29g BioCube is coming Alive!

[Sniperhank]

A skimmer won't do anything to change your cycling. The cycle will only cause it to flip out and overflow. Keep with convict, if he says no skimmer I'll believe him in the biocube world.

When it comes to topping off, that depends on how much evaporation your tank has. My 55 reef is about a gallon a day where my 36 fowlr is a gallon or 2 a week. And yes, top off with ro/di. To help measuring this, I used a sharpie to mark on the back or side of the tank where I wanted the water level to be and just filled up to that mark. This was pre-ATO.

 

[Convict2161]

I should mention that I have been using the API Freshwater Test kit, but from looking at the saltwater kit, the cards look nearly identical, so I figured I could get by using it. My clown looks to be doing pretty good thus far this morning, so I hope he can keep it up until I can do some bigger water changes.

Convict, I know you are not running a skimmer, but I wonder if I should until things get more settled? Which compartment should I put the skimmer in? Chamber 1 is too short to even fit my skimmer, Chamber 2 doesn't keep a constant water level, and 3 has the return pump, so no room for it....Any suggestions?

Also when I just do a top off, I should just be using RO/DI water correct, not saltwater?

Thanks Friend!

You don't need a skimmer at all in your bio cube. I had one for almost 9 months and it did nothing. Been running without one and water parameters and conditions are fine, just have to dose 2 part since a burst in coral growth.

IMHO your better using chamber 2 for the inTank media rack and live rock rubble or the inTank fuge. The problem the the skimmer in chamber 2 is this:

The water level is never ever gonna be the same in 2 or 3 you have evaporation which is just gonna cause the skimmer to go off balance then you'll need to redial it. It gets very very annoying. If your gonna run a skimmer which like I said is unnecessary in a BC29 or smaller your best bet is to run it in chamber 1, I've tried that too and found the placement of the skimmer to also be annoying and if you have to dial in... Good luck, I say don't worry about a skimmer in the cube If you keep up on water changes weekly you'll be just fine trust me.

Also the skimmer will do absolutely nothing for your cycle. Just be patient it will come.

 

[Lessa99]

Ok, no skimmer it is! Also, I can't afford the inTank media rack yet, so I am saving some cash for that, Ill probably try to sell some records so I can get this within the next month or so.

I made an egg crate rack with filter floss and chemi-pure elite, I want to run Purigen on the bottom of the rack but I haven't found it locally yet. Ill have to pick up some live rock and break it up and toss that in there as well.

I know Im not even close to ready for coral's yet, but I keep reading that they need to be fed. What do I feed them and how?

I'm hoping to have my biocube look HALF as nice as your Convict!

 

[Convict2161]

Ok, no skimmer it is! Also, I can't afford the inTank media rack yet, so I am saving some cash for that, Ill probably try to sell some records so I can get this within the next month or so.

I made an egg crate rack with filter floss and chemi-pure elite, I want to run Purigen on the bottom of the rack but I haven't found it locally yet. Ill have to pick up some live rock and break it up and toss that in there as well.

I know Im not even close to ready for coral's yet, but I keep reading that they need to be fed. What do I feed them and how?

I'm hoping to have my biocube look HALF as nice as your Convict!

Thanks! You absolutely can have a tank even nicer then mine!! Different corals need different things. If you have an iPhone there's a good app called pocket reef.

Some corals feed off light, some of phytoplankton, some off both. Some corals will eat what you feed the fish. Some you'll want to target feed.

When I feed my tank I turn the pumps off so the food settled on top of some of my corals an you can see them close up when they've come in contact with food. Then after about 2-4 minutes I turn the power head on to blast it all up and around giving them more time to feed. Then after that I turn the return pump back on and that's a wrap.

I feed:

Mysis
Brine
Spirulina

Phyto, trigger pods and mysis from reef nutrition and I also get some live brine once a week when my buddy gets it in.

 

[Convict2161]

No how about some pictures?

 

[Lessa99]

Ill post some pics later today!

 

[Convict2161]

Ill post some pics later today!

Ok!! Can't wait!

 

[Lessa99]

So I got my water this morning, but when I got home my wife, bless her, had gone to petco to surprise me and picked up a six line wrasse...I love the gesture, but bad timing! I guess Ill have to work double time on getting these two through the cycle, hopefully its just a mini cycle!

 

[Convict2161]

So I got my water this morning, but when I got home my wife, bless her, had gone to petco to surprise me and picked up a six line wrasse...I love the gesture, but bad timing! I guess Ill have to work double time on getting these two through the cycle, hopefully its just a mini cycle!

You can still get through this! Water change water change and water change!! Any update on parameters? I love the 6 line! I have one and its really cool to watch.

Good luck and keep updating.

 

[Lessa99]

It looks like the trItes are coming down, Ill do another 5 gallon change tonight and they should be down to acceptable levels, Ill just have to stay on top of the changes!

 

[Convict2161]

It looks like the trItes are coming down, Ill do another 5 gallon change tonight and they should be down to acceptable levels, Ill just have to stay on top of the changes!

Yup! Good job! Just keep doing what your doing and you'll pull through this. Like I said it can be done!

 

[Lessa99]

Man, I love this tank!

Well, I was able to trade the six line into Petco for a Bengaii Cardinal, luckily the manager is my neighbor!

My clown is acting weird though he keeps taking the sinking pellets and hoarding them in his cave, which I assume he has officially claimed as his own! He is almost treating them like eggs! Ill have to get some pics up soon!

 

[Beengirl]

I love clowns. They're just so silly! BTE, might wanna get that bangaii a friend, they're a schooling fish, don't do we'll alone. Glad to hear things are good.

 

[Lessa99]

Yeah, I have to see if I can get another cardinal this week, hopefully my funds can support it!

 

[Convict2161]

Man, I love this tank!

Well, I was able to trade the six line into Petco for a Bengaii Cardinal, luckily the manager is my neighbor!

My clown is acting weird though he keeps taking the sinking pellets and hoarding them in his cave, which I assume he has officially claimed as his own! He is almost treating them like eggs! Ill have to get some pics up soon!

Sounds good! Just a note, cardinals do better in groups. I have 2 and they never leave each others side.

 

[Lessa99]

Hey Friends, any ideas what this brown dust looking spots on the glass are? Also my looks like some of the rocks are turning brown, like they are covered in dirt? Is this the Diatom bloom I've read about?

How do I get rid of it forever?

Also I have a finger leather, and it will not extend its polyps, a hermit won't leave it alone, but a white stringy looking secretion has been coming from it as well...Is it dying? It also kind of looks like it is not standing up like it was in the store....

 

[Lessa99]

hmmmm, no one knows?

 

[S_Hurley]

hmmmm, no one knows?

Is your tank currently cycling? If so this is completely normal and will go away soon.

 

[Lessa99]

I believe I may have finished my cycle as I checked and everything is at or near 0! I can't wait to start filling with coral!

 

[Convict2161]

I believe I may have finished my cycle as I checked and everything is at or near 0! I can't wait to start filling with coral!

Sounds good! How long has it been again?