The Oceanic Bio Cube

[J Migidy]

I don't have any experience with an all in one aquarium set up. I've seen the Marineland Eclipes units in the past but never picked one up. I'm thinking about getting an additional smaller aquarium for the bedroom but I'm a little torn. Oceanic came out with the Bio Cubes and they seem like nice set ups. They even have built in lunar lighting. I'm not sure about the bio in the bio cube? They lack a wheel like Marineland but they use something else. Does anyone have an opinion on the Oceanic Bio Cube or any hands on experience?

[severum mama]

I've never used one, but we got one in a while back here at the store I work for. I have seen it out of the box and t looks awesome. It does lack a Biowheel, but is MUCH nicer than the Eclipse setups... with the price tag to match. :P The filter is built into a box at the back of the tank, with a sponge for mechanical media and bioballs for bio media. There is a submersible pump that is included that fits in the filter box to pump the water through the media. As far as lighting goes, there is no comparison between the Eclipse and Biocube. The Eclipse includes a NO flourescent tube, and the Biocube has fan cooled CF lighting (wattage depends on tank size), plus the moonlight. If you want a planted tank, there would definitely be enough wattage in the Oceanic setup. The Eclipse setups also use plastic tanks (except for the "show" package) and the Biocubes are glass. That's pretty much all the differences I can think of. HTH.

[afilter]

No personal experience, but there are actaully a few companies out there making the nano style all in one tanks. I have seen them primarily used for Nano SW setups, but the can go either way.

The reason there is no wheel is that in the SW world bio wheels are generally forwned upon as they produce more nitrates than desired. This is why you do not see to many eclipse systems being used for SW at least not with the bio wheel intact.

Overall they all seem like nice little systems that come with enough lighting and filtration that will allow someone to setup a nice lightly stocked SW nano reef or FW nano planted tank.

If you do a search you will see the different varieties and I believe they now come from as small as 8g up to 24g. I think the nano cube was the original. For $110-120 they seem like a pretty good deal considering just setting up a 10-15g tank would cost all of that with the equipment and probably not as good of lighting.

HTH,

I actually was thinking of getting one of these as a second tank, however I read one post where one cracked right down the seem and two others leaking.

Any opinions on this.

[J Migidy]

Originally Posted by Mike469

I actually was thinking of getting one of these as a second tank, however I read one post where one cracked right down the seem and two others leaking.

Any opinions on this.

I'm looking into this as a second tank as well. The Oceanic Bio Cubes are made with glass not acrylic like some other cubes. I think they have a lifetime warranty on the glass craftmanship. I know that most acrylic cubes have the same deal. Oceanic is known for making good stuff but I'm still gathering information on this so I don't know for sure. I think I'm more concerned about the lack of a bio wheel. According to Severum bio cubes use bio balls instead. Anymore information on these would be helpful

I really would not get to hung up on the biowheel. I have not personaly seem the back of the unit but I am sure the others have and can confirm.

You could layer the filtration system to your liking if room provides. Such as the way the AC HOB are. 1st layer sponge, 2nd floss/carbon, 3rd bio-media etc. I am sure there is room for this.

[severum mama]

It's a way better filtration system than the Eclipse IMO, but it is also much more expensive. The Biocubes come in (I think) 8g, 14g, and 29g. The one I saw was the 29g and it runs about $400 in an LFS. It costs more than the JBJ Nanocube or the Current USA nano as far as I know, although both those brands are also made of glass. It's only the Eclipse that is made of plastic.

Mike469- I think I saw the post to which you are referring. Didn't that OP have problems with the Current USA brand? I didn't recall that it was the Oceanic. At any rate, I thought I heard that most of the problems were with the early nano models, and that the manufacturers have since decided to use thicker glass- I could be wrong about that though. I think the Oceanic brand is relatively new and hasn't been on the market as long as the other brands.

It is less than half that price now on Ebay.

That may have been the thread, I am not sure.

[severum mama]

It is less than half that price now on Ebay.

Ah, I always forget about checking Ebay for some reason. Way to find the deals, Mike!

[Ron Byrd]

I just got a 29 gallon Bio Cube and am now in the middle of "cycling" the tank to try and make it habitable. This is my first try without undergravel and/or outside power filters and so far I am not impressed. The tank has been up now for almost three weeks and I still have cloudy water, ammonia too high and not sure what is happening with the "bio balls" that are the middle part of the filtering mechanism at the back of the tank (according to the instructions, that is where all of the "good" bacteria is supposed to be forming). The other problem I am having is when the carbon filter cartridge (1st stage filter) is inserted all the way to the bottom of its slot, it decreases water flow so much that either the pump at the other end does not get enough water and starts hissing air or you have to fill the tank so full that water is literally going over the edge directly into the pump resevoir and bypassing the carbon filter! And that's with a clean filter insert-once it starts getting dirty, water flow is restricted even further. I know I should be patient, but I do not remember ever having to wait this long before water in one of my tanks is ready for fish. If anyone else has some hands on experience with the Bio Cube, any advice for a new user would be greatly appreciated!