32 Biocube Return Pump

kaijor · Oct 23, 2023

Anybody who has a 32 biocube, did you keep your stock return pump? Or did you upgrade it? I'm thinking of upgrading it. So I was wondering what your suggestions would be on a replacement for the return pump. It seems after about a year the return pump isn't performing as well.

SteveMM62Reef · Oct 23, 2023

I have an Oceanic 32 Biocube, put a SICCE 1.5 Pump. In the back compartment and out the opening for the old pump set up. I don’t think a bigger pump will fit in that space. Also I had to use an all plastic clothes pin, to keep the sponge filter in place. I have a Spin Stream on the outlet.

kaijor · Oct 23, 2023

SteveMM62Reef said:
I have an Oceanic 32 Biocube, put a SICCE 1.5 Pump. In the back compartment and out the opening for the old pump set up. I don’t think a bigger pump will fit in that space. Also I had to use an all plastic clothes pin, to keep the sponge filter in place. I have a Spin Stream on the outlet.

Oh ok that's the return pump that I'm thinking of getting. What's the spin stream that you are using for outlet? Could you link it if you don't mind?

SteveMM62Reef · Oct 23, 2023

kaijor · Oct 23, 2023

Thank you! Btw, did you see any positive impact when you replaced the return with sicce?

littlefoxx · Oct 23, 2023

kaijor said:
Anybody who has a 32 biocube, did you keep your stock return pump? Or did you upgrade it? I'm thinking of upgrading it. So I was wondering what your suggestions would be on a replacement for the return pump. It seems after about a year the return pump isn't performing as well.

Kept it, but my biocube has nothing but issues and I cant use it other than a basic QT now so maybe upgrade it before your cube just sucks like mine does now?

kaijor · Oct 23, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Kept it, but my biocube has nothing but issues and I cant use it other than a basic QT now so maybe upgrade it before your cube just sucks like mine does now?

And that only had to do with the pump? Also, what size tank do you have now?

GlassMunky · Oct 23, 2023

I have 2 Maxi Jet 1200s inside mine.
I modified it to have a second return tho

GlassMunky · Oct 23, 2023

littlefoxx said:
Kept it, but my biocube has nothing but issues and I cant use it other than a basic QT now so maybe upgrade it before your cube just sucks like mine does now?

I’ve been running my biocube 32g for a decade now no issues.
Modified to have 2 returns pumps and a larger overflow (I literally just drilled a second hole for the return and dremmeled out more slits by the overflow to make for a higher flow rate) and I removed the lid and run a Radion XR15 on the normal radion tank mount

I keep lps soft and some SPS just fine

kaijor · Oct 23, 2023

GlassMunky said:
I’ve been running my biocube 32g for a decade now no issues.
Modified to have 2 returns pumps and a larger overflow (I literally just drilled a second hole for the return and dremmeled out more slits by the overflow to make for a higher flow rate) and I removed the lid and run a Radion XR15 on the normal radion tank mount

I keep lps soft and some SPS just fine

How did you determine that you needed more flow? Like, what made you add two more returns plus more overflow? I’m asking because I’m trying to figure out if I need more flow in my biocube.

GlassMunky · Oct 23, 2023

kaijor said:
How did you determine that you needed more flow? Like, what made you add two more returns plus more overflow? I’m asking because I’m trying to figure out if I need more flow in my biocube.

It’s not 2 more. 2 total, so I only added one extra. I added it because I wanted to keep more SPS at one point in time and they need high flow. One small pump won’t give them the random and high flow they like so I added a second one. It’s not required for other easier corals but I do like it, as it helps stop dead spots that may happen from only having just one pump.

I added the extra holes in the overflow to handle the extra flow from the second return pump.
Gotta keep your overflow rate and pump speeds balanced.

If you just swap the original biocube pump for a maxi jet or sicce you won’t need to add or adjust the overflows as that’s not a big enough difference.

If you get a single higher flow pump that can fit in the back and use that flow mover thing it may be enough to keep your corals happy, but that depends on what you’re keeping and what your tank preferences are.

It looks like the sicce 1.5 does about 357gph which would give you roughly 11X turnover per hour whereas the Maxi Jet 1200 is only about 295gph

kaijor · Oct 23, 2023

GlassMunky said:
It’s not 2 more. 2 total, so I only added one extra. I added it because I wanted to keep more SPS at one point in time and they need high flow. One small pump won’t give them the random and high flow they like so I added a second one. It’s not required for other easier corals but I do like it, as it helps stop dead spots that may happen from only having just one pump.

I added the extra holes in the overflow to handle the extra flow from the second return pump.
Gotta keep your overflow rate and pump speeds balanced.

If you just swap the original biocube pump for a maxi jet or sicce you won’t need to add or adjust the overflows as that’s not a big enough difference.

If you get a single higher flow pump that can fit in the back and use that flow mover thing it may be enough to keep your corals happy, but that depends on what you’re keeping and what your tank preferences are.

It looks like the sicce 1.5 does about 357gph which would give you roughly 11X turnover per hour whereas the Maxi Jet 1200 is only about 295gph

Sorry, I meant to ask why you added 1 return, not two.

For now, I’m mostly focused on zoas, and mushrooms. I do have one Duncan, Stylo and blasto. I’m trying to go on the easier side as I’m still a bit new to this hobby.

And yeah, I’ll probably upgrade my return in a month or two with a Sicce 1.5. I see it recommended a lot.

SteveMM62Reef · Oct 24, 2023

kaijor said:
Thank you! Btw, did you see any positive impact when you replaced the return with sicce?

My Biocube was a Rescue, the old pump wasn’t in working order. I wanted the SpinStream for more total tank water movement. Only wish it had a 45 degree Adapter to point it further down. The SICCE, is a more powerful pump. Also I added the Coralife BioCube Skimmer, bought a InTank Media Basket, not impressed with it. Have a Hydor Nano 565 in the Aquarium. Rigged a filter sock in the center compartment.

GlassMunky · Oct 24, 2023

SteveMM62Reef said:
My Biocube was a Rescue, the old pump wasn’t in working order. I wanted the SpinStream for more total tank water movement. Only wish it had a 45 degree Adapter to point it further down. The SICCE, is a more powerful pump. Also I added the Coralife BioCube Skimmer, bought a InTank Media Basket, not impressed with it. Have a Hydor Nano 565 in the Aquarium. Rigged a filter sock in the center compartment.

Yea personally im not a fan of nano skimmers they just don’t do the same job as their larger counterparts and take up too much space.

Personally I just use some filter pads over the second chamber and keep a filter bag of carbon in that and the tank runs great.

Kirmit · Oct 24, 2023

I use a IM MightyJet 538gph, also on a spin stream and a Nero 5 ( running max at 50%)on the side glass for cross flow, just under the spin stream

littlefoxx · Oct 24, 2023

GlassMunky said:
I’ve been running my biocube 32g for a decade now no issues.
Modified to have 2 returns pumps and a larger overflow (I literally just drilled a second hole for the return and dremmeled out more slits by the overflow to make for a higher flow rate) and I removed the lid and run a Radion XR15 on the normal radion tank mount

I keep lps soft and some SPS just fine

Really? I feel like mine was just a lemon!

littlefoxx · Oct 24, 2023

kaijor said:
And that only had to do with the pump? Also, what size tank do you have now?

Pump went out after a month, the lights dont work, the media rack broke and other issues. Probably a lemon based on what others say about the tank. And I now have a 70 and a 125