60g Corner tank (Peacock Mantis Shrimp) and 32g Biocube build.

[lordthaxto]

Biocube Update

Changed out the substrate from gravel to sand!! No coral or livestock losses yay!

90% water change
Added Dr. Tim to help
Used live sand “special grade”

How I did it.

1. Filled up a 15g tub with saltwater a heater and a bubbler.
2. Pulled all rock and livestock and put it in tub.
3. Trashed all the water in the tank. with the exception of 5g.
4. Pulled the gravel and put it in a rubber tub, this was to find the hermit crabs.
5. Used a Shop-Vac to get the rest, and scrubbed the bottom of the tank for any debris.
6. Added liverock back to empty tank.
7. Added sand around live rock.
8. Filled tank 1/2 way with the 15g water in the tub. When the tub got low I added the livestock and crabs.
9. Added the 5g of old water
10. Topped it off with fresh saltwater
11. Added Dr. Tim’s 30g
12. Pulled filter and turned off skimmer for 24hrs

Nice! When i first got my biocube, I set it up and noticed a bunch of scratches / defects from the manufacturer.

My LFS luckily gave me a new one, and allowed me time to transfer everything over. I wanted to keep my sand though, and I managed to do it with a turkey baster. Reefers best friend I suppose

I'm planning to add some pics of my coral / tank setup within the next week. My build thread mainly shows how im modding the cube.

 

[Brady4000]

Nice! When i first got my biocube, I set it up and noticed a bunch of scratches / defects from the manufacturer.

My LFS luckily gave me a new one, and allowed me time to transfer everything over. I wanted to keep my sand though, and I managed to do it with a turkey baster. Reefers best friend I suppose

I'm planning to add some pics of my coral / tank setup within the next week. My build thread mainly shows how im modding the cube.

You should add a banner to your build thread.

 

[lordthaxto]

You should add a banner to your build thread.

Not sure how to add the banner to a thread, I see it as an option for my profile

 

[Brady4000]

Not sure how to add the banner to a thread, I see it as an option for my profile

Perfect! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Brady4000]

Ok been a minute since I updated. Here is the Biocube.

 

[Brady4000]

Added like 20 different Zoas to the back wall today, not sure how it’s going to work out, but it brought me SOOOO much joy!


They are all mad at my for touching them, I’ll post a better photo with them open.

 

[Brady4000]

Here is the mantis tank.

 

[Brady4000]

Tried to grow zoas in the mantis tank, and he ended up with shell rot. So I pulled out all the zoas and tossed em them in the Biocube and turned off the lights. All the macro died in the mail and was not insured, but going to make it mantis and fish only tank.

The mantis tank will no longer have coral. I feel bad, hopefully he can come back from my mistakes...

 

[Brady4000]

Update,

Mantis shrimp molted off all the shell rot, and came out with a vengeance!

Last night Mr. One Punch, killed about 4 hermit crabs and an emerald crab. The rest of the CUC are worshiping him for his efforts, as they feast on his leftovers lol.

literally 1/2 eaten Emerald is right outside his cave. He just watches all the hermits eat the reat

So proud of him, brings a tear to my eye.


Here is what’s left of the Emerald.
Having this tank in the bedroom was definitely a great idea, the mantis woke me up as he was decimating everything. Definitely brightened my night.

 

[Brady4000]

Sorry for the PG13 post, but that Emerald Crab was a coral killer and I love my my mantis lol. So I am extremely happy to see him back in action.

 

[Brady4000]

Some photos from the Biocube. Torch seems to be angry.

 

[Brady4000]

Mantis Tank:
Also built a refugium into the sump. To help with the excess nitrates, been helping a lot!


ATO reservoir is nicely hidden.

 

[saltyfish24]

Thanks for the pictures and info. It looked like you had a ACKE grow light through the glass of the back filter chamber. How has that been working out? My only reservation is the inability to adjust the brightness of this chaeto light.

Edit:
I have a biocube also and want to grow chaeto back there. But I wasn't planning on needing any media filtration in that middle chamber. Do you find a lot of benefit to the InTank refugium basket? I was just gonna chuck some chaeto in the middle chamber and grow it like that.

 

[Brady4000]

Thanks for the pictures and info. It looked like you had a ACKE grow light through the glass of the back filter chamber. How has that been working out? My only reservation is the inability to adjust the brightness of this chaeto light.

Edit:
I have a biocube also and want to grow chaeto back there. But I wasn't planning on needing any media filtration in that middle chamber. Do you find a lot of benefit to the InTank refugium basket? I was just gonna chuck some chaeto in the middle chamber and grow it like that.

Yes the InTank media basket works amazing. I am able to have filter floss and chemi-pure blue in 1/2 of chamber 2, and my chaeto in the other 1/2 with InTank Refug.

As for the light, it almost works too well, started to bleach my Chaeto. I put a strip of blue painter tape down the middle and it seems to be working out.

I dose cheato gro as well, seems to speed up the growth quite well.



that started out as the size of a golf ball.

 

[Brady4000]

Mantis update. Put a another Emerald Crab in his tank last night, and this morning he found it lol.

Mantis Shrimp vs Emerald Crab

youtube.com

 

[Brady4000]

Bristle worm cleaning up hermits mess. Lol. CUC rolling deep!


Edit: yes I don’t like my snails dying, but you can’t blame a hermit crab for being a hermit crab. Just enjoying the tank lol.

 

[dsayo]

Awesome work so far. Can’t wait to see the continued progress!

 

[Brady4000]

Awesome work so far. Can’t wait to see the continued progress!

Now if I can just figure out how to get coralline algae to grow lol.

 

[Brady4000]

Tank shot

 

[Brady4000]

New coral. A deal I could not pass up!!! 2 free monites from a buddy. And bought 6 sps and a frag of zoas with 15 head (gold zoas) $65 for the lot!!! Told me the zoa frag for $5 (gold zoas). All but two zoas are closed, I’ll post the zoas when they open.