Re: [GSAS-Member] Aquapod vs Biocube -> Reef

[Matt Staroscik <matt@wrongcrowd.com>]

I only have experience in the JBJ Biocube. I have had it for about 1.5 years. 

It is a decent tank BUT if I were doing it again I absolutely WOULD NOT buy an 
all-in-one product for a reef aquarium.

The power compact lighting built into the all-in-ones is adequate for only 
low-light corals... soft corals like mushrooms. You will 
be unable to keep most LPS and all SPS corals without an expensive lighting 
retrofit. Current is also poor in all of these tanks, 
by default. I had to add 2 extra pumps, and drill a hole for a current device 
in the back bulkhead, and flow is still not as good 
as I would like.

I knew all this going in, bought it anyway, and regretted the decision 6 months 
in when I found that I REALLY WANTED some of the 
corals that I could not keep. And corals that I thought I could get away with 
sort of withered away--the lighting is just too poor. 
I underestimated what I would want, don't make the same mistake I did.

So, if you want to keep coral, build your tank from the ground up and choose 
lighting that will get the job done. If you only care 
about fish or fish with the MOST modest soft corals, the all-in-one reefs are 
OK.

They do make some all-in-one tanks with a metal halide light. I'd say that is 
the way to go if you must get one of these products. 
Remember, you can always find a way to shade a low to mid light specimen, but 
when you get a nice high-light specimen at a PSAS 
meeting you'll be sorry if you can't give it a good home!

As a last comment I would also say that the image of a lone, tidy cube aquarium 
on a desk is a terrible lie. Mine is surrounded by 
fish food, salt crust, test kits... Even if I did get all that cleaned up, I 
could not hide the water top-off pump. (My tank needs 
25-30 mL per hour of RO/DI water added to make up for evaporation.)

Good luck with whatever you decide. 

- Matt


On Wed, May 09, 2007 at 04:10:31PM -0700, Shango Los wrote:
> Hi Friends,
> 
>  
> 
> I am now prepared to make my much anticipated jump to a reef set-up.  As I
> ask around about AquaPod vs Biocube, store owners seem to, of course, prefer
> the one they carry.  Does anyone have any solid personal experience with
> BOTH of these so they can compare them for me?  I'd appreciate your
> experience.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Shango
> 
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-- 
Matt Staroscik
matt@wrongcrowd.com | http://wrongcrowd.com
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