Questions regarding BioCube 29g

[edikpok]

I've had this baby for a while and recently I've been having some problems with my stock pump. It pushes out all the water out of its own compartment, but does not get refilled from the adjacent compartment. So it basically blows out air! Has anyone encountered such a problem before? The pump itself works....is there a way to regulate it?

Would you guys recommend putting a cowfish or a dogface puffer or a dwarf lionfish in a 29g cube?

On an unrelated topic - is it bad if you have your tank standing close to a speaker? (not subwoofer!)

Thanks!

[hockey nut]

Is something blocking the water from going into that compartment?

[justinl]

well first, yes check that everything is placed as it should and that nothing is blocking flow in any way. Don't expect perfection though since the biocube is inherently flawed right out of the factory. check out this thread and its links.

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=180788

The things I did on my 8g BC are as follows:
chamber 1: throw out the stock filter pad, put in a heater and bag of carbon (or any media you want). WIDENED the overflow between chambers 1 and 2 (do NOT make it deeper, just wider).
chamber 2: threw out the bioballs, removed the false bottom grate (use a coat hanger or something), replace top grate with a piece of eggcrate. Put in LR rubble and a piece of filter floss over the top grate.
chamber 3: threw out the sponge before the pump intake. Replace pump with a maxi-jet (i think yours fits an MJ1200... see the thread above)
intank: made a Y-shaped loc-line outlet (keeping the stock piece).

these small inexpensive mods all apply to the larger BC models as well. widening the overflow and getting rid of the stock filter cartridge will not only likely solve your current problem, but also allow you to replace the stock pump with the more powerful Maxi-jet. It really makes a difference.

[Newtoreef]

well first, yes check that everything is placed as it should and that nothing is blocking flow in any way. Don't expect perfection though since the biocube is inherently flawed right out of the factory. check out this thread and its links.

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=180788

The things I did on my 8g BC are as follows:
chamber 1: throw out the stock filter pad, put in a heater and bag of carbon (or any media you want). WIDENED the overflow between chambers 1 and 2 (do NOT make it deeper, just wider).
chamber 2: threw out the bioballs, removed the false bottom grate (use a coat hanger or something), replace top grate with a piece of eggcrate. Put in LR rubble and a piece of filter floss over the top grate.
chamber 3: threw out the sponge before the pump intake. Replace pump with a maxi-jet (i think yours fits an MJ1200... see the thread above)
intank: made a Y-shaped loc-line outlet (keeping the stock piece).

these small inexpensive mods all apply to the larger BC models as well. widening the overflow and getting rid of the stock filter cartridge will not only likely solve your current problem, but also allow you to replace the stock pump with the more powerful Maxi-jet. It really makes a difference.

I done the same on my 29, except I retained the lower false bottom in chamber 2, put in cheato and tang heaven with a couple low profile halogen lights from home depot. I have it running on opposite light cycle. I also cut a piece of black plastic to block the light leakage into the front, held in by industrial strength velcro strips. Also put in a couple small computer fans in the back to help with cooling in summer. I had turf algae prob come in with the 30 lbs free rock that I got from a friend. Took forever to get rid of it, I hung a phos ban reactor off the back as well. No more turf algae, plus I can feed my fish a little more heavy now. Also added a koralia nano powerhead to create more flow running on a timer with the lights, goes off at night. It took me about a year to get this running properly. I wish somebody had told me the mods to do before I set it up would have saved alot of headaches. But it was my first tank and it been a learning experience.
On your flow issue sounds like the piece of foam is clogged between chamber 2 and 3. I would just pull that nitrate factory out of there and toss it. Doing that and getting rid of bio balls are the best things you can do even if you just toss LR rubble in the back with out lights. It will collect detritus back there so vacuum out with water changes every once in awhile.
I wouldn't suggest putting any of those fish in a 29

[Palster]

I've had this baby for a while and recently I've been having some problems with my stock pump. It pushes out all the water out of its own compartment, but does not get refilled from the adjacent compartment. So it basically blows out air! Has anyone encountered such a problem before? The pump itself works....is there a way to regulate it?

Would you guys recommend putting a cowfish or a dogface puffer or a dwarf lionfish in a 29g cube?

On an unrelated topic - is it bad if you have your tank standing close to a speaker? (not subwoofer!)

Thanks!

I recently set up a BC 29 myself. The water level in chambers 2 and 3 should be the same (chamber 2 is the middle chamber and chamber 3 is the one with the return pump). If it isn't then I would say that the foam filter beside the return pump is somehow plugged up. Like the last person said you might as well get rid of the foam as it is a nitrate trap.

Most people ditch the bio balls in chamber 2 and keep the water level topped up to the elbow where the return line goes into the back of the tank. You can ignore the maximum and minimum fill lines on the side of the tank as they are only required if you are running the bio balls.

As for other mods I have also widened the overflow between chambers 1 and 2. I got rid of the false bottom in chamber 2. I also got rid of the false bottom in chamber 1 so that my heater would fit. Getting rid of this only requires pushind down hard enough to break the silicone.

None of the fish that you have mentioned would be remotely suitable for a BC. Cowfish and Puffers get really big and even a Dwarf Lionfish would produce a huge bioload in that tank. Stick with small fish for Nano Aquariums.

Here is a link with lots of information for this tank.
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=180788

[Ian]

I have had my BC 29 just over a year now and have done basically the same mods as stated before..added a koralia 1 as well Have had a dwarf lion for about 6 months or so and it is doing great. So it can be done....one of those newb mistakes that work out I guess

[justinl]

Would you guys recommend putting a cowfish or a dogface puffer or a dwarf lionfish in a 29g cube?

On an unrelated topic - is it bad if you have your tank standing close to a speaker? (not subwoofer!)

Thanks!

forgot to address these parts :redface:
I say no to all of those. I would like to see even the small puffer species (tobies) in 40g or more. dwarf lion minimum is 30g imo, so you miiiiiight get away with a dwarf lion, but I don't recommend it. just a note: you have to remember that your BC29 is essentially a ~24g tank since about 5g of space is taken up by the chambers.

further on lionfish:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-11/fm/feature/index.php

imo, yes, it is a bad idea to have a tank near speakers if they will be playing loudly. I have seen plenty of fish react negatively to loud speakers. If you don't play the things too high above normal talking levels it would be fine though.