Oceanic 29 gallon Biocube build

[drdude05]

Hi everyone. I wanted to take a minute to post the details of my new nano build. I'm working on an Oceanic 29BC to replace the 20H I was keeping as part of the nano build off. The 20H was supposed to become a seahorse tank but continual temperature issues have forced me to abandon the project. I was initially going to put together a new 20H complete with sump and upgraded equiment, but I happend across a BC29 for a great price and couldn't pass it up. I have detailed what I have accomplished on my build so far in my nano buildoff thread.

http://thereeftank.com/forums/http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f233/the-29-gallon-biocube-build-92569.html

Please comment.

[hng]

Looks good!

[drdude05]

I thought I would go ahead and move the details over to these thread to make them easier to find.

I picked up an Oceanic 29 gallon Biocube over the weekend and I am thinking of trying the horse tank again. Either that or possibly a softy reef. Anyway, I have several mods planned for the tank.

1. Remove all the bioballs from the second filtration chamber and mod it to fit a Tunze 9002 DOC skimmer.

2. Upgrade the 243 gph stock pump to a 350 gph Rio 6HF and lose the 90 degree fitting on the return. Will plumb with flex tubing directly from the pump to the return fitting. I'm hoping I won't lose much flow with eliminating the 90 degree elbow.

3. I'm thinking of adding loc line 1/2" to the return and split it with a Y fitting. One arm will have the 1 1/4" flare nozzle pointed at the surface for aggitiation, the second arm will be fitted with a Hydor Flo to create random water current.

4. Will take out the false floor in chamber 1 to make it bigger, and use it to house my 100W stealth heater.

I'm planning on having a shallow sand bed and using either Fiji or tonga rock for the display. Haven't worked out the stocking list yet.

[drdude05]

Ok, after some investigation, here is the current parts list for the BioCube.

Tunze 9002 DOC skimmer
Rio 6HF pump
Hydor Flo
Stealth 100W heater
1/2" Loc Line Y fitting
1/2" Loc Line
1/2" Loc Line 1 1/4" flare nozzle

It looks like the grated bottom of chamber one is indeed removable. Thus, I'll be removing it to make room for the Stealth heater. I have also found a 9W UV sterlizer that will fit into this chamber along with the heater. Any suggestions as to weather or not it would be benifical to add a UV sterlizer to the system?

I plan to remove all the bioballs from chamber two and mod the chamber to fit the Tunze 9002 DOC. After reading about this particular skimmer, I have found that it seems to be sensitive to the water level as far as tuning it for optimal skimming. I plan to add an ATO system to maintain proper water levels for optimal skimming. I'm still trying to decide weather to use a five gallon bucket, or an AGA 5 1/2 gallon tank as the reservoir. Both will fit, its a matter of deciding where I want the shelf that comes with the stand to fit. I will need to mod a relief in the back of the shelf to allow for the ATO lines to pass.

The third chamber will house the Rio 6HF pump as the new main return pump. It pumps 350 gph where the stock pump is rated at 243 gph. I plan to use the 1/2 loc line to split the return into a side that terminates in the 1 1/4" flare nozzle pointed at the surface for surface aggitaiton. The other side will terminate in the hydor flo for a rotating variable current.

More to come, with pictures.

[drdude05]

The equipment has been ordered. I also decided to pickup a lighting upgrade for the biocube. I found a site that offers a retrofit PC system that adds an additional 2 PC's to the stock PC's for a total of 144W of PC light. It also includes an upgrade to 5 LED moonlights that are independentally controlable. Pics are coming.

[drdude05]

I think I'm going to do a softie reef and scrap the horse idea. Mostly due tot he fact that I'm having issues keeping the tank cool enough. I can hit temps of 77-79 degrees which is great for a reef but a little too high for horses. I thought about a chiller, but decided I didn't want to buy one.

[drdude05]

Ok, as promised ... here are the long awaited pictures of my new Oceanic Biocube 29 project.

First are some shots of the unmodded stock setup including the tank, unmodded back filter chambers, and the stand.






Back filter chamber



Here's a pic of the stock lighting. Two 36W coralife PC's one 10K and one actinic.

[drdude05]

Next are some pics of the goodies I got in the mail today.

First is the lighting upgrade I bought from Nanotuners.com . When finished it will mod the stock lighting from 2 36W PC to 4 36W PC. The bulb mix will be two actinics, one 10K, and one 50/50. The upgrade also includes a fan upgrade for better cooling and a moonlight upgrade. The stock canopy comes with moonlights, the upgrade adds two moonlights and allows them to be controllable.

Here's everything still packed up.


Unpacked



Parts bag unpacked.

[drdude05]

Here's a pic of the Auto Top Off that I chose. I couldn't pass it up as it was on sale for $60.

[drdude05]

Finally, some pics of my other parts.

I bought a Coralife Aqualight digial timer/power center, a 100W stealth heater, and a Hydor Flo to generate variable current from my return. I also picked up some loc line and plan to split the return with one side pointed at the water surface for aggitation and the other terminating in the hydor Flo.

[drdude05]

I'm still waiting on my Tunze 9002 DOC skimmer and the Rio 6HF that will become the new main return pump. I checked the UPS tracking site and the skimmer is sitting in Knoxville which is 25 minutes from me. I'm hoping UPS delivers it tomorrow. The pump isn't due until Monday.

The wife is out of town this weekend, so I'm planning to start the lighting mod tomorrow. I'll make sure to take plenty of pics.

[drdude05]

Ok, I've been working on my lighting upgrade today. Right now it's been a love hate kinda thing. I love the way the mod is turning out ... I hate how crappy the directions are. I'm sure the person or persons responsible for writing the directions aren't technical writers because there are very obvious and crucial gaps in the instructions. For example, I bought the moonlight upgrade for the kit ... but nowhere in the instructions is there any reference as to HOW to INSTALL it or that it is even an option. Luckly for me I tend to ask alot of questions about aquarium products before I purchase them ... espically DIY stuff. While looking back through my emails several questions I had asked about the setup had been answered with enough technical reference to the install that I could figure out how the moonlight kit was supposed to install, had I not asked this though, and I would be up the creek about now.

Anyway, I have about half the upgrade done. I have the Biocube stock hood moded and wired with the new heat shield, end caps, fans, and moonlights installed. I have the moonlights wired and they work, so that's a good sign. I'll be starting on the ballast and power hookups next.

But I thought I would post some pics of the project so far.

[drdude05]

The original stock hood before starting.





Removing the old heat sheild and getting to the guts of the stock wiring.





Removal of the old transformer.

[drdude05]

The old heat shield and moonlights.


Here is the new heat shield with two of the old moonlights, the end caps, and the new fans installed.


As I mentioned before, I figured out how the moonlight upgrade installed after a little detective work. The up grade mentioned 5 LED's and I had run across other reefers who had done this mod talk about 7 LED moonlights in the upgrade. I couldn't figure out what they were talking about and with no directions for the upgrade I wasn't making any headway. I finally figured out that what the upgrade called for was the use of two of the original three stock LED's along with the upgrade. Thus 5 LED's in the upgrade plus two stock LED's equalled the 7 LED's I kept hearing about. Anyway here a few shots of the moonlight upgrade and the finished canopy.

[drdude05]

Well, I got the lighting upgrade completed, finished the ballast, fan, and moonlight wiring on Sunday. Had to let some silicone dry before I finished the ballast enclosure but now everything is put together and power tests show that all the lights and fans are working as they are supposed to. Pics to come.