Biocube 29 nano refugium

MTF7 · 04/17/2013, 09:26 PM

Ok first off I have had a SW for about 3 years now.....just not sucsessful. But this time around I want to add a refugium as I never have so I don't really have much experience with them. I want to add it for..
1. More water volume.
2. Copeopod production.
3. And a place to put a better skimmer.

I have a lot of questions
1. What size skimmer should I use?
2. How should my plumbing be drilled gravity with return pump or what I have been thinking of is both pump fed and pump return.
3. What should my GPH be withing the refugium?
4. I have seen that some people do a sump then a refugium off the sump do I have to do it like that or can I just do a refugium with baffles?
5. What tank shoul I use? I am planing on a 20G I just want to know if a 20H or a 20L is better.

Thanks I'm sure I will have more questions I just can't think all of them right now.

FishWrangler · 04/18/2013, 07:29 AM

ever consider doing the fuge in the middle chamber in the back and not do a sump?

kegogut · 04/18/2013, 07:40 AM

If your going to do a sump you should just sell the biocube and get a reef read 30g or something along those lines. If you keep the biocube get an HOB skimmer.

I have a 28 nano myself and have found theres not that much room in the back of them. I cant have a fuge in the middle chamber because Im running a Remora skimmer and a TLF 150 with GFO and the MJ1200s that run those fit in the middle chamber.

FishWrangler · 04/18/2013, 08:18 AM

Anyone try a fuge in the 1st chamber with success? There is room (I think) for one of those iRack fuge baskets in there.

One obvious issue would be the back in chamber 1 is solid plastic so you'd have to install the light underwater of above chamber 1...

My 2nd chamber is filled up as well with a media basket and skimmer.

MTF7 · 04/18/2013, 09:14 AM

I Have tried the intank refugium and media basket and I didn't like it very much. One of the main things that I want for the refugium is to add water volume. My old setup was
In the first chamber a biocube skimmer(aka nothing really)
2nd. Intank media basket with filter flood purigen then chemi pure elite and the in tank refugium basket with a few pices of LRR and cheato and a submersible light which actually wasn't that submersible...
3rd of course, the return pump

kegogut · 04/18/2013, 09:45 AM

Sell the biocube and get another tank. or keep the biocube and just get another tank!

MTF7 · 04/19/2013, 06:50 PM

Noooo I kinda like the 29g biocube look

kegogut · 04/19/2013, 07:05 PM

I agree I like the look of my 28 nano,but I dont think I could effectively put a sump underneath it.

MTF7 · 04/19/2013, 09:26 PM

I made a custom DIM stand that will host a 20H inside of it and then I put a nice counter top on the top of the stand am I am thinking of adding sort of like a mini sink where I can dump like test water and it will go to like a gallon jug and I just dump the jug every once in a while.

MTF7 · 04/21/2013, 08:52 PM

Ok scratch all of what I have been saying, I decided to go with a 2nd chamber refugium and just frequent water changes, so for the refugium I'm not going to go with the in tank one I already constructed a DIY egg crate version which offers a bunch more space then the inTank one my question is should I put sand at the bottom or no sand? I have the LRR suspended about 1 inch of the bottom by a rack so the detritus doesn't stay on the rock, also any ideas of small critters to put back there to help with cleaning the detritus that manages to make it to the bottom?

kegogut · 04/22/2013, 07:51 AM

You should be fine with no sand.

MTF7 · 04/24/2013, 09:07 AM

Ok my custom thing was terrible idea so I just stuck with the inTank although I might cusomize the media basket which will add a top rack does anyone think that I could put sand or even refugium mud in the back? Just to max out the bio filter

kegogut · 04/24/2013, 03:32 PM

Dont use mud. Ive never used it myself but every old reefer I talk to got away from it for one reason or another. I think you should be fine if you just some LR and cheato.

MTF7 · 04/24/2013, 04:37 PM

Ok I just have some live rock now, my tank is super cloudy like even when I replace the filter floss it gets super cloudy

kegogut · 04/24/2013, 05:11 PM

Any time I mess with my sand in my nano it gets cloudy for a few hours,nothing you can really do about it. As long as it clears up I wouldnt worry about it.

MTF7 · 04/24/2013, 05:24 PM

Ok what about when I start getting fish and clean up crew will they be ok or will that mess with them at all

kegogut · 04/24/2013, 06:23 PM

They will be fine.

I would suggest a diamond head goby as part of the CUC. they do a magnificent job as far as cleaning the sand,the best Ive seen. You may have to trade him in down the road as they can get bigger than whats recommended for a nano but that will be a while down the road. And if you do get one make sure that when you feed that food makes it down to the bottom of the tank for him to eat.

MTF7 · 04/24/2013, 06:33 PM

Wow that was actually the fish that I was going to get and I already have food for him I got some shrimp pellets that sink to the bottom

kegogut · 04/24/2013, 06:44 PM

Nice. Theyre cool fish,very active and not aggresive towards any other fish IME.

MTF7 · 04/24/2013, 08:05 PM

Alright when do you think I could add the diamond goby? I tested my water today
.25 ammonia
.05 nitrate
.25 nitrite ( nitrite and nitrate might be switched)
And after I tested I did a 5 gallon water change so they are probably lower now.
As for the diamond goby do you have one?

kegogut · 04/24/2013, 08:28 PM

Once your ammonia and nitTRITE have been 0 for a few days you should be ready.

As for the goby I do have one. Theyre the best sand cleaner Ive owned. Better than other gobies as they tend to stay close to the sand so they dont dump sand all over your tank. Some will grab a mouth full and swim up to the top,dumping sand on whatever is below them along the way.

I'd like to get another for my nano but I already have a watchman and pistol combo in there and the watchman is kind of aggressive so I dont think it will work out.

MTF7 · 04/24/2013, 08:54 PM

Alright if I may ask do you happen to keep like a phytoplankton culture or a pod culture? Or do you just use a refugium?

kegogut · 04/24/2013, 09:11 PM

For my 120 its just a fuge. There seems to be a nice population in there,everytime I take a gander there all over the place in there.

TRENT_G · 04/24/2013, 09:19 PM

I say drill it. Easy and you won't regret that you didn't.

Here is my 29gallon Biocube. Easy and the best thing I could have done.

sump compartment

MTF7 · 04/24/2013, 09:36 PM

Nice setup. Does anyone on here have experience with rapidled's dimmable LED's? Or just dimmable LED's in general? I'm looking to upgrade my lights to the BC29 retro dimmable LED but I'm not sure what I exactly need to be able to dim the lights it said something about a reef controller

04/17/2013, 09:26 PM	#1
MTF7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 285	Biocube 29 nano refugium Ok first off I have had a SW for about 3 years now.....just not sucsessful. But this time around I want to add a refugium as I never have so I don't really have much experience with them. I want to add it for.. 1. More water volume. 2. Copeopod production. 3. And a place to put a better skimmer. I have a lot of questions 1. What size skimmer should I use? 2. How should my plumbing be drilled gravity with return pump or what I have been thinking of is both pump fed and pump return. 3. What should my GPH be withing the refugium? 4. I have seen that some people do a sump then a refugium off the sump do I have to do it like that or can I just do a refugium with baffles? 5. What tank shoul I use? I am planing on a 20G I just want to know if a 20H or a 20L is better. Thanks I'm sure I will have more questions I just can't think all of them right now.

04/18/2013, 07:29 AM	#2
FishWrangler Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Clinton, CT Posts: 832	ever consider doing the fuge in the middle chamber in the back and not do a sump? __________________ Fish Wrangler Current Tank Info: * Im fusion 10g nano * Kessil a150w deep blue * Jebao wp-10 * ATO * Eshopps nano skimmer * 50w heater * Intank media basket with ChemiPure, Purigen, and filter floss

04/18/2013, 07:40 AM	#3
kegogut Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: St.Louis Posts: 5,052	If your going to do a sump you should just sell the biocube and get a reef read 30g or something along those lines. If you keep the biocube get an HOB skimmer. I have a 28 nano myself and have found theres not that much room in the back of them. I cant have a fuge in the middle chamber because Im running a Remora skimmer and a TLF 150 with GFO and the MJ1200s that run those fit in the middle chamber. __________________ Dave. "I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them." --Nicomo Cosca. Current Tank Info: 225 mixed w/ 225 sump 550 lbs live rock,3x MarinePure ceramic blocks,Skimz SM201,Geo 618 CR,Vectra L1,DOS automatic water changes,3x 250w MH w/ 4x actinic T5,All ran by Apex thru Fusion.--57 community tank w/ OR T-247,120 nem tank.

04/18/2013, 08:18 AM	#4
FishWrangler Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Clinton, CT Posts: 832	Anyone try a fuge in the 1st chamber with success? There is room (I think) for one of those iRack fuge baskets in there. One obvious issue would be the back in chamber 1 is solid plastic so you'd have to install the light underwater of above chamber 1... My 2nd chamber is filled up as well with a media basket and skimmer. __________________ Fish Wrangler Current Tank Info: * Im fusion 10g nano * Kessil a150w deep blue * Jebao wp-10 * ATO * Eshopps nano skimmer * 50w heater * Intank media basket with ChemiPure, Purigen, and filter floss

04/18/2013, 09:45 AM	#6
kegogut Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: St.Louis Posts: 5,052	Sell the biocube and get another tank. or keep the biocube and just get another tank! __________________ Dave. "I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them." --Nicomo Cosca. Current Tank Info: 225 mixed w/ 225 sump 550 lbs live rock,3x MarinePure ceramic blocks,Skimz SM201,Geo 618 CR,Vectra L1,DOS automatic water changes,3x 250w MH w/ 4x actinic T5,All ran by Apex thru Fusion.--57 community tank w/ OR T-247,120 nem tank.

04/18/2013, 09:14 AM	#5
MTF7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 285	I Have tried the intank refugium and media basket and I didn't like it very much. One of the main things that I want for the refugium is to add water volume. My old setup was In the first chamber a biocube skimmer(aka nothing really) 2nd. Intank media basket with filter flood purigen then chemi pure elite and the in tank refugium basket with a few pices of LRR and cheato and a submersible light which actually wasn't that submersible... 3rd of course, the return pump

04/19/2013, 06:50 PM	#7
MTF7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 285	Noooo I kinda like the 29g biocube look

04/19/2013, 07:05 PM	#8
kegogut Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: St.Louis Posts: 5,052	I agree I like the look of my 28 nano,but I dont think I could effectively put a sump underneath it. __________________ Dave. "I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them." --Nicomo Cosca. Current Tank Info: 225 mixed w/ 225 sump 550 lbs live rock,3x MarinePure ceramic blocks,Skimz SM201,Geo 618 CR,Vectra L1,DOS automatic water changes,3x 250w MH w/ 4x actinic T5,All ran by Apex thru Fusion.--57 community tank w/ OR T-247,120 nem tank.

04/19/2013, 09:26 PM	#9
MTF7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 285	I made a custom DIM stand that will host a 20H inside of it and then I put a nice counter top on the top of the stand am I am thinking of adding sort of like a mini sink where I can dump like test water and it will go to like a gallon jug and I just dump the jug every once in a while.

04/21/2013, 08:52 PM	#10
MTF7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 285	Ok scratch all of what I have been saying, I decided to go with a 2nd chamber refugium and just frequent water changes, so for the refugium I'm not going to go with the in tank one I already constructed a DIY egg crate version which offers a bunch more space then the inTank one my question is should I put sand at the bottom or no sand? I have the LRR suspended about 1 inch of the bottom by a rack so the detritus doesn't stay on the rock, also any ideas of small critters to put back there to help with cleaning the detritus that manages to make it to the bottom?

04/22/2013, 07:51 AM	#11
kegogut Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: St.Louis Posts: 5,052	You should be fine with no sand. __________________ Dave. "I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them." --Nicomo Cosca. Current Tank Info: 225 mixed w/ 225 sump 550 lbs live rock,3x MarinePure ceramic blocks,Skimz SM201,Geo 618 CR,Vectra L1,DOS automatic water changes,3x 250w MH w/ 4x actinic T5,All ran by Apex thru Fusion.--57 community tank w/ OR T-247,120 nem tank.

04/24/2013, 09:07 AM	#12
MTF7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 285	Ok my custom thing was terrible idea so I just stuck with the inTank although I might cusomize the media basket which will add a top rack does anyone think that I could put sand or even refugium mud in the back? Just to max out the bio filter

04/24/2013, 03:32 PM	#13
kegogut Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: St.Louis Posts: 5,052	Dont use mud. Ive never used it myself but every old reefer I talk to got away from it for one reason or another. I think you should be fine if you just some LR and cheato. __________________ Dave. "I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them." --Nicomo Cosca. Current Tank Info: 225 mixed w/ 225 sump 550 lbs live rock,3x MarinePure ceramic blocks,Skimz SM201,Geo 618 CR,Vectra L1,DOS automatic water changes,3x 250w MH w/ 4x actinic T5,All ran by Apex thru Fusion.--57 community tank w/ OR T-247,120 nem tank.

04/24/2013, 04:37 PM	#14
MTF7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 285	Ok I just have some live rock now, my tank is super cloudy like even when I replace the filter floss it gets super cloudy

04/24/2013, 05:11 PM	#15
kegogut Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: St.Louis Posts: 5,052	Any time I mess with my sand in my nano it gets cloudy for a few hours,nothing you can really do about it. As long as it clears up I wouldnt worry about it. __________________ Dave. "I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them." --Nicomo Cosca. Current Tank Info: 225 mixed w/ 225 sump 550 lbs live rock,3x MarinePure ceramic blocks,Skimz SM201,Geo 618 CR,Vectra L1,DOS automatic water changes,3x 250w MH w/ 4x actinic T5,All ran by Apex thru Fusion.--57 community tank w/ OR T-247,120 nem tank.

04/24/2013, 05:24 PM	#16
MTF7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 285	Ok what about when I start getting fish and clean up crew will they be ok or will that mess with them at all

04/24/2013, 06:23 PM	#17
kegogut Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: St.Louis Posts: 5,052	They will be fine. I would suggest a diamond head goby as part of the CUC. they do a magnificent job as far as cleaning the sand,the best Ive seen. You may have to trade him in down the road as they can get bigger than whats recommended for a nano but that will be a while down the road. And if you do get one make sure that when you feed that food makes it down to the bottom of the tank for him to eat. __________________ Dave. "I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them." --Nicomo Cosca. Current Tank Info: 225 mixed w/ 225 sump 550 lbs live rock,3x MarinePure ceramic blocks,Skimz SM201,Geo 618 CR,Vectra L1,DOS automatic water changes,3x 250w MH w/ 4x actinic T5,All ran by Apex thru Fusion.--57 community tank w/ OR T-247,120 nem tank.

04/24/2013, 06:33 PM	#18
MTF7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 285	Wow that was actually the fish that I was going to get and I already have food for him I got some shrimp pellets that sink to the bottom

04/24/2013, 06:44 PM	#19
kegogut Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: St.Louis Posts: 5,052	Nice. Theyre cool fish,very active and not aggresive towards any other fish IME. __________________ Dave. "I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them." --Nicomo Cosca. Current Tank Info: 225 mixed w/ 225 sump 550 lbs live rock,3x MarinePure ceramic blocks,Skimz SM201,Geo 618 CR,Vectra L1,DOS automatic water changes,3x 250w MH w/ 4x actinic T5,All ran by Apex thru Fusion.--57 community tank w/ OR T-247,120 nem tank.

04/24/2013, 08:05 PM	#20
MTF7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 285	Alright when do you think I could add the diamond goby? I tested my water today .25 ammonia .05 nitrate .25 nitrite ( nitrite and nitrate might be switched) And after I tested I did a 5 gallon water change so they are probably lower now. As for the diamond goby do you have one?

04/24/2013, 08:28 PM	#21
kegogut Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: St.Louis Posts: 5,052	Once your ammonia and nitTRITE have been 0 for a few days you should be ready. As for the goby I do have one. Theyre the best sand cleaner Ive owned. Better than other gobies as they tend to stay close to the sand so they dont dump sand all over your tank. Some will grab a mouth full and swim up to the top,dumping sand on whatever is below them along the way. I'd like to get another for my nano but I already have a watchman and pistol combo in there and the watchman is kind of aggressive so I dont think it will work out. __________________ Dave. "I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them." --Nicomo Cosca. Current Tank Info: 225 mixed w/ 225 sump 550 lbs live rock,3x MarinePure ceramic blocks,Skimz SM201,Geo 618 CR,Vectra L1,DOS automatic water changes,3x 250w MH w/ 4x actinic T5,All ran by Apex thru Fusion.--57 community tank w/ OR T-247,120 nem tank.

04/24/2013, 08:54 PM	#22
MTF7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 285	Alright if I may ask do you happen to keep like a phytoplankton culture or a pod culture? Or do you just use a refugium?

04/24/2013, 09:11 PM	#23
kegogut Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: St.Louis Posts: 5,052	For my 120 its just a fuge. There seems to be a nice population in there,everytime I take a gander there all over the place in there. __________________ Dave. "I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them." --Nicomo Cosca. Current Tank Info: 225 mixed w/ 225 sump 550 lbs live rock,3x MarinePure ceramic blocks,Skimz SM201,Geo 618 CR,Vectra L1,DOS automatic water changes,3x 250w MH w/ 4x actinic T5,All ran by Apex thru Fusion.--57 community tank w/ OR T-247,120 nem tank.

04/24/2013, 09:19 PM	#24
TRENT_G Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 501	I say drill it. Easy and you won't regret that you didn't. Here is my 29gallon Biocube. Easy and the best thing I could have done. sump compartment __________________ 120 (4X2X2), 2x250 Phoenix 14k MH with 2X ATI Purple Plus T5 HO, 2x Vortech MP40 ES, 400 gallon sump system. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon SPS Tank w/ 400 gallon sump......

04/24/2013, 09:36 PM	#25
MTF7 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Illinois Posts: 285	Nice setup. Does anyone on here have experience with rapidled's dimmable LED's? Or just dimmable LED's in general? I'm looking to upgrade my lights to the BC29 retro dimmable LED but I'm not sure what I exactly need to be able to dim the lights it said something about a reef controller