My Biocube LED 32

[BestMomEver]

I picked up a hardly used Biocube 32 the other day for $150. I’ve purchased the stand and have ordered a Tunze nano ATO, Tunze 9001 skimmer, Intank media rack, and new heater. I’ve also ordered 25 lbs of KP Aquatics live rock. Everything should be here on Tuesday! My desire is that this be an anemone/Clown tank. I’m prolly going to upgrade the lights too. Here it is empty!

 

[hdsoftail1065]

That was a good buy on the 32. If your just doing clowns and nems the stock led lighting should be fine if you dont want to spend the money for an upgrade. :D

 

[BestMomEver]

That was a good buy on the 32. If your just doing clowns and nems the stock led lighting should be fine if you dont want to spend the money for an upgrade. :D

Ive heard it both ways. Some say the stock lighting is ok and some say not. Im gonna have to read up and study. I hope you're right ! Also, the lights cost more than the tsnk and stand. That's a lot !

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Ive heard it both ways. Some say the stock lighting is ok and some say not. Im gonna have to read up and study. I hope you're right ! Also, the lights cost more than the tsnk and stand. That's a lot !

Yes they are not cheap, we did upgrade ours, but the nems, torch, mushrooms and Hammer done fine in the stock lights.

 

[Thirdeyesight17]

I know @Flexin gets good growth with stock lighting in the 32. Not sure if he has nems tho? I decide to go the upgraded lighting route went with Steve's LEDs yeah for single cost equip def cost more than the tank but worth it imo. My BTAs are happy.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

Allot of people get hung up on the light cost vs tank cost. Easy to justify the cost when you start totalling the cost of the corals and livestock you have inside the tank. :D

 

[Flexin]

Have nems also, splitting often. If anyone is local to me in Michigan I give away 5-8 nems every three months. Now if I could just get my 65 gal tank to work this well :)

If you are doing it for programming expansion, a different light is more pleasing, or you want all your tanks with the same manufacturer, I definitely get that. It’s just when people say they don’t work is what I struggle with.

I agree on light cost vs tank cost, it is about the lights :). I also believe that for all equipment purchased. Save to get what you want, upgrades on other tanks have taken their toll on me also. But sometimes I upgrade just because I want to, and that’s ok :). Hope you all had a good weekend.

 

[Flexin]

I know @Flexin gets good growth with stock lighting in the 32. Not sure if he has nems tho? I decide to go the upgraded lighting route went with Steve's LEDs yeah for single cost equip def cost more than the tank but worth it imo. My BTAs are happy.

By the way, love your nems!!!

Unrelated note, if you wanted to make a refugium out of your stock media basket, this thread will help:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/32-biocube-refugium-stock-media-basket.425469/

 

[BestMomEver]

Thanks so much everyone. It’s not that I want the same lights on each tank. I’m not looking for replication in that sense. I am only interested in the AB+ schedule on the biocube because I am so pleased with coral growth/coloration in the other tank. Then again I don’t know which light to even consider for anemones.... Steve’s or nanobox... or another. Ease of installation is a must. Any suggestions?

 

[hdsoftail1065]

I can speak for Steve's but have zero knowledge of nanobox. Steve's easy to install and control, intense lights.

 

[M. Williams]

Be careful with the stand we had problems with ours being wobbly and made a metal one.

 

[BestMomEver]

Update... got my rocks from KP Aquatics! I just kinda stacked it in the tank. When the dust clears you might be able to see it!

 

[BestMomEver]

Be careful with the stand we had problems with ours being wobbly and made a metal one.

For real? That’s scary! Mine seems stable right now... Lord, I hope so anyway.

 

[hdsoftail1065]

For real? That’s scary! Mine seems stable right now... Lord, I hope so anyway.

Haven't had any problems with our stand at all. It's solid.

 

[Flexin]

A few folks have had a wobbly stand. I got lucky my LFS has a cabinet maker to made a stand for the same price that is very nice. Last time I tried to build something it should have been a square and had 5 sides :)

I think you just need to check the stand to make sure it’s stable in regards to how it was assembled.

 

[BestMomEver]

A few folks have had a wobbly stand. I got lucky my LFS has a cabinet maker to made a stand for the same price that is very nice. Last time I tried to build something it should have been a square and had 5 sides :)

I think you just need to check the stand to make sure it’s stable in regards to how it was assembled.

I put it together (some assembly required!) and it seemed tight and sturdy. I didn’t climb on top of it but..... :)

 

[Vin's Reef]

Gosh. I hated my 32g Biocube. From the filtration to the lack of room to cleaning the glass not to mention being limited by the lighting. This thing stock doesn't move enough water and it's very very difficult to work behind the tank if it's against a wall. Then cleaning it was a nightmare. I will never own an acrylic tank again. I truly hated it even after changing the flow and the stock filter rack. I still have it with a stand. I'll sell it for $100 to anyone near Staten Island. I couldn't stand cleaning the acrylic!!! I wore out 2 credit cards!

 

[Vin's Reef]

Went to a 50g cube from SCA and never looked back

 

[BestMomEver]

Update: the cube has been up and running for six months. There have been lots of issues with algae, diatoms, cyano, etc. but it looks like things are turning around. My Steve’s LED light work ok but my anemones would probably do better if I had something with a different spectrum (more channels?).