Rare Earth Corals Biocube 29 Tank Build

[RareEarthCorals]

Memories of a young man with a new tank come rushing back again. It's been over twenty years since I took down my five tanks turning my back on the hobby. Sure I've had a few small tanks not worth mentioning over the years but decided now is the time. I decided on something manageable that wouldn't break the bank. I purchased a Biocube 29 Coralife version. I started simple with a few items to get me started. I purchased on sale the tank and stand for 350.00. There are a lot of good sales out there and for the money the cube is the most complete imho. After a Let's start with the list, cycle begins.


29 Biocube New Coralife version with Stand 10k light, Actinic, 5-LED Moonlights Started May 1, 2015
20 Gallons when fully loaded

Coralife S-1000 265GPH (Main Pump)
Zilla Digital Timer Power Center
RW-4 Jebao Wavemaker Set at Speed two and locked Sync W-1
Coralife Protein Skimmer
Coralife UV Sterilizer
2-Ehim Jager 100w Heater Set at 78*
2-Eshopps Sponges-AEO19070
2-HDE LCD Thermometer
Mag-Float
100ml Seachem Purigen
100ml Seachem Phosguard Mixed with 100ml Seachem Martix Carbon
1-Liter SeaChem Martix Bio Media
2-Polyfilter 3x4
40lbs Nutraseawater Reef Sand
30lbs Dead Florida Coral Rock
4-Coralife LED Blue Bars

 

[RareEarthCorals]

I used NutraSea sand and water along with Three yellow tail Damsels. The cycle finished day 21. It was a fast cycle but the sand with dry rock and Seachem Martix gave alot of foundation for bacteria growth.

Flow Placement
Chamber 1>Protein Skimmer and Thermometer

Chamber 2>PolyFilter>Purigen>Poly Filter>2 Sponges>1 Liter of Martix>Phosguard/Martix Carbon

Chamber 3>Pump>UV Filter

 

[RareEarthCorals]

End of Week 5

My Tank sat for another two weeks after the 21 day cycle with lights on to create a lighting cycle and to learn how the lights affected the tank and temperature. I did not want to start dropping money on CUC and corals without learning my tank and its behaviors.

Power distribution
Actinic's (10am-6pm)
Uv light (6pm-10am) Currently <OFF>
Moon lights LED ( 6pm-10am)
Main lights (10am-5pm)


Light does affect the tank and the biologic martix of the environment, using lighting in an essentially empty tank is beneficial and helps establish the rhythm of your tank. I added my clean up crew with two emerald crabs Louie and Lenny.

Have
2-Emerald Crab
6-Hermit Crabs
26-Ceriths
11-Nassarius
8-Nerites

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Two Months


Lets start off with test numbers. I kept track using an excel file. I was testing daily up to day 21 after cycle I was testing every three days and will continue to do so. Eventually I will only test Temp/Salinity/Nitrate/Phos/Mag/Alk/Calc

Range
Temp 79.0-81.0
Salinity 1.024-1.027
Ph 8.0-8.2
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrite 0.0
Nitrate 0.0-0.20
Phos 0.0-0.10
Calcium 400-470
Hardness 9-11
Magnesium 1300-1500

Progress

Starting to see green and purple coraline algae and have kept my phosphates to below .05. I believe using phosguard and Polyfilter has worked keep me almost phosphate free since the beginning, avoiding bad algae growth. I have 10k lights 7hrs a day and Actinics 8hrs a day and have no noticible algae.



My First piece Purple and green Hammer 3 Heads

Second piece Neon Green Trumpets

Third piece Purple Grape Bubble Coral

 

[kschweer]

Looking good!

 

[Shep]

Looking very good! Love the detailed build thread

 

[RareEarthCorals]

End of 10 Weeks


Water Change

4.4 Nutrasea Water
Changed PolyFilter and Purigen
Changed Phosguard and Matrix Carbon
Clean chambers and sponges
Do not clean sand bed
Rinse out Martix

Nitrates have not been a problem since I am using pond matrix from Seachem. My nitrates may bounce after a heavy feed or introduction of new tank inhabitants but within a day or two it drops back to zero. Love how well Martix controls nitrates. Im thinking water changes every two months or so if things keep up like this.

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Three months thru July

My Nitrates are at zero. All other parameters are excellent. Cleaned out all sponges and filters of detritus and vacuum all chambers. Top off has been 8-10oz daily keeping both front and back doors open to keep temps 81 or below. We have been averaging high 90s. Everything is thriving with no issues. It has not been a problem keep parameters in check. Since I havent been doing frequent water changes I started dosing to keep
parameters in check. Dosing Calcium and Mag every three days and have kept my numbers in check. Added a few more specimens.


Neon Eclipse Echinata

Cherry Blasto

Ultra Aussie Lobophilia

Ultra Micromussa

Rock Flower Anemone

Duncans

 

[Tahoe61]

Great Bio-cube tons of potential. Twenty years, that is a long time, welcome back. Get yourself an ATO and you'll be golden.

 

[mike wilson]

Your tank is looking awesome so far your off to a great start

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Thank you for all the kind words. Tahoe61 yes have a Tunze ATO coming soon. I have six corals coming from WWC 8th Anniversary sale coming Wednesday. Here is a preview...

 

[mike wilson]

Those look gorgeous

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Thanks to WWC, I couldnt stop myself with everything they had on sale. Prices were truly incredible. That colony Blasto was 99.00 from 199.00. My LFS has one half the size for 135.00. I cant wait until these are up and running in my tank.

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Here is a most recent pic prior to introduction of the newest members

 

[Cleo642]

Uv sterilizer helps the tank well?

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Uv sterilizer helps the tank well?

Help as in relative to the overall help, yes! All animals that I introduce in the tank turns on the uv light for a week. So I use it as a preventative measure. I also run it once a month just to keep things in check.

 

[RareEarthCorals]

Three weeks and testing nitrates. I am a firm believer in pond martix. I cant believe anyone not doing this!

 

[Cleo642]

Three weeks and testing nitrates

0

 

[RareEarthCorals]

All in and acclimated. WWC did a great job with shipping and the sizes of the frags are larger than most places. That Blasto is a huge chunk of rock. I am very happy with my purchases and happy with their sizes.

 

[trio91]

tank looks good....you know ive always seen that matrix stuff at Petco but being that its sold there, it's always kinda turned me off from buying the stuff....in any case...nice looking cube bud