Bio Cube Owner's Thread

[Luna81]

So, I have some salinity issues. Am currently slowly bringing it back down. I think maybe I wasn't topping off enough. So, how much do you guys top off with ro in a day? (Stock hood)

 

[Octoberfest]

I have a Sunpod 150W metal halide fixture so my entire tank is open. I'd figure I'm losing a lot more water per day than I would with a stock hood and I'd guess I don't lose more than 1 gallon a week.

 

[chrismunn]

i only have to top off about 1cup per week or so in my stock bc14

 

[Crozure]

awsome looking Nanos

 

[jmadison]

I would pull the grate not push, but whatever it takes. I just gavve it a firm tug and it came out no prob. As for the the restricted flow I would have to disagree. I don't mean pack it tight, just put some down there; I have not noticed ANY restriction in flow. That blue sponge that is removed restricted it more IMO. Also LR with light does just the same as LR without light. Its breading grounds for pods and is natural filtration, it has NOTHING to do with light.

Luna- You should get your salinity back in line then make a note of exactly where your water level is. Then every day( I do every morning AND night) just add RO water until you are back to your noted line. Your salinity 'should' be exactly back to normal.

 

[Luna81]

I have it back down to 1.025.. Still need to get it down a tad. I think I thought I was topping off enough, and I wasn't. Maybe I'll get a wipe off marker and mark the level so it'll be easy for me to know.

 

[jmadison]

Luna- !.025 isn't actually that bad, especially if you have any SPS. I guess your salanity is dependent on your inhabitants. I just make a habit of checking in the AM and adding a bit, and then in the PM again, this keeps it a bit more stable then just adding a bunch at one time.

 

[Luna81]

It was up to 1.031ish which wasn't good. So I'm probably okay to keep it where it's at? I don't have any SPS..well, wait..I have one very small frag of birdsnest. I have stock lights and have been told I can't keep SPS.

 

[cadillaking]

how good are those sapphire skimmers. who has the best price on them right now.

 

[2_zoa]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14283367#post14283367 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Luna81
So, I have some salinity issues. Am currently slowly bringing it back down. I think maybe I wasn't topping off enough. So, how much do you guys top off with ro in a day? (Stock hood)

My bio cube is about a cup a day with the stock hood. I run the lights 9 hrs a day. I also keep the front lid unlatched and the back lid is not attached just sitting in place. The canister filter I used to run has left holes in my back lid as well.

How are you running the rear chambers? At stock levels?

There is already marks on the side to let you know how the level is in the tank.

 

[Luna81]

Middle chamber has Tunze Skimmer, so I'm running the level a little under it's water line now.

 

[jmadison]

luna- I am running the saphire skimmer, but I keep my water level at the top of the little window on the side. It is well above the max fill line, but for my skimmer I have found that at the top of the little window it works best.

 

[tor101898]

has anyone here modded their BC8 witha different pump and which one?

 

[Megg0602]

 

[Rickinferno]

Nice tank Megg0602! How many Watt is that light?

 

[forddna]

Has anyone owned/tried BOTH the Tunze 9002 skimmer and the Sapphire? I'm curious about performance, ease of getting it dialed in initially, and how conspicuous each of them is. I'm keeping my hood, so I prefer the most inconspicuous skimmer.

 

[Octoberfest]

You know I wish I had the fundage to get one of each and do an average joe test of all the skimmers together. It would be nice to see the results of all the skimmers built for nano tanks from the same set up, same stocking, same feeding schedule, etc. I've had my tank setup since November and I'm doing water changes every other week simply because I have no idea which skimmer to buy. I'm not going to spend the money on the saphire skimmer when I could get the same results out of a biocube skimmer.....who knows...LOL

 

[jmadison]

Having owned BOTH the BC skimmer and the Sapphire, I can say there is a HUGE difference there. Not to mention you have to replace that stupid wooden stone in the BC every month to even get the littlist amount of actual skimmate sludge(as opposed to just tea water). There is no way I would switch back to BC IMO. Honestly I look at the BC skimmer as a 30 dollar air pump, as thats all I ever use it for anymore.

I havent used the Tunze, so I can not speak on them.

 

[jmadison]

Oh and the Sapphire will work under the hood with NO modification(although I am not running a hood).

 

[firebirdude]

Im using the Sapphire with the hood. Fits fine.

How much skimmate do you get out of it? How dark are we talking here?