stalkem's Oceanic Biocube 29 HQI (first SW tank)

stalkem · Jan 5, 2024

I was up early this morning, and went to check on the tank before any lights came on. Clowns were clowning on their back wall host. I noticed the Hi Fin was stuck to the top inlet to chamber 1. I nudged him off, and he swam (I think) to the bottom. He just sat there... usually quickly darts to his cave. I'm thinking he was still in "sleep" mode?
I just had my wife check while I'm at work, and she didn't see him. Hoping I'll find him later at feeding time, and he wasn't "cleaned up." lol

stalkem · Jan 8, 2024

Hi Fin must just be a weirdo. He's back down in his burrows, appearing to be as normal as he can be. The YWG is pretty consistent in staying in the same spot, but the Hi Fin keeps changing spots. I think there's one tunnel that goes through from where the YWG hangs out to the other side where the Hi Fin has been recently. Is it possible that they'd share a burrow? Most things I've read is that no, they only pair with the same species, but then I've seen other posts where Hi Fin and YWG live harmoniously with a pistol shrimp... so maybe that's the same burrow that the pistol shrimp lives.

I guess time will tell, but just wanted to update that the Hi Fin hadn't yet met his demise... although he seems to be trying hard... next strike will be his 3rd, so we'll see!

Katrina71 · Jan 8, 2024

They really are little freaks. All of my little guys seem to be fearless!

stalkem · Jan 9, 2024

Was getting low on my RODI supply, so I made some new water overnight. PH is always a bit higher in the barrel, but seems to lower to a nice 8.1-8.2 once it's mixed and in the tank. I'm not too chuffed over 001ppm.

stalkem · Jan 16, 2024

So I had been going back and forth for a while on adding a Midas Blenny. Was reading about their personalities which seemed to be something my tank was missing (and their lovely color!), but read that they could be a bit of jerks.

Well, mine was apparently a jerk. Giving it a few days to see how everything settles out. I honestly expected a little tiff with the RG, but the blenny first settled into a nice little cave towards the top, and the RG hangs out in a cave at the bottom back. Slight issue with the clowns. The back wall usually hosts them at night time, but they hang out in the center cave, going in and out (no problems with the RG). The Blenny popped out of his new cave, and nipped at the mocha clown (the male), and the 2 of those had a little tussle and separated. I missed what happened when the vivid clown (the female) swam by, but she turned around and grabbed the blennies tale and started pulling him down as he was trying to retreat to his cave. So I think A+ that they were letting him know the pecking order in the tank.

However, yesterday, the blenny relocated towards the front bottom, and sort of dug out a spot at the bottom. Seems to be sulking from getting his butt kicked. I hope he works it out, because it's fun to watch him out and about and swimming (something I wish the RG did more of).

And I noticed some hermit crabs looking for new shells (and a couple dead bodies), so I finally added my extra shells. It was like hermit crab christmas! The next day, I saw a few scootin' around in their new homes!

stalkem · Jan 16, 2024

Blenny's new home... he dug himself.

Fishy Guy · Jan 18, 2024

Tank is looking great and congrats on the new addition to the family! I have 5 and 3 year old girls that love helping with my tank.

stalkem · Jan 18, 2024

Fishy Guy said:
Tank is looking great and congrats on the new addition to the family! I have 5 and 3 year old girls that love helping with my tank.

Thanks! My 3 year old has scratched the front of the tank pretty good while "helping" me. lol So Biocube will be a 3-5 year endeavor, and if we can keep interest, hopefully upgrade then!

Update on blenny... still being a sally-sad-face at the bottom. Hasn't really come out to swim. I haven't visible seen him eat anything either, but I've been trying to pipe him some of my dragonet's leftovers.

Fishy Guy · Jan 18, 2024

stalkem said:
Thanks! My 3 year old has scratched the front of the tank pretty good while "helping" me. lol So Biocube will be a 3-5 year endeavor, and if we can keep interest, hopefully upgrade then!

I know that all too well ha. Bought my saltwater tank used from a buddy and haven't upgraded any of my fresh tanks for that very reason.

stalkem · Jan 23, 2024

Welp... idk where the Blenny has gone. He's no longer in that little burrow he made. I got worried yesterday, started taking rocks apart. Moved almost all of them, except the base rocks, and couldn't find him... so maybe he's got a new little burrow in the base rock/sand that I couldn't see and didn't disturb. I checked the back chambers, just to make sure... not there. Looked around the tank, and I don't see him. It's the Oceanic Biocube HQI with the glass top that is on all the time, other than when I feed, so I don't think he would have jumped out.

Was googling this topic, and seems some of them can be masters of hiding and just reemerge. I'm hoping that's the case. If not... lesson learned, and I'm happy with my current load of fish.

stalkem · Jan 25, 2024

Well, good news. He did make a new burrow in the base rock (that I didn't move) on the opposite side from where I previously saw him. He popped his head out to get some baby brines while I was feeding the dragonet last night. Picture quality is wonky due to the bow front of the BioCube and the angle I was at to try and get a picture. I get why people are so opinionated on bow fronts now... but a free tank is a free tank!

Here he is with the dragonet. Happy days.

stalkem · Feb 1, 2024

Blenny has been hanging out in his new spot pretty regularly now. I've been piping a little food his direction as I'm feeding the Dragonet. I hope he rebuilds some confidence and comes back out to swim more, so he's not just enough fish in the rocks.

Gobies are interesting. I never see them interact at all (including territorial disputes), but they seems to keep switching burrows.

Finally glued my zoa frags down. Some of the brighter/more vibrant ones seemed happy as I kept sliding my frag holder up higher, so I glued them in higher positions. However, the stupid Seachem Reef glue aluminum tube is the worst and sprung several leaks, which resulted in more glue than I would have preferred to be all over my hand. After much soapy water soaking, then acetone soaking, and lots of scrubbing, my hand was decrusted.

stalkem · Feb 6, 2024

Well, one of those daily quizzes that popped up in my alerts got me. I hadn't given any thoughts to sea cucumbers, but I think my sand needs some extra help... I've got a tiger tail on the way from @TopShelfAquatics along with 2 tiger conchs and a couple duncans.

Also have some coralline growth coming along! Unfortunately most of it is on my glass. Noticed a little on my powerhead too... but finally noticed some specks on the back wall! So I guess, I'll get to cleaning the power head and the glass, and let the backwall go! It can battle against the GSP, if that ever decides that it wants to climb up off its little rock.

Also, the algae scrubber is working pretty well. Getting some good growth in there, and tank has stayed pretty clean, other than something (what looks like algae) growing on the sand. I'm due for a water change/cleaning this weekend, so we'll see if that helps.

I've got to get some new pics to share. I've been too busy doing LR3 projects.

stalkem said:
And I also bought an '08 LR3... so another project on top of the fishtank project!

That's been coming along nicely too! Got most of the major services done and electrical gremlins sorted... so time to start strapping on the fun parts!

stalkem · Feb 14, 2024

Idk... that cucumber was kind of a bust. I was hoping it would be more active at night/lights off... but haven't seen it since it went into the rock cave. But the conchs! They're so much fun to watch. You never know what they're going to do next.

Took a break from the LR3 projects over the weekend to give the tank a good cleaning and water change. The algae scrubber is working well. Got a nice handful out of that... almost no nuisance algae in the tank, and coralline algae is starting nicely.

I do think the cucumber might have took the spot in the rock base that the blenny had dug out, bc I noticed he was looking for a new home. Looks like he settled on the YWG's old hole (for the time being) because the YWG switched sides again.

The 2 duncans and the Japanese toadstool leather seemed happy and acclimated pretty quickly, so I got them glued down to hopefully their new home. If anyone sees anything that looks out of whack and has suggestion on better placement... let me know! Instructions said the Japanese toadstool and the TSA Slam Duncan liked moderate light/low flow and the Green Stem Duncan liked moderate light/moderate flow... only thing I was worried/second guessing is that the toadstool being under where I put the duncan, might hinder growth or light as the duncan grows?

Some photo updates.

stalkem · Mar 29, 2024

I'll have to get some updated photos. Duncans and Toadstool Leather have been placed. Seem to be doing well.

No one talks about cucumbers climbing up the walls. I thought this sucker was just going to hide in the rocks and come out at night. One day, it was all the way up next to the return nozzle, draped over it. Then it seems that it squeezed through the slits of chamber 1, and I found it in my media basket filter. Tried to do it a second time, so I poked him down to the bottom with a pipette. Then he did it again the next day.

Conchs have been busy. They've been out and a lot more active than I thought they would be. However, one decided to bury himself for a few days. I couldn't figure out where he was, until one day I saw the little snout and eyes sticking out of the sand. Glad he was safe and sound!

Also noticed a ton of vermetid snails on my astrae shells... so I've been catching those and putting glue globs over the vermitid. I also noticed on on the side of one of the duncans, so glued that one too.

WalkerLoves_TheOcean · Apr 11, 2024

Awesome build! Definitely following, @stalkem!

stalkem · Apr 12, 2024

Here's some updated pics over the last 2 months. The blenny met his demise, but had all his friends come out for his farewell! He had conflict with the clowns when first got added... tried to assert his dominance, and got his butt whopped. I thought he was settling in to his home on the base rocks, but then he seemed to get into it with the YWG... so not sure what ultimately got him. He seemed to eat fine, and would come out when I pipe food to the dragonet, I'd always share with the blenny and gobies. Oh well... I don't think it'll be replaced. Everyone else seems happy in their spot.

I put the corals in, but had since moved the toadstool out from the little cave opening (under the one duncan), and moved one of the zoas a bit away from the duncan. The duncans love to eat, and it's fun to watch.

I had said the cucumber was a bit of a dud, but getting a lot more active. Have to be careful to make sure he's not trapped in the overflow filter floss. Checked this morning to see it cruising over the rocks.

I also got tired of my month pod orders for the dragonet, so been taking a stab at growing them myself. Thanks to Reef by Steele.... I did an extra big order, then split off some that I didn't feed to try to grow. I think it's going well!