8 Gal Biocube
- Thread starter gill again68
- Start date
gill again68
Active Member
Thanks Corey. Its a fun slow moving little project. Not on the scale that most of us are use to but its a cheap way to explore some fun ideas. Cheap as in Saltwater fish / hobby cheap. Not Wal Mart cheap.
Posiden, I will certainly do some reading on those topics. I am not opposed to changing my materials. Thats why I think that doing some of this stuff and testing it ourselves will lead us to some real answers of our own. I agree that I dont want to stack any real weight on those rocks and depend on them. Thats why I didnt use them in my DT. I think at some point I will have a DT that is 100% man made LR. I may make some more LR with those materials you mentioned above. Then see what it produces. I can tell you that some of the stuff I made in the beginning was pretty tuff. I wonder if it would break down in my lifetime? Anyway I think it would be a cool way to move forward in this hobby and not take from the ocean. Plus its cheaper and that dont hurt my feelings. Plus its 100% customizable so that you get the chance to design it starting with the LR. I mean that seems promising. Thats my save the whales moment. Now on to hug a tree and save a spotted owl.
Posiden, I will certainly do some reading on those topics. I am not opposed to changing my materials. Thats why I think that doing some of this stuff and testing it ourselves will lead us to some real answers of our own. I agree that I dont want to stack any real weight on those rocks and depend on them. Thats why I didnt use them in my DT. I think at some point I will have a DT that is 100% man made LR. I may make some more LR with those materials you mentioned above. Then see what it produces. I can tell you that some of the stuff I made in the beginning was pretty tuff. I wonder if it would break down in my lifetime? Anyway I think it would be a cool way to move forward in this hobby and not take from the ocean. Plus its cheaper and that dont hurt my feelings. Plus its 100% customizable so that you get the chance to design it starting with the LR. I mean that seems promising. Thats my save the whales moment. Now on to hug a tree and save a spotted owl.
posiden
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gill again68 http:///forum/thread/374863/8-gal-biocube/40#post_3323103
Thanks Corey. Its a fun slow moving little project. Not on the scale that most of us are use to but its a cheap way to explore some fun ideas. Cheap as in Saltwater fish / hobby cheap. Not Wal Mart cheap.
Posiden, I will certainly do some reading on those topics. I am not opposed to changing my materials. Thats why I think that doing some of this stuff and testing it ourselves will lead us to some real answers of our own. I agree that I dont want to stack any real weight on those rocks and depend on them. Thats why I didnt use them in my DT. I think at some point I will have a DT that is 100% man made LR. I may make some more LR with those materials you mentioned above. Then see what it produces. I can tell you that some of the stuff I made in the beginning was pretty tuff. I wonder if it would break down in my lifetime? Anyway I think it would be a cool way to move forward in this hobby and not take from the ocean. Plus its cheaper and that dont hurt my feelings. Plus its 100% customizable so that you get the chance to design it starting with the LR. I mean that seems promising. Thats my save the whales moment. Now on to hug a tree and save a spotted owl.
That's funny. You know, there was a dirty jobs episode where. Mike made structures to help rebuild the reefs. It was cool to see them stack the rock, sand, shells, and what not in the mold.
It would be nice if you would get busy testing then. I would like it very much if I didn't have to buy LR again. I do however agree with the stress on the reefs, and I try to buy only aqua cultured coral and fish. Sometimes I can't help it and I buy anyway.
Originally Posted by Gill again68 http:///forum/thread/374863/8-gal-biocube/40#post_3323103
Thanks Corey. Its a fun slow moving little project. Not on the scale that most of us are use to but its a cheap way to explore some fun ideas. Cheap as in Saltwater fish / hobby cheap. Not Wal Mart cheap.
Posiden, I will certainly do some reading on those topics. I am not opposed to changing my materials. Thats why I think that doing some of this stuff and testing it ourselves will lead us to some real answers of our own. I agree that I dont want to stack any real weight on those rocks and depend on them. Thats why I didnt use them in my DT. I think at some point I will have a DT that is 100% man made LR. I may make some more LR with those materials you mentioned above. Then see what it produces. I can tell you that some of the stuff I made in the beginning was pretty tuff. I wonder if it would break down in my lifetime? Anyway I think it would be a cool way to move forward in this hobby and not take from the ocean. Plus its cheaper and that dont hurt my feelings. Plus its 100% customizable so that you get the chance to design it starting with the LR. I mean that seems promising. Thats my save the whales moment. Now on to hug a tree and save a spotted owl.
That's funny. You know, there was a dirty jobs episode where. Mike made structures to help rebuild the reefs. It was cool to see them stack the rock, sand, shells, and what not in the mold.
It would be nice if you would get busy testing then. I would like it very much if I didn't have to buy LR again. I do however agree with the stress on the reefs, and I try to buy only aqua cultured coral and fish. Sometimes I can't help it and I buy anyway.
gill again68
Active Member
Sure thing man. Just as soon as I get this whole "do I have a job" thingy figured out then I am back on the LR stuff.
posiden
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gill again68 http:///forum/thread/374863/8-gal-biocube/40#post_3323425
Sure thing man. Just as soon as I get this whole "do I have a job" thingy figured out then I am back on the LR stuff.
Don't tell me your a victim of the economy?
Originally Posted by Gill again68 http:///forum/thread/374863/8-gal-biocube/40#post_3323425
Sure thing man. Just as soon as I get this whole "do I have a job" thingy figured out then I am back on the LR stuff.
Don't tell me your a victim of the economy?
gill again68
Active Member
Well kind of a hit and run at the moment. We will see if I live through it probably by Wednesday or Friday this week. No one has told me that I am just keeping an eye on things and think thats the time line. I feel very confident but you never know. Thanks for the thoughts!
On the flip side when I get back going I may have some questions for you about your project and using some of those ideas for a project I want to do.
On the flip side when I get back going I may have some questions for you about your project and using some of those ideas for a project I want to do.
gill again68
Active Member
Anyone have a or could suggest a skimmer that would work with the 8 gal oceanic biocube? The top is off and I have a DIY hood on now so at least that much is open for modding. I was thinking of the TAAM RIO Mini for up to 20 gals??
posiden
Active Member
I'm not the best one to answer the skimmer question but,, IMO you may as well DIY one. Its a small tank and you could build a simple one for cheap. I know nano skimmers aren't that expensive anyway but.....
Since there not available here in the states, I'm not too sure about them but. A very simple skimmer made by Mame is supposed to work better then one would think. I'm sure you could put one together out of PVC for about 5 bucks minus the air pump. Maybe less if you have the stuff left over from another job. It worth a shot, if nothing else you could always buy a skimmer later on and find out it doesn't do much better.LOL.
Since there not available here in the states, I'm not too sure about them but. A very simple skimmer made by Mame is supposed to work better then one would think. I'm sure you could put one together out of PVC for about 5 bucks minus the air pump. Maybe less if you have the stuff left over from another job. It worth a shot, if nothing else you could always buy a skimmer later on and find out it doesn't do much better.LOL.
gill again68
Active Member
Well I did start a DIY skimmer. I had an air pump left over from an old FW tank and I tried to make a collection cup. Bottom line was it worked but not well. It was design flaws that I think caused my issues. I think I could do it but I think I need to copy a design thats already been done.
posiden
Active Member
Well the Mame couldn't be any more simple. Look it up.
On your other one, do you have any pics? Do you still have it? I would like to help if I could. I really think they are simple devices despite what some say.
I built one that used only an air pump. It worked like an air lift to pump the water into the reaction chamber. It worked ok I guess. I think most folks know I not a big skimmer guy. I have played around with them, just never spent the big bucks on one. I'm a cheap SOB. So a buck fifty is too much for me LOL. I will admit that my water seemed to disappear when I ran my DIY skimmer. It looked like crystal. It cost about 7 bucks plus the air pump to build. IIRC I totaled out at about 15 bucks plus my time.
Edit:
IIRC this is about 24 hrs worth of skim from the DIY unit. I swirled it up for the pic but, you can see the chunks in it.
On your other one, do you have any pics? Do you still have it? I would like to help if I could. I really think they are simple devices despite what some say.
I built one that used only an air pump. It worked like an air lift to pump the water into the reaction chamber. It worked ok I guess. I think most folks know I not a big skimmer guy. I have played around with them, just never spent the big bucks on one. I'm a cheap SOB. So a buck fifty is too much for me LOL. I will admit that my water seemed to disappear when I ran my DIY skimmer. It looked like crystal. It cost about 7 bucks plus the air pump to build. IIRC I totaled out at about 15 bucks plus my time.
Edit:
IIRC this is about 24 hrs worth of skim from the DIY unit. I swirled it up for the pic but, you can see the chunks in it.
posiden
Active Member
Well I tried my hand at making a knock off of the Mame unit. Its a very rough version of it. I'm using a pepsi bottle and a wooden diffuser. I have an old racking cane from my home brew stuff for the "blow off tube". Not sure what to call it on a skimmer???LOL. I just got in on tonight and after about a half an hour it started to build up some foam and it spitting it out the tube every once in a while. "IF" this turns out to work ok, I'll post a couple pics for you.
I hope all is well.
I hope all is well.
gill again68
Active Member
Thanks man. I havent tried to improve that piece of crap I put together so new ideas or old ideas done well are welcomed.