biocube 14 gallon

I don't know if you really need a skimmer on a 14g. You could put one...I have a small one on my 20 but with water changes it doesn't pick a whole ton up. In my 20 I have 2 smaller Aquatop powerhead that are like 250 or 325gph something like that and they move the water fine. I also use carbon (not needed just keeps things clean) along with a bag of Chemipure Elite. Water stays crystal clear and I can keep just about anything inside it. I have a mixed reef with softies, LPS and SPS and all do well. Just keep up on top offs and water changes and you will be good. Hopefully that helps!

 

Unedited but just a little bit out of date...been quite a few additions since this pic.

 

I've run 8 and 14g cubes both have done well for me with weekly or bi weekly water changes. No skimmers, just good ol' water changes! I think on systems that small that is really the answer. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/wink.gif As for flow, base that on what you have stocked, and their needs. In general though a small pump with a rotating deflector works well for the 14g cube. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif I'm out of town for the moment, so I'll have to see what pictures I have with me, otherwise I'll post when I'm back.

 

+1 to what Jazzy just said. No sump. Just powerheads, small nano skimmer (was free otherwise wouldn't have it) and hob filters for flow, one has Chemipure Elite and the other is live rock and carbon.

 

I'm running a 14g cube currently. No skimmer. I run filter floss, chemipure, purigen, and a stock biocube filter.

 

Here is my 14g biocube. I have posted this photo before so my apologies if you have seen it. No sump, no skimmer, just intank media basket with chaeto along with gfo and purigen. Great SPS growth, slower LPS. I have fragged every SPS in there several times, it grows fast. JBJ auto with kalk for topoff. I have changed it around since this photo, moved lots of LPS to another system as the SPS is growing too fast and I don't want it to get stung by the LPS.





Pic isn't the best, just iphone. Allen takes better pictures than I do it looks like!





EDIT: I have an MP10 for flow. Gives more room for coral!

 

Lol hart I cheated. I found that holding my Tan tinted Polarized Ray Bans over the lens of my iphone camera eliminates the blue...lol so "kinda" unedited. Lol

 

Is that a clam hiding in there????

 

Nice looking system Hart. How do you like your in-tank media tray? I've got one on my 32 cal cube and it seems to slow the water flow.

 

That is a clam in there, alas I was only "clam sitting" for a couple of months so now it is gone, it had good growth while in there though. That lens idea is a good one, I will have to try that with photos. I like the media basket, I suppose it does drop flow a bit, but I don't see why that is bad, the filter media nor the chaeto needs tons of water moving over it. The mp10 provides more flow in that little tank than it could ever need! I run it about 60% and the display of the cube is only 10g so with the mp alone on that setting there is well over 100x turnover when it cycles on random.

 

I have a wp25 in my 65g and it's great. Not what you asked but I would expect the 10 to be just as good.

Oh, a nice strategy for these little tanks is to get a 5g bucket with lid. Make 5g of salt to the correct specific gravity, take a milk jug, or water jug and cut the top larger so it is like a big scoop. Once a week just scoop out some water and replace the scoop with the premade water from the 5g bucket. Easy way to do around a 12% waterchange! Takes only about 2min a week to change water like that and the 5g should last 1.5 to 2 months. You could do the scoop twice a week or more if you wanted more turnover, but it is a really quick easy way to do WC in nanos.

 

I do agree, montipora are great and there are lots of them. Caps (capricornis) are super easy and you see lots in green, red and purple. I think they look cool when the colors grow into each other. M. Digitata are great too, once again in reds, green and purples. I have a orange one that is encursting the back biocube wall! It has now started shooting out "arms" from the area, it's really neat. There is also M. undata, another cool looking easy montipora. There are other species of montipora that vary with difficulty, but those listed are tough. Some green slimer acro you could get, that stuff is tough as are some of the birdsnest. Fastest grower I have is ORA green birdsnest.