New Coralife Biocube 32 Help! Lol
- Thread starter FrancineJ
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FrancineJ
Active Member
Sorry lol the only thing we are waiting on is that actually tank so is that the input or output side... I was thinking the output side is where it would work best... is that the left? It’s hard to picture without it in front of me lol
FrancineJ
Active Member
Perfect thanks a lot that’s where I was planning on adding it...
Now for my next question... for anyone who has the YWG/ tiger pistol shrimp combo... what depth of sand did you go to? My plan was for about an inch and a half and I was going to use the larger grade (Caribsea special grade reef sand) I have been contemplating between that one and the Fiji pink agralive... I know the live sand may be more beneficial however it pretty small grain size and I don’t want it blowing all over with the higher powered wave maker and I also don’t want the shrimp constantly throwing it all around when he’s moving it... but Incase the goby decides to burrow would the larger grain size be ok... and the depth?
My other fish are:
YWG+ tiger shrimp (only the one set)
Scarlett cleaner shrimp
2 clowns
Pink line (streaked) wrasse
Royal gramma
And CUC that I had mentioned.... does anyone see an issue with this stocking as well?
I was going to add the cuc
Then the goby and probably both shrimps
Then when everything is stabilized add the royal gramma
Then the 2 clowns
Then the wrasse
My son really wants the clowns first (and they will be babies) so I’m not sure how bad the aggression will be at first... I know with my freshwater tanks o usually try to add the least aggressive to the most aggressive at the end... the 2 clowns will be sent from my lfs (real store not a crappy pet smart or Walmart) and they will come with just my 2 fish in the bag and that’s how they get shipped... I’ve heard this can lessen then aggression and they won’t be as bad because I’m not choosing 2 out of a tank...
this is how I get all of my fish... I place my order with my lfs on Thursday mornings and by Friday afternoon I go pick them up as soon as the shipment comes in... (less stress on the fish...from going in and out of multiple tanks in a day)
Then I was going to save all my coral for last... after all the fish are settled and parameter are stable... then start adding some simple softies to start... and I’ll keep them mid to bottom level so that if I do try any simple LPS then I have the room at the top....
Does this sound ok?
Also is there a special way I should be acclimating my fish?
The way I do it with fresh water is put the bag (still with the o2 in it from shipping) and float it about 15-20 minutes.... then I cut a small- medium hole in the bag and take a small cup I have and every 5-10 minutes I add a half cup or a little better to the bag and leave the part with the hole, which is near the top, tucked under the lid so no water gets out of the bag.... after repeating that several times until the bag is more my water than the shippers I cut the hole a bit bigger and just net them out into the tank... then I carefully remove the bag so that none of the shippers water gets into my tank and dump and toss it.... then refill what I have used in the bag with fresh water (doesn’t amount to much)
My concern with this method is that I will actually be removing water therefore lowering my salinity when I top it off.... is there a better more effective way or proper way to acclimate salt water fish?
Now for my next question... for anyone who has the YWG/ tiger pistol shrimp combo... what depth of sand did you go to? My plan was for about an inch and a half and I was going to use the larger grade (Caribsea special grade reef sand) I have been contemplating between that one and the Fiji pink agralive... I know the live sand may be more beneficial however it pretty small grain size and I don’t want it blowing all over with the higher powered wave maker and I also don’t want the shrimp constantly throwing it all around when he’s moving it... but Incase the goby decides to burrow would the larger grain size be ok... and the depth?
My other fish are:
YWG+ tiger shrimp (only the one set)
Scarlett cleaner shrimp
2 clowns
Pink line (streaked) wrasse
Royal gramma
And CUC that I had mentioned.... does anyone see an issue with this stocking as well?
I was going to add the cuc
Then the goby and probably both shrimps
Then when everything is stabilized add the royal gramma
Then the 2 clowns
Then the wrasse
My son really wants the clowns first (and they will be babies) so I’m not sure how bad the aggression will be at first... I know with my freshwater tanks o usually try to add the least aggressive to the most aggressive at the end... the 2 clowns will be sent from my lfs (real store not a crappy pet smart or Walmart) and they will come with just my 2 fish in the bag and that’s how they get shipped... I’ve heard this can lessen then aggression and they won’t be as bad because I’m not choosing 2 out of a tank...
this is how I get all of my fish... I place my order with my lfs on Thursday mornings and by Friday afternoon I go pick them up as soon as the shipment comes in... (less stress on the fish...from going in and out of multiple tanks in a day)
Then I was going to save all my coral for last... after all the fish are settled and parameter are stable... then start adding some simple softies to start... and I’ll keep them mid to bottom level so that if I do try any simple LPS then I have the room at the top....
Does this sound ok?
Also is there a special way I should be acclimating my fish?
The way I do it with fresh water is put the bag (still with the o2 in it from shipping) and float it about 15-20 minutes.... then I cut a small- medium hole in the bag and take a small cup I have and every 5-10 minutes I add a half cup or a little better to the bag and leave the part with the hole, which is near the top, tucked under the lid so no water gets out of the bag.... after repeating that several times until the bag is more my water than the shippers I cut the hole a bit bigger and just net them out into the tank... then I carefully remove the bag so that none of the shippers water gets into my tank and dump and toss it.... then refill what I have used in the bag with fresh water (doesn’t amount to much)
My concern with this method is that I will actually be removing water therefore lowering my salinity when I top it off.... is there a better more effective way or proper way to acclimate salt water fish?
Yeah I have mine in my 32 on the output side so it don't keep water from entering the over flow
Hi There!
I'm pretty new to this as well, but so far I've had success with my new setup. I have a 14 gallon IM Nuvo Fusion Penninsula. It's only been up about a month. Once the tank cycled, parameters have been stable, and I've had 0 deaths.
I think your snail compliment may be too much. Start with 2-3, add more as needed. Right now I have 1 turbo snail and 5 hermit crabs, and I want a nasarius for my sandbed. I started with 3 crabs, thought one died because I confused his molt with a carcass, bought 2, realized one was back from the dead, and now have 5.
I don't have a skimmer, just built a fuge in the back with an IM Chatomax light.
I did a fishless cylcle. I tried Dr. Tim's all in one, but it got "stuck". Added Fritz Turbo Start and a Clownfish a week later (Amonia was .25/Nitrite .2), and everything went to 0 in 24 hrs.
I have Xenia, ricordia, cabbage leather, and a hammer. Also the clown and a tail-spot Blenny.
I think the fuge really helps with phosphates and nitrates.
I'm pretty new to this as well, but so far I've had success with my new setup. I have a 14 gallon IM Nuvo Fusion Penninsula. It's only been up about a month. Once the tank cycled, parameters have been stable, and I've had 0 deaths.
I think your snail compliment may be too much. Start with 2-3, add more as needed. Right now I have 1 turbo snail and 5 hermit crabs, and I want a nasarius for my sandbed. I started with 3 crabs, thought one died because I confused his molt with a carcass, bought 2, realized one was back from the dead, and now have 5.
I don't have a skimmer, just built a fuge in the back with an IM Chatomax light.
I did a fishless cylcle. I tried Dr. Tim's all in one, but it got "stuck". Added Fritz Turbo Start and a Clownfish a week later (Amonia was .25/Nitrite .2), and everything went to 0 in 24 hrs.
I have Xenia, ricordia, cabbage leather, and a hammer. Also the clown and a tail-spot Blenny.
I think the fuge really helps with phosphates and nitrates.
FrancineJ
Active Member
Thank you for your response but also remember mine is a 32 gallon so over double your tank size...so I’m guessing my rock work and sand bed will be twice your size... that’s a big factor... I also am not adding any crabs or shrimp as my cuc and I’m not sure if you added the regular turbo snail but the snails on my list are mostly very very tiny (dwarf cerith, dwarf turbos and some others) and that list of like 12 snails is very detailed and researched... some can eat food so will not die from lack of algae and I chose each snail because they can all survive on different types of algae (some will eat the same but will also eat additional stuff as well) to be honest I have got either that’s the right amount to start with or I don’t have enough.... most people that have the same biocube as me have used up to (or more) than like 20 snails as their original cuc.... a few people have told me now that it’s a good starting point... and again don’t forget I will not be having any other cuc except for the 12 snails... if you looked up the size of some of them you would be quite surprised... these snails will also not be full grown snails... I’m sure you haven’t had time to read through my rants but I have a privately owned lfs and when I get an order everything comes in as brand new stock and they are just at the size where they are appropriate to sell... so none of these snails will be picked out of a tank at a store... they will all arrive bagged separately by snail type and I pick them up right in the shipper bag still... they go right from the shipper to my home... so it’s a bit different I believe... and again you have to take into account that your tank is quite a bit smaller
Also I am assuming you mean dr tim’s One and only? I will not be using that bio spira is much more effective (I’ve used dr tim’s One and only for FW and it doesn’t compare to TSS which is the official successor from the original bio spira) they don’t quite work in the same way and there are a ton of rules with one and only... you can’t use prime or any ammonia detoxifier, no water changes etc... if they aren’t followed to a T then it won’t work in the correct way... but the dr tim’s We have been referring to is the ammonia drops... not the one and only... when using the one and only you also should have been using the ammonia drops... but I think I will stick with what the experienced (please take no offense to that at all!) have advised me
Thank you kindly for your response I will look into things and see if there is any reasons to change it...
I’ve also been advised to not add any corals (even softies) until at least 6-8 weeks... they are more forgiving and certainly can be added at any time but the majority of people are telling me to get a handle on some fish and water changes before worry about corals as they can be added at any point....
Also I am assuming you mean dr tim’s One and only? I will not be using that bio spira is much more effective (I’ve used dr tim’s One and only for FW and it doesn’t compare to TSS which is the official successor from the original bio spira) they don’t quite work in the same way and there are a ton of rules with one and only... you can’t use prime or any ammonia detoxifier, no water changes etc... if they aren’t followed to a T then it won’t work in the correct way... but the dr tim’s We have been referring to is the ammonia drops... not the one and only... when using the one and only you also should have been using the ammonia drops... but I think I will stick with what the experienced (please take no offense to that at all!) have advised me
Thank you kindly for your response I will look into things and see if there is any reasons to change it...
I’ve also been advised to not add any corals (even softies) until at least 6-8 weeks... they are more forgiving and certainly can be added at any time but the majority of people are telling me to get a handle on some fish and water changes before worry about corals as they can be added at any point....
408Dartfish
Well-Known Member
Welcome. If it were my bio cube I would use the special grade sand, the Fiji pink blows around quite a bit on me but I have quite a bit of flow. I’d atleast get a 20lb bag. Dustin
Yeah, it was the One and Only, and I was using it with the Amonia drops. I've heard good things about the biospira too. The Fritz turbostart worked great for me.
As for the snails, you're probably fine. I was worried mine was going to die because my tank looked so clean. He's good though. BRS TV had a good video on inverts and not overstocking. No offense taken.
As for the snails, you're probably fine. I was worried mine was going to die because my tank looked so clean. He's good though. BRS TV had a good video on inverts and not overstocking. No offense taken.
FrancineJ
Active Member
Awesome thanks! I think I had finally made my mind up on that one too especially with the pistol shrimp constantly throwing it around and the wave maker can be very powerful at times combined with the stock pump so I’d rather have the larger grain heavier stuff not to mention cleaning... although I do have the best mothod for cleaning sand lol I wrote an article on it on another forum and everyone sent me private messages saying how it changes their lives! lol
Just a quick tip on the coralife skimmer, if you put it in chamber one with you're heater, a trick to run the skimmer at a higher setting is glue a tube around the reservoir intake. Refer to pic posted. No mods necessary
FrancineJ
Active Member
Thank you so much! I have it still but haven’t even opened it because everyone has told me it doesn’t work lolJust a quick tip on the coralife skimmer, if you put it in chamber one with you're heater, a trick to run the skimmer at a higher setting is glue a tube around the reservoir intake. Refer to pic posted. No mods necessary
I will try that.... no harm in trying right?
Thank you very much!
Will the lid still close? Because that’s our issue on the 32.... the lid.... there’s not enough clearance because they changed it... so it seems like we only have 2 options use the stock biocube one (and hopefully modify it) or modify the tank and I don’t wanna cut my tank
*** nvm just seen the picture lol
Hopefully it will work with mine because I have the InTank basket and the way yours is set up I wouldn’t be able to attach it in the same spot as that where the water deflector is from what I can see from your picture
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with the water deflector it may not work, not too sure though because I dont have it. I'd assume you wouldn't be able to do it with that though unfortunately
FrancineJ
Active Member
I may be able to frig around with it and hook it to the other side... my heater is real thin so it takes up like no space and can go like anywhere (cobalt neotherm)
Worth a try! At the end of the day its not a great skimmer, but with that extra piece of tube and running it higher def. Makes a difference
FrancineJ
Active Member
Thanks again....
Someone else replaced the pump with a better stronger one and hers “appears”
To work really good as from what it “looked” like it pulled on her video.... so I may look at that too... weekly water changes have been doing the job so far lol
Someone else replaced the pump with a better stronger one and hers “appears”
To work really good as from what it “looked” like it pulled on her video.... so I may look at that too... weekly water changes have been doing the job so far lol
How long has your tank been running? I've replaced the original pump, but if you keep the stock pump replace the elbow the pump return hose goes into with normal tubing, you get more flow as the water doesnt have to go through the elbow.
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