Need advice ASAP on biocube + skimmer

[nightmarepl]

hey guys so i got s tank off of somone that’s used this before just have no idea how he set it up or how’s this stuff work, so i uploaded pictures of the compartments return pump left side middle section media rack and i thought protein skimmerright section i put the healer in there so the right side fills up with water completely to the top drops into the media than return pump pushes it out into the display but the middle section barely has any water in it? So the skimmer can’t rven skim cause no water what the heck?
Do i not have enough water in the tank? The line says max don’t understand

32 biocube media rack and tunze 9004 protein skimmer

 

[Jeffery Kilpatrick]

Hey from the looks of it, you already have the sand due to the cloudy look in the water, do you have the rock in the tank as well?

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[nightmarepl]

Hey from the looks of it, you already have the sand due to the cloudy look in the water, do you have the rock in the tank as well?

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Yes sand and rock all in place tank basically cycled was installing the skimmer and can’t fogure out how he had it working

 

[Jeffery Kilpatrick]

Yea, im lost as well.. are you using filter floss on the media rack. The only thing i can think is to restrick the flow out of the middle rack.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[Mark_C]

OK, hope this helps. Typing some general stuff here to cover bases, no insults intended. I'm assuming you haven't run a closed nano system previously. I run a load of nanos, though at the moment I only have 4 (40g, 40g, 10g, 7g).

The media rack (or basket) goes in the first chamber that the tank drains into that you seem to have the heater in now.
Most people put filter floss in the top portion of the basket.
If you have any problems with the tank in the future and need to add any chemicals, you can simply put the treatments (eg carbon, phosban, etc) in bags and put them on the shelves of the rack.

The middle chamber is where you can put your heater, and yes, the water level is too low. You want the level in there quite high, high enough at least to hit the minimum water line on the heater.
You can also put some additional material in here for nano tanks. Look up Marinepure, the stuff is remarkable.

The last chamber is the return. As a general measure this chamber should be at least half full.
Its also the chamber where you can measure your water level.
Find a good level then draw a black line on the side of the tank with a sharpie. When the water level drops below that line, its time to add some water (not salt water - salt water is only added when you fill the tank or do water changes).
Obviously this is also the chamber where you would set up your ATO.

That protein skimmer is the same one I have on one of my nanos. It works great but is a pain in the ass. I dont know if it will fit in the middle back chamber (where the heater also is), but that’s where it would normally go.
Or, you may have to put it in the display portion of the tank.
Make sure you place it so that the water level is at the line on the back of the unit.
Then you adjust it by opening (twist left) or closing the air valve screw near the regulator (the tube like thing, my adjuster is blue). You want it to produce bubbles that will sit just at the base of the neck with the occasional one popping over the top.
If too many bubble the unit floods, if too few it doesnt work. And the damn dial is so non-specific.
You have to play with it for a few days and experiment, ‘dialing it in’ and its a pain.
OR, BEST YET, what I'm doing on 3 of the tanks…
In a nano tank you can go without a skimmer. Just do a water change once a week of at least 2-3 gallons. In a nano that will remove most of the detrimental waste and will replace essential elements.
I'm running a 40 gallon with no skimmer, doing 5g water change a week and all is good. The 7g and 10g get a cup or two change weekly and have been running for ages.

Where are you located? If you’re near Brick i can drop in for a half hour, help you set up and dial things in.

 

[nightmarepl]

OK, hope this helps. Typing some general stuff here to cover bases, no insults intended. I'm assuming you haven't run a closed nano system previously. I run a load of nanos, though at the moment I only have 4 (40g, 40g, 10g, 7g).

The media rack (or basket) goes in the first chamber that the tank drains into that you seem to have the heater in now.
Most people put filter floss in the top portion of the basket.
If you have any problems with the tank in the future and need to add any chemicals, you can simply put the treatments (eg carbon, phosban, etc) in bags and put them on the shelves of the rack.

The middle chamber is where you can put your heater, and yes, the water level is too low. You want the level in there quite high, high enough at least to hit the minimum water line on the heater.
You can also put some additional material in here for nano tanks. Look up Marinepure, the stuff is remarkable.

The last chamber is the return. As a general measure this chamber should be at least half full.
Its also the chamber where you can measure your water level.
Find a good level then draw a black line on the side of the tank with a sharpie. When the water level drops below that line, its time to add some water (not salt water - salt water is only added when you fill the tank or do water changes).
Obviously this is also the chamber where you would set up your ATO.

That protein skimmer is the same one I have on one of my nanos. It works great but is a pain in the ass. I dont know if it will fit in the middle back chamber (where the heater also is), but that’s where it would normally go.
Or, you may have to put it in the display portion of the tank.
Make sure you place it so that the water level is at the line on the back of the unit.
Then you adjust it by opening (twist left) or closing the air valve screw near the regulator (the tube like thing, my adjuster is blue). You want it to produce bubbles that will sit just at the base of the neck with the occasional one popping over the top.
If too many bubble the unit floods, if too few it doesnt work. And the damn dial is so non-specific.
You have to play with it for a few days and experiment, ‘dialing it in’ and its a pain.
OR, BEST YET, what I'm doing on 3 of the tanks…
In a nano tank you can go without a skimmer. Just do a water change once a week of at least 2-3 gallons. In a nano that will remove most of the detrimental waste and will replace essential elements.
I'm running a 40 gallon with no skimmer, doing 5g water change a week and all is good. The 7g and 10g get a cup or two change weekly and have been running for ages.

Where are you located? If you’re near Brick i can drop in for a half hour, help you set up and dial things in.

sweet advice man thank you for this, im actually located in bergen county pretty far from you so would be a waste for you haha. im still working on my damn rock work which is causing me issues i got some filter floss and stuff coming in to take all the dust out of the water / rocks and such, once i have taken care of that ill top the tank off with fresh water and do a water change should be semi cycled already i tested ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates also the ph everything is pretty much good just waiting for some algae to start showing up before a clean up crew is introduced ill than add the skimmer. the guy who sold me the tank had it setup like this so i followed his set up the media rack is a tight fight into the intake chamber but ill check that out

 

[Sponge]

Just want to say WOW really nice offer and fantastic detailed advice BRAVO.

 

[nightmarepl]

OK, hope this helps. Typing some general stuff here to cover bases, no insults intended. I'm assuming you haven't run a closed nano system previously. I run a load of nanos, though at the moment I only have 4 (40g, 40g, 10g, 7g).

The media rack (or basket) goes in the first chamber that the tank drains into that you seem to have the heater in now.
Most people put filter floss in the top portion of the basket.
If you have any problems with the tank in the future and need to add any chemicals, you can simply put the treatments (eg carbon, phosban, etc) in bags and put them on the shelves of the rack.

The middle chamber is where you can put your heater, and yes, the water level is too low. You want the level in there quite high, high enough at least to hit the minimum water line on the heater.
You can also put some additional material in here for nano tanks. Look up Marinepure, the stuff is remarkable.

The last chamber is the return. As a general measure this chamber should be at least half full.
Its also the chamber where you can measure your water level.
Find a good level then draw a black line on the side of the tank with a sharpie. When the water level drops below that line, its time to add some water (not salt water - salt water is only added when you fill the tank or do water changes).
Obviously this is also the chamber where you would set up your ATO.

That protein skimmer is the same one I have on one of my nanos. It works great but is a pain in the ass. I dont know if it will fit in the middle back chamber (where the heater also is), but that’s where it would normally go.
Or, you may have to put it in the display portion of the tank.
Make sure you place it so that the water level is at the line on the back of the unit.
Then you adjust it by opening (twist left) or closing the air valve screw near the regulator (the tube like thing, my adjuster is blue). You want it to produce bubbles that will sit just at the base of the neck with the occasional one popping over the top.
If too many bubble the unit floods, if too few it doesnt work. And the damn dial is so non-specific.
You have to play with it for a few days and experiment, ‘dialing it in’ and its a pain.
OR, BEST YET, what I'm doing on 3 of the tanks…
In a nano tank you can go without a skimmer. Just do a water change once a week of at least 2-3 gallons. In a nano that will remove most of the detrimental waste and will replace essential elements.
I'm running a 40 gallon with no skimmer, doing 5g water change a week and all is good. The 7g and 10g get a cup or two change weekly and have been running for ages.

Where are you located? If you’re near Brick i can drop in for a half hour, help you set up and dial things in.

well i got the protein skimmer to work last night, the seller contacted me back we got it up and rolling " gotta love Facetime " apparently the water was way too low filled that up made a mark on the tank where i want the water to be topped at i currently cant afford a ATO so ill be manually filling it up every other day or so like i do with this current tank no big deal. I also tested added filter floss and a sponge to help catch some of the dust from my rocks which is actually working nicely, rock is basically setup ill post some pictures hopefully today. The tank tests look about clear and ready for some minor stocking ill try a damsel but cant find any cheap ones looked at all my local petcos

 

[Hawkeye]

I had a biocube for many years, except mine lacked the top. I had the heater in the first compartment, the media box like you have in the middle chamber, and right snug next to it was a tunze 9002 skimmer special configured to have the magnet on the side instead of the back. Unfortunately after years of use the tank started a leak that I was not able to repair and I no longer have the tank.

Good luck!

 

[nightmarepl]

I had a biocube for many years, except mine lacked the top. I had the heater in the first compartment, the media box like you have in the middle chamber, and right snug next to it was a tunze 9002 skimmer special configured to have the magnet on the side instead of the back. Unfortunately after years of use the tank started a leak that I was not able to repair and I no longer have the tank.

Good luck!

yah lets hope that doesnt happen to me haha, i just added a damsel 1 snail 1 hermit give them 1-2 days then slowly start the stocking phase

 

[Hawkeye]

I think the removal of the top messed up the tank fundamentals. Otherwise i really liked it.

 

[nightmarepl]

I think the removal of the top messed up the tank fundamentals. Otherwise i really liked it.

yah i removed the top rim out the biocube to make it rimless and reinstalled it again had issues with the water pouring over from time to time annoyed the hell out of me