[08TRDOFFROAD]

Okay, Since downgrading from my 45 gal. to the Biocube 29, I thought it was about time I start a thread dedicated to the Bcube!

My wife's friends were gracious enough to give us the tank and stand, live rock and the remaining livestock after they decided they didn't have the time for it anymore. This came at the perfect time because I was ready to get out the hobby and the change has done me some good! I moved everything that was still living from my 45 Gal. to the Bcube and sold the cursed 45 to a local club member.

Current equipment list:

Biocube 29
Custom Handmade stand
Stock PC lighting
MJ1200 Return
150 W Jager Heater
inTank Media Tower-Chemipure Elite (bottom chamber), Purigen(middle chamber), Filter pad(top chamber)
Tunze 9002 Protein Skimmer w/inTank Collection cup
Ecotech MP10wES-Reef Crest Mode (60% max power)
Tunze Nano ATO with reservoir

Current Livestock List:

2-True Percula Clownfish
1-Large Brittle Starfish A.K.A. Spike
2-Hermit Crab
5-Turbo Snails

Current Coral List:

Green Toadstool Leather
Green Hammer Coral
Bicolor(Purple/Green) Frogspawn
Green Birdnest Frags
Misc Zoa Frag
Nuclear Green Candy Canes

Shortly after we brought it home

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Here it is as of October 2013...I had quite a battle with HA on my hands!

Shane (and anyone else that is interested ), It is better late than never, but here are current pics of the biocube!





I started dosing algaefix to try to rid the tank of the HA. I will track my progress with the dosing here as well as in the Offical TRT Algaefix thread Josh started.

 

[nickeldog]

Aaaaaaaaand CUE THE TANG POLICE!!
:cop:
Lol congrats! I loved my biocube when I had it!
Make sure to keep posting pics!

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

In December 2013, I declared war on the HA and removed all the rock, scrubbed it and rescaped the tank to open it up for better water movement. I also started dosing a product called "Algae Fix"...the jury is still out whether or not this product actually made any difference.

Before



After

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Shortly after the new year, in January 2014, the tank continued to improve.

Thought I would post a new FTS of the 29 to start the new year!

I can tell you this, my reefing is already going better than it did in all of 2013. My Hammer is exploding, and I noticed my CC's are starting to grow as well! Several of the heads are starting to split. And the Toad hasn't ever looked better! Basically everything looks better!

This is just a quick cell phone pic, I will have to get out the other camera to take some better close up shots.

The HA seems to be diminishing. The scrubbing and rescape really seemed to knock it back. And now with the ATO running, the skimmer is much more consistent as well!

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Here is the tank today. I continue to wage war with the HA, but I think I am winning! I also had an accident fragging of my Hammer coral. I now have three frags I am going to try to sell to purchase a Green Birdsnest, Frogspawn, and Torch Frags from a local reefer.








I changed out my ChemiPure Elite this morning as it was at least six months old. Hopefully it will help with the HA as well.



Also thought I would post up a pic of the bowels of the system!

 

[schooleyosis]

Following. Keep fighting the good battle against the GHA.

 

[M I N I O N]

Following. I don't think I had ever seen the stand for the biocube, very nice.

 

[pmarkj]

Very nice BC29 ya got there. +1 on the nice stand. I've got one too so I'll follow your progress. How long has it been up and running?

 

[dirtycontour]

Good decision to go with the bio cube! Loving the scape.

 

[spockster59]

Good job. In the earlier days of my Biocube I had a 4 or 6 week HA outbreak. I didn't do anything special (other than to literally pull out the longest tufts) and eventually it seemed the tank just settled down. Did my usually weekly water changes (approximately 4 gallons.) But I also run carbon and GFO (not in a reactor, but that may be coming) as well. Since you're using the Chemipure, you might want to up the frequency of when you change that out. Just a thought.

Hopefully you'll experience similar with yours in regards to clearing up.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Very nice BC29 ya got there. +1 on the nice stand. I've got one too so I'll follow your progress. How long has it been up and running?

It has been running for years. My wife's friend had it running for at least two years with a Moray Eel in it. Which I suspect is why I am fighting a HA war now. I suspect the live rock is just saturated and leeching out organics due to the large amount of organics that were in the tank due to feeding the moray eel. I also have a large amount of algae growing on the sandbed, which I siphon weekly. I have dang near removed the sand bed over the last nine months. I will be looking to pick up some Caribsea Special grade sand to replace the sand bed completely in the near future.

Good job. In the earlier days of my Biocube I had a 4 or 6 week HA outbreak. I didn't do anything special (other than to literally pull out the longest tufts) and eventually it seemed the tank just settled down. Did my usually weekly water changes (approximately 4 gallons.) But I also run carbon and GFO (not in a reactor, but that may be coming) as well. Since you're using the Chemipure, you might want to up the frequency of when you change that out. Just a thought.

Hopefully you'll experience similar with yours in regards to clearing up.

I am hoping with addition of the new chemipure and my weekly 5 gal water changes I will get the HA whipped in short order! I will monitor and see if I do need to replace sooner than six months though!

Thanks for tagging along!

 

[M I N I O N]

Good call on replacing the sand bed. That will be a huge step towards wiping out the hair algae.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Tank has been neglected a bit for the last few weeks because the weather is improving here and I have been trying to get the finishing touches on the nursery done and parts lined up for a marathon of yard work and sprinkler installation to get my backyard in before the baby comes. But I have siphoned about 75% of the sand bed out slowly, a little each water change. A few more and it should all be out and I will replace it with a fresh two inches of Special Grade sand.

I need to order replacement pre-filters for my membrane and evaluate the condition of my DI resins. All parts of my retrofitted max cap are two days from being a year old.

Other than that, the bcube is just on cruise control for now! I plan to sell 3 of the 4 hammer frags and reinvest the money in some new corals in the near future!

 

[M I N I O N]

Glad thing are progressing.. That mad dash before the baby comes can get pretty hectic. You may wind up wanting to leave the same out when you realize how much easier the maintenance is.

What has your TDS meter been reading after a year?

 

[dannycanham]

How is the tang doing?

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Glad thing are progressing.. That mad dash before the baby comes can get pretty hectic. You may wind up wanting to leave the same out when you realize how much easier the maintenance is.

What has your TDS meter been reading after a year?

Sorry for such a slow response! Been busy trying to get the nursery and the backyard in before our little guy arrives...only a few more weeks now.

TDS going in the membrane is roughly 400 ppm (we have much better water in the winter/spring than summer/fall). TDS out the membrane is 12 ppm. (Goes to fridge and spout at sink.) And 0 out the di stage to the container for water storage/top off.

I am very impressed, especially since we use quite a bit of water from the fridge and spout for drinking, cooking, etc!!!

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

How is the tang doing?

He seems to be doing fine. Fat and healthy! Just waiting for my cousin to get his 200+ gal system going to give him a more appropriate home.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

For tracking purposes. Just posting here to see how long my ato reservoir can go between fillings. Topped it off today after a 5 gal water change.

 

[08TRDOFFROAD]

Man, what a whirlwind the last few weeks have been! My wife ended up having to be induced because she carried the baby a full week past his due date! My son arrived on May 16th, at 8:55 pm. He was 8 lbs 3 ounces and 21 1/2 inches long! The last few weeks have consisted of entertaining family and friends, doctor visits, and sleeping when we can! He will be two weeks old on Friday and things are finally beginning to settle down!

On a tank related note, I couldn't figure out what a noise was in my family room until this morning. My resevoir had run empty on my ato and it was the pump tapping the side of the empty container when the tank would call for water. So I can provably safely go about a month in between topping off the reservoir.