My Rimless 14G Biocube SPS Reef

ReeferMadness80G · Sep 4, 2016

So In June my Biocube crashed and this is the recovery.
I'll ask questions along the way and if anyone can help me, that'd be great

I dose Calc, Alk, and Mag from reef grow.

This was before the crash

this pic was taken about 20 hours after the first one, I crashed hard.

this is a post crash rbta

I've had this green trumpet for a while, it survived the crash but looks like hell, I don't know if it will ever bounce back.

the two euphyllia on the right went through the crash and the big frogspawn in the back is post crash.

this guy is actually the starburst anenome you see at the top of the tank in the pre-crash photos. It seemed to lose all its tentacles and is now beginning to regrow them. Needless to say he is a crash survivor as well.
Thanks for looking! I'll take all advice and suggestions possible!

eliramos · Sep 4, 2016

love it

Elementalj · Sep 4, 2016

Sorry for the crash, but it looks like you've handled it well! ;-)

ReeferMadness80G · Sep 6, 2016

revhtree · Sep 7, 2016

Looking good!

ReeferMadness80G · Sep 7, 2016

revhtree said:
Looking good!

Thanks rev!

ReeferMadness80G · Sep 11, 2016

Ok guys, update on the Biocube.

Ca-500
Alk-9
Mg-1110
Phos-0
Nitrate-0
pH-8.1
Salinity-1.023
Temp-78 F

DustyXB9Reefer · Sep 12, 2016

Looks good! I did something similar with my return jet as well. Actually pretty much the same thing but I didn't use as much locline. What return pump are you using?

edit: Also, would you happen to have any pictures of how you did the rimless?

Elementalj · Sep 12, 2016

ReeferMadness80G said:
Ok guys, update on the Biocube.

Ca-500
Alk-9
Mg-1110
Phos-0
Nitrate-0
pH-8.1
Salinity-1.023
Temp-78 F

I'd say you're reaching "peak" recovery. Glad you've saved as many as you could because your tanks lookin fab!

ReeferMadness80G · Sep 12, 2016

DustyXB9Reefer said:
Looks good! I did something similar with my return jet as well. Actually pretty much the same thing but I didn't use as much locline. What return pump are you using?

edit: Also, would you happen to have any pictures of how you did the rimless?

I'm using the MJ1200 return pump. Make sure you get the cobalt MJ1200 not the Marineland Maxijet 1200. I read so many threads saying "don't try n take the rim off while the tank is running" or "it's hard and takes time and patience" honestly, I agree you should take your time but I completed mine in 30 min while it was running. I just started my cut just past chamber 3, even with the wall and I used a small saw (or something with teeth..steak knife etc) and I slowly made cuts one at a time in one direction, back towards me, as to not push any of the plastic back into the water. Once I got down to the glass, I put a new razor blade between the glass and the rim and slowly cut the silicone as I wiggled it making sure every few cuts I was getting higher up. Once I got a few inches of the rim off the glass I just pulled it up as I cut. Then cleaned the excess silicone off the glass with a razor blade and boom! Rimless! Just make sure you're careful and you should be fine

ReeferMadness80G · Sep 12, 2016

Elementalj said:
I'd say you're reaching "peak" recovery. Glad you've saved as many as you could because your tanks lookin fab!

Thank you! Took the better part of 3.5 months to cycle after the crash but I'm glad I can coral shop again!

ubasu · Sep 13, 2016

Did I miss where you posted what you think caused the crash? Just curious if you know why?

ReeferMadness80G · Sep 13, 2016

ubasu said:
Did I miss where you posted what you think caused the crash? Just curious if you know why?

Not sure if I posted why or not, it crashed bc I changed the substrate. I went from Hawaiian black to Tahitian Moon sand. I know EXACTLY how unbelievably stupid that was, at the time I had blinders on just bc I wanted the fine black sand so bad. It was a very bad mistake and it will never happen again. Lost everything but fish.

ubasu · Sep 13, 2016

Jeez thats rough.But it looks to be coming back well! How deep was the sand bed that your replaced?

ReeferMadness80G · Sep 13, 2016

ubasu said:
Jeez thats rough.But it looks to be coming back well! How deep was the sand bed that your replaced?

It may have been 2 inches give or take

DustyXB9Reefer · Sep 14, 2016

ReeferMadness80G said:
I'm using the MJ1200 return pump. Make sure you get the cobalt MJ1200 not the Marineland Maxijet 1200. I read so many threads saying "don't try n take the rim off while the tank is running" or "it's hard and takes time and patience" honestly, I agree you should take your time but I completed mine in 30 min while it was running. I just started my cut just past chamber 3, even with the wall and I used a small saw (or something with teeth..steak knife etc) and I slowly made cuts one at a time in one direction, back towards me, as to not push any of the plastic back into the water. Once I got down to the glass, I put a new razor blade between the glass and the rim and slowly cut the silicone as I wiggled it making sure every few cuts I was getting higher up. Once I got a few inches of the rim off the glass I just pulled it up as I cut. Then cleaned the excess silicone off the glass with a razor blade and boom! Rimless! Just make sure you're careful and you should be fine

I've been thinking about going rimless since I have the lid off anyway. I used the MJ900 probably should have used the 12 but oh well.