32G Biocube

[hllb]

Hi all,

I am just getting back into the hobby after about a 12 yr hiatus. What can I say, having 2 toddlers meant I didn’t have enough time! Now I have two high schoolers and a 4th grader so figured it was time.

Due to super limited wall space, I decided to do a nano tank and picked the 32g biocube. I went with their stand too, since it was easy and available. Currently just running everything stock. All I added was a heater and some carbon to the media basket.

Day 1: Setup tank and added 25 lbs. of cured live rock and StartSmart Complete.

Day 2: Water clear:

Day 3: Added an oscellaris clown to get things moving

Day 5: Noticed a hitchhiker!

It’s now day 7 and I’m planning my first water change this weekend. I’m getting some algae in the tank and patiently waiting until I can add a cleanup crew.

 

[Bunnee911]

Welcome home. We have an amazing bunch of folks here at R2R.

I run a Biocube and love it.

 

[VB313]

Welcome back hitch hiker looks like micro brittle stars good CUC I have a bunch of them hiding in the rocks of my biocube

 

[hllb]

I’ve already purchased some upgrades for my tank. I wasn’t sure about running without a skimmer and decided it’s safer to have one. So I ordered an InTank media basket and a tunze 9001. Should be here in a week or so.

 

[VB313]

Youl love the media basket I use the intank floss/ purigen/chemipure blue.

 

[hllb]

Youl love the media basket I use the intank floss/ purigen/chemipure blue.

Where can I read up on the options? I almost bought some purigen the other day. Right now I’ve got activated carbon.

 

[hllb]

I decided I needed another rock...

 

[flchamp89]

New rock looks good. Gives it better height.

 

[hllb]

New rock looks good. Gives it better height.

Yes, it was hard to know how much to get initially since it’s a small tank. The arch seems pretty stable without using epoxy so hopefully I can just leave it like that. I’d prefer not to attach the Rocks.

 

[VB313]

Where can I read up on the options? I almost bought some purigen the other day. Right now I’ve got activated carbon.

theres tons of build threads on here to check out everyone has their own preferences with biocubes it’s more to what fits your needs be scape looks great btw

 

[hllb]

Ordered a new return pump today. One with a feed mode. The food goes right in the overflow, otherwise. I need to clean out chamber 2 because I didn’t turn the pump off while feeding the first couple of days.

Ordered a mighty jet 536 that should fit!

 

[VB313]

Ordered a new return pump today. One with a feed mode. The food goes right in the overflow, otherwise. I need to clean out chamber 2 because I didn’t turn the pump off while feeding the first couple of days.

Ordered a mighty jet 536 that should fit!

Got the 326 in mine cranked all the way up been thinking to upgrade to the 536 nice quiet pump

 

[hllb]

Got the 326 in mine cranked all the way up been thinking to upgrade to the 536 nice quiet pump

It was only $10 more. Only hesitation is I read one report that you have to take the filter cap off the intake. Hoping I can make it work without doing that but if not, I have the sponge in there so should work.

 

[VB313]

It was only $10 more. Only hesitation is I read one report that you have to take the filter cap off the intake. Hoping I can make it work without doing that but if not, I have the sponge in there so should work.

Ide say mine has a half inch of room not sure how much bigger the 536 is (keep me updated) but like your said if your still running the filter sponge should be fine only thing that can really get in there are snails I take mine apart and clean it with a toothbrush bout every 3 months and run a pipe cleaner rod through the 1/2 tubing it does get some build up

 

[hllb]

Ide say mine has a half inch of room not sure how much bigger the 536 is (keep me updated) but like your said if your still running the filter sponge should be fine only thing that can really get in there are snails I take mine apart and clean it with a toothbrush bout every 3 months and run a pipe cleaner rod through the 1/2 tubing it does get some build up

Looks like they’re 3/4” bigger. 4.88”. Oddly, the compartment measures at 6” so it seems like it would fit. Maybe the measurement is without the cover.

 

[VB313]

Looks like they’re 3/4” bigger. 4.88”. Oddly, the compartment measures at 6” so it seems like it would fit. Maybe the measurement is without the cover.
[/QUO yeah the top of the commpart is 6 1/8 but there’s another baffle at the bottom for the sponge I mean I guess the pump doesn’t have to sit all the way at the bottom

 

[hllb]

Ah, yes, forgot about that. It may need to sit level on the bottom for noise reasons.

 

[VB313]

Ah, yes, forgot about that. It may need to sit level on the bottom for noise reasons.

True

 

[hllb]

Installed the might jet tonight. It won’t fit flat on the bottom with the guard on but there no noise with it installed the way I have it. I’ll leave it like this and see how it works. Anyone see an issue with that?

Also stirred up a copepod when I switched the pump. I think he died though.

 

[hllb]

Got a small cleanup crew this weekend. So far so good. The mithrax and blue legged hermit are already going to work on the GHA! And my cats have finally discovered the tank.