Best Biocube Filter setup

[Rotorocious]

Best Biocube Filter setup

Is a reactor worth it? I'm just rediscovering this post and debating getting one.





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I'd say so. First time i ran carbon in mine i was shocked at how clear the water could look. I alternate running carbon/gfo in mine. It's a tight fit using the cpr media reactor (mini).

 

[blake2shay]

Best Biocube Filter setup

Does the reactor only replace using carbon or can it also replace using bagged Purigen

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[Rotorocious]

Does the reactor only replace using carbon or can it also replace using bagged Purigen

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Both ,possibly. You can run purigen in the reactor as well I think.
I run a mix of gfo and carbon. Nitrates and other levels are fine so far that I haven't needed to use purigen anymore

 

[Ron448]

I built a sump and a pvc pipe overflow for my 28 gallon nano cube and it's been working great for like 6 months now

 

[JoshInSF]

First thing first.... The biocube skimmer is junk and will cost you a lot of money buying those limewood airstones. I'm going to assume you followed the reefthuz video on youtube? I originally did also, until I had a huge nitrate problem, narrowed it down to the foam blocks. Ditched those and went with the intank basket, haven't had a nitrate problem since.

In My cube I have Aquaticlife 115 skimmer in chamber 1, Intank media basket with floss, purigen, and Seachem matrix media for my QT, and cobalt MJ1200 for the BRS minreactor in chamber 2. Chamber 3 has my heater, apex probes, dosing pump line, reactor return line, and return pump.

No need for a "filter" in a reef tank. All biological filtration takes place in your sand bed/live rock. You only need any chemical and mechanical filtration in the biocube chambers.

Homer - I followed the same video and just put the foam blocks in. What would cause Nitrate levels to rise with that setup? Any idea?

 

[soulpatch]

the foam causes it. It traps detrious instead of exporting anything unless you CONSTANTLY take them out to be cleaned and when that breaks down it mass produces nitrates.

 

[homer1475]

Soulpatch hit the nail on the head, so to speak.

 

[JoshInSF]

Soulpatch - your Avatar reminds me of what I'm doing in this new hobby!

OK sounds like they have to go. If I don't want to add a reactor, what's a good setup to use in the media tray? If I use the Polyfilter on top and put the Matrix BioMedia in a bag on a shelf of the existing media rack plus keep the Matrix Carbon at the exit of Chamber 2 would that be OK?

Also - I have a Biocube UV sterilizer. Is anyone using this and is it recommended or is it not needed?

As a noob, I just bought what the side of the Biocube box suggested...

 

[soulpatch]

Yes we all buy stuff without totally thinking it through. IE Homer just got a deal on a dosing unit at less then retail since I bought an entire set up, never used it in past 6 months, and decided to go another route. LOL.

The UV is decent but really not needed in this tank. I would return honestly if you could. for water clarity it is better to have a reactor then a uv for these...

 

[homer1475]

I personally would ditch the UV(its way to undersized to work properly anyways), and look into a reactor. BRS did a nice video on the difference between running carbon passively Vs. In a reactor. The difference will surprise you.

In media rack I ran, filter floss( changed out three times a week), carbon ( until I bought a reactor), and purigen.

Honestly I could have done away with the media rack once my tank was well established.

 

[JoshInSF]

I personally would ditch the UV(its way to undersized to work properly anyways), and look into a reactor. BRS did a nice video on the difference between running carbon passively Vs. In a reactor. The difference will surprise you.

In media rack I ran, filter floss( changed out three times a week), carbon ( until I bought a reactor), and purigen.

Honestly I could have done away with the media rack once my tank was well established.

Foam is out! Thanks for the heads up.

 

[LXXero]

I originally ran a bag of carbon in the bottom of the media rack, until I watched that video. I immediately ordered a reactor afterwards.

LOL I guess i wasn't the only one who did that. my 60cube now has a BRS deluxe reactor with rox0.8 in it, haha. they throw a good sales pitch don't they? lol.

I have a purigen reactor on my other tank. No carbon on that one right now. I did have a bag of carbon thrown in a filter sock for a while, but not anymore.

 

[GHD1959]

Trouble with Intank Basket in Biocube 14 by Coralife

Trouble with Intank Basket in Biocube 14 by Coralife

Changed out floss ..new 100ml purigen...took out carbon bag and tied small bag phosguard to shelf 2 in shelf 3....worked fine until this morning...water level building up over floss..continue to have this problem with floss water buildup with any type of floss on shelf 1..and ATO does add water to chamber 3 quite a bit...so it's still not going thru basket quick enough....

Have a Hydor rotating deflector but...Don't see how deflector or pump (Hydor 300 wide open) have anything to do with it.

Unless the deflector is limiting the amount of water it can pull thru it and it's not pulling from chamber 2 quick enough...that said then why would the level go down and the ATO have to add water frequently.

 

[Scurvy Dawg]

Changed out floss ..new 100ml purigen...took out carbon bag and tied small bag phosguard to shelf 2 in shelf 3....worked fine until this morning...water level building up over floss..continue to have this problem with floss water buildup with any type of floss on shelf 1..and ATO does add water to chamber 3 quite a bit...so it's still not going thru basket quick enough....

Have a Hydor rotating deflector but...Don't see how deflector or pump (Hydor 300 wide open) have anything to do with it.

Unless the deflector is limiting the amount of water it can pull thru it and it's not pulling from chamber 2 quick enough...that said then why would the level go down and the ATO have to add water frequently.

If you pull out your intank media basket altogether, remove the deflector and turn off your ATO are your water levels stable?

 

[GHD1959]

yes...also running micro bubbles at night.

 

[Jerseyjerry]

First thing first.... The biocube skimmer is junk and will cost you a lot of money buying those limewood airstones. I'm going to assume you followed the reefthuz video on youtube? I originally did also, until I had a huge nitrate problem, narrowed it down to the foam blocks. Ditched those and went with the intank basket, haven't had a nitrate problem since.

In My cube I have Aquaticlife 115 skimmer in chamber 1, Intank media basket with floss, purigen, and Seachem matrix media for my QT, and cobalt MJ1200 for the BRS minreactor in chamber 2. Chamber 3 has my heater, apex probes, dosing pump line, reactor return line, and return pump.

No need for a "filter" in a reef tank. All biological filtration takes place in your sand bed/live rock. You only need any chemical and mechanical filtration in the biocube chambers.

By any chance do u have a pic of the tank. I'm new to hobby (reef) and this week will be setting up my new 32 cube. Also have a brand new 210 with overflows waiting in the basement after I get goin on this 32. I want to do the reactor, that's three pic I'm interested in seeing how u have it reactor pump in tank. Thx!

 

[homer1475]

By any chance do u have a pic of the tank. I'm new to hobby (reef) and this week will be setting up my new 32 cube. Also have a brand new 210 with overflows waiting in the basement after I get goin on this 32. I want to do the reactor, that's three pic I'm interested in seeing how u have it reactor pump in tank. Thx!

There is a build thread somewhere in the anals of this forum for my biocube. Unfortunately though any pictures in it died when photobucket decided to hold everyone's photos ransom.

Basically the MJ pump was in chamber 3 with the actual reactor sitting on the shelf in the stand.