I see what you mean, but I have to disagree. The filter chamber in the Biocube 8 has to be at least a gallon, probably more like 2... and yes, there would be a substantial increase in the flow through that chamber, but it would still only be flowing 1.6 times faster than before. This would still be more than acceptable for a product like Chemipure or for a
skimmer (which I'm starting to think wouldn't be a great option either).
I wish I had a good
LFS around here. Unfortunately, the Biocube 8 at our only
LFS in Fort McMurray is priced at $280, and I got this one in Edmonton (5 hours from here) for $160. I suppose I could send the pump back to them, and they are a pretty good
LFS, so I'd probably get a replacement fairly quickly, but I'm looking at increasing the flow anyway, so it would just be a big waste of everyone's time and money.
As for the increased flow through the grates, I see what you mean here too. Only thing is, I'm not looking to stock with fish, and certainly not an anemone. I was thinking about some non-photosynthetic corals, and the feeding could become an issue. In that case, I'd just turn off the pump. I think even if I kept the stock pump, I'd have to turn it off though, so there you go I guess...
PhotoJohn: I used to think the same way as you: if it ain't broke, don't break it yourself. However, when I learned some of the reasoning behind the manufacturers designs, I started to realize why it might work for the majority of people, but wouldn't work for me. You see, the vast majority of people who want a small, desk-type all-in-one saltwater tank are looking to buy a "Nemo". For the purpose of keeping fish, a wet-dry trickle filter is a great solution. Fish can tolerate much higher levels of dissolved
nitrate in the water without showing any ill effects; however many sessile invertebrates cannot. Since I'm not planning on having any fish, and exclusively corals, water quality is of much greater concern, and to this end, I am making modifications to the stock filtration that are designed to achieve pristine water quality. One of the best ways to do this (as far as I know) is to set up a
macroalgae refugium that will use up excess
nitrates in the water. There are other ways, such as chemical adsorbants, some corals (Xenia for example) and protein skimming (to remove organic compounds before they break down into
nitrates), and all of these work with the natural process of denitrification via
LR and LS to keep
nitrates to a minimum. What it's going to come down to is what will work the best in a small tank such as the BC8.
