Progress Build (WITH PICTURES)................

meowzer

Moderator
LOL...sorry about that I was on my phone, and having issues posting
anyway....I can't find the pics right now....BUT....place one on the left back wall of your tank ...above your barnacle....and point it towards the front glass
place the other on the right wall...far back...2/3 down and point straight across the back of the tank
 

shelbeth

Member
That's alright Meowzer. Thanks for the advice. I actually found a setup that mimics almost perfectly the ocean current. I saw a video on youtube that explained a biocube power heads placement for perfect current.
OPEN QUESTION:
What is the difference in having a refugium, and the way the back of the biocube is setup? I saw a few refugium videos on youtube and noticed that the back of the biocube is setup exactly like the stations in a refugium, with the exception that the bio balls take the place of the veggie life in the refugium itself.
 

shelbeth

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shelbeth http:///forum/thread/386735/progress-build-with-pictures/40#post_3399854
OPEN QUESTION:
What is the difference in having a refugium, and the way the back of the biocube is setup? I saw a few refugium videos on youtube and noticed that the back of the biocube is setup exactly like the stations in a refugium, with the exception that the bio balls take the place of the veggie life in the refugium itself.
Nobody wants to answer my question?
 

1guydude

Well-Known Member
ehhhh fuges are like a natural way of removing phosphates and nitrates....only prob is they have to be relatively large to do anything! Like a large part of a sump or something....i think most people remove the bioballs and replace it with LR rubble or cermic rings!
A refugium usually consists of a macro algae and a light to support it!
 

shelbeth

Member
Thanks Dude for clearing that up for me.
Here's some more progress I have made in my biocube.
I bought these scouring pads from Dollar General and they were really inexpensive; like $1.25 for the whole pack.

And I placed 2 at a time in the drip tray. In less than a week's time, this is what has gathered on the pads. What is that look like to you?
 

1guydude

Well-Known Member
umm HA or possibly just detritus which is just the brown crud built up from only god knows wat....usually builds up in low flow areas! U can clean ur pads in ur old water from water changes...if u rinse em off under tap water...ull simply be killing any good bacteria that may live in it!
Also are those like scotch bride pads? Usually used for shining or cleaning metal surfaces? U have to be careful of wat u put in ur tank, could be contaminating it!
 

shelbeth

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///forum/thread/386735/progress-build-with-pictures/40#post_3402740
umm HA or possibly just detritus which is just the brown crud built up from only god knows wat....usually builds up in low flow areas! U can clean ur pads in ur old water from water changes...if u rinse em off under tap water...ull simply be killing any good bacteria that may live in it!
Also are those like scotch bride pads? Usually used for shining or cleaning metal surfaces? U have to be careful of wat u put in ur tank, could be contaminating it!
No, they're not like scotchbright pads. they're just simply scouring pads with no additional additives to them (which probably explains why they were so cheap). I don't plan on rinsing them, just replacing them, since they were so cheap to buy in the first place. I have 5 more additional pads to use in the pack also.
Do you think these scouring pads are a good idea for extra filtration, or are they not worth the time and effort?
 

meowzer

Moderator
You can go to Walmart and buy a bag of polyfiber....(quilting stuff) it is white and has nothing added to it....for a roll it is like $5 and just cut what you need....I use to change it daily and a roll lasted me for months
 

shelbeth

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shelbeth http:///forum/thread/386735/progress-build-with-pictures/40#post_3402745
No, they're not like scotchbright pads. they're just simply scouring pads with no additional additives to them (which probably explains why they were so cheap). I don't plan on rinsing them, just replacing them, since they were so cheap to buy in the first place. I have 5 more additional pads to use in the pack also.
Do you think these scouring pads are a good idea for extra filtration, or are they not worth the time and effort?
Thank you Meowzer. I might have to look into that.
 

shelbeth

Member
Small Update:
I've noticed these little white things just starting to form on my "elephant head" live rock. I thought it was sand, but there is no sand blowing around. What do you think it is? I have what the pet store called "Candy Snails" (because of their candy looking shell) and hermit crabs. I was researching and THOUGHT they might be eggs, but I'm not too sure. I have noticed that there are tiny little snails in the tank, smaller than I have ever purchased, so maybe snails ore going "Bow Chicka Wow Wow"?

These are the water tests I just took. They look pretty dead spot on to me. What do you think?
High Range Ph.....8.4?

No2.....0ppm?

No3.....0ppm?

Ammonia......0ppm?

Calcium Test (17 drops of bottle #2).....340ppm?
 

meowzer

Moderator
looks like sand to me ...LOL....have you tried blowing it off the rock???
get some real snails....I have no clue what candy snails are
 

shelbeth

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/386735/progress-build-with-pictures/40#post_3403319
looks like sand to me ...LOL....have you tried blowing it off the rock???
get some real snails....I have no clue what candy snails are
I blew the rocks off, and there is some really stubborn white specks on the rock that will not budge at all. I even sucked up some of the HA with a turkey baster, and used the net to collect it....Thanks 1guydude for the tip.
 

1guydude

Well-Known Member
Quote:
get some real snails
LMAO...or at least get a pic so we can properly identify them (for are ease of mind so to speak)...
another tip would be next w/c u do, take out ur rock and put it in the old water and scrub it down with a NEW toothbrush! Ur rock looks pretty hairy lol. Did u buy it like that?
Ur tests look great
 

flower

Well-Known Member
LOL....The "elephant head rock" so cool. That is exactly what it looks like too. I had a lions face rock...I rearranged the rock and lost the face, I must have turned it around or burried it.
 

shelbeth

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/386735/progress-build-with-pictures/40#post_3403399
LOL....The "elephant head rock" so cool. That is exactly what it looks like too. I had a lions face rock...I rearranged the rock and lost the face, I must have turned it around or burried it.
Thank You Flower. Maybe you can find it again, and share it with us. I'd love to see it.
SMALL UPDATE

Aaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhhh! I'm so sick of this GHA and RSA. I did lights out for 3 days, most of it was gone, and 2 days after lights back on, I had an explosion again. Soooooooo, I bought this stuff called phosphate sponge. On the directions it says it works at soaking up phosphate in as little as 8 hours. In fact the directions state to change the phosphate sponge after 2 days maximum. It also says on the directions that it can be used over and over again, by baking the old phosphate sponge in the oven. Nice.
Ok, so here are pictures:
Listening to the Pet Store employee, I used panty hose socklets for the bags to put in the phosphate sponge. I actually went into a shore store and asked if I could buy a couple that customers use to put on their feet, but they said I could just take them. Nice!

I put about 8 scoops in each socklet.

2 socklets half full, istead of using one filled all the way and not being able to tie it without ripping.

Placed them in my sump area of the Biocube. That's where I believe there is the most flow.

And the water is a little cloudy, but not much. It cleared up significantly while making this post..........DIE ALGAE, DIE!!!!!!!!!
 

meowzer

Moderator
Did you rinse the stuff first????? I belive it is supposed to be rinsed well....I don't use the sponge, but the phosphate media I have you have to rinse GOOD
 

shelbeth

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by meowzer http:///forum/thread/386735/progress-build-with-pictures/40#post_3403528
Did you rinse the stuff first????? I belive it is supposed to be rinsed well....I don't use the sponge, but the phosphate media I have you have to rinse GOOD
No, I didn't. Is that bad? I know you're supposed to rinse it in a reactor, but I have read that when in bags, the need for rinsing is not as important. Did I just do more damage than good by not rinsing it?
The water is almost crystal clear right now, only 30 minutes after putting the bags in.
 
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