"Salt" Start with a new 14g Biocube.

[iAddiction]

Hello everyone. It has been a while since I posted here. The last time I posted I was having issues with my 30g tank. It was my 1st try at a tank, and the pressure of problems, and life had just gotten to me, so I took down my tank.

My brother has a 14g Biocube and he was very happy with the customization of it. So I decided last night to get one. Petco.com had it on sale for $199 so I thought that was a good deal. Brand New of course.

I am going to take this with a different approach this time. I want to do a TON of research and get all of my pieces before even putting the water, and live rock into it. So to be honest I might not even start my cycle for a few months.

I thought I would still make my thread here. I have been searching the term "biocube" on the forums, but there is just so much info I thought I would start my own thread for my needs/wants.

Right now I am looking at Media Racks for the Biocube. I think this would be a good investment. There seams to be a few options though. Does anyone have any experience with them?

I also was looking at the Protein Skimmer that is made for the Biocube too. My goal for this setup is mostly coral with only most likely only one or two clownfish.

Glad to be back here. It's been far too long!

Hope everyone had a good holiday.

 

[Convict2161]

You don't need a skimmer in a 14 gallon cube. Don't waste your money. The inTank media rack IMO is well worth it.

 

[shady3210]

You don't need a skimmer in a 14 gallon cube. Don't waste your money. The inTank media rack IMO is well worth it.

I'll second this. I have a inTank rack for my aquapod and it is great. Well made and fits like a glove.

 

[Gti_Leo]

or put some more live rock and chaeto in the "sump"

i've found from my HOB refugium that Chaeto does a great job of collecting detritus and the copepods and what not that take refuge in it do a nice job of feeding on it.

i'm an advicate of natural filtration i am not one for chemicals, over time nature does what it has to do to keep life going. on a nano tank normal water changes and natural filtration will keep your system healthy. what do you think has kept my nano healthy for the 2 years i've had it and through the summer i neglected it more then i care to admit(was working away). my corals and fish are extremely happy and healthy

 

[Animal-Chin]

I had the biocube skimmer in my 14 gallon and it was garbage. It's impossible to dial in so it would over flow every day. Sure the water was greenish so it was skimming but i ended up just taking it out. I hear some of the new tunze skimmers are alright but dont bother with the actuall biocube one.

lots of water changes and only 2 fish should work fine. I had all sorts of mushrooms and polyps, a colt coral and a few other softies and they all did well. Its a fun little set up if you're willing to pay attention to it...

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I def recommend intank's media basket and refuge combo with chaeto. I just got this for my bio cube.

 

[oyf709]

the new tunze skimmer is too big for bc14 imo, it is more suitable for the bc29.
I agree with everyone here that WC is more than sufficient.

 

[iAddiction]

Thanks for the replies! I am def going to get the intank media rack next. My tank should be delivered today. I also want to get an ro/dI machine, but don't want to spend a 5pm. I live In an apt so it has to be simple and I would prefer just pouring water into filter rather the. Hooking it up to a sink.

Ideas!?

 

[Convict2161]

No skimmer great call. With that size tank not needed and you'll have heat issues

Media rack awesome call. You'll love it, flow will increase and the tank will be cleaner. As far as RO/DI units. I'll give my honest opinion. For that size tank I wouldn't buy one. I'd pre mix with distilled water or get a 2-3 gallon bucket from the LFS already mixed.

 

[iAddiction]

I was thinking about selling the water on Craigslist.

 

[Convict2161]

I was thinking about selling the water on Craigslist.

Wait... Making and selling saltwater on Craigslist?

 

[iAddiction]

Well yea. IF I buy a few gallons a week for water changes I feel as if a ro/di machine Would pay for itself in a matter of months. IF I sell a few gallons on Craigslist I could maybe even make a buck or two?

 

[Scott F]

Well yea. IF I buy a few gallons a week for water changes I feel as if a ro/di machine Would pay for itself in a matter of months. IF I sell a few gallons on Craigslist I could maybe even make a buck or two?

I know around here in Portland they guys that do sell water are the shops who charge about $2/5gal RODI and $5-6/5gal premixed ready to go. Our water out here leave a bit to be desired from what they've said as far as TDS in it so I'm sure they go through a fair amount of filters.

Given the cost of a unit to push that kind amount of water, the filters, and the salt mix I'm wagering they aren't really making much.

However, the one benefit they have over a private individual doing it is quantity and the opportunity to sell other items where their profit margin is far higher.

I'd say offering it at a shop is a decent draw card for a business. Not sure it would pan out for a private individual in small quantities.

 

[iAddiction]

Ok so the selling idea might be a bit out there... But it should still pay for me using it, plus I can trust my water vs walmarts or something. What do they range?

 

[Scott F]

Ok so the selling idea might be a bit out there... But it should still pay for me using it, plus I can trust my water vs walmarts or something. What do they range?

Again, subjective. My SW store has told me, and it's been verified, that our towns water has plenty of stuff in it that you'd definitely want OUT of it. The thing to do is to buy a TDS meter that'll tell you hove much "total dissolved solids" are in the water. People can get RODI for about $.30/gl however, you don't really know the quality until you test it.

So...figure out what kind of system you want, say you change your filter twice a year ( hard to determine ) then use a local source that sells it and figure that if the equipment runs you $200.00, filters run you $30.00 x2 there's $260.00 ( very rough number, just throwing it out there)

Unless you have a large tank I don't think, even then, it'll be cost effective. If you can buy plain RODI water for $2/gl you need to figure out how much water you'll change and what your break even point will be. If you can get your money back in a year then I'd go for it. If it's more like two years, I'd pass.

Food for thought.

 

[iAddiction]

Scott you bring up some good points. Maybe there is more to the water then RO/DI. I do have something called a Water Zero drinking water filter system and it came with a pen that I can "test" the water. My tap water says: 129 ppm. The pen says: TDP Tester. Model ZT-2 On/Off Switch and HMD. Again this came with my drinking filter. My drinking water isn't RO/DI is it? When I use my pen on the filtered water it say 18ppm. It's been over a year since I have changed the filter, might be time (It used to read 0 all the time) Here is a photo of the model of Zero Water filter I have.

I guess my question would be, what's the difference between that and RO/DI water?

 

[iAddiction]

Quick update: I just joined as a preimum member. I thought this site really does have some great advice, and I trust it. So I thought I would contriubite to the community. I hope it helps.

My 14g Bio Cube came in the mail today! I didn't open it, but I want to soon to inspect it before the Petco Return Policy Expires. I have deciced the next thing to buy before starting would be the Media Rack. I will most likely order that tonight.

I would like a little bit more insight on the RO/DI water topic. I posted about my water filter last night.

(PS: Can I change the title of my main post when we switch topics to make it more relevant) I can change my newest posts, but not my 1st one, as I feel after RO/DI we will change topics to more things. Like I said my first post. I want to get everything little by little, and then start the process. I do not want to rush into anything, but I don't want to make 100 new topics either so it would be nice if you could change the name of the thread)

 

[redsea]

Congrats on your new tank, I hope you enjoy it!



If you are inquiring about if you can change the actual thread title, I believe the answer is no.

 

[redsea]

You can ask a moderator to change the title of your thread though.

 

[iAddiction]

Does anyone have any thoughts on my above posts about the ppm of my water and what it means in terms of ro/di?