8 Gal BioCube Macro Tank...recent shots...

[Mr Cob]

Check out my macro tank....

Just added the Red Grape Kelp this past weekend.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2793/4368769356_314612cdfe.jpg


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2222/4368029425_639760a878.jpg


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2797/4368773928_35c485233c.jpg

[Mr Cob]

My only real purpose with this tank is just to enjoy the natural look and not get all crazy about corals and fish with it. It has tons of pods of all types thriving in it along with feather dusters and different types of macro. Oh and mysis shrimp.

Eventually I will add Dwarf Seahorses for my wife...

Right now it just has a couple of snails, no crabs and one peppermint shrimp that I added a couple of weeks ago to eat all the aiptasia...which he did.

[Europhyllia]

I like it! :)

[txav8r]

Looks great Rob. Is that where the jelly fish are?

[Mr Cob]

Thanks Karin and Jack. Yes the unknown "jellyfish" are in there...possibly Hydroids...and I still have them.

[Jordan N.]

I think it's looking fantastic --You just don't see macro algae done well in the display tank very often. You should look into Halymenia. I think it would look pretty nice in there.

Is the little sprig in the front Halophila or another type of caulerpa?

-Jordan N.

[Mr Cob]

I think it's looking fantastic --You just don't see macro algae done well in the display tank very often. You should look into Halymenia. I think it would look pretty nice in there.

Is the little sprig in the front Halophila or another type of caulerpa?

-Jordan N.

Thanks Jordan, I have really enjoyed it so far.

The sea grass stuff is ALL Caulerpa Prolifera....

If you look at the bottom right of the second picture (under the mushroom) I have some red leaf type of macro not sure if that is the same as Halymenia???

[Big_Pun]

lookin good that macro i gave you a while back, i finally got my lil piece about 4 inches across now about 1 1/2 inches high, but now my sail fin took notice and nips at it(lil punk)

[Mr Cob]

The Halimeda is from you Chris. That stuff is really sensitive. If anything changes in the tank...it dies off and slowly comes back.

[RayAllen]

Looks great Rob. That will be one happy Sea Horse.

[Big_Pun]

i was talkin about that wiered one that grows in a lil ball kinda like a green brain, real tight, i never got an ID on it

[Mr Cob]

i was talkin about that wiered one that grows in a lil ball kinda like a green brain, real tight, i never got an ID on it

Oh yes...I forgot about that one...I have like a little quarter inch of it left....I was going to hook Ace up with some of it but it's been slowly vanishing....I'm sure the lack of fish pooh is not help...so I feed the tank nightly as if I was feeding filter feeders in order to add some proteins to the water.

It's called Green Branching Gracilaria Macroalgae.
It also comes in red:
http://www.lareefs.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1

[jlh81]

Look really really cool. Nice work

[Jordan N.]

Thanks Jordan, I have really enjoyed it so far.

The sea grass stuff is ALL Caulerpa Prolifera....

If you look at the bottom right of the second picture (under the mushroom) I have some red leaf type of macro not sure if that is the same as Halymenia???

Well, Would you look at that. :what_smile:

I didn't notice it down there, should look great as it fills in.

Also, I'm going to placing an order from this place pretty soon. If you want anymore macro algae let me know I can combine it and save some on shipping.:bigsmile:

http://live-plants.com/

If you don't see anything you want thats fine, Just thought I would make the offer.

[FireWater]

Sweet set up Rob. I like the "easy" look and might copy it on the next cube for the kiddo

[ShAgMaN]

Real nice and mellow Rob. I plan on doing the same type landscape in my 8 gal. cube. Though mellow, this one's screaming for a seahorse.

[Mr Cob]

Thanks everyone...I really do enjoy this little tank... I spend so much time on the main tank it's so nice to have a break and keep something easily thriving.

I barely ever top it off or do water changes....maybe one small water change a month and I top off like 12ounces a week...pretty minimal.

[diego]

Rob,
I am thinking about making a macro tank. Where do you get the macro algae?

[surfthreeeleven]

Tank looks awesome & refreshingly different... Did you do any mods to your Biocube 8? Also, I saw you mentioned the possibility of putting some dwarf SH in there. Will you do any mods for them?

[Mr Cob]

Rob,
I am thinking about making a macro tank. Where do you get the macro algae?

I have traded with members and from time to time a LFS will have some.


Tank looks awesome & refreshingly different... Did you do any mods to your Biocube 8? Also, I saw you mentioned the possibility of putting some dwarf SH in there. Will you do any mods for them?

Thanks, no mods. When I add the horsies I'm just going to add a heater. If that proves to not work as is then I will just keep it as a macro tank. I wanted nothing more than "simplicity" with this tank. I'm even using the stock filtration.

[surfthreeeleven]

Very cool - I too have a biocube 8 I've been running for a few years w/ a few lps/softies & various macros... I was also toying with the idea about a pair of dwarf SH (hence my questions about mods)... I haven't changed much either, but my tank seems to stay 78-80, and I thought that was too hot for SH, so I wanted to see if you were planning on any kind of DIY chiller, fans, etc.....

BTW - I LOVE your grape caulerpa... Hard to come by these parts....

[Mr Cob]

Very cool - I too have a biocube 8 I've been running for a few years w/ a few lps/softies & various macros... I was also toying with the idea about a pair of dwarf SH (hence my questions about mods)... I haven't changed much either, but my tank seems to stay 78-80, and I thought that was too hot for SH, so I wanted to see if you were planning on any kind of DIY chiller, fans, etc.....

BTW - I LOVE your grape caulerpa... Hard to come by these parts....

Well, when I add the SH I will cut back the 10k to like 2-4hours and run the actinic the majority of the time. As it is right now...I run the actinics 24hrs...non stop and the 10k 5 hours....that keeps the tank under 80 at all times....but by running the actinics 24-7 it keeps the temp up to about 72-74.

[surfthreeeleven]

that's really cool you run the actinics 24/7... The wife would kill me since our biocube is in our bedroom, lol. I guess it must just be living in florida, but our biocube has no heater and never drops below 78... I was looking for some good ideas on dropping the temp w/o spending alot of $ on a chiller, but it sounds like fortunately your tank naturally stays in the 72-74 degree range..

[Mr Cob]

that's really cool you run the actinics 24/7... The wife would kill me since our biocube is in our bedroom, lol. I guess it must just be living in florida, but our biocube has no heater and never drops below 78... I was looking for some good ideas on dropping the temp w/o spending alot of $ on a chiller, but it sounds like fortunately your tank naturally stays in the 72-74 degree range..

Yeah, durring the winter we keep the heater on 70 and in the summer we keep the AC on 74, so my house is always between 70-74...which definitely helps both tanks....My 144 has dual 250w MH and I do not run fans on it or a chiller during the winter. The summer months I will put fans on but that's it.