Bio Cube Owner's Thread

tralynne said:
Got a 14BC for Christmas and guess what? the center chamber came with no paint on the back. (the bioball area.) not sure if this is old news or not...i just know alot of people were using razor blade to scrape the paint off the back of that chamber.
Click to expand...

Congrats on your Christmas presant!!! I think Oceanic has been listening to their customers and are now doing that on all the new ones.
 
jkrentz2515 said:
Anyone know of any place that I can get a replacement splash shield for my bc29? I've called oceanic and they said I needed to find a local distributor and maybe they would be able to order it. I have had no luck with this approach.
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Try nanocustoms.com they carry replacement tops, they may have the splash guard as well.
 
I have owned my 29 BC for about 1 year and it seems to be having all sorts of small problems, was wondering if anyone else had these types of biocube issues! The fans worked (and where quiet) for about 8 months and then one died and now the other is really noisy but still spins. Will replace them in the long run but its very loud and ...well unpleasant! . Also the carbon filter, I have to lay on top of the bio-balls because if I put it in the slot it slows the water flow just enough so that the tank cannot work properly. I can still use the filter effectively but again, its annoying and gets in the way!
Has anyone else dealt with these problems in their BC?
 
salt4life8 said:
I have owned my 29 BC for about 1 year and it seems to be having all sorts of small problems, was wondering if anyone else had these types of biocube issues! The fans worked (and where quiet) for about 8 months and then one died and now the other is really noisy but still spins. Will replace them in the long run but its very loud and ...well unpleasant! . Also the carbon filter, I have to lay on top of the bio-balls because if I put it in the slot it slows the water flow just enough so that the tank cannot work properly. I can still use the filter effectively but again, its annoying and gets in the way!
Has anyone else dealt with these problems in their BC?
Click to expand...

Hi salt4life,

Yeah, the stock fans don't last long. I had to replace mine around the same time. Call Oceanic and tell them about your fans and they should send you replacements for free. They did for me when my fans went nuts. Unfortunatly, their fan supplier have not improved the quality of the fan so you may be better off getting replacement fans from nanocustoms.com or other venders. I read somewhere where a reefer got his fans from Radio Shack or an on line computer parts companys and had great results, more air volume movement and much quieter. As far as the carbon filter goes, you would be better off throwing it away, modify the overflow from chamber 1 into chamber 2 by cutting the remaining tab and pull the bioballs out as they are a nitrate factory in a salt water/reef tank. You can cut a piece of egg crate to fit in the top of chamber 2 and put filter floss on it to catch debris and replace it every other day or so. Make those changes and I think you will be much happier with your BC 29. HTH
 
Thinking about buying a 1 year old store display BC 8g ...with stand, skimmer and stock equiptement....around $250 -some corals and aiptasia(they will be removed with Joe's juice by the store)Not sure if the stock lights have been replaced yet, if not, will buy replacement ones ...tanks looks ok, needs some inhabitants...any ideas one or 2 small fish for a small tank-besides clowns-
Any issues I need to know- it is a display model, nice cabinet/stand and the store is very reputable- great service- healthy livestock....
Any figures on increase electric bill for this unit????Stock components.
If a big difference in electric cost, I will keep it at work, and not at home:)
I have a 6 year old established 20 gal reef at home and will use some rock to build up the 8 gal....
Thanks for the help.
 
megatsea said:
Thinking about buying a 1 year old store display BC 8g ...with stand, skimmer and stock equiptement....around $250 -some corals and aiptasia(they will be removed with Joe's juice by the store)Not sure if the stock lights have been replaced yet, if not, will buy replacement ones ...tanks looks ok, needs some inhabitants...any ideas one or 2 small fish for a small tank-besides clowns-
Any issues I need to know- it is a display model, nice cabinet/stand and the store is very reputable- great service- healthy livestock....
Any figures on increase electric bill for this unit????Stock components.
If a big difference in electric cost, I will keep it at work, and not at home:)
I have a 6 year old established 20 gal reef at home and will use some rock to build up the 8 gal....
Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't put more than 2 small fish in there. A small clown and a small yellow watchman goby or 2 small clowns. I've seen some other small colorful fish at the lfs in nanos but can't think of the name at the moment. Sorry. I would not expect to notice much of a difference in the electric bill. The pump and lights on the BC 8 is rather minimal. HTH
 
Thankyou for your reply. I am not a fan of keeping fish in small tank. I had a pair of clowns for 5 years, and they recently died in my 29 gal reef...they were fun and happy, but the 8 g is sooo small....I downsized since I only have the corals but miss some type of fishy movement, and want a small set up for the office....I will keep lurking and checking in as usual on RC to see what folks have...
maybe pass on the 8 gallon and go 14...it seems when I make up my mind...something here convinces me other wise...I did see a Fluval Edge in the lFS...very sweet...but it seemed I would need to make too many mods....
Thanks again for the suggestion.
 
megatsea said:
Thankyou for your reply. I am not a fan of keeping fish in small tank. I had a pair of clowns for 5 years, and they recently died in my 29 gal reef...they were fun and happy, but the 8 g is sooo small....I downsized since I only have the corals but miss some type of fishy movement, and want a small set up for the office....I will keep lurking and checking in as usual on RC to see what folks have...
maybe pass on the 8 gallon and go 14...it seems when I make up my mind...something here convinces me other wise...I did see a Fluval Edge in the lFS...very sweet...but it seemed I would need to make too many mods....
Thanks again for the suggestion.
Click to expand...

I have a BC 14 at my office and love it. Its the perfect size and set up and I only made a few mods to it. The only problem going bigger is that it could lead you down the road for needing the next bigger and better tank. I went from BC 14, to a 29, then a 10 (oops, wrong away :)) then a 45 FOWLR, and just put water in to my 180. I better stop at 180, my wife is threatening to bury me in it when I die!!! LOL

A BC 29 might be a good choice. Not to big, not to small. :)
 
Rhodes19 said:
Hi salt4life,

Yeah, the stock fans don't last long. I had to replace mine around the same time. Call Oceanic and tell them about your fans and they should send you replacements for free. They did for me when my fans went nuts. Unfortunatly, their fan supplier have not improved the quality of the fan so you may be better off getting replacement fans from nanocustoms.com or other venders. I read somewhere where a reefer got his fans from Radio Shack or an on line computer parts companys and had great results, more air volume movement and much quieter. As far as the carbon filter goes, you would be better off throwing it away, modify the overflow from chamber 1 into chamber 2 by cutting the remaining tab and pull the bioballs out as they are a nitrate factory in a salt water/reef tank. You can cut a piece of egg crate to fit in the top of chamber 2 and put filter floss on it to catch debris and replace it every other day or so. Make those changes and I think you will be much happier with your BC 29. HTH
Click to expand...

Hey thanks a bunch! Now that I think of it, My nitrates are high and the bioballs would make sense that they contribute. hmm.... Any other ideas about what I could put in the 2nd chamber instead of the bioballs? (aside from the actual filter) that would help with the nitrates?
 
2nd Chamber Refugium

2nd Chamber Refugium

I know this question has been asked and answered several times, I've even seen the answer I want in a thread, but can not for the life of me find it again...Can I get some diagrams/pictures of the layers some of you use to turn the 2nd chamber into a fuge.

Thank you
 
Transitioned all the 8g stuff into my new 14g finally. had the 14g set up with lace rock and sand for a few days to get all the salt mix dissolved and bring up the water temperature as well.

i liked the 8g but it was too tiny for my liking. i am digging the 14g so far. a nice nano that is not too small and not too large.

DSCN1097.jpg
 
salt4life8 said:
Hey thanks a bunch! Now that I think of it, My nitrates are high and the bioballs would make sense that they contribute. hmm.... Any other ideas about what I could put in the 2nd chamber instead of the bioballs? (aside from the actual filter) that would help with the nitrates?
Click to expand...

Water changes will be your best friend to help keep nitrates and phosphates down. Use a turkey baster, blast the rock to get the detritus into the water, syphon out the amount of water you want to change, and replace with new fresh salt water. As for chamber 2, Stevie T makes a nice media rack that you can put into chamber 2. I don't have one (yet) but I've read a lot of good reviews from those who do. You can put floss on top, cheato in the middle (for nitrate export), and your favorite carbon or chemical filtration substance at the bottom. Skimmers can help and you could put it into chamber 1, just don't get he Biocube one, from all reviews I've read, they don't work well. One other thing that will help with keeping nitrates down is to not over feed. I'm an over feeder but I can't help it. They see me and swim up to the front surface and look so pittiful, I can't help myself. My dog does the same thing and has me well trained. LOL Talking with folks who have been doing this longer than I have, they recommend feeding ever other day or 3 days a week. A lot of the nitrates and phosphates come in the foods and the stuff that doesn't get eaten contributes to more nitrates.

Well, I hope that helps. Didn't mean to be so long winded. :)
 
@tralynne -- NICE pic. What sand are you using? Its real white....
My BC 29 has been in use since they first ame out Years ago. Got Coraline all over th back wall, and stuff. I don't like the aquascaping but I keep playing and some day I will be happy. :)
I just added a UV sterilizer to try and clear things up for a while. Seems to make a clarity difference. But I have a hair algae issue that will not go away. Weekly water changes are allowing me to make headway though, that's my plan, keep changing the water. Nice tank, enjoy it.
 
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