Setting up a new pump in new biocube32

[geraldfish]

Hello all, I hardly ever post here and I’m gonna tell a little about my situation first:
TLDR at bottom

I’ve had a Biocube 32 for 6 years, it still runs okay and my clownfish and clowngoby have been completely healthy, but the corals have all died off except some soft cabbage and I can’t seem to keep them living so I quit a long time ago, I also have nassarius snails and blue hermits.
i got some sort of nasty, green film algae and it seemed like nothing I bought or dosed worked, no matter how much sand I removed. So I’ve just let it be and kept the tank clean and water changed often but it looks like trash. Simply put it’s an ugly aquarium. Fish and inverts are healthy and eat and are active but I want so badly to go back to two years ago when it was beautiful and had tons of coral.

so I bought a new biocube because I’m tired of trying to fix this one.

now I set up my current one as a beginner so it’s only got a heater in slot one, bio balls and a carbon matrix w filter floss in two, and a phosphate catcher and pump in slot three. I’ve heard there are better options for filtration in bio cubes and I’d like to hear some opinions on how I could set it up better to just make it a little easier for me. (I understand I could still get algae/pests of course, but the better the system, the better the maintenance)
I plan on setting up with semi-fine sand and live rock, and transferring my clown and clown goby to the new tank.

TLDR: setting up a new bio cube and I’m interested in hearing opinions on setting up the filtration system in the back. To clarify though, I can’t drop $400 on the filtration, it needs to be affordable.

And then I’d appreciate explanations on each item anyone suggests since I’ve just stayed in the beginner section of tank-running.

 

[Alex Cataldo]

You could try a small refugium or skimmer in compartment 2, the refugium worked for me. I understand the struggle as I have a Biocube 32 myself, and have struggled with algae, excess nutrients, and all sorts of problems. In my experience, smaller skimmers do work well, but getting them to consistently pull waste out of the water (at least initially) isn't always that easy.

 

[homer1475]

When I had my biocube.....

Aquatic life mini 115 in first chamber, InTank media basket running filter floss, carbon, and seachem denitrate in chamber 2, ATO, and return pump in chamber 3.

I ran a strictly berlin method in my biocube. Lots of live rock, and lots of flow, with minimal filtration. Seemed to work well for the 5 years I had it.

 

[cconnolly]

Took me awhile to stabilize my BioCube but the combo that’s been working for me is skimmer, fuge, filter floss, chemipure elite, upgraded return pump with a pair of power heads. I actually ended up having to back off my water changes as I was exporting too much nitrates (I was at zero regularly) which I think was causing my occasional cyano flare ups.

There are so many options so just find what works for you and take it slow. I rushed mine at the beginning and took me months to get it back under control.

 

[dk2nt9]

In this situation, I would make sure that activated carbon is changed regularly, alkalinity doesn't drop below 6 dGH, that you have detectable nitrates and phosphates, and no cyano, dinos, chrysophytes. Seach for reef tank nusisance algae to see how they look like. Micron pad, changed frequently, can catch more than a filter floss, and it is washable, the same procedure as for filter socks.

After that look into sludge removers, from Vibrant algae remover to Dr. Tim's bacterial formulations, ReFresh and WasteAway.