bio cube 14 reef setup...opinions welcome!!

[jazzmanb]

so i just got my bio cube 14 reef setup going....i have around 12-14 lbs. of cure purple live rock as well as a 2.5 inch sand bed...my cleaning crew consist of 10 asst. snails...1 emerald crab[this little dude is amazing, and is eating the little hair algae that i have.ill probably add 1 more..]2 pepermint shrimps...1 blue legged hermit...as for fish i have a pair of small percs...as for the filtration, i plan on hopefully going skimerless,with once a week water changes...i took out most of the bioballs from the wetdry and replaced with rock rubble...on top of the rubble i left 6 bioballs to help with killing the harmful gasses and it also helps oxygenize the tank,before it hits the rock[this was a trick my very knowledgeable freind told me]...on top of the balls goes the drip tray, and on top of the tray i have a thin layer of cheato,that is getting preet wet,though not fully submerged...theres also quite a bit of light back there from the reflecter...for corals i have a a few mushrooms,kenya tree,xenias etc...nothing too fancy....how is this setup? recomendations welcomed....thanks, brandon...

 

[wrott]

You may want to place the cheato in the main tank--between 2 rocks for better nutrient export.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

take out the bioballs. They're just gonna add nitrates eventually, and they're not "oxegenating" the tank. You get that from good surface agitation from powerheads (or return pumps) which is needed anyways to keep your pH up. And i wouldnt put the chaeto in the main display. Thats just gonna grow crazy and take over. Put it later in the wet dry (like maybe right before the return or somthing) and it'll be fine.

 

[scaryperson27]

Bioballs wont add nitrates if they are submersed.

 

[wrott]

And cheato will never take over a tank. sir_dudey doesn't know much. The macro will help in the main tank.

 

[scaryperson27]

Now if anything gets stuck in the bioballs, that is a different matter. If you decide to get them, i would submerse and wash them everyonce in a while. I don't have them but this is what i heard is the thing to do. Wet/dry filtration isn't that great because you have to clean out the matter in order to keep the tank out of cycle.