To Biocube or to not Biocube?

[Fishninja]

Hey everyone I am debating which path to take for my first saltwater tank. I have room for a 20-30 tank, however, I am not sure what to start with? A Biocube or a regular tank. What inverts should I get? What fish a should I get? What equipment? This is what I think I should get but I am sure there is more/ others. MarineDepot.com
My Cart - Bulk Reef Supply
Again I am a noob so any advice will go a long way! Thanks

 

[glb]

I have a 12g nano and really like having the sump area behind the tank. I also like having the lights in the lid, completely enclosed. The three areas in the sump have plenty of room for filter media. Also, when you buy it, you don't really need much other equipment. I don't have a skimmer but I understand that some of the 29g tanks come with one. I have turbo snails, hermit crabs and peppermint shrimp. I have two clownfish.

 

[larryl]

My first tank was a bio cube 29 gallon. Great tank, however I wished I went larger.

 

[glb]

I upgraded the stock lighting to LED's, but I was able to grow soft corals and SPS corals under actinic lights just fine. The colors are much better under LED's tho. You'll need testing kits and salt mix to start. As I think of other things I'll write back.

 

[glb]

A lot of people start with a 40g breeder tank. That's a good starter size too if you have the room.

 

[Fishninja]

I actually am only 14 years old. so deciding on a 29 bio or a 40 breeder is hard because money can be a problem sometimes.

 

[Rob Top1]

I actually am only 14 years old. so deciding on a 29 bio or a 40 breeder is hard because money can be a problem sometimes.

A 40 breeder can be picked up for $40-75 when on sale. While you do need more equipment you could keep the cost of a 40 very close to the cost of the bio cube

 

[Fishninja]

What lights would you recommend to use on a 40 gallon breeder. I don't need anything crazy, just enough to grow some Lps and maybe just maybe some sps

 

[hart24601]

I had a biocube 14 for years and loved it. Started out all stock, but as I grew in the hobby I upgraded as I went along so it was perfect! After stock I added a LED fuge light on the back, eventually went to mp10 for flow, swapped lights for panorama pros - then to steves extreme sps kit but with 6 extra violets - but I should have stayed with the panorama pros, then added 4 channel doser as I eventually went all SPS and it was sucking down 4dkh/day, but started with limewater in the ATO. So lots of room to grow with you.

Here it is during my gradual transition to SPS - and I went that route not because I like SPS that much more, but no sweepers! Many of those coral in the pic got a lot larger and I couldn't reach the bottom. Had to frag a lot and carefully prune to keep a nice mini colony shape. I sold the system last year, too much work focusing on a new tank, but I really enjoyed it.

 

[haleyf1024]

I had a biocube 29. I loved it, but it didn't come with a skimmer, so I added one with a media basket that had chaeto, purigen, and filter floss as a mini fuge. Under stock lighting, I had zoanthids, a RBTA, mushrooms, carribean rose corals, a jewelbox clam, a flexible finger leather, and a ricordea that were all healthy and thriving. As far as a CUC, I had a sand sifting star (I STRONGLY recommend you do not get one, I only got him for my upgrade to a 110), about 10-15 nass snails, 3 mexican turbos, 10-20 blue leg hermits, an emerald crab, 5 margarita snails, and 10-15 astrea/turbo snails. Plus a porcelain, a decorator, a gorilla, and a red mithrax crab that all came with the LR. And my fish were 2 clowns, a valentini puffer, and a mandarin. If you do something similar, I think you could set up a great tank. Just stick with NPS and low light corals with the stock lights, and don't get any clams like maximas unless you upgrade the lights. Also, I highly recommend using live sand, live rock, and live water. I did all 3 and didn't need to cycle either time I did it (the 29 and a 110 gallon) and never had any water chemistry issues.

 

[hart24601]

I forgot to say that I had softies and LPS under the stock lights that did great. IMO I would look at other biocube style tanks too. My LFS has a really nice all in 1 unit that has LED lights, locking hinged top and skimmer built right in. The LEDs I doubt are crazy stong, but you don't need anything crazy for these little tanks when the lights are one inch above the water. I also recommend going bare bottom if you get a smaller tank, it's really hard to clean the sand once coral grows in.

 

[glb]

The nice thing about a nano is (almost) everything's included. The ones with actinic lights are less expensive and you can grow soft coral with them and always update later. An even less expensive option would be a 12g nano, but those are harder to keep stable.

 

[saltyphish]

I absolutely love my biocube, but with that said would not recommend it if I was starting all over. For the money it is not worth it if you plan on doing all the mods. Seemed like I could have got more tank for the money I spent. But it is a great all in one and do love mine if your purchase it and need equipment suggestions feel free to ask me.

Hey everyone I am debating which path to take for my first saltwater tank. I have room for a 20-30 tank, however, I am not sure what to start with? A Biocube or a regular tank. What inverts should I get? What fish a should I get? What equipment? This is what I think I should get but I am sure there is more/ others. MarineDepot.com
My Cart - Bulk Reef Supply
Again I am a noob so any advice will go a long way! Thanks

 

[ou12004]

There are a couple all in one tanks that you can keep just about any coral in Nuvo and Cadlights are pretty common also check your local reef club you can find tanks for a quarter of the cost.

 

[Fishninja]

Hi everyone thanks for all the responses it has helped a lot. I think I will go the 40 gallon breeder route with no sand to start. What is all the essential equipment I need to start? Also does anyone no of a good light fixture for the tank to grow some corals? Thanks

 

[Fishninja]

Or is live sand beneficial?

 

[haleyf1024]

I use T5's and my coral is growing well Personally, I prefer sand as I think it provides beneficial bacteria a place to live versus just the water. And you can get nassarius snails, which are pretty cool. To start up, get a heater, a protein skimmer, a sump or good HOB filter (I am a firm believer in refugiums for a filter/sump. The trigger ruby is what I use and I am in absolute love with it.), and of course your lights. You may want to run carbon, such as chemipure, and some people use purigen. A wavemaker such as a Vortech or Hydor is also super beneficial to both fish and coral, as many need medium to high flow.

 

[glb]

You'll need live rock and live sand. If you can afford 'wet' live rock, your tank will cycle faster. A cheaper option is 'dry' live rock. One place to get it is brs.com. It will eventually populate with beneficial bacteria and help keep the water in balance. You'll need good testing kits and a protein skimmer. If you want to grow corals you'll need good lights. You'll also need supplements like calcium, magnesium and something to balance alkalinity for the corals. You'll need a high quality salt mix and a plastic bucket for mixing the saltwater. You'll need reverse osmosis water, either by buying a RODI unit or buying the water at a reputable store. You'll need fish food and coral food. I'd start with fish only until you get the hang of it. I'll post more as I think of it.

 

[glb]

Oh you'll also need cuc's, otherwise known as 'clean up critters', such as crabs and snails. They help keep the tank clean.

 

[Fishninja]

You'll need live rock and live sand. If you can afford 'wet' live rock, your tank will cycle faster. A cheaper option is 'dry' live rock. One place to get it is brs.com. It will eventually populate with beneficial bacteria and help keep the water in balance. You'll need good testing kits and a protein skimmer. If you want to grow corals you'll need good lights. You'll also need supplements like calcium, magnesium and something to balance alkalinity for the corals. You'll need a high quality salt mix and a plastic bucket for mixing the saltwater. You'll need reverse osmosis water, either by buying a RODI unit or buying the water at a reputable store. You'll need fish food and coral food. I'd start with fish only until you get the hang of it. I'll post more as I think of it.

What lights would you recommend? Also what skimmer? I have the brs 75 gpd rodi unit already. Besides ammonia and nitrates what else do I need to test for? What exactly does calcium and magnesium do? I know I need them but I am curious on what it does. Thanks.