My 29 Bio Cube build thread

[tippMANn98]

CRAIG:
my timers are set for the following, and have been that way for months now:
actinics on@10:00am
10k's on@12:00pm
10ks off@8:00pm
actinics off@10:00pm
3 blue moons LED 10pm to 10am

[Craig Manoukian]

I was under the inpression you were upgrading your lights and doubling the PAR value/intensity. My bad if that's not the case. Your timers are right in the money!

[tippMANn98]

i will be upgrading them to 2x the wattage

[Craig Manoukian]

You can model my recommendation when the new lights get here, eh?

[BigAl07]

Looking SWEET buddy! I like the whole "ric-rock" thing! You gonna make me one of those?

Can't wait to see what happens after the new lights.. gonna be a whole tank-a SWEET!!

[reefman420]

Hey how do u like the 29 bio cube.my uncle just bought one.it should be here either tommarow,or nov,11th.Is their anything we need to worry about?
Recommendations for a skimmer?

[tippMANn98]

Originally Posted by reefman420

Hey how do u like the 29 bio cube.my uncle just bought one.it should be here either tommarow,or nov,11th.Is their anything we need to worry about?
Recommendations for a skimmer?

I like it, have heard some bad reviews a while back on them.
LIGHTS:
Problem with the 29's is the stock lighting is fewer watts/gallon than the 8 and 14, but there are upgrades to 108w(+1 36w) or 144 w(+2 36w).
PUMPS:
The stock pump uses a lot of wattage for such a low flow, in turn makes high heat. There are 2 nice choices, depending on how much flow you want; one is maxi jet 1200(295 gph) about 8.5 watts, the other Rio HF 6 (350 gph) only like 9 watts or something like that, while the stock pump is closer to 20w.
PROTEIN SKIMMER:
There are a couple choices here, Some use the CPR for the BC 29 or some use the Sapphire Aquatics BC-29 model, Both custom fit for these tanks(nanocubes, biocubes, aquapods) They fit into the middle chamber, after you take out the bio balls. I bought the Sapphire Aquatics regular model, it didnt work to my liking, in fact, didnt work that well at all, then I recieve the free upgrade(because of 3 weeks of troubles) to the recirculating model, buy that to begin with. Ask around, see what others have done...I linked the website for the sapphire skimmer and the light upgrades(there is also a halide upgrade available..they all fit under the factory hood to keep "stock" look.)

There are other "mods" you can do to them, take out the middle grate in the first chamber, and cut down the first retainer wall going into the middle chamber. Take the bio balls out, get some LR rubble to put under the tray in the middle chamber, then the tray back in, and the skimmer fits right on top, its pump is 250 gph.

Hows that?
NanoTuners.com

hope this all helps

[Melanie]

What a nice review! I don't even own this tank or plan on buying it but I read every word.

[tippMANn98]

Thanks melanie, I was on a writing streak, and just backing up my tank....I see no problem with them.

Went shopping this weekend, there was nothing good, so I let my wife to be pick something out, since we play paintball, she picked a camouflaged carib. mushroom, its pretty cool looking. In with the pic is my blue ric starting to open. I wrote a thread on my rics all growing upward in the coral forum, they are all starting to grow like the blue pictured.. Any input would be greatly appreciated, every other little POLYP in the tank is FINE...i dont know whats going on...getting nervous.......sigh..

new camo shroom(can you see it? NO?) and funny blue ric....

[Melanie]

That is so interesting that your rics are growing cup-like! I have pretty medium lighting in my tank and they grow flat. Even WITH the emerald crabs making homes under them. Hmmmmmm. I have 3 wts per gal. lighting and the rics are near the bottom of the tank. Yours do look healthy though. Maybe that is just a sign of happiness?

[tippMANn98]

Well, good news, they are back to normal, and I have brought some new pics of the SOS in my tank....well not really, more baby button polyps....and check out the feather duster....

Here is the Ric Rock:


Baby buttons, started with 1, now have 7, in just over a month...:


Look how much my Feather duster has grown, i pointed out the growth in the pic...i couldnt believe it when I was looking at old pics...its getting higher up:


Hanging together by a thread these 2 rics are.....almost 2 seperate...

[Melanie]

Yeah! Looking FABULOUS!

[rebekwl]

Your tank looks great! Love all the rics!

[Craig Manoukian]

Everything looks fabulous!

[tippMANn98]

For everyone that like pics...here are a bunch. Had a few "extra" green ric laying around, and traded them to the guy at the lfs and $12 for THIS:



The bottom one is getting cut next week. Its attached to both a small piece of LR and the main piece. Top ric has 2 mouths, so that will be 2 in a month or so....Did some other fragging this weekend too...had some of these olive green button polyps and some reg lt. brown buttons growing in random places, so I went ahead and grabbed the weed eater and went to town, caught my baby rainbow yuma in that whirlwind too, check them out....

Bottom left: Olive button frag, Center Right: Lt Brwn Buttons:

1st:Rainbow Yuma Frags 2nd: Large Grown Shroom:=Total of 3 now:



Picked this orange with green ring Ric up last week. The girl at the store COMPLETELY tortured it to half death, touched all over it....i almost said i didnt want it, but look at it...who wouldnt, I knew that in time it would be ok.....


Finally, the UPDATED, full tank shot.....


I won a really really nice piece of coral on ebay too, I should get it tommorrow....hope this link to pic works, it was sold to me as RED micro zoanthid colony.....looks hot, like its on fire!!!