Biocube 29 half set up...

Raven312

Member
Biocube 29 On Its Way...

So... I set up my Biocube 29 last night after an 8 yr absence from the hobby. It hasn't started cycling yet, obviously.

Right now, I have 20# of live sand, 29# of live rock (which appears to have a few interesting critters, including some I'm concerned about (asterina stars, I just found out)... Of the rock, one is a massive piece that weighs about 27# on its own. I worry that it might be too large. On the other hand, it has the potential to host a good asst of corals. It has several nooks and crannies and I wonder if I shouldn't place it in the center and let it be an island by itself, then have an offshoot with smaller pieces / rubble. I may have to try it later. The plan is to have some softies and LPS corals, along with 2 clowns, (maybe) a Royal Gramma, an Orange Spotted Goby and a Possum Wrasse, along with some inverts, high on the list being a Striped Harlequin Shrimp.

The current (and planned) set up:

Biocube (lights are out in the hood - Kessil A160WE with gooseneck is in the mail as I type this)
Netted cover (decided to upgrade the lighting and change the hood because the stock fans are SO loud!)
Stock pump
Fluval M100 heater
Filter and floss in the middle (back) section; Chemipure in 3rd section, next to the pump

Within the next month or three:
ATO
Jebao RW-4 Wavemaker
Protein Skimmer (maybe Tunze 9001)
LED Controller
... and a few more things that I can't think of right now.

I'm going to try and be patient and let it fully cycle before adding anything. My ammonia is very low but seems to be climbing. The PH is 8.1, temp is 76 degrees, SG = 1.025.

The presence of the asterina really bothers me but I know they can be dealt with. I believe I have a coral or two on the rock. If so, I hope at least one of them survives the cycle. I didn't realize how dirty the tank looks on the inside until I took pics. Hopefully my eventual clean up crew will help the glass shine.

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I got the rock work the way I want it. Added a shelf, which should make a natural spot for certain corals and gives the fish another channel to swim through. Also ordered a Jebao RW-4. I'll have plenty of time to play with it before anything is added. I have to clean my glass!

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Hello everyone! This is my first post here, well actually anywhere for that matter. This being my first attempt at a saltwater/reef I spent several months getting prepared. Reading everything I can find is what led me to this forum. But the way it's great having a resource like this with all your experiences available to me all the time. You see I'm an old dude so everything I did in the past with fresh water fish & planted tanks meant a trip to the local library, or a wait for the next issue of Aquarium magazine. I hope you all understand how grateful I am for this. I'm also new to computers, smart phones etc. so please bare with me if I have any technical questions in the future that the answers may seem obvious. Anyway, I was getting ready to buy a new tank when good fortune struck and I ran into a guy willing to sell his 55 gallon acrylic tank super cheap. She was in pretty bad shape but three bottles of Novus latter plus a couple quarts of elbow grease & close to eight hours hard labor she almost looks new. The only problem I have now is the tank isn't drilled. I really don't want to use a hang on overflow box if I can get away without one. I have been looking (unsuccessfully) for somewhere or someone that drills tanks. I also need a overflow box installed inside the tank & a dump that can fit in a 23L x 17W x 16H space.
Any help finding a business or another reefer that will do any of these would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike (1fishjones)


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Hi Raven, I would like to apologize, I see now that I replied to your post. I'm new to all this, I actually thought I was creating my own post. I should have figured it out when I had to press reply to send mine.
Sorry about this,
Mike (1fishjones)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
29# of live rock (which appears to have a few interesting critters, including some I'm concerned about (asterina stars, I just found out)... .....high on the list being a Striped Harlequin Shrimp.

Asterina stars are quite interested because there are a ton of different varieties. Make sure to do some research and figure out if they are the coralline eaters as some have been known to munch on our corals.

I had the coralline eaters (a few popped up) and then within 2 months, I had an explosion and had them all over my glass. One little harlequin shimp did the work over a month period and got them back down to controllable numbers. I sold him back to the store because I didn't want to buy full size stars to feed him and haven't had a problem since.

GL although they are very manageable
 
Thank you, IHaveCrabs. Since the tank is cycling I'll let them be - for now. If they start multiplying too quickly I'll get a shrimp. These are on the glass, so at least I can see them. It's the ones that I can't see that have me curious...
 
Do I have too much rock in there? Should that large one be broken up? I keep going back and forth. On one hand, I really like the look. On the other, it looks massive and I wonder what the tank will look like once I get inhabitants...
 
it's all personal preference. you now have more landscape to place your corals if you like. aquascaping can be a pain though. one minute you like it then you think what if... Either way GL. I will be moving my stuff in my BC14 to a BC29 in the fall.
 
it's all personal preference. you now have more landscape to place your corals if you like. aquascaping can be a pain though. one minute you like it then you think what if... Either way GL. I will be moving my stuff in my BC14 to a BC29 in the fall.
You're right. This is my first time with a cube so it's a little more challenging (for me) to use the space well without it being too crowded for what I want to place in there. I'm going to leave it alone and let it cycle.

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I ended up compressing the structure. That gives me more room to clean and it didn't take away from the basic form. I still have the bridge that I'm going to place mushrooms across (a "garden" of sorts), I know where I want to place a xenia, and the rest I'll figure out depending on what I find when the tank is ready.

 
So it's only been two weeks since I set up the Biocube but it's coming along amazingly well. Maybe because the rock was cured and there's live sand, but it had a fast cycle. I found some amazing hitchhikers (all on the large rock); 3 zoas, 3 encrusting montis and a mushroom, and they're doing quite well. The mushroom is almost double the size it was when I first saw it; the two zoas in the front of the tank, I can see them easily (initially, I was only able to see them with my magnifier), one of the montis is creeping over to another rock. I've since added 3 Nacarrius snails and a Cleaner Shrimp. Going to add some Trochus snails tomorrow.
I've also added some more corals: a tiny colony of zoas, 3 palys, Orange Yuma, Green and Orange Acan, and 3 heads of Frogspawn (were given to me but I don't know if it's wise to keep them when the tank isn't established). Other than a larger CUC as needed, this is all the stocking I'm going to do for the next month. I'm trying to pay attention to the parameters and I'm watching the corals to make sure everyone is happy. The Zoas haven't opened yet (it's only been two days), which surprises me, but I'm going to leave them alone for a few days and let them acclimate. I'm resisting the urge to move them.
I've tested my water every few days and am about to buy an ATO and Kalk Reactor. Oh, and I added a Kessil A160 WE in lieu of the loud stock hood and a Jebao RW-4 Wavemaker, which I'm still trying to get the hang of. I haven't bought the controller yet; that'll come after the ATO. Right now everything's on a timer. In the rear, I have 2 sponge filters and floss on one side in section 2, with red macroalgae on the other side with light; stock pump, filter floss and Chemipure in section 1. I still have to break out the false floor in section 3 so I can possibly put a skimmer back there.

My stats:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: ~ 2 ppm
Calcium: 415
Magnesium: No test yet, on the way
pH: 8.1
Temp: 78-79.2 degrees
Salinity: 1.025
Phospates: No test yet, but I know they're high, as I'm getting hair algae on the rocks

 
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The only thing I've added since the last entry was 5 Astrea snails. They're spending more time on the glass than anywhere and don't appear to be cleaning much. LOL I'm going to get a crew of Cerites next, and a few hermit crabs. I have to get this algae licked. I've put some chaeto in the fuge area along with a JBJ Nano Glo Refugium light. Hopefully this will do the trick. Next on the list is an ATO, then a protein skimmer.

The corals seem to be doing well. The Orange Yuma and the Bullseye mushroom seem to be doing exceptionally well. The mushroom was a hitchhiker in my rock and it's double the size, almost.

Stats:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: ~5 ppm
Salinity: 1.026
Calcium: 500
Magnesium: 1420
dKH: 14
Temperature: 81.4 degrees

These parameters concern me a bit but I use Reef Crystals and I was advised that they're not going to change too much, due to the characteristics of that salt.
 
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