aqua pod VS biocube? is there a clear difference?

[mr funktastic]

i was looking at getting the aquapod. it was fairly cheap and seemsed very worth the money. then i stumbled upon the biocube. a bit more expensive and pretty much identicle. what one do u think i should get...

Aqua Pod 12 Gallon
1. two 27 watt( 1 dual actinic, 1 dual daylight)Dual SunPaq lamps
2. 2 nighttime leds(not sure of wattage)
3. A high-CFM cooling fan
What's Included
Each AquaPod includes tank, lighting system, integrated filtration system, submersible pump, mechanical sponge filter, and instructions.
includes 160 GPH pump, additional ceramic media, bioballs and activated carbon
overall dimensions are 16.5"x15"x16.5
cost:229.99+tax, free shipping
Oceanic Bio Cube 14 Gallon

1. 1 Coralife 10,000K 24Watt CF, 1 Coralife Actinic 24Watt CF
2. 2 3/4 watt led
3. UL listed 137 GPH submersible pump with adjustable discharge nozzle
cost 299.99+tax + 9 bucks for shipping.

the aquapod clearly looks inferior but maybe it is better made? thuis is the cheapes i can possibly get one of these tank since i am in canada. whats your opinion?

 

[lando]

Honestly, six of one...half a dozen of the other. they are pretty similar. i do own an Oceanic 72gal tank and am very happy with the construction. For me, the proof is in the filtration area. I have not seen the Oceanic unit, but it sounds like it has some sort of "canned" prietary filter job in it. I favor the empty filter compartments of the aquapod or nanocube so you can choose what media to use. My LFS has an aquapod set up and it looks very nice.

 

[Devilishturtles]

I agree with lando. I actually saw the Oceanic Cube today at MACNA Very nice looking tank. The Aqupods are also nice...kinda even. I think cost and accessibility wise though, I'd go with the Aquapod.

Have you checked out the JBJ NanoCube? Don't know of their availabilty in Canada, but they are along the same line as the others.

http://www.jbjnanocube.com/

 

[lando]

Good point, I have a 12gal nanocube deluxe and am very happy with it. Not sure about availability for our neighbors to the North.

 

[mr funktastic]

it is available on ebay for a decent price but then shipping just makes it unfesable. i am toying with the idea of a 5 gal with bult in fuge or i can just go out and blow the money on the aquapod. will cost me a good 150 dollars more than i originally planned to spend. but that also gives me 12 gal of room so i can actually keep a fish other thana goby and shrimp. plus alot better light for more coral options. i am really torn netween getting this and going the 5 gal. i can do the 5 gal withing the next month but i will have to wait untill after christmas to be able to do the aquapod...... soo many options!! what would u reccomend?

 

[Devilishturtles]

If you think you'll be happier with the Aquapod, I would wait.

 

[mr funktastic]

ya i think i will wait... or maybe do the 5 for now then move up to the 12 after christmas. i only really need to buy a light for the 5 gal. i alreay have a powerhead and extra plexiglas to do the 5..... hmmmmmm what shall i do lol.

 

[Mikk]

Biocube...

Hey there I HAD an aquapod 24...until it crack out of nowhere right down the side. I now have a biocube 29. I know I have the larger model but the filtration in the biocube is far superior in my opinion to that of the aquapod. The aquapod just has some blue sponges and some chemical media. while the biocube has a wet dry filter setup with a replaceable filter pad w/carbon, load of bioballs and a smaller blue sponge divided up into three wider chambers. So weather you like bioballs or not...doesn't matter...take em out and you'll have plenty of room for whatever you like. Oceanic makes great aquariums all around...I find the biocube to be a much higher quality tank for the extra few bucks. Take a look at my post of the disaster I experienced with my aquapod 24...take care and happy shopping!

-Mikk

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=85998&highlight=

 

[Devilishturtles]

Wow. Thanks for sharing Mikk!

 

[mr funktastic]

ya the heads up is great but i think all the original nano set ups had faulty glass. all the bio cubes and everything were cracking casue they used 11mm instead of 13mm glass or something like that. the aquapod i posted seems to have an improved filtration system. it has the 160 gal pump which is more powerful than the oceanic and it also says in its media that it includes bioballs and cermic and carbon. i totally agree though that the older models of these systems were crap.

 

[Mikk]

Well, I bought mine last feb...not sure if it makes it an older model or not. But as far as the filtration. The aquapod 24 had a bag of ceramic carbon I'll give you that (you could drop the same bag in a biocube...as you have to replace it from time to time anyway...). But the main method of filtration was two large blocks of that corse blue sponge material that sit on top of each other and the carbon media on the far right where the inlet slits are. Eventually they clog up with so much crap that the water will start overflowing over the back of the tank straight into the pump section and bypass the filtration altogether. Then you have to pull them out and they always tear a bit. Its a two section chamber system with nothing but the pump in the left chamber. It does have bioballs...you are correct...five. Five bioballs...the biocube has more like a hundred (no I didn't count)...well mine may have a hundred and five cuz I tossed the aquapod balls in with the others. Its divided up into three chambers and they have more depth so you can actually squeeze your arm down there to get the pump if you have to clean the internals. Its a wet/dry set up with a sight glass and high/low marks. The first (far right) chamber has a replaceable barrier style filter with activated carbon on the back side (replacements come in a box of two and cost about ten bucks). The second chamber has a tray up top to disperse the water evenly that over flows into it and trickle it down the bioballs that fill the space below. The third chamber has a square of that same blue sponge at the bottom to cut out the microbubbles before it gets to the pump. Personally I prefer wet/dry over a closed system as it oxygenates the water...and as long as you maintain your bioballs and don't let them get too nasty...you're golden. As for the pump being smaller I added a SEIO 620gph in the opposite corner in my tank...the return pump is rarely enough on its own.

Lol...as you can tell that tank splitting on me has left me a bit jaded. So take it for whats its worth...just some food for thought. Take care!

-Mikk

 

[mr funktastic]

great info but the only problem is that it cost an arm and a leg to ship tyhe nano cubes to canada and no store around me carries them. that is why i was looking at these to systems. the one i can buy at my local fishstore(the oceanic) and the other i can order from a acanadian based online retauler. no other options for me i will look a little harder to see what i can do.

 

[lando]

I recommend ditcing all of the media these units come with (sponges, bioballs, ceramic rings, etc...) and replacing it all ith LR rubble. It is the best biomedia you can get.

 

[Mikk]

interesting...

LR rubble eh? where can you buy this stuff...or do you just buy LR and hit it with a hammer? Do you think that I could just use that rubble in place of the bioballs in my second chamber? Would it work in a trickle down setting or would it have to be submerged? And in reply a littler further up...the Oeanic Biocube is the one I'm saying the good things about...dont bother looking for the jbj nano or current aquapod...oceanic is the way to go...in my opinion of course

-Mikk

 

[lando]

It is best used submerged, just like LR. Many LFS sell LR rubble for sumps and such. You can make your own, just remember the eye protection. I would get rid of the bioballs and use the rubble

 

[mr funktastic]

i have heard that reccomended alot. they do sell the rubble at a store near me so i may do that. i think i may go with the oceanic. its a bit more expensive but if i buy it on wednesday with a few other products big als doubles the points so assuming i spend 400 bucks with tank and accessories i would be at 800 points plus the 1000 i already have. after 2000 points u get 60 bucks. what kind of fish could i keep in 14 gal?(12 after filtration i assume) could i keep a single clown then some snails and shrimp? maybe a little crab?

 

[lando]

Your fish options are limited for that size of tank. inverts galore, however. In my nano I have a sixline wrasse and a skunk clown.

 

[mr funktastic]

i like the 6 line wrasse but i dont like the skunk clown. could i keep a normal clown(percula or something right lol) or the black and white one? how about a type of goby? anybody have a link to a nano selection of fish?

 

[lando]

Sure. A purple firefish is also another nice option. the sixline is my favorite...good color and lots of movement.

 

[SeeDemTails]

I woul also reccomend certain species of dottybacks.

I have a neon dottyback in my 10 gal nano and he is extremely happy........darts all around and eats like there is no tomarrow......he has been a happy resident for almost 5 months!