Sunnystang
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2012
- Messages
- 16
Just got my 29biocube set up and running. The sand and substrate is in and I want to do live plants for the first time. What kind do I get??
Plants
- Thread starter Sunnystang
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
What kind of lighting does the tank have? Are you planning on running CO2 or fertilizing? Are you wanting to go high tech or low tech? What kind of substrate are you using? What kind of fish do you plan on stocking?
Brian_Nano12g
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hi Sunny.... Welcome to AA!
I don't have a BioCube but I do have a JBJ Nano Cube 12g, which is very similar (as far as I can tell) with the integrated filter in the back and PC lighting in the hood. That was my first tank getting back in to the hobby a few years ago. I was also attracted to the sleek and stylish design in an "all in one package." Given that I had limited space living in an apartment, I wanted a small tank with big tank features... hence my acquisition of a Nano Cube.
One problem I didn't think about when I first got it was that these tanks are REALLY meant for SW reef setups. So I had to swap out some things in order for it to be suitable for a planted FW aquarium (for details, check out my 12g: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-its-all-grown-up-now-227698.html#post2143992).
Basically, the stock actinic 50/50 PC bulbs aren't suitable for FW (you'll get a ton of algae...trust me, I tried it). I swapped those out for a 10,000K and 6,500K bulb. Secondly, the stock pump had way too high of a GPH flow rate that was not adjustable (not sure if it's adjustable on the biocubes). My poor fish were constantly fighting a hurricane of a current...LOL So, I swapped that out for a Marineland mini jet 404 which made the world of difference.
Moreover, the PC bulbs are pretty powerful (meant for corals).. so you'll have A LOT of lighting over a small space... without the addition of co2 or a way to decrease the lighting, you'll get a lot of algae. The high lighting is doable, but you'll need to inject co2 and get some moderate to high light plants that are fast-growers in order to utilize all that lighting and suck up the nutrients in the water so that they would out-compete algae.
With those mods, and the addition of DIY CO2 and Floramax substrate... My Nano Cube has come together pretty well to my liking for a planted tank....
Here's a youtube vid of my NanoCube... I have a listing of all the plants that I used on the youtube page.
Nano Cube 12g FW Planted Update 2012 - YouTube
And some pics
And Jungle Status in all its glory!!! haha
I don't have a BioCube but I do have a JBJ Nano Cube 12g, which is very similar (as far as I can tell) with the integrated filter in the back and PC lighting in the hood. That was my first tank getting back in to the hobby a few years ago. I was also attracted to the sleek and stylish design in an "all in one package." Given that I had limited space living in an apartment, I wanted a small tank with big tank features... hence my acquisition of a Nano Cube.
One problem I didn't think about when I first got it was that these tanks are REALLY meant for SW reef setups. So I had to swap out some things in order for it to be suitable for a planted FW aquarium (for details, check out my 12g: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...-its-all-grown-up-now-227698.html#post2143992).
Basically, the stock actinic 50/50 PC bulbs aren't suitable for FW (you'll get a ton of algae...trust me, I tried it). I swapped those out for a 10,000K and 6,500K bulb. Secondly, the stock pump had way too high of a GPH flow rate that was not adjustable (not sure if it's adjustable on the biocubes). My poor fish were constantly fighting a hurricane of a current...LOL So, I swapped that out for a Marineland mini jet 404 which made the world of difference.
Moreover, the PC bulbs are pretty powerful (meant for corals).. so you'll have A LOT of lighting over a small space... without the addition of co2 or a way to decrease the lighting, you'll get a lot of algae. The high lighting is doable, but you'll need to inject co2 and get some moderate to high light plants that are fast-growers in order to utilize all that lighting and suck up the nutrients in the water so that they would out-compete algae.
With those mods, and the addition of DIY CO2 and Floramax substrate... My Nano Cube has come together pretty well to my liking for a planted tank....
Here's a youtube vid of my NanoCube... I have a listing of all the plants that I used on the youtube page.
Nano Cube 12g FW Planted Update 2012 - YouTube
And some pics
And Jungle Status in all its glory!!! haha
OP
OP
Sunnystang
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2012
- Messages
- 16
Thank you for the info. The biocube does have the 10k bulbs, unfortunately it has the non adjustable pump. I just added a dwarf gourami and two mollies and they struggle with the current. So I might just have to do something with the pump. I have a sand base with the substrate your using. I hope I can make mine look as nice as yours.
Brian_Nano12g
Aquarium Advice Addict
Is that your tank in the avatar picture? The lighting looks blue.. Did you swap out the bulbs for all 10K? Because to my understanding, the stock bulbs are actinic and 10k (50/50).
Either way.. I think you should inject co2, adopt a fertilizing method, and get a majority medium to high light plants with maybe some low light plants.. The lighting is intense. You seen my 12g i linked to? I had insane amount of algae until i made those adjustments. Either that, or you can add a screen maybe to tame the lighting. I've never tried that though.
Either way.. I think you should inject co2, adopt a fertilizing method, and get a majority medium to high light plants with maybe some low light plants.. The lighting is intense. You seen my 12g i linked to? I had insane amount of algae until i made those adjustments. Either that, or you can add a screen maybe to tame the lighting. I've never tried that though.
Brian_Nano12g
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sunnystang said:
Oh and you can! I just posted pictures of mine not to show off but just give you an example of what you can do with the cube you have. Its a bit of a challenge because both my nano cube and your biocube are designed to be nano reef SW tanks. But if you really want to convert it.. I can help.
OP
OP
Sunnystang
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2012
- Messages
- 16
I bought it new from an individual who is aquarium crazy. He has several tanks and 3 are biocubes. He really was pushing me on the sw and even offered me a free clown, I'm thinking I should of taken him up on it. I know the 14g he has on his counter is a planted fw and I don't think he did much converting. That pic of my aquarium was taken the second I got it running and had just put in the substrate so it was cloudy. And the blue color is because yes the bio has a blue bulb and the white 10k. I'm hoping with the addition of plants it will settle the force of that pump. I just got rid of my 55hex because it was around 35yrs old so it is now a cage to a friends lizards. And like you said the cubes are perfect for an apartment. And no your pictures didnt seem like you where bragging, I even watched your video, way cool.
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