Bio Cube Owner's Thread

[chrismunn]

for getting rid of aiptasia you should try injecting them with lime juice, and then adding some peppermint shrimp. it worked out great for me. i got a few syringes from the target pharmacy for like .25 cents each.

the only thing to be aware of is that the very second those aiptasias feel that needle they retract, very quickly!

jmadison you think that mp20 would be too much for my little 14?

[chrismunn]

for getting rid of aiptasia you should try injecting them with lime juice, and then adding some peppermint shrimp. it worked out great for me. i got a few syringes from the target pharmacy for like .25 cents each.

the only thing to be aware of is that the very second those aiptasias feel that needle they retract, very quickly!

jmadison you think that mp20 would be too much for my little 14?

[MACH5]

Chrismunn: Just took a look at your build thread... great stuff! Love how your tank is coming along and really like that monti. Beautiful!!!
Nanonan: I also like your BC8 a lot!! Very clean.

[Morganrules]

I am a biocube owner myself and I am wondering if anyone has any trouble with micro bubbles in their tank. Also i am wondering if the bubbles would be harmful to coral when i get them.

[jmadison]

Originally posted by chrismunn
jmadison you think that mp20 would be too much for my little 14?

I actually dont think it would be too much. I am running it currently at full power in reefcrest mode(so it fluctuates). I think the top end is prob about all i can take with where i have my corals placed, but i kinda wish i had more power in reserve to be quite honest. But im def happy, and u could prob handle it dialed down a bit no prob!

[Lyfey]

Ok im def going to try the syringes and lime juice. I just cant justify spending 26$ on joes juice.

and if that mp20 is not too much for a bc29 or a 14, I'm def upgrading my flow.. 2 k2's I might try or 1 k1 and 1 k2 opinions? Only running stock atm.

[MACH5]

Morganrules: Perhaps try running some filter floss (middle chamber) to dissipate bubbles. IME excessive bubbles can irritate SPS corals but otherwise I think it would be fine except is not very pleasing to look at.

[jmadison]

Originally posted by Lyfey
and if that mp20 is not too much for a bc29 or a 14, I'm def upgrading my flow.. 2 k2's I might try or 1 k1 and 1 k2 opinions? Only running stock atm.

What sort of coral are you keeping/planning to keep?
I would say you could probably start with 1 koralia 2 and that will give you plenty of flow, but not too much for lps/softies/or really anyhting. And then you can decide later if you need more flow. At that point you could decide between another K2 or just a K1.

[ilikelps]

I am running 2 k1's, and a nanok and my 29g biocube is doing great for flow. I have hard corals, and they seem to liek it alot too. although I have been wondering if I should bite the bullet and just spend the money on a MP20 or 40.

Ben

[FadeToGrey]

Does anyone know if you can fit the sapphire skimmer in the first chamber if you pop out the false floor in a 29gal biocube?

If it can fit there, would it be reasonable to remove the bio balls, put the skimmer in the first section, put LR rubble and cheato in the second section, replace the sponge with carbon, and put the heater in the third section?

I might be about to pick up a nice used 29gal cube for a good price, an I would like to make it as efficient as possible.

[chrismunn]

thanks MACH5, im glad you decided to join the other 2 people and have a look at my thread!

if i had an extra $300.oo or whatever to buy a power head then that mp20 would be it! i think the only thing i wouldnt like about it is that i couldnt put it on my swirler stein. thats ok though because id use a k1 or something with it. that would be the ULTIMATE flow in my little 14 now i have to get my hands on an mp20! maybe i should sell all my softies to buy one?

[jmadison]

chris- i know someone who has one brand new one for sale at quite a reasonable price. PM me if interested.

FadetoGrey- The Sapphire will not fit in chamber one. its not so much the prob of the body as it is the maxijet to power it. Sorry. Perhaps you could run cheato in the 3rd chamber.

[Plankt0s]

I just got a nanocube (or similar) 12 gallon for my parents and decided to go to this post to give them some examples of what they can get... I just have to say that its kinda sad to see all of those goniopora and alvepora in these tanks. I wish that people would do a little more research before they buy and maybe we could stop the import of these corals. Oh well, wishful thinking. There really are some beautifully done tanks in this thread and some really nice picassos.

[jkrentz2515]

Originally posted by biowerks
I just got a nanocube (or similar) 12 gallon for my parents and decided to go to this post to give them some examples of what they can get... I just have to say that its kinda sad to see all of those goniopora and alvepora in these tanks. I wish that people would do a little more research before they buy and maybe we could stop the import of these corals. Oh well, wishful thinking. There really are some beautifully done tanks in this thread and some really nice picassos.

What kind of lighting does it have?

[FadeToGrey]

Thanks jmadison,

I guess I could try running cheato (chaeto?) in the thrid chamber. After reading through this entire thread I do think I am going to give a biocube a try, it seems like a good place to start.

[Lyfey]

Jmadison if Chris isnt interested I am with the mp20. Oh and props to Chris for his detailed officail bc thread, I spent an hour reading it this morning at the drs office on my iphone. I'm still in process of reading it lol. Overall good thread though, I suggest to others on checking it out.

Jmdadison do you have statistics on the mp20? Why would this be a more effective option than lets say a k5? I dont see how the gph thing works on the vortechs. A K5 with 1800gph would blow a BC to bits, but a 2k gph vortech does not? I dont understand.

[Lyfey]

Oh and on the advice about the powerheads from before Jmadison, would it be better to save the money from buying 1 or 2 k1s/k2s and just invest in the mp20 vortech? I dont think I would need any additional flow with the mp20 / return.

[rainydave]

Originally posted by ilikelps
I am running 2 k1's, and a nanok and my 29g biocube is doing great for flow. I have hard corals, and they seem to liek it alot too. although I have been wondering if I should bite the bullet and just spend the money on a MP20 or 40.

Ben

Do you have a picture showing the location of your koralias? I'm running a k1 and an mj1200 for flow. I'm thinking of replacing the mj1200 due to the solid blast that it puts out. I'd like to go with 2 k1s if possible.

I was fighting a real battle with hair algae and the extra flow from the mj1200 helped.

[chrismunn]

thanks Lyfey, now ther are 4 people who have seen my thread. i swear for as frequently as i update that thing with pics and descriptions you'd think i was actually posting back and forth with other peop le!

well off to update my thread with some montipora before and after MH pics!

by the way, call me a bad reefer, but whats the deal with the gonioporas and aleveporas? are they one of the finicky types of non photosyntetics that are a crap shot in captivity? just curious, i've never wanted one before so i've never read anything about them, but now im interested...

and i passed up the mp20 so if someone else wants to drop jmadison a PM its still open.

im a reefer on a budget

[Lyfey]

the good thing about the mp20 is that you can upgrade it to a mp40 with just the wireless wave driver purchase.. so its gravy all around.. It just saves you like 50$ if you just purchase the mp40 but the flexibility of the mp20 -> 40 is awesome.. totally worth the money, but 400$ is alot for a powerhead.. thats a car payment. lol..

chrismunn. I have a purple goniopora that is beautiful.. lately it hasnt been opening up as much as it was before, do you have a link to any specific care of that coral? I have a few corals that im not sure what they are or how to care for them. I just feed Rods food and another food to feed to corals also. I am on like page 7 of reading your thread, I love my iphone.. The only bad part is here at work photobucket is firewalled, so I cannot see any images pretty much 90% of the whole reef central, everybody loves photobucket, but I dislike it.. But im a true reefer, I still read even if there are no pictures. If something is really interesting like your thread chrismunn, I email the link to my iphone and look at the pictures from there.

STOP THE PHOTOBUCKET! FIGHT THE POWER!

[forddna]

Care:

Hardiness: Goniopora is delicate and long term survival (>12 months) is probably less than 10%. Not recommended for the beginning hobbyist, although success is as much luck as skill at this point in our understanding of this coral. It does appear that the more colorful short tentacled specimens, like the pink and purple shown above are more hardy than the more common greenish brown versions with long tentacles.

Lighting: Seems to like moderate lighting in general. Brightly colored specimens seem to like the highest intensity lighting. The specimens above are all kept 24" under 400W 10K MH lamps.

Water Current: Seem to prefer moderate water motion which keeps their polyps gently waving in the water current.

Temperature: Does well within a range of at least 77º to 84º F

Aggressiveness: Appears to be low.

Feeding: Goniopora is photosynthetic and does not take any known foods. The method of death when a specimen dies is usually a long period of decline that may be caused by nutritional deficiency. What is lacking is unfortunately so far unknown. Its natural habitat of turbid lagoons indicates that it may benefit from less than pristine water.

Supplements: Maintaining correct calcium and alkalinity levels is undoubtedly important for skeletal development

Tank Positioning: Best positioning is in moderate water flow, in a moderate to high light area of the tank.

[jmadison]

LOL Fordna,
I think you might want to cite where you got that info just to be careful. I read that same info verbatem off the website that you appearently did!

Lyfey- If you promise to comment on ever pic I post saying how amazing it looks, and how jealous you are of my beautfil colored sticks in my tank... then i'll try a new host! hahahawhats a good usually unblocked image host? Any concensus on that?

[chrismunn]

forddna, thanks for that. i think i may have also read that same information at one point in time which would explain my lack of interest in that coral. many years ago i made up my mind on which corals i would care to try keeping, but now i dont remember which ones i chose. i do have a faint memory of this that infrequently flashes through my mind in the form of disinterest or excitement. i should probbaly go through all my old books and give tham all a good re-read!

Lyfey, im totally stoked that you actually find my thread interesting enough to READ! i always thought that it was completely worthless without the ten thousand pics i posted with it!

im with you jmadison. Lyfey, if you PM me every day to tell me how im the most awesome person in the world, ill be happy to try flikr or something!

[forddna]

I was torn between citing it and fear that I'd get in trouble with big brother for posting a link to another reef site. ???

[hotrod797]

I am new to the forums, but have been into saltwater for several years I am going to be moving within the next six months or so I have decided to keep it small, so I have set up a 29 gallon biocube, right now it's pretty much stock, I do have the nano tuners 4.36 upgrade adding two more PC's, but as of next week I will be stripping off the hood and setting up a sunpod to give my coral's the MH they deserve. once I get moved I will be putting up a 265 gallon reef, so anyway here are some tank pics, some corals don't look too happy in these pics as I had just finished cleaning, and the yuma was just added, I do however need some help the first item is: the green plant growing behind my torch coral, it is attached to the live rock, when I had a sea hare in the tank it ate it, but now that he is gone it has come back, any clue what it is??



here is another shot



here is my full tank view





and here is my torch coral



and my kenya tree with a few zoa's no clue what kind (help)



my polyp rock once again no clue what type (please help)



my pink yuma just added it tonight



and last but not least my purple shrooms



I did have this neon green brain coral till my flame angel picked it to death (now it is also gone)



That's pretty much all I have for now, but if you are able to help put a better name with some of my coral's PLEASE post em'
Also for the curious my tank mates are as follow's

Maroon clown
purple queen anthias
lawn mower blenny
blood red cleaner shrimp
and 3 snails