modifying a 24 gallon nanocube

Donna357 · 04/27/2015, 09:00 AM

Hi there,
I was wondering if I could ask for some advice regarding filtration modifications on my 24g nanocube. This was given to me by my friend and I am hoping to simplify the filtration system. I bought a media basket from Intank and want to set it up instead of the standard filtration (sponges, bioballs, etc...)..can I put the blue floss on the top rack, chemipure blue on the second shelf and purigen on the bottom rack? Do I need to keep bioballs and ceramic rings in the middle compartment? Can I leave this empty? Just trying to make tank maintenance as easy as possible. TIA for any input!!!

I do have a lot of live rock too. Don't know the amount exactly since the tank was gifted to me.....

homer1475 · 04/27/2015, 12:44 PM

If you put enough live rock in your tank(usual recommendation is 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per gallon), you can dump the bioballs, they are nitrate factories anyways. All your biological filtration takes place within the rock and sand.

I have a 29G biocube(basically the same setup I believe), it has 3 compartments in the back. My first compartment has my skimmer(water level never changes in that chamber), second(middle) chamber has a media basket(Intank) which has filter floss on the top, purigen in the middle, and carbon in the bottom, as well as 40L of seachem matrix media( a lot like rock rubble) in a filter bag. Last chamber houses my thermometer and return pump.

JammyBirch · 04/27/2015, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1475

If you put enough live rock in your tank(usual recommendation is 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per gallon), you can dump the bioballs, they are nitrate factories anyways. All your biological filtration takes place within the rock and sand.

I have a 29G biocube(basically the same setup I believe), it has 3 compartments in the back. My first compartment has my skimmer(water level never changes in that chamber), second(middle) chamber has a media basket(Intank) which has filter floss on the top, purigen in the middle, and carbon in the bottom, as well as 40L of seachem matrix media( a lot like rock rubble) in a filter bag. Last chamber houses my thermometer and return pump.

100% correct...filter socks, bioballs and sponges are problems waiting to happen IMO. My sump has a deep sand bed with live rock rubble, the DT has 25lbs of live sand and 30lbs of live rock, other than that i have a skimmer...

Way easier, i clean my skimmer cup once a week in the sink...done. You'll have to do water changes anyway to take out Nitrates but this is easy too if you do'nt have a lot of nitrate production, all those things mentioned will trap "stuff" so it can rot and make nitrates...skip them.

Donna357 · 04/27/2015, 01:09 PM

Thanks for the input! Recommendations on a skimmer? Do I really need a skimmer if I do weekly water changes of 20%?

JammyBirch · 04/27/2015, 03:02 PM

Ya you kinda need one, they remove solids from the water column. Sca 301 all the way, very inexpensive, quiet and a work horse. Do you have a sump? I think it might be big for a hang on the back type sump.

CafeReef · 04/27/2015, 05:04 PM

I have the eshopps nano skimmer, very slim/small skimmer and works great for me, it is touchy but once set it works great. A lot of people like the tunze 9001, I would have gone with tunze but wouldnt fit.

04/27/2015, 09:00 AM	#1
Donna357 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 11	modifying a 24 gallon nanocube Hi there, I was wondering if I could ask for some advice regarding filtration modifications on my 24g nanocube. This was given to me by my friend and I am hoping to simplify the filtration system. I bought a media basket from Intank and want to set it up instead of the standard filtration (sponges, bioballs, etc...)..can I put the blue floss on the top rack, chemipure blue on the second shelf and purigen on the bottom rack? Do I need to keep bioballs and ceramic rings in the middle compartment? Can I leave this empty? Just trying to make tank maintenance as easy as possible. TIA for any input!!! I do have a lot of live rock too. Don't know the amount exactly since the tank was gifted to me..... Last edited by Donna357; 04/27/2015 at 09:09 AM.

04/27/2015, 12:44 PM	#2
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	If you put enough live rock in your tank(usual recommendation is 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per gallon), you can dump the bioballs, they are nitrate factories anyways. All your biological filtration takes place within the rock and sand. I have a 29G biocube(basically the same setup I believe), it has 3 compartments in the back. My first compartment has my skimmer(water level never changes in that chamber), second(middle) chamber has a media basket(Intank) which has filter floss on the top, purigen in the middle, and carbon in the bottom, as well as 40L of seachem matrix media( a lot like rock rubble) in a filter bag. Last chamber houses my thermometer and return pump. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

04/27/2015, 01:09 PM	#4
Donna357 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 11	Thanks for the input! Recommendations on a skimmer? Do I really need a skimmer if I do weekly water changes of 20%? Last edited by Donna357; 04/27/2015 at 01:27 PM.

04/27/2015, 03:02 PM	#5
JammyBirch Aquaria Engineering Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Elkland, PA Posts: 1,182	Ya you kinda need one, they remove solids from the water column. Sca 301 all the way, very inexpensive, quiet and a work horse. Do you have a sump? I think it might be big for a hang on the back type sump. __________________ 25g cube, split 10g sump with refugium, Jebao RW4, reefbreeder value Livestock adds: Osc Clowns, Royal Gramma, Pygmy Cherub Angel, Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, Serpent Brittle Star Current Tank Info: 25 gallon cube

04/27/2015, 05:04 PM	#6
CafeReef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Elkhorn, NE Posts: 1,405	I have the eshopps nano skimmer, very slim/small skimmer and works great for me, it is touchy but once set it works great. A lot of people like the tunze 9001, I would have gone with tunze but wouldnt fit. __________________ 50 Gallon cube