I’ve been reading other people’s posts for much too long without posting any of my own progress and experiences. So wanted to start a thread and will put some info on how it’s been going so far.
For starters I had done FOWLR tanks about 15 years ago and then stopped due to some life changes. My son got interested so we got a BioCube 32 last November and he is obsessed now. Have been trying to dial things in with it as a reef tank which has been a journey.
The Equipment Still In Use:
BioCube 32 & Stand
MightyJet 326 Return
2 x Hydor Koralia Nano 425
Cobalt Flat NeoTherm Heater
Acke Grow Light for Fuge
ADJ Power Bar
InTank Filter Floss
Phosguard
ChemiPure Elite
The Equipment I Gave Up On:
Coralife Protien Skimmer
Coralife Filter Cartridge
The Equipment I Wonder if I Should Get:
Inkbird Temp Controller
Steve’s LED light upgrade
MP10s
InTank Media basket & fuge
Sounds just like what happened to my family. I’m also a Biocube 32 owner. Great little tanks IMO. Here’s what I would suggest. Keep in mind, Im reading this post by post, so somethings may have already been explained or discussed already: don’t always use phosguard. Phosguard runs your phosphate levels to 0 which could be very bad. I would only recommend using phosguard when phosphates reach levels that are not in your normal and consistent range of levels or if it’s a number that’s high, like anything .2+. You could use a media reactor instead if you want to have something that would always be working. I know innovative marine sells one for AIO systems, but I’m yet to get one (probably soon). I saw you gave up on the coralife protein skimmer. If you gave up on the first one, I completely understand, but if you gave up on v2, why? I find my protein skimmer does a great job a keeping nitrates under control. If you gave up on it because it wasn’t acting right, it’s probably because it wasn’t given enough time to be broken in. Anyways, I’d like to know why. If you plan to keep the lid on, you don’t need the temp controller. As long as you have a reliable heater, which you do, and keep your AC at or around the same temperature, you’ll be fine. Do I think you need Steve’s LEDs? IMO, no. Others will say different but I have evidence on why. If you plan to keep a heavily SPS dominated tank, with acros, and other high light demanding corals, get Steve’s. If not, then don’t. If your Biocube lights say Biocube LED v3 on the light panel, and you don’t want high light demanding corals, then applies to you and you should not get Steve’s. This is an email sent to me by marineandreef.com:
We have a couple BioCubes here in the office so I can give you some feedback even though I don’t have a par meter here to let you know the actual values. In our BioCube 32 I have been able to grow easy SPS at the top. Corals like BirdsNest and Montipora but I have never felt the lighting is capable of growing Acropora.
Is this SPS Capable. Kinda. If you pick easy SPS and keep them near the top of the tank they can do well however I would not plan on setting up a BioCube as an SPS dominate display. The BioCube is meant to be a mixed reef.
Sorry I can’t give you more specifics I believe the PAR Chart from Coralife is accurate. You will get about 80 par 1ft down which is low but fine for softies. In the top 6in it is likely close to 200-250 par which is fine for easy SPS.
You don’t need MP10 unless you want high flow demanding corals. I have a Jebao OW-10. Check out the Jebao powerheads anyways. They’re a good investment that will save you a lot of money compared to the MP10s. I don’t have an in tank media basket/fuge basket but I want one bad. The Biocube trays in the back are very difficult to deal with, especially for putting filter floss on top every time you need to replace.
Here is some info on what is residing in the tank.
Fish:
Pair of clowns. Was told they are mochas but they are almost all black at this point
Diamond Goby
Coral Beauty Angel
Banggai Cardinal
Inverts:
Coral Banded Shrimp
Emerald Crab
Blue Leg Hermits
Mexican Turbo Snail
Dwarf Cerith Snails
Nassarius Vibex Snails
Nerite Snails
Corals I Know Name of:
Fuzzy Green Mushroom
Devils Hand
Red Disco Mushroom
Birds Nest
Mystery Corals:
Some kind of brain
Some kind of soft branching tree like one
Some kind of hard branching one
Clownfish darken as they age. Mochas will be almost completely black fully matured. As much as I, and everyone else with a Biocube 32 would want to, angelfish need a bigger tank. I would not recommend putting one in there because of aggression and other possible issues that may arise. Be careful with emerald crabs. They do a great job at eradicating bubble algae, but after that, they can be harmful to your corals. If you provide some pictures of the corals you want, we could ID them for you. Just post it somewhere on the forums and someone will get back to you.
I hope this helps. Good to have another Biocube owner in the community. Good luck!
