ZAPCOnj's Biocube 29 Build

[ZAPCOnj]

FINALLY! I got my biocube 29 set up tonight... i stopped by the LFS and picked up the following:

• Biocube 29
• Biocube stand
• CPR in sump skimmer (sr3)
• Stealth Heater
• 31ish lbs of LR Fiji and tonga
• 20lb of Nature's Ocean LS (yes yes i know... but i got it at a killer price - FREE)
• and 20gal of water (have about 2.5 gal left over)
• a few timers
• power strip (home depot)

I took a little time and set all of this up tonight... did a little scaping (can't see it yet, have to wait until the water settles) I scored a few pieces of LR that look like shelves so i made 2 platforms in the tank with "mounds" of rock around it.. they kind of look like LR pedestals. I'll see how it looks in the morning and may change it around a bit.... I figured these would be nice "display" platforms for the corals and clams i plan on putting in there.

the CPR skimmer took a little time to get to work right but once i got it set up it's very nice. pretty quiet and fits right in the middle chamber with no mods!

So far the only thing i'm disappointed in with the BC is that the moon lights don't have their own switch. so they're on all the time unless i put them on a timer or unplug them... they should have just put a photo cell in there so they come on when the tank lights are off...

After i evaluate the rock tomorrow and clean down the glass the only thing left is the part I know i will hear from nearly EVERONE.... wait for the cycle to happen!

I have yet to install

• 2 K-nano pumps
• 1 JBJ wave maker
• still have to send out the hood for the nanocustoms HQI and fan upgrades

More info to come...

I'll post pics of the tank as soon as the water clears.

[ZAPCOnj]

Well I work up this morning and the water was clearer than it was last night so i snapped a photo....

it looks like all of the rock shifted and fell when i put in the rest of the water so i'll have to rescape it tonight... not that i mind but i had it looking really cool last night... you can kind of see how i had the two plateaus i mentioned and a few of the caves that i had constructed...

I forgot to mention that i decided to put the tank in a spare bedroom that i am converting over to an office. I spend more time in there awake than i do in the bedroom so i think it would be better suited there...

[Grasspicker]

glad to see another 29 in the house. Taggin along to see how u do.

[bskinn77]

nice can't wait to see it progress!!!

[ZAPCOnj]

I'm amped now that i got the cube up. I'm running in to a "waterfall" noise more of a "water pouring" in to chamber #2 effect since i removed the bioballs and put the skimmer in. That is my next project. anyone have any suggestions as to how to get rid of the noise? it sounds like someone's grandma holding a pitcher and glass about 2 feet apart and pouring an HUGE infinite glass of lemonade...

[ZAPCOnj]

well after a long day i finally got home last night around 11pm and sat staring at my BC wondering if i should work on it (rearrange the rock) or wait until tonight. Well the designer in me won out and i spent some time moving the rock around the tank in different arrangements to see what might look cool.

after about an hour of tinkering the water became too cloudy to really do anything else.... This is where i saw when i work up this morning....

I still wasn't too happy with it so i spent 15 minutes before leaving for work messing around again and this is where i am now...

not sure how i feel about it... There are a bunch of "caves" and "tunnels" in the rock for critters to move though and there some nice spaces to mount corals... the two landings look to be a nice spot for the clams... all but one piece of rock is far enough from the glass to get a mag scraper or wand in there. thoughts, comments, and suggestions are welcome..

I think i may end up with an extra piece or two of Tonga rock.. good thing i picked up a pico for my desk at work ....

[astiesi]

Originally Posted by ZAPCOnj

I'm amped now that i got the cube up. I'm running in to a "waterfall" noise more of a "water pouring" in to chamber #2 effect since i removed the bioballs and put the skimmer in. That is my next project. anyone have any suggestions as to how to get rid of the noise? it sounds like someone's grandma holding a pitcher and glass about 2 feet apart and pouring an HUGE infinite glass of lemonade...

I've got a 14g cube and had the same issue. I solved it by placing a piece of filter floss in the 2nd chamber. I just make sure to change this floss out every week so it doesn't become a "nitrate factory" as most people around here will call it. It also helps keep the water crystal clear.

The 'scape is coming together nicely.

[ZAPCOnj]

Originally Posted by astiesi

I've got a 14g cube and had the same issue. I solved it by placing a piece of filter floss in the 2nd chamber. I just make sure to change this floss out every week so it doesn't become a "nitrate factory" as most people around here will call it. It also helps keep the water crystal clear.

The 'scape is coming together nicely.

I'm planning on getting to the LFS to pick up some floss today.. I need to get a new canister filter for my KOI tank anyway... the HOB jobs are just not cutting it.

do you have any suggestions for the scape?

[bskinn77]

I like the plateu thing you got going in your scape I went with something similar in my scape. Keep the pics coming makes the chronicle fun to look at any water readings yet? I don't see a shrimp in your tank have out put one in yet? It skyrocketed my ammonia and kick started my cycle

[astiesi]

My only suggestion is to make sure all LR is far enough from the glass to get the scraper in between them. Its amazing how fast the glass gets a film on it and to be able to do a quick cleaning makes life much easier. Otherwise, I really like that top shelf!

[bskinn77]

Yea you really got some crazy looking pieces of rock in there cant wait to see it cleared up!

[ZAPCOnj]

Originally Posted by astiesi

My only suggestion is to make sure all LR is far enough from the glass to get the scraper in between them. Its amazing how fast the glass gets a film on it and to be able to do a quick cleaning makes life much easier. Otherwise, I really like that top shelf!

Thanks for the input. There is definitely enough space between the rock and the glass to get a mag scraper in there and one spot will require a stick scrapper... The mound of rock on the front left of the tank is also a shelf. it's hard to tell from that photo. it's about 7inches long and about 4 inches wide... give or take a 1/2 an inch.

bskinn77 - Thanks! I'm looking forward to getting home tonight to see how it looks with clear water.

No readings yet. will take the first when i get home. I have not put in a shrimp yet. I will most likely do that this weekend.

[bskinn77]

ya put the shrimp in something or it will fall apart and make a mess I found this out the hard way

[ZAPCOnj]

ok.. so i got home and the water was clear... i wasnt really happy with the look of the rock... so i messed around with it some more and one thing led to another and this is what i have ended up with.

FTS:



left side:


a little cave viewed from the left side:


Right side:


shot from the front from a higher angle:

This angel gives a better perspective of the two plateaus

I pretty happy with this look.. I may get rid of that one piece of tonga in the middle laying on the sand... i think that would open up the center some.

I can get a mag scraper all around the rock so the weekly cleaning should be good.

I also put in the two K-nanos and have them running on the JBJ wave maker. I did a little mod to them i found online so they DO NOT click on and off like many people have reported. There seems to be no side effect and there is some nice flow in the tank now.

at the recommendation of a fellow member here i added some filter floss to chamber 2 and a bag of carbon to chamber 1. the water level is pretty high overall so i was able to add the heater to Chamber 3. the water level stays steady with and without the skimmer on.

some pods showed themselves today...

no readings yet. I will start my readings tomorrow.

Thoughts? comments? Suggestions?

[ZAPCOnj]

Ok, the tank has been up for 4 days. I got everything the day i got the tank except for the test kit. i got one when i went out with the GF and ironically, she took it home with her. so i went out and got another one today and tonight's readings are:

No2 - 3.0
No3 - 20
Alk - 300
Ph - 7.8
Amo - .25

I've also added a bag of carbon to Chamber 1 and some filter floss to chamber 2 where the water pours in to help with the waterfall noise. this works really well. with the lights off the system is silent. with the lights on you can only hear the light fans....

The Stealth heater is now in chamber 3. I have the heater set to 78 deg but the tank temp is hovering around 81 to 82 deg (lights on and all pumps and stuff on for a min of 9 hours). think i need to cool the thank?