biocube help please

[ms3]

ok first off this is my first attempt to have a saltwater fish tank. i chose the bio cube 29 gal because i live in the barriks on a military base i cant have all those fancey filters and great things filling up my small living space and still keep a clean inspectable room. so thats why i went with the bio cube (BC)but after reading here on the forums that i guess BC are not good at all for reef tanks dew to poor lighting, is that correct? i mean how bad are we really talking about here? is it possable to keep any type of anemone? i would really like to have clown and a sebae. is it possable? i have been skimming threw alot of you alls postest but yet cant find no yes or no answer to what inverts and coral wise that can be keeped in this tank. you all are the pro's i am all open ears to this.
now i learned about nano tuners, and the upgrade light system but 700 for upgrade lights that i will have to keep replaceing every 6-8 months is insaine when all you make is 2.38cents an hr.
the tank has been set up for about 2 weeks now 3" of sand and ruff 15-18lbs of live rock. i have had a 3 strip in there sence day 3 to help with first cyl, its still alive and happy. did my first water change whitch i found out after reading this i did wrong i dident let the water reach room temp before adding to tank. but, i had the water tested at a local pet store and they said im ready to start vary slowly adding items to the tank. i need your help please make sure i kill off any animals for no good reason. besides i dont kill animals i aim for people. lol thanks you

 

[mboswell1982]

ok, if your tank has cycled, your good to start adding your clean up crew, and when u go pick that up, take the damsel back to the LFS, you dont want one in your tank, they tend to get nasty lol, but, anyway getting your clean up crew is your next priority, also, you may want add another 10-15lbs of live rock, the general rule of thumb is a 1-1.5lbs per gallon

 

[ms3]

ok not a problem what i really would like to know is what kinda of anemones can add when that time comes to this tank from what i understand the bio cube has poor lighting but yet almost every pet store i have ever been to has a biocube set up with such things as anemones with clowns. also i know you need to add fish slowly to let your felters catch up dose this rule also carry onto coral and inverts ?

 

[nitschke65]

My lfs has mushooms and zoanthids and polyps and even a leather in its display BC29, and that's with a blown out actinic! (only the 10,000k has been working for like 6 months) The biocube isn't that deep, so build up your live rock in a nice aquascape so you can keep the more light dependant stuff near the top. Also, wear your uniform (and preferably your sidearm) to your lfs. That should help you when purchacing appropriat corals and livestock for your tank.
Thanks and God Bless you for serving our country.
I've read where people have kept bubble tip anemone's under bc stock lighting.

 

[mboswell1982]

an anemone should be one of the last things added to your tank, to give your tank time to mature, and a lot of people will tell you to wait a couple months before you start putting your corals in to give your tank a lil bit of time to mature, instead of putting them in a fresh tank

 

[ms3]

lol got it more rock (oh joy the price of that stuff) $7-8 lbe build it up all the way, so that things that need the light the most will work there ways up to it sweet mother of god good news knowing that i dont have to go out and buy them $$$ light set up. ok next qustion how long dose the clean up crew need to be in place? before adding normal items and still got to figure out can i add coral and inverts at a slow pace? sorry for playin 20 qustions with you all. but i really do need the help.
and the military comment ( hey not a problem i get a kick from it / for real) !

 

[ms3]

i can wait a few months no big deal i got to go home (FL) here shortly were i can pickup all that stuff for pennys on the dollar thank you for the insite and time ill let you know how it turns out

 

[mboswell1982]

np man, what branch? and grats on the tank, the biocubes are nice, but if you ever decide to upgrade, i suggest you check out the finnex tanks, they're nano's as well, 30g tanks, an are some of the tanks around

 

[ms3]

im in the army did my time as a ground pounder (artillery) but deployed at infentry i did my time choose a real easy job opperating boats were i plan to stay for the rest of career.
never heard of that kinda tank, but its also a 30 gal and set up like BC?

 

[nitschke65]

You'll soon find out that NOTHING comes cheap in this hobby. You'll also read a lot of OPINIONS here, from EXPERTS! Experts are like drill sergeants, they're very loud, and believe that the only right way is there way. I filled my BC29 with saltwater, one day later added 25lbs of live rock, and two days after that two green chromis. (They're fine, many months later.)
Since then I've done the nanotuners 108 watt upgrade, changed from crushed coral to live sand, and built my own custom turf algae filter for the second filter chamber. I don't want to tell you exactly what's in my tank right now, because the experts will want to chime in, tell me I'm a dirty fish killer, and that I should take my S&W .40 M&P and blow my brains out instead of torturing any more poor helpless animals. Check your levels, do your water changes religiously, add things slowly, READ A LOT, and use common sense. You'll be fine.

 

[ms3]

yea just looked that finnex up i saw on a local craigslist for 300 with sand and rock but just dident have stable liveing place at the time

 

[mboswell1982]

the finnex's are sick as all get out, have got everything built in, requires no mods whatsoever, and you can get a nice one for 550 or so that would be ideal for anythin an everything

 

[ms3]

i hate nanotuners site it confuses the piss out of me ill try and find that light upgrade thats not the 700 dollar one is it?

 

[nitschke65]

On nanotuners, look under the "Nanocustoms DIY kits" I did the 3.36 for 80 bucks, the 4.36 is $100 more. I like the way the Biocube looks, so I didn't want to add something that didn't fit into the stock hood.

 

[ms3]

BAM! thats what i was looking for easy, simple and cheap. hell whats another 100 bucks at this point thank you vary vary much

 

[nitschke65]

You're welcome. Just remember, I don't actually have an anemone, but my lfs keeps their bta's under less lighting than I have in my tank. I got the 3.36 with the 50/50 bulb and added my own power cord instead of wireing it into one of the existing switches. Just plugged it into a third timer so that the actinics come on first, then the 50/50, then the 10.000k. I took pics of my install. If you're interested I could dig them up.

 

[ms3]

so wait you only added 1 extra bulb not 2 correct.? what are the stock lights? and witch one did you add? yes i would like to see the write up u did on this couse im watching nanotuners utube video on this and it is get to be complex

 

[nitschke65]

Yeah, just one. The biocube comes with a 36w blue actinic and a 36w 10,000k. I added the 50/50 which is half actinic and half 10,000k. I did add the quieter fans also. They're almost silent compared to the stock. It will take me a day or two to find the pics and drag out my notes, but I will get back to you. Right now I've got to get some shut eye. We had a lovely little blizzard here today.

 

[ms3]

not a problem i will keep my eye on here for your write i got to get some sleep as well thank you so much

 

[michaelwb]

Alright here we go do you want to keep the lid on if so you're not going to be able to keep a nem healthy on even upgraded PC lights, you'll need some nice t5's or Metal halides
you can take the hood off and get a sunpod or you can get a viper this will also help with cooling they both go for around 150-250.
you can however mod it to keep metal halides in the hood but that is going to get hotter than hell. so you'd to figure out a way to keep it cool.