Is my lfs right about the biocube?

[SwimsWithFish]

Ok first off I have no reason to not believe my lfs... There great! But I just wanted to run this past you guys first. So the other day I went in to look at buying a biocube 29 to make a reef tank... The showed me one of there's that they set up and they said: all you have to do is take out the bioballs and put in live rock rubble in the first and second chamber. No skimmer or heater or mechanical filtration. They did say that they used chemi pure in it though. The tank looked beautiful. So I was wondering if this is a good idea, or should I add a skimmer, chaeto, a heater, and a filter sponge or floss.
Thanks

 

[carey]

Your information sounds correct.

I run my biocube with no skimmer or bioballs. I did however add a media basket and fuge in the back center compartment instead of the live rock. My media tray takes care of holding my filter floss, purigen and chemi pure elite.

 

[tlkng1]

If your LFS is anything like mine they keep the store very warm so they wouldn't need a heater. I know Carey has said before that her cube runs warm so she doesn't use one either , however, if you are in a cooler area or a cooler house, for example, I need heaters for the winter months, then a heater may be needed. I just added my "seasonal" heater to the cube as the nights are getting down into the 40s and I keep the house at about 68. Obviously you need to look at your temps and how they run.

Like Carey, I have the media basket in my second chamber that holds floss on top just to catch anything larger, then Purigen, then a combination (separate bags) of de-nitrator and chemi-pure.

 

[SwimsWithFish]

Cool! I'll probably add a heater and Maby down the line a skimmer!

 

[carey]

In my opinion and experience a skimmer isnt actually needed. I tried the biocube skimmer and was totally disappointed in the perfomance so I removed it and sold it off. lol

Doing a weekly water change will help you avoid going with a skimmer. It will export out the majority of the excess nutrients just like a skimmer would.

 

[joy13]

I agree with carey water changes are a lot better than a skimmer when it comes to a healthy tank.

 

[SwimsWithFish]

Cool! Well its fine with me! (that's 100-200$ off my checklist)