Llj's 8G Oceanic Biocube

lljdma06

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Edit & Warning for those just starting out in Marine: I'm an experienced hobbyist. I have 23 years in Freshwater systems and Planted tanks. I can go at a faster pace than the average hobbyist starting in Marine. I also use unorthodox methods. DO NOT stock the way I stock, especially with regard to pacing and choice. I have the know-how and the heavy maintenance regimen to maintain a system like this. On the other hand, I will tell you to go very slowly with regard to stocking and setup. Thank you and enjoy this journal.

One of my favorite aspects of the hobby is the friends you make along the way. When I started out last June, while I did a lot of reading on my own, it was awesome to be able to bounce ideas off people. One of first the people who helped me out a lot is a member here, Monochrome5, though I know him primarily from another forum. A marine biologist with a lot of insight into how Marine systems work. I owe him a lot in this hobby. Very helpful and we've sent each other a bunch of equipment in the last months.

He's moving to another state and he can't take all of his tanks. :( I was actually in the process of planning to convert my ADA planted tank into a Marine when he suggested that I consider purchasing his Oceanic biocube. Seeing that the cost of upgrading the ADA would be significantly more, and would leave me unsatisfied, I took up his offer. Tank's shipping on Monday and I'm super excited. You have no idea. :yahoo:

You ask? Why is L soooooo excited about a Oceanic biocube??? It's an all in one with stock light, stock filtration, and so on, right? It's a relatively common system, right?Well, this one's different... It's really best if I quote Monochrome on this one. I'm still wrapping my head around all the mods he's made to this puppy.

Oceanic BioCube 8 Gallon


Upgraded return pump - changed the stock 106gph Oceanic pump to a Mini-Jet 606 (adjustable from 82-153gph)


Upgraded Return nozzle - Hydor FLO rotating return (also have the stock one somewhere)


inTank BC8 laser cut media rack - THE BEST upgrade for any all-in-one. Holds filter floss on top, then purigen (or chemipure if you want), then chaeto. Has the water flow director, too. Check it out here - http://shop.mediabaskets.com/BioCube-8-Media-Basket-BC8MR.htm


2x 10W submersible halogens - To light the refugium. More than enough light to grow chaeto. Just zip-tie them to the rack and go.


inTank fish saver - No more fish jumping into the rear chambers!! see it here - http://shop.mediabaskets.com/BioCube-8-Fish-Saver-Guard-BC8FS.htm


Custom made NanoBox 18x Rebel LED fixture - the meat and potatoes of this tank. This thing is a gem. Custom made by Dave Fason, owner of NanoBox LED. 18x Rebel LEDs built into a custom heatsink mounted in the hood. Custom fan mounts and new fans as well to cool it, though it produces virtually no heat (high quality heat sink). 12x Royal Blue and 6x Natural White. One bank of RB and the bank of white are both fully dimable. Other bank of RB are on/off only, though this will change soon. Second gen controller is coming out soon and Dave will include a FREE upgrade. The controller is sick. Plugs into a comp via USB. EVERYTHING can be set. This thing can imitate thunder storms (lightning is sweet), cloud cover, the arc of the sun, sunrise/set, EVERYTHING. You can even set it to thunderstorm or be cloudy on different days/times/whatever. It makes one sick, natural feeling reef. Dave is the man with LEDs (just check nano-reef). He's more than happy to help. The current controller doesn't have a housing, but the next gen one will. Both have LED screens and everything to check settings. http://nano-box-reef.com/index.html (check the prject page to see it during the build). You would NEED to keep the LEDs below 50% (around 30% is where I had them). Any more will fry anything in a tank this size. Technically I should have no more than 6 of these LEDs in a tank this size (8 at most... but I like being special haha).


Coralife Digital Time Station power strip - not the best, but hey - it works. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=11379


A few extra goodies - Two Little Fishes Nono-Mag (love), magnetic thermometer, anything random I find that may be useful.

So basically, with that lighting, I can pretty much do whatever I want. It's actually enough lighting to grow sps in a 40-60g tank, but they are dimable so I'm using them in the biocube.

I don't know really what my plans are for this system yet. I ordered

-chemi-pure elite
-purigen
-20lb bag of Aragolive pink figi sand. A bit different sand than what I used in my other systems. I'll have leftovers. I tend to like some substrate since I never know if I'm going to keep a goby or not

Livestock, no clue. Barring the CUC, I don't really want to keep the same things I currently have. I'd like to avoid mushrooms, nps, and the current zoathid varieties that I have unless I find that they look epic under the lights. I'd like to try Duncans, plate corals, and possibly acans. For fish, maybe a fire fish and then something else with different habits.

Thanks for looking. I'm so excited. :yahoo:

L
 
can't wait to see this one set up! :good:
 
woooohooo :good:

Calls for a special fish! I thin firefish + special = Helfrichs Firefish!! :hyper:
 
Another one?! You're for sure going to be busy on wc day.

Looking forward to seeing what you're going to do with this one! :good:
 
can't wait to see this one set up! :good:

Neither can I. Tank will ship Monday. :yahoo:


Haha, I almost did when I read about the lights too. It's pretty epic stuff. I can mimic hurricane season in FL if the weather's rainy, I can make it a rainy day at the reef. I can mimic winter sun versus summer sun. I can mimic the sun's arc in the region where the corals and fish are predominantly from. Can't wait to play. And the second gen controller will allow me to dim the 3rd bank of LEDs so, I can be even more precise. A real geek's light. Hahaha

woooohooo :good:

Calls for a special fish! I thin firefish + special = Helfrichs Firefish!! :hyper:

You took the words right out of my mouth. A Helfrich's is high on my list. That and possibly a Tanaka pygmy wrasse or a White Banded possum wrasse. Not sure, as I'd also love to finally have that Yasha/pistol pair, but I've already got a watchman/pistol in my 8g. Decisions, decisions... I want what I don't necessarily have in my other tanks, so expect some interesting new species. I've got some corals coming in for my other 8g and the person I'm getting them from included a little grab bag of asterinas (the good kind!) and such. Harlequin shrimp could be in the works. And squat lobsters. Will be checking out Diver's Den a lot in Liveaquaria and seeing what other hobbyists have to offer. I may also get a different type of LR, but I'm not sure yet. I love the Haitian rock. It's really served me well.


Another one?! You're for sure going to be busy on wc day.

Looking forward to seeing what you're going to do with this one! :good:

I'm already busy on water change day. :lol: The 36g is the back-breaking one because it's bigger and is an oddly shaped tank. My picos are easy to change in contrast, they just require more frequent water changes. I've had as many as 7 FW tanks running at the same time, so, I'm not phased yet. You just have to premix the salt and you are good to go.

I'm excited about this too, expect more aggressive corals (lps) and more difficult species (sps). Well, yeah, and zoas, I like zoas, can't go wrong with the funky zoas.

L
 
sounds epic.Good luck
good.gif
 
Wow, you better post a vid of that light. :good: Bet the overkill with the extra led's makes for some awesome lightening!
 
Wow, you better post a vid of that light. :good: Bet the overkill with the extra led's makes for some awesome lightening!

I'll make a short video once the tank gets here. It just shipped, so it should be in my house in like two days, probably Thursday.

:yahoo:

L
 
This sounds quality L when do you expect to receive the tank ie when can I expect to see updates :hyper:
 
This sounds quality L when do you expect to receive the tank ie when can I expect to see updates :hyper:

receiving the tank either Wednesday or Thursday. I've ordered livesand from Drs. Foster and Smith and some other odds and ends. As soon as I get the sand, I'll setup. Hopefully this weekend, I can set it up.

The seller just sent me a video of the lights. OMG, the storm effect is extremely cool and the actual lights produce beautiful color. I'll be trying to program the tank to simulate a typical year in a tropical reef, which means studying lunar cycles for a year, and various seasonal weather patterns. The sand is Fiji pink, so I'll see if I can try to mimic weather patterns from that region. If the controller will let me be that complicated. It may not be. Programming it for weekly Sunday afternoon thunderstorms will be just as nice.

I'm super excited. Saw a helfrich's fire fish at my LFS. They are stunners. So I bet she can get me a tanaka or a white banded possum wrasse if I asked for one.

L
 
Oh goodness! This will be fun to watch for sure. I'd love to see some pics of the set up alone once you get it all!

-Tyler
 
Liz, it sounds like we really lost you in the planted section.... Addicted to SW tanks now. I remember you said last year that you possibly needed to downgrade because of a moving? It sounds like that is no longer in the cards?! I have finally moved 3/4 of my fish stock to Montreal and have bought myself a 20 gallon long and a Geo Hagen System 80, plus 2 divided 5 gallons for the bettas. That is all; no more space available and if I would like to create more, that would mean divorce :sad:.
 
Nah! Biulu, I'm redoing my ADA. Still planting away. Got a new thread up & everything :nod: Go check it out. :D

No, a move isn't happening right now. If it did, I'd simply sell the stock. But I've also moved with tanks before across state lines. Part of the reason why i do mainly nanos & picos.

L
 
Yay for the Helfichs! Gorgeous huh! I see them at our wholesalers every time but im not allowed :( nor the huge black sailfin tang that was twice the size of my handspan >.< i believe it was about £800 trade!! :crazy:

Had a Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse for a while, gorgous fish!! Did find it a little picky though, certainly wouldnt trust it with small sexy shrimp or the likes!
 

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