The Ultimate 30-37 gallon cube thread!

[RocketSeason]

Well,

I am starting to get a little lost and trying to keep up with 3 different conversations going on at once on 3 different hijacked threads is giving me a headache. So I decided to start a thread dedicated to 30-37 gallon cube tanks!

Now we have one central place to all gather and talk tanks. I hope this thread takes off, but If you would all rather keep it the way it was, I understand.

So, to start things out, I am a bit confused about overflows and return pumps. Pick out some good equipment for me.

 

[RamManOK]

I am drilling the back of my 30 cube and putting in an internal overflow. I am going to use either my Mag 7 or 9.5 as a return pump depending on the return flow (my stand is 43" tall to bottom of the tank). What are you confused about? ?Which type to go with?

Tom

 

[moga]

why overflow?..

i don't have overflow in my 37 G tank..
about 2 years..i haven't had any problem with it..
well i know you need to have hang-on skimmer..

except that i don't have any problem with it..

 

[RocketSeason]

I am having problems with cyano and hair algea, so I am wanting a fuge.

be careful drilling, I think that the sides of the cubes are temperd. I know the bottom is.

 

[sknoch78]

The Oceanic cubes only have a tempered bottom, the sides are fine to drill. At least this is what Oceanic told me when I inquired about my 30 cube.

 

[RamManOK]

that is what they told me too in an email I got from them.

 

[TigerWoods]

I am having problems with cyano and hair algea, so I am wanting a fuge.

Rocket how many fish do you have and how often to you feed? I had some problems before and it was due to using RO water and not RO/DI and overfeeding. Also I upgraded flow in the tank which cyano hates. During this time I did 10g water changes a week and skimmed wet to make tea. I had to scrub the rocks to get the hair off and I sucked up the cyano with a tube. It will get better. I also have no fuge. I might add one just so I dont have to go through the battle again.

 

[RocketSeason]

My setup is in my sig.

what all do you folks keep in your cubes? do you like the dimensions of a cube of that size?

I like it, Its nice and deep and not so wide that the lighting needs are rediculous.

 

[RocketSeason]

I am having some problems with heat. Does a small sump really do that much for heat control?

-Matt

 

[skyfireblaze]

What are the temps (tank and room) getting up to?

Do you have any fans or anything on the tank? IMO (no experience yet, just a lot of research), a small sump with a fan for additional evaporation can help a lot, but then an auto-top off becomes even more valuable.

 

[RocketSeason]

I am getting room temps of up to 75-77 degrees. Tank temps usually hover at between 79.5-81.5 degrees. But it can and does shoot up to 83 degrees, and even up to as high as 85.9 degrees!

yikes!

I have a glass canopy on my tank to keep my Purple firefish in. I am a bit scared to move to egg crate because I am not sure that could keep her in.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Rocket, with that glass top - is there any openings at all? I'd be concerned with gas exchage limitations.

 

[skyfireblaze]

I wouldn't worry about the 81 deg temps (I keep mine at 80.5 anyways), but 83+ is worth worrying about. I'd see what you can do with / without that glass top.

 

[RocketSeason]

I have some openings in the back for my skimmer, canister intake and output. I have quite a bit of churning of the suface of the water because my output is right on the surface.

I have not seen any damage done from anything that I would relate to gas exchange.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Good to hear.

 

[TigerWoods]

Rocket sounds like a catch22. Removing the glass top will solve your heat problem. I guess its either egg crate or a chiller.

 

[RocketSeason]

Just trying to keep this thread going.

I have been having trouble the last few months with my Coraline algea. It seems to be Dieing off. any ideas on how to keep it growing heathy? I dose with Calcium Daily and do regular water changes.

 

[TigerWoods]

To get the thread boosted maybe people can post current tank specs (go beyond signatures), pics, and list future mods or livestock. I need to take some more pics so maybe you can start rocket.

 

[tito]

Here is my 37 in progress:

 

[RocketSeason]

cool! so you drilled your overflow into the side?