Biocube 32 - filtration

[Stickboy97]

So I've been asking lots of questions about different nano set-ups... and finally bought a used Biocube 32. It already has upgraded LEDs in the hood & a bluefish controller.... now I need some info on the filtration in the back.

The tank I purchased has a single intank media rack, with purigen, chemipure & chaeto in the bottom + a jbj nano light.

Is this the best set-up? I see lots of people use these same items.

Currently I have a 40g B sitting on the floor in my office (outside of my 105g). In it I have a about 50 lbs of live rock and about a 3 gallon bags worth of chaeto floating in it, nothing else. I have an old paper filter Magnum canister pump, mainly to filter out large particles & this tank has been running strong for over a year.... simple.

I want this biocube to also be simple. So, do you really need the chemipure & purigen? If I add a ton of live rock, new sand seeded from my 105g, and take everything out of chamber 2 & just add chaeto... will that work?

thx

 

[Stickboy97]

Also, watched a video online where a guy had chaeto in chamber 1, then a media basket with the pure & chemi, then it flowed out chamber 3. That looked like a solid set-up as any loose chaeto would be caught in the basket in ch 2, before getting to ch 3 & sucked up by the pump.

Thoughts?

 

[AlSimmons]

I would just use the live rock/sand from your existing tank and keep the media rack empty. Do regular water changes, blast the rocks with a powerhead, maybe stir up your sand every now and then and monitor your levels. If all is well your set, but there's no shame in adding GFO/GAC/Purigen etc later on if need be.

Btw when you do do a water change and really stir things up you might want to add a sponge or perhaps some filter floss to that media rock for a few hours. Once the water becomes clear go ahead and remove it.

 

[ahuaia]

I would just use the live rock/sand from your existing tank and keep the media rack empty. Do regular water changes, blast the rocks with a powerhead, maybe stir up your sand every now and then and monitor your levels. If all is well your set, but there's no shame in adding GFO/GAC/Purigen etc later on if need be.

Btw when you do do a water change and really stir things up you might want to add a sponge or perhaps some filter floss to that media rock for a few hours. Once the water becomes clear go ahead and remove it.

I don't know that just seams like poor planning. Yes you should be doing water changes and all that and it can be used as your only source of filtration but why would you purposefully gut out all the equipment that is probably helping even if only a little (and arguably helping more then just a little).

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[AlSimmons]

I kind of look at reefing like chess. If an absolutely stunning tank can be achieved in say 5 moves as opposed to 10 then why not? Less is definitely more sometimes. If all that stuff helps you sleep better at night though then by all means go right ahead, but I think the more experience you get you'll learn to bypass some of it and still be golden.

 

[rockhead51]

I run a heater in skimmer in #1, the stock rack with floss on top, then a bag of purigen, then a bag of Phosguard, and then two bags of matrix on the bottom, and then my ATO stuff in 3.

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[Stickboy97]

I like to try to stay as natural and uncomplicated as possible. I know smaller tanks aren't quite as stable as larger ones, but that 40 isn't much bigger than this 32.

However, I know there have been lots of people running these biocubes for a long time. Just looking for ideas on what works.

This will be a low bioload tank. 1 clown maybe a goby & nems & zoas.

Thats it.

 

[ReefWreak]

For a simple setup, I'd use rock and sand from an established tank, and chaeato in the back, and call it a day. I wouldn't mess with the carbon and purigen and basket this or that.

I ran a reasonably successful 29g SPS biocube for almost 4 years until I crashed it recently in a move because I'm an irresponsible adult. A few strategies that I tried and liked, in preference order: grow algae in chamber 2, huger skimmer in chamber 2, marinepure block in chamber 2.

I think my best success was shining a light from outside the tank into the second chamber, let algae grow on the walls of the chamber, and every two weeks when it's water change time, scrape down the walls, siphon out of that chamber for the water change, and then it grows back again.

The skimmer worked well, though it is a beast of a skimmer, and requires emptying it (Aquamaxx WS-1). The marinepure was okay, but I think the addition of air/water mix from a skimmer is overall more helpful in the tank.

I didn't bother running carbon or purigen in my nano, and never felt lacking. Nanos were just a lot of work, especially when they're flourishing. My tank crashing was a blessing and a curse. I can't wait to fill a new tank with SPS again.

 

[Stickboy97]

Thanks @Reefwreck I've seen pics of your tank & it was nice.

I think I going to try just a fuge in the back (no skimmer) and see how it goes.

 

[reef cuber]

I have the same tank, I filled the center and right chamber with live rock. the right has the heater. The center chamber has the rack installed with a center shelf. Live rock in the bottom, charcoal and other additives in bags on the center rack and on the top rack, I tore apart the filter pack, and just use the plastic basket. I lay a piece of floss on top of it. The floss needs to be changed frequently. I like the idea of stuffing as much live rock in the back as I can. I also have an air stone in the back chamber to up the oxygen levels. But I wonder if that only serves to help the cyano thrive. tough to balance a small tank.

I previously used the filtration method with a bunch of sponges, but then was having nitrate issues. I still have nitrate issues with the newer system, but I haven't been doing this long, and been bad about getting water changed on a reg basis.

 

[ReefWreak]

Happy to help Stickboy97. Thanks for the compliment

I wouldn't mess with additional rubble rock back there. It'll all collect detritus and be a huge pain to clean out. I think a big key in my success is not letting anything collect anywhere (though in removing my sand bed after 4 years, I know where some things settled) to break down and become waste. High flow, big skimmer, siphoning out of back chambers. I think those really helped my success, not to mention kept things simple.

In my new build I'm using a lot less rock than I normally would, and I'm hoping that it gives more swimming space for my fishes and more growth room for my corals. I don't think that people's issues are not enough liverock. Oxygenation might be a concern if you don't have good flow, a skimmer, or a refugium in back, but even then I bet it's pretty overblown.

 

[Stickboy97]

Spent the last couple of days setting up the tank & breaking down my 40g.... what a pain!

Found out the break out board for the bluefish has a bad channel & I have a couple of LEDs out. Ordered new from Rapid & should be able to finalize the set-up Monday.

Set it up with chaeto in ch1, but I don't think I like that. Looking at the design of the chambers I have another questions...

How do you keep stuff from settling at the bottom of ch 1. It just looks like the design is going to hold waste.