30 cube or 37 "semi cube"???

[E.intheC]

I'm going to be upgrading my tank this weekend. I have it down to two different tanks, and am wanting to know which I should choose.

I really like the Oceanic cube tanks.. especially the 30 cube.. However, today I just noticed the very similar Marineland tank that's still 20 inches square, but it's about 4 inches (or so) taller than the 30 cube. The total number of gallons is 37.

Although it's taller, I'm not worried about lighting the bottom b/c I just purchased my 20 inch long, 150watt HQI metal halide light fixture. I plan on keeping lower light corals like bubbles and brains on the bottom, and having SPS corals at the higher elevations.

I feel like the 37 will give me more overall gallons, more swimming room for my fish, and will lend itself to the open look of tanks that I like.. but it's not as nice quality or nice looking as the cube tank, and I'll have to wait to find a great deal on a stand..

So.. which shall I choose?

Thanks!

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

I have a 26" (with 4" sandbed) tank and to be honest, i can barely touch the bottom. If i use a step stool, and remove the light i can get into much better...but try and place corals without a light on a tank lol

I am about 5'10", so i am not a shorty...my next tank will be much shallower!

 

[E.intheC]

Hmm.. that is a GREAT point about reaching the bottom.... I would have a DSB as well if I bought the tank.. but I'm not sure about reaching the bottom to clean/re arrange rock/place corals (the last would be the toughest).. I don't think the 37 semi cube is 26 inches tall though.. I'll have to look it up..

 

[CorkPullerPHL]

Reaching the bottom is hands down one of the most annoying party of taller Nano's. I find that in order to feed frozen food, I have to be able to reach the bottom of the tank to vacuum lightly. It's really difficult to do without really disturbing the sand bed. A shallower tank would help!

My tank is 22" tall, i believe. With a 150 watt I find that many lower light requiring corals can be placed midway in the tank. So, I think on an 18" tall tank with ssb, you should be able to keep low light species on the bottom.

Funny this came up since you just helped me place my frogspawn!!!

Cheers!!!

 

[E.intheC]

..haha.. excellent! this site really is the best.. It's amazing how much you can learn from spending a little while here.. and even more incredible is how the vast majority of people really want to help out other people.. I know one thing. you know another thing.. now we each know something we didn't a few mins ago!

 

[E.intheC]

I think you both just convinced me to go with the 30 cube! it would be such a hassle to find an inexpensive cube stand and reaching the bottom is a pain.. I have to make access to the bottom as easy as possible.

 

[gas4544]

I recently purchased a used Oceanic 30-gallon cube with stand. After Christmas and New Years, we plan to set up a seahorse and softie tank. I may be able to sneak in some of my excess monti's from my current 30-gallon reef.

I have a PFO pendant with a 175W 10K halide and two 32W actinics. I may use that pendant to light the tank because I already have it and it should work well.

Gary

 

[E.intheC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13891171#post13891171 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gas4544
I recently purchased a used Oceanic 30-gallon cube with stand. After Christmas and New Years, we plan to set up a seahorse and softie tank. I may be able to sneak in some of my excess monti's from my current 30-gallon reef.

I have a PFO pendant with a 175W 10K halide and two 32W actinics. I may use that pendant to light the tank because I already have it and it should work well.

Gary

uhm... so.. you're saying I should go with the 30 cube?

 

[pheromo]

if you don't yet have the 150, get a 250 esp if you want the sps ... they usually have good priced ones used on here or since ur in LI in ny, i'm from ny .. lots of great stuff is sold around here .. i have a 30 cube, love it, love the 250 .. well worth it for the deeper type tank ... i also go bb because the 30 cube is a great tank for bouncing strong flow off the walls to create random patterns with maxijets .... i have a sureflo1200 and a reg 1200, a tad strong but no dead spots and massively random flow ..

 

[E.intheC]

I was thinking about the 250.. but for now I'm going to be happy with my 150 that should be arriving tomorrow. I want to eventually get my feet wet with SPS but I also really like lower light demanding corals like Bubbles and Frogspawn/Hammer/etc. It would be tough finding a low light spot in a 30 cube with a 250 watt MH.. For flow, I have a really good return from my skimmer and I have a Koralia 2.. so that should be plenty for now, until I decide to get some SPS corals... and maybe even then.

I agree about NYC and the great deals to be had.. but I think it's offset by the ridiculous store prices of everything else.

 

[Mark426]

I have an Oceanic 30 in the attic...where it has been for 2 years because of the depth issue. Oceanic makes (or used too) great tanks...but every frickin one of them are too deep. For a nano tank the max depth I am willing to live with is 16"-18".

If your set on the 30 or 37...get the 37 because the 24" wide tank makes your lighting choices much easier. Everyone I know of that has had the 30 has problems with light selection.

If I were looking at a tank that size ...a 40 breeder or maybe a 30 breeder would be my choice.

 

[E.intheC]

....I just picked up the 30 gallon cube today and I'm super excited about it. I agree with you on the coolness of the 40 breeder and 30 breeder. I almost setup a 40 gallon breeder tank instead of the 30 cube, but decided on the cube tank.. I like its look, the relatively small footprint, and its uniqueness. The 37 wasn't a choice for me once I actually sat and thought about the depth issue that the previous posts pointed out.. I also like the extra few inches of depth because I want lower light corals and I'll need to place them on the bottom, and I want to keep the higher light corals up high.

I bought the 20 inch long Sunpod HQI MH light.. It should arrive tomorrow!

Thanks for the help everyone!