PowderBlue Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Figured I might as well start a build thread. I'm going to be modding the tank tonight Opening up the first chamber for more flow Removing bio balls and replacing with rock, egg crate, and then some filter floss material Going to swap the return pump with either a maxijet 600 or 900 (since I have the 900 sitting in a box) My stock list in now entirely up to my wife. I apparently had no choice after deciding to get rid of my eel. Most likely will be a small clown, small yellow goby, a cleaner shrimp and that's about it Will have a small clam or 2, or 3 Some zoas, mushrooms, gsp, That's about it. Pics to come as the project comes along. Any advice or other mods will be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrett Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 As far as small clam the smaller the worse, after about 3-4 inches they use photosynthesis as their majority food source and are way hardier, sounds good though, when parker put a maxijet 1200 on his bio you could see a reallly big difference in floe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 Uhm so even my maxijet 400 doesn't fit... Any ideas? [ATTACH]13545[/ATTACH] I removed the bio balls, removed the false floor from chamber 1 and also chamber 2 [ATTACH]13546[/ATTACH] Now I just need to figure out what return pump to use, the stock one won't be enough I know that already, but the 8 gallon return area must be much smaller than the others :( Oh and I'm going to cut the tab from chamber 1 to help increase the flow. I might scrape off the paint from the back glass for a fugue, or just get a drop in water proof light. Not 100 percent site yet. [ATTACH]13547[/ATTACH] Start of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoobtoSalt Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Uhm so even my maxijet 400 doesn't fit... Any ideas? [ATTACH]13545[/ATTACH] I removed the bio balls, removed the false floor from chamber 1 and also chamber 2 [ATTACH]13546[/ATTACH] Now I just need to figure out what return pump to use, the stock one won't be enough I know that already, but the 8 gallon return area must be much smaller than the others :( Just run a nano powerhead in the tank for flow with the stock return pump. If you decide to go that route let me know I've got a nano powerhead laying around here Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 Just run a nano powerhead in the tank for flow with the stock return pump. If you decide to go that route let me know I've got a nano powerhead laying around here Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2 That probably would help more than a 400 also I bet. I did manage to get the 400 to "fit" but I may take you up on that power head. Pm whatcha want for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 [ATTACH]13548[/ATTACH] I'm thinking this for the rock work, gives me an area to put things in the sand bed, and it has a cave, also tons of places I can stick gsp, zoas, mushrooms etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 [ATTACH]13549[/ATTACH] Rock and sand in place:) tomorrow I will most likely finish the filter area, get the salt and water mixed up, start the cycle:) Got the tank put in my daughters room also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveHash-fish20 Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Uhm so even my maxijet 400 doesn't fit... Any ideas? [ATTACH]13545[/ATTACH] I removed the bio balls, removed the false floor from chamber 1 and also chamber 2 [ATTACH]13546[/ATTACH] Now I just need to figure out what return pump to use, the stock one won't be enough I know that already, but the 8 gallon return area must be much smaller than the others :( Oh and I'm going to cut the tab from chamber 1 to help increase the flow. I might scrape off the paint from the back glass for a fugue, or just get a drop in water proof light. Not 100 percent site yet. [ATTACH]13547[/ATTACH] Start of it Look up hydor pico pumps. I have the pico evo-mag and its 300gph controllable. They also fit the back chamber in my picO so I'm 100% positive it will fit yours. That's your best bet or returns. It's stronger than a MJ1200 as a return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveHash-fish20 Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 If you really want good info on small tanks, and mods id go to nano reef and check out there biocube build thread, It says mods, etc anything you can do right with an AIO biocube will be there. Also shows success stories with the mods etc. Don't get me wrong everyone is helpful on the forum just you can tell this is more of the larger tank crowd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derbird Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 If you really want good info on small tanks, and mods id go to nano reef and check out there biocube build thread, It says mods, etc anything you can do right with an AIO biocube will be there. Also shows success stories with the mods etc. Don't get me wrong everyone is helpful on the forum just you can tell this is more of the larger tank crowd +1 just take that forum with a grain of salt. It is a wonderful resource for small tanks and their upkeep. There are just a lot of teenage trouble makers there too. I will still surf there from time to time for my BioCube but the drama gets old quick. We are lucky to have such a peaceful forum here (most of the time LOL) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveHash-fish20 Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 +1 just take that forum with a grain of salt. It is a wonderful resource for small tanks and their upkeep. There are just a lot of teenage trouble makers there too. I will still surf there from time to time for my BioCube but the drama gets old quick. We are lucky to have such a peaceful forum here (most of the time LOL) Yeah, I definitely like the local forum ALOTT more Nano-reef explains itself with its name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 Thanks for the help guys! Parker do you think a maxijet 1200 would be too much for the 8 gallon? I have one of those sitting in my garage also. Here is a pic of it with the sand, rock, lights on etc, the water is still a little clouded from the sand. I used Carib-sea "live sand" but I seeded it with a scoop of sand from my 40 breeder, also put a piece of live rock from my 40 breeder sump, into the second chamber of the back. Along with so chaeto and a 6 led submersible daylight light. I may end up ordering the media basket insert for the second chamber if this doesn't work well. I went "less is more" approach with the rock [ATTACH]13555[/ATTACH] You can see the difference in flow from cutting the tab from chamber one and upping the pump size to a maxijet 400 [ATTACH]13556[/ATTACH] Crappy pic but just to get the idea of the final decision on the rock and sand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramy Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 My experience is that if you try and put to big of a pump in that tiny chamber you will have more of a heat issue kinda like if you put to small of a radiator on your car Might be better to put a korila nano in the display even though it eats up precious realastate. Just my thoughts though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 My experience is that if you try and put to big of a pump in that tiny chamber you will have more of a heat issue kinda like if you put to small of a radiator on your car Might be better to put a korila nano in the display even though it eats up precious realastate. Just my thoughts though. I think I'm taking the koralia nano power head route, I think I have a spot that it will not be such a sore thumb and take up too much "space" I think it def needs a little more flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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