32 gallon biocube starting out, request suggestions...

[NeilRogers]

So I now have a 32 gallon biocube after not having a reef tank for 15 years. I have forgotten everything (even if I did know something)

In the tank I have:

20 pounds live sand
20 pounds live rock

In the back I have:

Filter pad that came with it
2nd row fluval biomax
3rd row Siporax professional media rings

Have had it up and running 5-6 days

Tested the water:
Tem 78
Salinity 1.026
Ammonia .26
Nitrate 2.1 ppm
Ph 7.3

Appreciate any opinions/recommendations, thank you.

 

[littlefoxx]

Are you using any bottled bacteria??

 

[NeilRogers]

Are you using any bottled bacteria??

I have not yet

 

[littlefoxx]

I have not yet

Ah. Whats your ammonia source?

 

[NeedAReef]

what do you prefer to keep? fish corals, both? lighting, stock or something else?

 

[stalkem]

I've got a biocube29. I put the @coralife protein skimmer in Chamber 1 with the heater.
I was only running the top pad in chamber 2, with some more smaller reef rock in the bottom with some little copepod houses. Recently moved away from that to an intank media tower with some pinky floss. Kept the pod houses and added a @SantaMonica algae scrubber (Drop1.2X).
Chamber 3 has and updated return pump (Sicce 1.5) which is plumbed out and through a Coralife Twist 3x, and back through a VCA dual random flow generator.

Trying to make the most out of that limited space... but you can fit equipment in there!

 

[Katrina71]

You may want to upgrade your pump to a sicce syncra 1.5

 

[spielco]

You may want to upgrade your pump to a sicce syncra 1.5

I upgraded mine to the Sicce 1.5 and man was I upset at first. The thing was soooo loud compared to the stock return pump. Been about 1 month since and seems like it finally “broke” in and got rid of some noise

 

[Katrina71]

I upgraded mine to the Sicce 1.5 and man was I upset at first. The thing was soooo loud compared to the stock return pump. Been about 1 month since and seems like it finally “broke” in and got rid of some noise

You are the 2nd person that recently said that. I'll be honest, you can't hear mine at all. I wonder if they've changed something?

 

[spielco]

You are the 2nd person that recently said that. I'll be honest, you can't hear mine at all. I wonder if they've changed something?

I messed with it thinking I had it running or touching something but could not for the life of me get it quiet. I was real close to sending it back and then just kinda dealt with it and now it’s fine for what it is.