Biocube 32

[MichaelB]

Ive included a few pictures of my current biocube29, newest picture is the one with the torch. I will be swaping tanks form the 29 to a biocube 32. I'm hoping that with the different design I will better ba able to maintain Nutrient levels. All in all I've have this set up close to 3 years now.

Current Equipment:

Coralife uv sterilizer
In tank media basket: running - two layers of filter pads top teir, chemi pure blue middle teir, I swap between puregion and bag of active carbon on the lower teir.

In tank fuge basket - currently I have a sack if ceramic bio rings suspended in it.
Coralife biocube protein skimmer (I had in several months but the thing was garbage so I pulled it out and quit using it abouta year ago)

Power heads: 1 hygger wave maker 2500 gph, 2 hydor koralia circulation pumps 425 gph.

Stock coralife return pump.

Lighting: started with Stock compact florescent hood, upgraded to new Stock led hood 1.5 years ago.
21 led actinic bars: added 4 - 21 led 12inch actinic bars when I upgraded the hood to suplement Lighting.

 

[MichaelB]

As far as swaping the tanks out, It’s my greatest hopes that it’s just a matter of moving stuff from one tank directly into the other one.

For the 32 switch over I also have some upgrades that I will add to it when I set it up.

Lighting, I have a nicrew 150 watt with the controller for it. I'm planning to use instead of the hood.

(I'm looking for a kraken reef cover for the bio cube 32 however prices of them new with evaporation cover ia pretty step so hopingto get lucky on a used one or else I will have to suck it up sooner or later for a new one. )

I have a Sicce syncra slient 1.5 return pump, I will install to replace/ upgrade the stock return pump. My hope is with increased preform, I will be able to get by with only the hygger wave maker.

I also have a aquaticlife mini 115 protein skimmer, that had good reviews from Amazon. I expect it to actually be useful, unlike the coralife skimmer.

I haven't complety figured it out yet, but this time I actually want to run some micro alage in the rear fuge basket this time. So looking for a small light for that.

Live stock:
A pair of maroon clownfish female is about 4.5-5 inches, male is about 3.
A 2.5 inch 6 line wrasse
A coral banded shrimp.
14 or so small blue/red hermits
4 turbos,
4 bumblebees
12-16 trochus
3 Nassarius.

(Some of the snails are for a different tank currently cycling)

Will update photos when I actually have everything set up in the 32.

 

[MichaelB]

So todays main project was getting the biocube 32, running. Since I have nothing in it, I just used the tank itself to mix the salt water. A trip to aqua plus to get 40 gallons of rodi water gave me a bit of a work out hauling all of that inside. I Will check on tank tomorrow to level out salinity stopped at .023 until its fully dissolved so I don't over shoot .025 to precisely match the biocube29.

First photos 2 here are latest of my tank as if this afternoon. Next few were taking this morning before adding another frag rack for swap sps frags.

I'm hoping this will be as simple as moving things from one tank to the other. Considering i'm planning to trasnfer all the coral and rocks, and current filter media straight over to the 32.

Maybe a rookie question here, but I wanna make sure, my current assumptions are correct that I shouldn't have to worry about any type of tank cycling? Since it's just a tank swap/ 100% water change?

 

[Darkxerox]

Should be totally fine, just make sure it's up to temperature and well aerated. Drain maybe 25% into buckets too since the rocks and sand will displace a bit. You can drain the old tank before it gets cloudy too and have that as backup water.

 

[MichaelB]

Got it thanks. No sand bare bottom.

 

[MichaelB]

Spent today swaping tanks, went to neptune and got 8 lbs of reactor media to try out instead of bare bottom. Hopefully this will help me lower phosphates and nitrates once its had time to age some.

I got lazy and didn't add the uv sterilizer to the new tank yet. But everything is going well thus far. Only potential issue I might have is wondering if my par will be sufficent with 3 inches added height over the 29. In line for the par meter so Hopefully I'll find out soon.

Got the skimmer half way installed, I need to cut the hood so the skimmer cup can fit with hood on.

For livestock I pulled the coral banded shrimp and placed him in a 10 gallon tank until I figure out if I wanna keep him or not. ,
I've been wanting to try some fire shrimp or possibly. Been scared to get one cause coral banded is a real jerk. So may try one in near future.

 

[MichaelB]

So a update on my current main tank.

1st. Is a photo my my light setup under the hood. 32 stock leds, and 4 21led.com 12 inch led actinic reefbars.

2nd is the modification I made to the hood to be able to install a aquatic life 115 mini protein skimmer.

3rd is recent coral addtions.
- A green fungia plate coral (picked up 2 weeks ago from Neptunes.)
- A lobophyllia I believe (was aquired from a members tankbreak down.)
- A teal green/blue acropora (employee from aqua plus said it was a millepora acropora)

4th is most recent photo of the entire tank. I removed a mid size hollywood stunner chalice to another tank that was at risk of stinging the sps. I also shifted some of the sps from the rack to the top of rock work.

Somehow I've find myself fast becoming a sps collector as I have more sps than euphyllia now. Previously I only had a desire to collect hammers all of which are currently looking wonderful. So it's seeming the 65 gallon tank will be right on time to really presue more sps and hammers.

My next long awaited project for this tank is to find some nice micro alage to try getting the intank refugium going.

 

[derek_SR]

Digging that crushed coral! I decided to start adding it to my tank too.

 

[Darkxerox]

Definitely like the modded nano tanks like this!

You're gonna have so many frags overgrowing here that the 65 will fill up fast too! How are you maintaining mineral demands?

 

[MichaelB]

Definitely like the modded nano tanks like this!

You're gonna have so many frags overgrowing here that the 65 will fill up fast too! How are you maintaining mineral demands?

Been dosing 5ml per day all for reef just finished testing tonight and saw the first real drop off since 100 % water change.

Results are below if it tells you anything I may not see?

03/17/2024

Alk - 8.4 salifert
Alk - 8.9 hanna (exp 2023)
Mag - 1320 salifert
Ca - 455 salifert
Po4 - 0.03 salifert
Po4 - 0.83 hanna (ULR)

03/27/2024

Alk - 7.2 salifert
Alk - 6.9 hanna (exp 2023)
Mag - 1320 salifert
Ca - 420 salifert
Po4 - 0.03 salifert

So tomorrow I plan to up the dose to 6
And do my weekly water change.
Than next week I'll recheck to see if levels are holding.

I'm hand dosing. So I suppose when I get to the 65 sps dominated lmao I'll have to really learn more on the dosing Subject and possibly look for a doser of sometype.

 

[MichaelB]

Digging that crushed coral! I decided to start adding it to my tank too.

I'm liking it myself so far over bare bottom. Only issue is my maroons love to pick up chunks and dive bomb them onto corals. So I have to pay attention and remove them off the coral.

 

[MichaelB]

This coral was either a green slimer or green acropora has turned all the way white is there any hope for it?

Everything else is doing great. I found out tonight that It’s loss is most likely my fault. I had it on the frag rack literally touching a potato chip pavona coral I picked up from the swap. I didn’t think they had sweepers until I googled them tonight. I've now put the pavona in It’s on corner on the rack.

Should I leave the white Skelton in the tank in hopes it may come back or just toss it?

 

[Turkeysammich]

Sorry. It’s dead. You were doing well too. All corals put out something, one way it another. It’s life or death for real estate. I just had a 10 head Duncan get killed by a lobo. Wasn’t even touching. Just close. At night it’s fight club.
Oh wait. Top right. Is there flesh there ? If there is. Frag it and put the nub on a plug. It will grow or try to grow. Even if it doesn’t. It’s good practice. I’ve save a lot of coral that way. Cuz if you do nothing. It’s a goner.

 

[Darkxerox]

Looks pretty dead to me, touching corals often leads to one completely destroying the other.

 

[MichaelB]

Looks pretty dead to me, touching corals often leads to one completely destroying the other.

Thanks, I will be more mindful on placement from here on.

 

[Darkxerox]

Probably my #1 cause of coral death in my tanks. But the good thing is that there's backups in the club or elsewhere!

 

[MichaelB]

So not really a issue, but more seeking some general thoughts or advice, posting here a series of my last few test results and method of testing. More details below testing results.

2/29/2024

Alk - 5 salifert
Mag - 1330 salifert
Ca - 390 salifert

03/11/2024 - first test 5 days post tank swap and 100 % water change- started dosing 5ml daily all4reef

Alk - 6.7 salifert
Mag - 1330 salifert
Ca - 440 salifert
P04 - 0.3 salifert

03/17/2024

Alk - 8.4 salifert
Alk - 8.9 hanna (exp 2023)
Mag - 1320 salifert
Ca - 455 salifert
Po4 - 0.03 salifert
Po4 - 0.83 hanna (ULR)

03/27/2024 started dosing 7mil daily (afr)

Alk - 7.2 salifert
Alk - 6.9 hanna (exp 2023)
Mag - 1320 salifert
Ca - 420 salifert
Po4 - 0.03 salifert

4/3/2024 dosing 7mil daily afr

Alk - salifert (not used this test)
Alk - 7.7 hanna
Mag - 1250 salifert
Ca - 430 salifert
Ca - 487 hanna
Po4 - 0.02 salifert
Po4 - .84 hanna (low range)

Since before the tank swap My sps had zero growth. Now if feels like i'm seeing to my eyes as explosive sps growth. My concern is I see my numbers going down again from test to test. I'm not trying to chase numbers by any means, but I would like to try to keep them more constant.

Based on results, should I increase amount of all4reef if so how much?

If my numbers keep trendng downwards would I be at risk for stalling tbe sps growth again?

overall how are my numbers looking?

If it makes a difference? I've been using the smaller premixed all for reef bottle. I plan to look for the powder type once this bottle is finished.

 

[Darkxerox]

I use a sheet like this to track things when I'm adjusting dosing or monitoring: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DxF3RJiA1YyW-tm61lNndghkAD5d4Qyb6Vbv4NON5D4/edit?pli=1#gid=0

Looks like you're fine with 7mL daily AFR right now. Just stick with one method of alk testing and use that to see your delta between time points to see if adjustment is needed.

Not sure why your phosphate is measuring so different across tests either. Maybe test your freshly made salt water to make sure there's nothing wrong with the reagents.

Otherwise just keep going. The most important thing is that you see growth!

 

[Alexander1312]

I use the Aquarimate app for tracking my parameters.

I would not ignore your test results. Confirmed by two ICP, Hanna overstated my alk by 0.6 exactly. If you have the same issue, your alk would be at 7.1. Too low? Maybe not, maybe yes. I would want it a bit higher.

For CA, I would use only the salifert. If the parameter is correct, I would not dose more all for reef, although you might want to increase alk a bit.

AFR will not have enough MG so this will need to be dosed shortly if not already. Liquid or powder AFR should not make a difference.

My main concern would be the phosphate. Seems like it could be either too low or too high. I have Hanna and Salifert, but I also bought a new one from Fauna Marin which I like. If you bring at least 30 ml of your tank water when we move the tank later, I can test it for you when I am back home.

 

[MichaelB]

I use the Aquarimate app for tracking my parameters.

I would not ignore your test results. Confirmed by two ICP, Hanna overstated my alk by 0.6 exactly. If you have the same issue, your alk would be at 7.1. Too low? Maybe not, maybe yes. I would want it a bit higher.

For CA, I would use only the salifert. If the parameter is correct, I would not dose more all for reef, although you might want to increase alk a bit.

AFR will not have enough MG so this will need to be dosed shortly if not already. Liquid or powder AFR should not make a difference.

My main concern would be the phosphate. Seems like it could be either too low or too high. I have Hanna and Salifert, but I also bought a new one from Fauna Marin which I like. If you bring at least 30 ml of your tank water when we move the tank later, I can test it for you when I am back home.

I'll try to bring some water with me thanks.

I had both tests so I figured I would just use both for comparsion purposes for a few weeks.

I have b ionic 2 part as well, I've only used it once before I got the AFR. Just not sure about dosing 1 item limited knowledge on the dosing front (didn't wanna risk doing anything stupid and risk killing stuff, but if there was some way to dose a specific individual items more precisley I'm open to product recommendations if something is better and on the easier side like AFR) *** keep in mind I don't have dosing pumps so I would have to manually poured it in.