Biocube 32G Filtration

[ExpensiveSushi]

I ran a BRS mini reactor in my biocube when I had one. Just the tiny mj1200 pump in the middle chamber, reactor in the cabinet, and return back into the third chamber.

Back in the day we used to use the aquaticlife 115 skimmer, but I don't think that fits in the "new" design of the 32 with the lid still on, or without some hood modification. The coralife skimmer is absolute garbage, and isn't worth the plastic it's made from. You would be better off without it, then actually using it.

Interesting re:Skimmer. Was that the airstone version?

 

[homer1475]

No it's a needle wheel skimmer. The original coralife skimmer used a limewood airstone, but I see they upgraded that in a newer design.

 

[N11morales]

My LFS told me to use these bioceramic rings for the last cartridge? filter floss/carbon/bioceramic rings. Are these relaly needed or do they help?

 

[ReeferWarrant]

My LFS told me to use these bioceramic rings for the last cartridge? filter floss/carbon/bioceramic rings. Are these relaly needed or do they help?

Ceramic gives you more surface area for the bacteria to host

 

[TankYou]

Chamber 1 - heater and the coral life air stone skimmer.

Chamber 2 - in tank media basket with dual layer filter floss sitting on top of cut to fit carbon pad and phosphate reducing pads (acurel makes these in sheets to cut for your application) chaeto next to the media basket with jbj magnetic fuge light, you can put filter floss in opening between chamber 2 and 3 to help keep the chaeto in chamber 2. Have tried various things in lower sections of media basket but I’m too lazy to keep up with it so gave up. Changing phosphate pad causes skimmer to foam Up for a day.

return pump chamber 3.

I have the Tunze skimmer in another tank and consider it trash. Prefer the coral life one.

 

[ReeferWarrant]

Chamber 1 - heater and the coral life air stone skimmer.

Chamber 2 - in tank media basket with dual layer filter floss sitting on top of cut to fit carbon pad and phosphate reducing pads (acurel makes these in sheets to cut for your application) chaeto next to the media basket with jbj magnetic fuge light, you can put filter floss in opening between chamber 2 and 3 to help keep the chaeto in chamber 2. Have tried various things in lower sections of media basket but I’m too lazy to keep up with it so gave up. Changing phosphate pad causes skimmer to foam Up for a day.

return pump chamber 3.

I have the Tunze skimmer in another tank and consider it trash. Prefer the coral life one.

Interesting on the Tunze, I always hear the opposite and especially on the air stone coralife one. I have the newer coralife one and it pulls stuff out so I'm not mad at it.

 

[tanked4u]

I have the Tunze skimmer and am happy with it.

A couple of times I have forgotten to turn it back on after a water change. Each time there was a noticable algae bloom after a couple of days.

Having said that, I don't get the heavy, thick skimmate you see from the full-size skimmers. It is more like dark/light brown water.

 

[ReeferWarrant]

I have the Tunze skimmer and am happy with it.

A couple of times I have forgotten to turn it back on after a water change. Each time there was a noticable algae bloom after a couple of days.

Having said that, I don't get the heavy, thick skimmate you see from the full-size skimmers. It is more like dark/light brown water.

Same here, the skimmate I notice is on the neck of the container though.

 

[ExpensiveSushi]

Interesting on the Tunze, I always hear the opposite and especially on the air stone coralife one. I have the newer coralife one and it pulls stuff out so I'm not mad at it.

Same here - running the Coralife v2 skimmer. Be interested to hear others experiences with the new design, as folks seemed pretty down on the previous version (airstone). I emptied the cup this AM but didn't snap a pic, will do so tomorrow.

For the Biocube crowd, I shared a DIY cooling solution in the nano reef forum. Probably could have located it in a better place. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-cooling-solution-biocube-32.738316/

 

[wonroc]

My nano tunze skimmer kicks butt. Ill use it maybe one or 2 days a week for 24 hours. Everytime i empty the container its full with a gross tea. Im confident in it and it definetly gets garbage waste out of the system. I dont use it everday because i dose phyto and reef roids.. With a water change every 2 weeks, were good.