I got a free 8gallon bio cube!!!

Fishhead Junkie · Dec 14, 2008

I was given an 8 gallon cube last night free of charge. It even came with a Koralia nano, heater, crushed coral(which I pulled out), and about 10lbs of live rock. Plus, a pajama cardinal, peppermint shrimp, emerald and hermit crabs, and some snails.

I broke it down really quick, got some live pink fiji sand for $5 and replaced the original substrate, put back some of the original water and topped it off. I put all the original live rock back in it for now until I decide what to do with the tank. Don't worry, I put the livestock into my 29BC.

One of the fans sounds like its starting to go, I've never tried replacing the fans on one of these hoods, but I'm guessing it can't be that hard when the time comes.

I'm contemplating just a regular reef tank with fish and corals or possibly a seahorse tank with some corals...what does everyone else think?

Steve

brian92 · Dec 14, 2008

Nice find, I'd try a Zoa and paly garden? Seahorses can be a real pain sometimes to feed everyday.

Fishhead Junkie · Dec 14, 2008

I probably would get pretty good growth with those in this 8BC...the lighting is the most powerful in watts per gallon in this tank versus the other 2. It's hard to believe my 29BC techinically has the worst lighting out of all 3 when it was the most expensive...oh well. I still love them both.

Steve

sleeper · Dec 14, 2008

I think you are lucky! Thats what I think! I would go with a Zoa/Paly garden or a bunch of Rics. One of the coolest tanks I have seen had a ric garden where all the different colors were together. really cool. If you want to go off the beaten path maybe a mantis tank.

Saltysteele · Dec 15, 2008

Cool, Steve! I'd do a ric/yuma garden, and a bluespot jawfish (if it's big enough for one)

Fishhead Junkie · Dec 15, 2008

I should start saving my money now, put a little bit away each week so when Atlantis has another blowout sale, I can pick up one of those bluespots for $69..good idea.

I do have a nice rock with about 3 orange rics on it that I can't seem to find a good place for in my 29BC. I have it sitting on the sand and the goby keeps burying it along with all my other floor stationed corals. My blue zoos look like crap because of him!!!

I'll have to post a pic of the tank later.

Anyone have an extra fan for an 8gallon bio cube? They probably don't run that much at the computer store, but I'm cheap!!

Steve

Kate · Dec 15, 2008

Hey! Nice to see someone else with the same size tanky!

The fans aren't that hard to change, but you do have to do a bit of digging to get the little plug put in! If you want to try something temporarily, I did this to mine several times, and made the fan last a lot longer! Take the seal off of the center of the fan. Make sure you don't drop anything in the tank; put a cover there until you are done working. Put a tiny drop of 3 in 1 oil in the center hole of the fan. Clean it really well, and put a piece of scotch tape over it, and make sure it is sealed, before putting it back under the clear cover! This worked well for me, for several months!

Fishhead Junkie · Dec 15, 2008

I'm going to have to check your suggestion out. I took the clear plastic cover off, removed the back reflector cover to look at the fans. The fan on the left is the one that is going. It starts to slow down and then starts to make a horrible noise as it slowly spins. I'm not sure why, but it's also the fan that is labeled with its manufacturing info, while the other fan has nothing on it.

Steve

Kate · Dec 15, 2008

Yes, that is what mine was doing too! First, COVER the opening, and take the screws out of the fan, and hold it flat, to put the drop of oil in. Make sure to get the oil off of the plastic around the edge of the hole, so that the tape will seal it shut! It should work a lot better for you, for a couple of months! I did that, three times I think, when it started getting noisy again!

Fishhead Junkie · Dec 15, 2008

Kate said:
Yes, that is what mine was doing too! First, COVER the opening, and take the screws out of the fan, and hold it flat, to put the drop of oil in. Make sure to get the oil off of the plastic around the edge of the hole, so that the tape will seal it shut! It should work a lot better for you, for a couple of months! I did that, three times I think, when it started getting noisy again!

I get all of it except the tape part..what am I taping up exactly?? I'll give it a try this week.

Do you have any pictures of your cube??

Steve

Kate · Dec 15, 2008

What you will be doing, will be, tearing off the seal in the center of the fan. When you put a drop of oil in, you will need to seal it back up, so it stays inside! Yes, my tank is in the nano tank section, under; I finally learned how to video!

I think that's how it is worded! Under Kate!