Aaron G's Biocube 29

Aaron Gustafson · Aug 11, 2013

For our 11th anniversary, my wife surprised me with the complete setup for an Oceanic Biocube 29 HQI. That was in November. I've been steadily swapping out equipment and making tweaks to the setup and I thought I'd note some of that here.

Below is a current FTS. I'll start filling in details in subsequent posts.

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Aaron Gustafson · Jan 20, 2014

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Red acans. This was an early pic. I'm up to around 15 heads now (5" across).

Aaron Gustafson · Jan 20, 2014

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On the left side if the tank we have a Superman blasto (merleti) community and a green-centered blasto community above a carpet of Oxide zoas.

Aaron Gustafson · Jan 20, 2014

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Happy candy corals from @gbeast

Aaron Gustafson · Jan 20, 2014

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Forest fire montipora digitata in the foreground, red people eaters below, ORA Bird of Paradise behind (along with a small contingent of Xenia).

Aaron Gustafson · Jan 20, 2014

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Big ball of sun coral.

Aaron Gustafson · Jan 20, 2014

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Now & later gator zoas in the center, octospawn behind, green palys below, red people eaters behind to the left.

Flameback Pair · Jan 20, 2014

Subscribe.

Aaron Gustafson · Jan 20, 2014

Thanks powers2001!

Aaron Gustafson · Jan 20, 2014

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Rubber coral. This is a true paly: Palythoa caesia. I haven't seen them much in the trade, but my LFS had one and didn't know what it was. They thought it was an LPS (crater coral), but after a bit more research, my wife & I figured it out.

It's grown a lot, completely covering its rock (which is what they do). I would love to share this cool coral, but I'm pretty sure they are palytoxin carriers, so I won't be cutting them up any time soon. The only way it will find a new home is if someone buys it from me.

Aaron Gustafson · Jan 20, 2014

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This is a relatively recent shot just right of center up top. In the middle is my green & yellow Leptastrea (which is getting 1/4" or more polyp extension most days). To the left is the ORA Bird of Paradise and behind it is a small clump of Xenia, the Red people eaters, and Forest Fire Digi. On the back wall is a clump of GSP.

Aaron Gustafson · Jan 20, 2014

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My neon green Nepthea is now in the back left corner under the candy corals, but this is from when I was getting him on the rock.

Aaron Gustafson · Jan 20, 2014

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Galaxea has not been much of an issue in this tank. Mine's in the front left corner and is under moderate flow. I only rarely get a sweeper when someone gets too close or my blenny moves a coral.

revhtree · Jan 21, 2014

Looks good man!

fremont roger · Jan 21, 2014

tank looks awsome
i would love to set up a smaller nano style

cee · Jan 22, 2014

Looking very nice. Gustafson's not a common name in these parts but there were a few when I lived in Nebraska.

Dave

Flameback Pair · Feb 15, 2014

Does the Tunze skimmer 9002 fit in the biocube 29 back chamber?

Aaron Gustafson · Jun 13, 2014

powers2001 said:
Does the Tunze skimmer 9002 fit in the biocube 29 back chamber?

Not sure how I missed your question. Apologies.

I honestly don't know. I think I saw an InTank Media Basket that accommodated one in chamber 2.

I run a Hydor Slim Skim (Hydor Slim Skim Internal Skimmer for Reef Aquariums and Sumps 48-65 gal by Hydor http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GB0NWY/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_xZTMtb0SJQQ9X) in chamber 1 and I think it works pretty well. I've also heard of a few people running larger-capacity HOB skimmers to really clean up the water.

I personally find that the Hydor does plenty of cleanup for SPS.