Bio Cube 29 vs. Finnex 30 w/refuge

cfalker · 03-04-2008, 05:31 AM

I'm brand new to the sport and I am looking for some advice on setting up a nano reef tank (and yes I know bigger is better). The two tanks I've been looking at are the Oceanic Bio Cube 29 vs. the Finnex 30 w/refuge. I know I need to add a skimmer to the Bio Cube and it was recommended to add an additional pump to the Finnex system. Any thoughts which is the better system or if there another one out there I am missing. Is the refugium more hassle than it is worth? I'm looking for a relatively low cost and low maintanence system.

On the other front, live rock goes for around $10 per lbs where I live. What are the risks of ordering live rock online?

What about buying an existing system?

blue_eyes53813 · 03-04-2008, 08:26 AM

Hello, Welcome to RS. I am not to familiar with those tanks so I will let someone else jump in here about them.

I think a refugium is a very beneficial part of a system. The pods in there become food for livestock and the macro algae is used to pull nitrates fro mthe water. I wouldnt have a system with out one.

Some of our sponsor run some good deals on liverock. Ive ordered all of mine over the net and had very good luck. Of course some risk include unwanted hitchhikers like crabs and worms. But that is possible with all liverock even at pet stores.

cfalker · 03-09-2008, 10:58 AM

Thanks!

djbacon · 03-28-2008, 01:21 PM

Regarding buying an existing system -

I have friends that swear by buying used - you bcan get stuff that is already VERY well established for a franction of the regular price - try ebay-

personally I wanted to do it all from scratch, but there are benefits to going with well aged substrate and rock -

even cured live rock will probably still die off a little (in my limited experience)

cfalker · 03-28-2008, 03:43 PM

Thanks. I'm leaning towards the Finnex 30 but I've been keeping an eye on Craigslist to see if any good deals come up.

cfalker · 04-11-2008, 04:08 PM

I've ordered the Finnex 30 and stand. It is back ordered but I got a good price.

cfalker · 04-11-2008, 04:20 PM

Are crabs and worms a problem? I'm not planning on growing coral in the system. I want to get some hermit crabs and snails to help keep the system clean.

lcstorc · 04-11-2008, 04:54 PM

It all depends on what you are keeping. The crabs will eat the snails and anything else they can get their claws on. I use all snails in my tanks.

cfalker · 04-11-2008, 05:14 PM

I'm thinking of scarlet hermit crabs and astrea snails and maybe a starfish. For fish we're getting a damsel, a clownfish, and a royal dottyback.

cfalker · 04-22-2008, 02:43 PM

I setup the tank on Sunday and annoyed the wife by having to go to the LFS to buy the live rock. The styrofoam container the LFS put the rock in leaked all over the kitchen floor and the python flooded the furnace room. The airtube broke off the pump for the skimmer; Finnex is sending a replacement part. One of the lights was dislodged from shipping but I figured out how to pop it back in and everything appears to be working. Documentation is minimal so I'm sort of winging it.

I mixed the salt water right in the tank. I didn't have a hydrometer so I eyeballed it. The hydrometer arrived yesterday and it read 1.022. Beginners luck

The temperature in the tank is 75 degrees without a heater although I've added one. I didn't treat the water but I'm planning on using Prime tonight. The LFS said it should take about six weeks for the tank to cycle.

I pulled out the wet/dry filter while the tank is cycling. There's no documentation on how to use it.

The water flow to the refuge is adjustable but there isn't any documentation about how to use it.

cfalker · 05-05-2008, 10:27 AM

Tested the water on Saturday and got zeros across the board. The pH was a bit low 7.8-8.0. Bought 20 lbs of live sand and added it to the tank plus about 5 lbs of crushed coral that my wife had for her fresh water tanks. Didn't rinse the crushed coral well which made the water chaulky. The water was mostly clear by Sunday. Added the sponge filters and the protein skimmer. Had to blow in the air tube to get the protein skimmer going.

Bought a yellow tail Damselfish and four red hermit crabs on Sunday. The Damselfish is the canary in the coal mine. Assuming he lives the plan is to added a clownfish on my son's birthday (June 19th) and if all goes well, a royal dottyback a couple of weeks later.

I'm planning on putting some halmeda macroalgae in the refuge. Other than some more hermit crabs that will be that for the tank.

cfalker · 05-09-2008, 06:58 PM

The damselfish is still alive and the live rock is turning interesting colors. I'm preparing for the first water change with inhabitants. The nitrate level is starting to rise.

03-04-2008, 05:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
cfalker Tunicate Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Bio Cube 29 vs. Finnex 30 w/refuge I'm brand new to the sport and I am looking for some advice on setting up a nano reef tank (and yes I know bigger is better). The two tanks I've been looking at are the Oceanic Bio Cube 29 vs. the Finnex 30 w/refuge. I know I need to add a skimmer to the Bio Cube and it was recommended to add an additional pump to the Finnex system. Any thoughts which is the better system or if there another one out there I am missing. Is the refugium more hassle than it is worth? I'm looking for a relatively low cost and low maintanence system. On the other front, live rock goes for around $10 per lbs where I live. What are the risks of ordering live rock online? What about buying an existing system?

03-04-2008, 08:26 AM	#2 (permalink)
blue_eyes53813 fully trained mod,,,its my fault~ Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Lancaster, Wisconsin Posts: 5,854 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Bio Cube 29 vs. Finnex 30 w/refuge Hello, Welcome to RS. I am not to familiar with those tanks so I will let someone else jump in here about them. I think a refugium is a very beneficial part of a system. The pods in there become food for livestock and the macro algae is used to pull nitrates fro mthe water. I wouldnt have a system with out one. Some of our sponsor run some good deals on liverock. Ive ordered all of mine over the net and had very good luck. Of course some risk include unwanted hitchhikers like crabs and worms. But that is possible with all liverock even at pet stores. __________________ 265 Gallon Reef built into basement wall. Lighting = 6x250 watts MH, 2x96 watt PC ,and 2x140 watt VHO for a total watt of 1,972 watts . New addition on 4-14-07 of 100 gallon sump and 100 gallon refugium. I think I have lost my mind. Gotta love this hobby Vicki Life is like a pathway of untrodden snow. Be careful how you step in it for every mark will show Definition of FRIENDSHIP: All lives touch other lives to create something new and alive My tank chronicles. http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...wall-reef.html

03-09-2008, 10:58 AM	#3 (permalink)
cfalker Tunicate Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Bio Cube 29 vs. Finnex 30 w/refuge Thanks!

03-28-2008, 01:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
djbacon Scopas Tang Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: San Francisco Posts: 434 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Bio Cube 29 vs. Finnex 30 w/refuge Regarding buying an existing system - I have friends that swear by buying used - you bcan get stuff that is already VERY well established for a franction of the regular price - try ebay- personally I wanted to do it all from scratch, but there are benefits to going with well aged substrate and rock - even cured live rock will probably still die off a little (in my limited experience) __________________ Check out my awesome 14g nanoreef in progress - http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ater-tank.html The Nano Club - It's not the size of the reef. It's what's in it that counts

03-28-2008, 03:43 PM	#5 (permalink)
cfalker Tunicate Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Bio Cube 29 vs. Finnex 30 w/refuge Thanks. I'm leaning towards the Finnex 30 but I've been keeping an eye on Craigslist to see if any good deals come up.

04-11-2008, 04:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
cfalker Tunicate Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Bio Cube 29 vs. Finnex 30 w/refuge I've ordered the Finnex 30 and stand. It is back ordered but I got a good price.

04-11-2008, 04:20 PM	#7 (permalink)
cfalker Tunicate Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Bio Cube 29 vs. Finnex 30 w/refuge Are crabs and worms a problem? I'm not planning on growing coral in the system. I want to get some hermit crabs and snails to help keep the system clean.

04-11-2008, 04:54 PM	#8 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 16,484 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Bio Cube 29 vs. Finnex 30 w/refuge It all depends on what you are keeping. The crabs will eat the snails and anything else they can get their claws on. I use all snails in my tanks. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g Jawfish enjoyment ASM answer girl. Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

04-11-2008, 05:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
cfalker Tunicate Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Bio Cube 29 vs. Finnex 30 w/refuge I'm thinking of scarlet hermit crabs and astrea snails and maybe a starfish. For fish we're getting a damsel, a clownfish, and a royal dottyback.

04-22-2008, 02:43 PM	#10 (permalink)
cfalker Tunicate Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Bio Cube 29 vs. Finnex 30 w/refuge I setup the tank on Sunday and annoyed the wife by having to go to the LFS to buy the live rock. The styrofoam container the LFS put the rock in leaked all over the kitchen floor and the python flooded the furnace room. The airtube broke off the pump for the skimmer; Finnex is sending a replacement part. One of the lights was dislodged from shipping but I figured out how to pop it back in and everything appears to be working. Documentation is minimal so I'm sort of winging it. I mixed the salt water right in the tank. I didn't have a hydrometer so I eyeballed it. The hydrometer arrived yesterday and it read 1.022. Beginners luck The temperature in the tank is 75 degrees without a heater although I've added one. I didn't treat the water but I'm planning on using Prime tonight. The LFS said it should take about six weeks for the tank to cycle. I pulled out the wet/dry filter while the tank is cycling. There's no documentation on how to use it. The water flow to the refuge is adjustable but there isn't any documentation about how to use it.

05-05-2008, 10:27 AM	#11 (permalink)
cfalker Tunicate Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Bio Cube 29 vs. Finnex 30 w/refuge Tested the water on Saturday and got zeros across the board. The pH was a bit low 7.8-8.0. Bought 20 lbs of live sand and added it to the tank plus about 5 lbs of crushed coral that my wife had for her fresh water tanks. Didn't rinse the crushed coral well which made the water chaulky. The water was mostly clear by Sunday. Added the sponge filters and the protein skimmer. Had to blow in the air tube to get the protein skimmer going. Bought a yellow tail Damselfish and four red hermit crabs on Sunday. The Damselfish is the canary in the coal mine. Assuming he lives the plan is to added a clownfish on my son's birthday (June 19th) and if all goes well, a royal dottyback a couple of weeks later. I'm planning on putting some halmeda macroalgae in the refuge. Other than some more hermit crabs that will be that for the tank.

05-09-2008, 06:58 PM	#12 (permalink)
cfalker Tunicate Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 12 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Bio Cube 29 vs. Finnex 30 w/refuge The damselfish is still alive and the live rock is turning interesting colors. I'm preparing for the first water change with inhabitants. The nitrate level is starting to rise.

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