Is a biocube right for me?

bobo33 · 05/18/2013, 10:29 PM

Moving my 40 breeder with T5s to a stock 29 gallon Biocube. Im renovating my house and losing a lot of space in my livingroom to make a bigger kitchen. So I really like the biocubes' size and ease of use, but will it be okay for my live stock. All I have are soft corals and LPS, mostly acans. I also have a hammer and frogspawn, some blastos, and a nice but small platygyra. Will the CF lighting be enough? I regularly spot feed and only keep a couple small fish and a cleaning crew so my food waste is low. Im mostly worried about water quality and the lights.

seuadr · 05/19/2013, 04:31 AM

I would recommend stunner strips or led conversation if you have the time/money. Heat can be a problem, I would lean towards led. Or, there is a company offering a kit to double the amount of compact fixtures, which might be to your liking. Stunner strips are likely the cheapest option.

Probably not a bad idea in looking into a tunze or aqyaticlife skimmer and a media basket. They are not a requirement, but make management if water quality much simpler.

Surefire1 · 05/19/2013, 08:24 AM

Have you considered the HQI version?

cody6766 · 05/19/2013, 09:38 AM

I'd suggest LED lighting as well. I'm not sure if you can get one with the tank or if you'd need to get the Rapid kit. I have a Rapid kit on my 14g and it's great.

Also, have you considered tracking down a used solana? The tank looks 10x better as a whole and really blends into a room better. It looks more like furniture than a fish tank stuck in a room. I have both and much prefer the solana.

seuadr · 05/19/2013, 09:46 AM

cody has a good point in general about used tanks. I have a biocube, so i am probably not an unbiased source on the look, but, i also picked up my biocube 29 for 75 dollars used, complete with upgraded pumps, skimmer and HOB setup for a reefgum. I decided to go without the HOB, but it is an example of how you can get pretty good deals on stuff on the forums.

PL-Reef · 05/19/2013, 01:32 PM

I put rapid leds in my BC and love it. I'm not fond of the CF stock lights in BioCubes. Over all I really like my BC but with a few small mods they really make great tanks!

Biocubehqi · 05/20/2013, 06:17 AM

We have the BioCube HQI. It has been a wonderful tank. We have been able to keep zoos, acans, frogspawn, sps, and many others. We have a panorama pro hooked up on our tank, and have been told 3 panorama pros would be sufficient to replace our halide. Although we have been looking into Vegas or ReefBreeders Photon to upgrade to LEDs. The halide does put off a little heat so we do have a small $5 fan pointing across the lid to help with the heat. The open top look was a big seller for us.

bobo33 · 05/21/2013, 08:20 PM

OK. Thanks all!!! Upgrade my lights and filtration and Im in business! Sounds reasonable. I appreciate it.

05/18/2013, 10:29 PM	#1
bobo33 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 106	Is a biocube right for me? Moving my 40 breeder with T5s to a stock 29 gallon Biocube. Im renovating my house and losing a lot of space in my livingroom to make a bigger kitchen. So I really like the biocubes' size and ease of use, but will it be okay for my live stock. All I have are soft corals and LPS, mostly acans. I also have a hammer and frogspawn, some blastos, and a nice but small platygyra. Will the CF lighting be enough? I regularly spot feed and only keep a couple small fish and a cleaning crew so my food waste is low. Im mostly worried about water quality and the lights.

05/19/2013, 09:38 AM	#4
cody6766 Super Best Friends! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 3,772	I'd suggest LED lighting as well. I'm not sure if you can get one with the tank or if you'd need to get the Rapid kit. I have a Rapid kit on my 14g and it's great. Also, have you considered tracking down a used solana? The tank looks 10x better as a whole and really blends into a room better. It looks more like furniture than a fish tank stuck in a room. I have both and much prefer the solana. __________________ "The moral is the chosen, not the forced; the understood, not the obeyed. The moral is the rational, and reason accepts no commandments." - John Galt Current Tank Info: Cadlights 60G Arisan II mixed reef with 2x MP40s and 24" ATI

05/19/2013, 01:32 PM	#6
PL-Reef Awesome Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chaplin,Ct Posts: 4,345	I put rapid leds in my BC and love it. I'm not fond of the CF stock lights in BioCubes. Over all I really like my BC but with a few small mods they really make great tanks! __________________ Jas tested, mother disapproved. Current Tank Info: 2 gallon goldfish bowl with a happy 7" Naso tang and 2 small Beluga whales. Just added a baby dolphin, large Trigger, a herd of Sea Horses and just fragged my first Manatee. All fish safely hand caught using organic cyanide.

05/19/2013, 04:31 AM	#2
seuadr Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 61	I would recommend stunner strips or led conversation if you have the time/money. Heat can be a problem, I would lean towards led. Or, there is a company offering a kit to double the amount of compact fixtures, which might be to your liking. Stunner strips are likely the cheapest option. Probably not a bad idea in looking into a tunze or aqyaticlife skimmer and a media basket. They are not a requirement, but make management if water quality much simpler.

05/19/2013, 08:24 AM	#3
Surefire1 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 34	Have you considered the HQI version?

05/19/2013, 09:46 AM	#5
seuadr Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 61	cody has a good point in general about used tanks. I have a biocube, so i am probably not an unbiased source on the look, but, i also picked up my biocube 29 for 75 dollars used, complete with upgraded pumps, skimmer and HOB setup for a reefgum. I decided to go without the HOB, but it is an example of how you can get pretty good deals on stuff on the forums.

05/20/2013, 06:17 AM	#7
Biocubehqi Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Illinois Posts: 777	We have the BioCube HQI. It has been a wonderful tank. We have been able to keep zoos, acans, frogspawn, sps, and many others. We have a panorama pro hooked up on our tank, and have been told 3 panorama pros would be sufficient to replace our halide. Although we have been looking into Vegas or ReefBreeders Photon to upgrade to LEDs. The halide does put off a little heat so we do have a small $5 fan pointing across the lid to help with the heat. The open top look was a big seller for us.

05/21/2013, 08:20 PM	#8
bobo33 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 106	OK. Thanks all!!! Upgrade my lights and filtration and Im in business! Sounds reasonable. I appreciate it.