# Oceanic bio cube 8 gallon



## observant_imp (Jun 30, 2004)

The tank is still breaking in, but since the bio cubes are fairly new, I thought there might be some interest.

I'm using Excel for carbon and suspect I'm underfeeding the plants. 

For the most part, I'm really happy with this tank. It's nice having something on my desk and the fans are quiet (not true for the 29).


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Great looking tank...what's the spiky looking plant in the middle of the tank in the background? 

Did you plant it like this from the start, or did you let it grow in?

Oh, and I used to go to school in the good ol' San Joaquin Valley...(school in Stockton).


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## observant_imp (Jun 30, 2004)

It's diandra. There were a few things that didn't make it, and I've tucked in a few more things since I set it up, but for the most part I started with small pinches of the plants you see and let it grow in. The faster stems have been trimmed a few times and the tips planted beside the base. I had some floaters in there until this weekend.

I'm in south valley--below Fresno.


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## LoJack (Oct 10, 2006)

looks great


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Oh, what lights do you have on that tank? I'm trying to find some better lights for my Odyssea 7 gallon cube. I'm going to get 18w over the 7 gallons, but I doubt that'll give me any massive growth at all.


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## observant_imp (Jun 30, 2004)

This has 2 18 watt pc lights. I had a little 6 gallon tank running with 8 watts for a while. The low light plants in that tank never looked that good under higher light. You've got options.

Thanks LoJack. I've got a big desk, so I've got room for it. It's really nice when I'm working (or playing) at my desk.


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## duff (Feb 26, 2006)

Love your tank, looks great! Do I spy a bumble bee goby? what are you feeding him/her? If not, what is it? 

I too am fortunate like you to have a big desk and managed to fit two nano's on it and love that I actually get to watch them daily! 

keep us updated on how it is coming long, i look forward to seeing / hearing more!


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## Guillermo (Dec 19, 2005)

Very nice Nano Desk Tank ! Every time I see nanos like this I wonder if I can set up one myself, to "expand" my MTS (Multiple Tank Syndrme that is) :hihi:


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## observant_imp (Jun 30, 2004)

Yep, it's a bumblebee goby--Mikey (my youngest) really likes them. The tank really is supposed to house my dwarf (mini) puffers and they do seem to be leaving the bumblebees alone. I haven't seen them eat anything I've offered in terms of dried foods, but they have fat little bellies, so they are eating something--maybe leftover snails.

I've repeatedly proved to myself that I can't keep a journal going. I posted this because the bio cubes are fairly new and I thought others might be interested in seeing how one looked "desktop."

I have horrible MTS myself :hihi: Not to encourage you, but it is really nice to have a little tank there to look at while I'm working (it's way too much trouble to look over my shoulder at the ones behind me). One of the things that's really fun about this tank is that a plant that would got lost in a bigger tank can be powerful enough to make a statement in a small tank. I'm looking at several of my plants with new eyes because of it.


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## Guillermo (Dec 19, 2005)

I have 2 nanos at home...but my desk at work looks soooooo empty :icon_roll LOL


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## seastar0328 (Apr 3, 2004)

I had great luck with bumblebees and dwarf puffers. Though I got eaten alive for not keeping hte gobies in brackish water, they lived just fine. I think they make great tankmates because the gobies stay near the bottom, are the same size, and they have similar body patterns (ok spots are not stripes but they do look similar.)

The tank looks great! We sell those at our store and it is displayed as a marine tank. I think it's great you made it a planted one! Beautiful!


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## observant_imp (Jun 30, 2004)

Thanks. I was really tempted to put salt in this one. I had to keep reminding myself why I gave up reefs the first time. How are these doing as saltwater setups? Have you seen the protein skimmer for these yet?


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## Nightshop (May 12, 2006)

My LFS has a nice selection of these tanks on display. . . and I have to say if I had the cash I would of taken one home with me!


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## tazcrash69 (Sep 27, 2005)

observant_imp said:


> Have you seen the protein skimmer for these yet?


Yes I have. I found way to much stuff to pick up of it here:
http://www.nanotuners.com/

After I bought it I was really tempted to make it a min-reef, but like you said I remembered why I went planted in the first place: <sarcasm> to save all that money </sarcasm>

I just picked up the 14, and am still aquiring the rest of the hardware, and substrate. Thanks for the inspirational pics Cheryl.


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## dhavoc (May 4, 2006)

nice tank! how is it in regards to heat buildup. i have a 12g nano-cube dx and its heats up like nothing else, i have to keep the cover cracked open about an inch and the water still gets to the high 80's daily even in an air conditioned room (75F). the fans are next to useless on the nano-cube, and even though there is enough light, plants dont do well at all because it heats up so much.


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## observant_imp (Jun 30, 2004)

I've got this one and a 29 and they both get really warm. If I leave the lids flipped up, it's enough to keep the temperature acceptable--close to my other open topped tanks. To be fair, I've got another tank that I keep closed and it gets just as warm (the lights sit on the rim instead of being raised).


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## PineyMike (Mar 22, 2006)

I keep the feeding lid open on my 12 gal nano DX. It keeps the temp from getting any higher than 82. I might just take the flip top feeding lid off so I don't have to look at it flipped up.


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## lljdma06 (Oct 16, 2006)

Just saw your thread, Observant_imp and I like your little 8g. Mine isn't on my desk, but a nightstand works just as well for me. I like your plant choices and bumblebee gobies are cute. You haven't set it up long. I think mine is older than yours by a few days. Mine was setup for my B-day on the 12th. 

llj


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## Chris Noto (Aug 19, 2005)

Very nice looking little tank, Imp! How long have you had it set up? What are you doing in the way of CO2 and fertilization?


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## observant_imp (Jun 30, 2004)

Thanks Chris. It's been up since early September and I don't consider it anywhere near stable yet (especially since I redid the whole thing Sunday:icon_roll ). I've been using Excel for carbon. I started with a little sampler bottle of liquid ferts, but did better after I went back to using the dry stuff I buy from Greg Watson.

llj--I'd love to have a tank in the bedroom, but that's the one place that hubby puts his foot down. 

The original plan was to get the tank stable with the faster stems and then gradually shift to different plants. But a couple of careless snips when trimming this weekend had me deciding to start shifting things over a little early.  One thing led to another, and you know how that goes. I think it might look nice when it settles in, but I'm going to have to grit my teeth when I look at it for the next few weeks.


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

I know it has been a while since the last post in this thread, but I am curious if you kept the lighting stock or if you changed out the bulbs. I can't realy find anything on how the bulbs are positioned or what type of bulbs they come standard with. Thanks for sharing your experience and comments.


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## CherylH (Jan 2, 2007)

It was a suprise to have mail from PT in my inbox today.

I replaced the second(50/50) bulb with a 10k bulb, but I don't use it. The tank has two 18 PC watt bulbs that run sideways across the tank.


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