mark so I was question raising my dosing times at the moment.
This should raise my total dkh to 11.5-12dkh.

So although quick I feel that if I do multiple small changes I’ll be able to bring this back into my range safely.

I started tonight with 3 gallons and plan to do the same for the next week.

I’m open to any suggestions anyone may have pro or cons to what route I’m gonna take

 

[spielco]

Was looking today and am blown away with the growth of my utter chaos zoa. I’ve been looking back at old pictures and did not realize two months could do!

 

[spielco]

Everyone is seeming to be happy lately which is encouraging! Looks like I’m getting my first split of a mushroom to happen! I can see two mouths and has completely started to split down the middle. It’s freaking cool!

I’ve noticed some zoa heads staying closed and saw a few heads growing on the sides of the closed head so I assume that’s just normal while they are opening new ones?

My arrow (Jerry) has been into some serious work. I swear it’s doubled in size since we got him.

Added a protein skimmer the other day in hopes to help keep my phosphates at bay. Don’t have it quite dialed in and from what I’m reading this Coralife one can take awhile to break in.

Emptying the cup has definite excess junk it has pulled so that’s great it seems like it’s doing its job already.

Ordered a pair of the 21Led actinic blues bars. I feel the stock lights doing a great job but really looking for a little more pop with the blues. I can tell when the blues aren’t quite giving the lower guys enough to almost act like they are half resting

 

[spielco]

Another full

 

[spielco]

Wife got some cool pics of the star finding a snack it looks like. And finally got my clown and anemone to host. Absolutely loved watching this happen!

Can’t figure out how to post a video so a picture will do.