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Roedster
01/13/2014, 06:30 PM
Hey guys looking for ideas on how to set up my filtration setup on my 29 gallon biocube. Would love for you guys to post any suggestions and what you have on yours. As of right now my chambers are like so:

1st chamber: Overflow with nano protein skimmer
2nd chamber: sponge filter, drip try, bioballs
3rd chamber: Heater, return pump

I have about 40lbs of live rock, alittle bit of corals, inverts, and one clownfish in there as we speak. Will be adding more corals and a couple more fish.

Thanks for looking.

RCKY
01/13/2014, 08:15 PM
I am running a 29 gallon Biocube with a protein skimmer in the first chamber, extra live rock in the second, and heater and return pump in the third. I left the tray in the top of the second chamber and place a piece of filter mesh there when I clean my tank with a baster. I do not run my skimmer when doing this and after letting it catch the larger particles for a few hours, I remove it. Dirty filter media creates nitrate issues if left in tank. I only run my skimmer about once a week for one day. It removes about one cup full during this time. Then I clean it and put it in place for the next time I use it. The only other thing I ever filter for is phosphate. I put a phosphate bag on the tray in chamber two once a month for about five days and have never had phosphate issues.
I would think the bioballs would be a terrible trap for detritus. Everything I have read has said to remove them when running a saltwater tank. Its the reason I went with extra live rock in that area.
Had the tank going now for 2-1/2 years with no major glitches. Once had a flatworm issue and before starting to filter for phosphate, had some algae issues. About 55 pounds live rock total, two fish, a few polyps, a brain coral, mushrooms, a rock anemone, star polyps, xenia, and a few patches of encrusting corals.

Mark9
01/13/2014, 09:18 PM
Why do you run the skimmer only 1 day a week?

RCKY
01/13/2014, 09:31 PM
I am concerned that the skimmer will remove too much of the small particles of food that my gorgonian, corals, tunicates, etc. are all relying on. It removes about a cup of darker green waste if I let it run one day but on the second day, it is lighter green and not as much. Because I do not have any algae problems and I see much less come out on the second day, I do not think my DOC's are high and do not want to risk starving something.
I am not 100 percent sure what I am doing is scientific but it has been working for me.
I read about using the berlin system when I was setting up my tank and went with the idea that 1-1/2 pounds of rock per gallon and a deep sand bed would reduce the need for skimming.

lrs183
01/14/2014, 01:32 AM
In my 21 cube I have the nano skimmer that came with it

3 chambers in area 2. 2 filled with rings, 3rd (top cartridge) has a bag of chemi pure carbon and a bag of phosban beads (little micro white beads). Tank looks beautiful, all critical measurements are 0 with nitrate of 0-5. Tank is still pretty new but it has had a fish in it for a while now and I haven't had any outbreaks or issues.

lrs183
01/14/2014, 01:41 AM
I'll figure out the exact brand of the micro beads for you tomorrow if you're still testing the waters with ideas

ElmoC
01/14/2014, 07:51 AM
I have an Aquatic Life 115 in my first chamber.

Second chamber I have the inTank media rack with floss, purigen, and chemi-pure. I also have a CPR reactor running GFO.

Third chamber is the heater and return pump.