homer1475's Biocube 29 Build Thread

ya> soulpatch has found the answer from sc.

Get their 90 gallon tank its exactly what you need. Or you can get

http://www.glasscages.com/?sAction=ViewCat&lCatID=2

their 95 gallon tank
95 -3 Wide Buy This Online36 x 24 x 25 Tall $451

you can get it in starfire glass. Not sure if tempered is not good? what is benefits...why you didn't want it....why its on the bottom side of the deep blue models.

SC or Glasscages might be only companies that can do it besides doing a custom elsewhere for higher costs probably.

My vote goes to SC with the center overflow...
I'd call haggle on price...pay no shipping and pay no taxes is a huge benefit. Make a geal to get a stand from them too.
 
I guess I didn't look around that hard, just looked at the pics and not actual tank spec. They all looked like cubes in their pictures.

Looking like I might go with the 66G PNP system. RR tank, cabinet and sump for 200$ more then just the tank. Thanks for sending me back there soul!
 
Couple of things Homer.

1. Ask that you get a model with 3 holes drilled in the overflow as this allows you to run the herbie and pass through the return line in the overflow OR run the return over the back of the tank and run a bean animal.

2. Make sure he sends metric bulkheads. I still wasnt a huge fan of theirs so I did order new ones from BRS but I have heard they changed stock of bulkheads last month and many on the FB group like them.

3. Call and talk to Steve. He will give you better price then you see listed on the site. Chances are instead of $200 more you might actually pay less.... You might actually get the 90 gallon system for same price you see the 66G unit for...

4. Normally I would say you would save money getting your own stand but not in this case since he throws in the sump and everything. You will most likely flip out all of the plumbing to standard but it is a sweet deal. I would ask him to give you the exact measurements of the interior of stand so you know what space youhave. I believe that these sumps eat up most of the space in the stand for these smaller tanks (not a bad thing but you only have so much real estate) Just make sure you are prepared to house your ATO container or such elsewhere if needed.

5. There is a FB group where people put up pics of their setups as well as a few build threads on here. I suggest you check them out.

Here is one for a 90 http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2552511
Here is a 60 where he got the 3 holes drilled: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2549760
 
That 90 gallon build soulP is awesome! I WISH I had 36 inch width to work with, I'd get the sc 90 in a heartbeat. It's perfect. That guy has good equipment and the xr30 pro like me! I love mine. My motto for aquariums these days is get the biggest tank that fits and buy the best equipment that fits the setup. I hadn't heard of sc before this thread but ill remember it if we buy a new house or for recommendations to others.
 
So just got off the phone with SC Aquariums, unfortunately their out of stock until march 15 on the 66G, but the new tanks will have 3 drilled hole stock, and a larger overflow to accommodate a return if you decide to go with the herbie style. I got one hell of a deal I simply couldn't pass up(since its the first tank of their new design, he gave it to me for 689$ and free S&H) So I ordered the tank and will have to wait until march for it.

I totally agree on the stand size(slightly small for my taste), but for what your getting in their PNP systems(drilled tank, stand, sump, and skimmer)for that price I couldn't even buy just the tank.

I did ask abut room once the sump is in place, and I was told that it fills the cabinet. So I'm either going to build my own stand, or just build a sidebar to the stand for all the electronics and other things.
 
Now that I measure it up, I'm thinking 2 sidebars. One for an ATO bucket and dosing pumps/containers, and the other for dry goods and Apex stuff. It would also give me 2 seats to view from.

This also puts me over my 40" limit set by my wife, but now that I have her thinking 2 seats also, were playing with the idea of putting it in a different area of the living room so I'm not so constricted on space and will have an additional 20" on each side.

And NO, just because I have the extra space, doesn't mean I'm getting a bigger tank. lol 95 gallons total volume will be the largest tank I've ever owned, fresh or salt. Besides it's already ordered!
 
Bah Steve can change the order for you super easy. I should seriously get a referral bonus from him for as many people I have sent his way...

They have ottomans that are hollow so you could put gear in there without worrying about buying something and use them to put your feet up as you watch the tank.
 
Put up a pic of your room. And then we can see these two areas. Didn't realize you had room for chairs. I also didn't know the stand was smaller than the tank dimensions - that seems a bit weird. Maybe that's why the other thread the guy built his own for the 90. What I would do if it's cheaper price for set, is sell the stand, make or buy a different one. I'd kill for more cabinetry space. KILL :) and if my wife saw anything next to cabinet she would kill....me ;

I've never heard of someone putting seats next to the tank. Interesting concept.
 
champion6sigma said:
Put up a pic of your room. And then we can see these two areas. Didn't realize you had room for chairs. I also didn't know the stand was smaller than the tank dimensions - that seems a bit weird. Maybe that's why the other thread the guy built his own for the 90. What I would do if it's cheaper price for set, is sell the stand, make or buy a different one. I'd kill for more cabinetry space. KILL :) and if my wife saw anything next to cabinet she would kill....me ;

I've never heard of someone putting seats next to the tank. Interesting concept.
Click to expand...
It's not that the stand is smaller then the tank, it's plenty big enough, it's when you add the sump there is no room for anything else. The stand is 32", and sump is 29", that's 3 inches to spare. just enough to get your finger in and loose something. lol
 
In this space I have 52" between the end of the cabinet and TV stand.



And this is where we wanted to put it, 40"
 
Those are both the same room?

Unless you have a canopy contraption built you will get some serious light bleed hitting your TV if you place the tank next to it. Plus , now I understand why the 2 feet length (front to back) is not ideal for you ....I'm thinking the tank will stick out much further than your entertainment center on top pic...plus at the bottom pic. , and the bottom ....its hard to grasp what is infront of that wall (seating, etc..). What is on the tiled area? That door leads to a bathroom and what is the seating or space in front of that wall on bottom picture?

The perfect spot for an aquarium is where your TV is at!

Also , the new tank ...if used at the top pic will stick up much higher than your biocube.....and you will see just a black back to it with wires probably from that other room....is that a kitchen? Is there another tank in there ...looks like some sort of water in the top picture in background...
 
In fact without a canopy you will have light bleed into the room (dinette or kitchen) also.

That was a big change for me....from red sea max where the light was nicely contained...and it was full illumination into the glass...to having lighting above the tank not enclosed.

To the top of my current tank glass rim its around 55 or 56 inches. To the top of my radion..its another 10 so like 65 inches or so. My current tank is flanked by a wall to the side of it and a wall behind it. Light can only bleed two directions....and its fairly minimal by choosing a good light with the right optic angles and keeping it a smart distance from the water height. Our tv has a niche built into house so tank light can never hit it regardless of brightness I put it on.

Based on what I'm seeing..I'm liking the bottom area better. Plus you have a tiled section for wet work.

Light bleed, and the view of back of the new tank from your backroom are the reasons I guess.
 
Top picture is a peninsula cabinet that breaks up the living room from the kitchen/dining room. Good eye! the water you see is a 20G FW tank I have sitting on that cabinet.

Never thought about the light bleed, I have none with the biocube. Maybe next to the TV isn't such a great idea.

The other area is just a blank wall my wife has one of the extra dining room chairs sitting there. The tiled area is a pellet stove. I can fit the tank in that area(reason for the 40" restriction in the first place), I just have no room for all the "extras" that go with a reef tank. You would have to walk past the tank to get into the bathroom. My house is laid out kind of weird. One main room with the kitchen/dining room off one side, spare bedroom/fish room, on another wall, bathroom adjacent to the master bedroom which is on another wall. When yoy walk out my bedroom, I would be staring at the side of the tank.
 
homer1475 said:
Top picture is a peninsula cabinet that breaks up the living room from the kitchen/dining room. Good eye! the water you see is a 20G FW tank I have sitting on that cabinet.

Never thought about the light bleed, I have none with the biocube. Maybe next to the TV isn't such a great idea.

The other area is just a blank wall my wife has one of the extra dining room chairs sitting there. The tiled area is a pellet stove. I can fit the tank in that area(reason for the 40" restriction in the first place), I just have no room for all the "extras" that go with a reef tank. You would have to walk past the tank to get into the bathroom. My house is laid out kind of weird. One main room with the kitchen/dining room off one side, spare bedroom/fish room, on another wall, bathroom adjacent to the master bedroom which is on another wall. When yoy walk out my bedroom, I would be staring at the side of the tank.
Click to expand...

That sounds like you very limited on what you can put in and where you can put it.....which was my dilemma.

Anythings possible....even the front space by the TV but with todays current lighting systems, many aren't designed to be retrofitted into an enclosed space. Mine, the radion, has its fan underneath....but I think the xr15 has the fan on top! They all are designed to efficiently disperse heat.....but that engineering is nulled by enclosing them tightly. If you were to get a tank which had a matching top canopy and bottom brown cabinetry wood , which looks like would go well with your decor....and isn't too overwhelming to your entertainment center....that could possibly work. Everything looks different once its "in" I had that problem when picking out furniture in home. Just because our sectional "fits" in the space and measured OK, I was shocked once it was delivered and put in home...its substantially makes room feel tiny and smaller than before. Same might happen with your top picture since the audio video area is a big size piece and then the tank would be also...especially if you have all the toys to the sides, or necessary equipment.

Being near the bedroom entrance isn't so bad...or any high traffic area...ours is near the entrance to our bedroom too (our bedroom is accessed through our main living) and I love seeing it from our living/dining...or coming in out of bedroom. we have an open floor plan.

Those pics put everything in perspective....its so easy for all of us to say go with the 95...but with the room setup you have...width and length are big factors...i recommend taking some tape and taping off where it will be on the ground based on the dimensions...helps with the visual...make sure to add in some space behind tank and to sides for the powerheads...outlet or wires...I think you did make the right choice with the 66 gallon. Since they are not available, I'd still take a little time to see if there are some other options as far as canopy/stand...and then doing research on lighting that can work in them...(i'm good at second guessing my decisions, third, and fourth guessing too) but if you stick with the SC, you can surely make the 66 work and you have a myriad of possibilities on lighting or DIY options to modify your setup to work in your space. I like the design of the SC tanks...I didn't look at the stands. A big sump is good! not for room it takes....but mine takes up most of stand.....but I know it can hold all the water possible in my overflow and much more so I have some piece of mind. Also...once I added the vectra, a huge skimmer, and all the other stuff which takes up room...it still has the capacity....so I feel good knowing my sump is biggest possible that could be put into the stand....i have to partially dissassemble my skimmer just to remove to clean.

as far as the light bleed...theres always going to be some if its not enclosed..LED's are great because they are very directional...depending on the lens they can be like spotlight or slightly wider....but always downward. I haven't really experienced any of the Newest tube systems...or the german ones I like. I know some use tubes and LED's. I don't really know how they look suspended above the tank and how the light spreads. in youtube videos most people seem to suspend the long tube fixtures. The puck lights or smaller ones like radion or hydra, etc.... they are light weight and have more mounting options.
 
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OK after using aiptasia X for the first time, I can say it works wonderfully. I it also works quite well on green palys. The ones I squirted it on are all shriveled up and dying, and some are already totally gone. I'll post some pics later today when I get home.
 
These palys were totally encroaching on that zoa frag. Some have already melted away, and the others don't look so well. Also had an aiptasia right next to the blueberry star polyps, also gone now.



I had 2 polyps sticking out the bottom of this rock, gone now. Just the stalks remains.



Whats nice about the aiptasia X, unlike Kalk paste, they never close up! So they end up ingesting it which makes them implode and die.
 
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From threads I've read, I think where people go wrong with it, is they actually try and inject it into the aiptasia. If you read the instructions and follow them(it tells you to just squirt it around the oral disk so it closes up on the needle, then cover the entire oral disk), they actually implode.
 
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