HS Biology 32g Biocube build

[Katrina71]

How do you like your media basket? If you had it to do all over again would you buy another one?

Yes yes yes. The fuge too.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Yes yes yes. The fuge too.

Well, guess I'm spending more money! Thanks! Where did you order from?

 

[Katrina71]

Well, guess I'm spending more money! Thanks! Where did you order from?

InTank. He also sells on eBay for the same price.

 

[Katrina71]

Please post ANY and ALL needs for the tank.

 

[MTBake]

At some point during the year I plan on getting water from a nearby canal or using tank water when it’s more established and having the kids look at it under the microscopes

Very cool! We did the same. It was an extra curricular class that I took after regular school hours. I'm still in touch with Mr. Swick today, and I graduated 21 years ago. I volunteer for waterway clean ups regularly with Gary to this day. He was one of a small group of teachers that really influenced the way I thought and looked at the world. Looking back at it, those lessons are priceless to me.

Kudos to you for doing this!

 

[Katrina71]

Do y'all already have food?

 

[Miamialum620]

Do y'all already have food?

This is what I have for food so far

 

[Miamialum620]

Here’s how the tanks looked when I came in this morning

 

[Katrina71]

@TL Reefs in case you need a beta tester...

 

[Miamialum620]

I’m looking to get a refugium light for the tank and was about to purchase the Innovative Marine Chaetomax but wanted to check with you guys if you had a different recommendation. I see several different ones on Amazon that are about half the cost of the Innovative Marine but not sure on the effectiveness of them.

 

[Miamialum620]

Had the kids test the tank (which could’ve been a lesson on following instructions) and all the parameters are great. The tank is ready for livestock but I want to set up the refugium and establish the pod population (thanks again to @AlgaeBarn) before I start adding fish or coral. What do you guys think?

 

[cmcoker]

Did you add an ammonia source to the Biocube ?

 

[Miamialum620]

Did you add an ammonia source to the Biocube ?

I added a starter that is supposed to aid in the cycling of the tank which worked a lot faster than I was expect.

I finally plugged in and programmed the lights. Looks a lot brighter than I was expecting, all the other times I’ve seen the biocube was on YouTube or this forum.

 

[imarkspeed]

O k hi l

 

[madadium]

What a great project to inspire kids, especially at such an influential age!

I spent a couple months planning my biocube 32 before recieving it in July. My buildthread has all the upgrades I've settled on that have made my life a lot easier along with what I feel is missing. Best of luck and looking forward to seeing the progress!

 

[Miamialum620]

What a great project to inspire kids, especially at such an influential age!

I spent a couple months planning my biocube 32 before recieving it in July. My buildthread has all the upgrades I've settled on that have made my life a lot easier along with what I feel is missing. Best of luck and looking forward to seeing the progress!

Just read through your thread and that fuge basket info will be helpful.

Funny with high school aged kids how they try to play it cool as if they don’t care but I often catch them standing around an empty tank checking it out. Some kids even ask as soon as they walk in if they can feed the little fish I have in the freshwater tank. One student who is pretty quiet opened up about her stepfather’s 500 gallon tank that he’s currently in the process of building.

 

[Evan28395950]

Following

 

[Miamialum620]

My tank is running at 75.6 degrees without a heater. Do you think I can get away without having one?

 

[Katrina71]

I'd get a heater just to keep your temp consistent. Also nano glo on the InTank website is an excellent refugium light. I use it.

 

[Miamialum620]

Thank you to Vivid Creative Aquatics for the variable flow adapter. Super easy to install and still has the maneuverability of the stock adapter. Wasn’t able to attach a video file on the Tapatalk app but when I put my hand in front of it you can feel the variable flow.