So my gf has an oceanic biocube 14 that we've had a live rock in for a few years and she's never done anything to it, I've just added RO water so that the pump doesn't run dry. She had another biocube 14 at her parents house that we got and I was going to take the other one and set it up since we thought it'd be a decent starter for me to learn on. I've been slowly taking the other biocube apart and I just feel like it'll take more money to really get going that I'd be better off spending on something else.
First off, lighting is an issue. I could run stock lighting and not have sps, but the bulbs are obviously old, so I need new ones ($40). And the splash guard is really yellow to the point that any light going through would give a yellow tint. I've seen replacement splash guards for the coralife biocubes for $20, but none for the oceanic. So even if I found one for the same price, I'm looking at $60 just to get stock lights and 160 if the ballasts are shot. I've been looking at led's and I can do a diy set up, but it seems like the drivers and heatsinks would run me close to 100 bucks anyway. So no matter what I go with I'll have to spend about $100 on lighting.
Second, both biocubes are stock all around. So pumps need to be upgraded and filtration is all stock. I'm basically starting with an aio tank with no other equipment.
So while looking at equipment I've seen brand new biocubes with led lights that aren't that much more. I could get the biocube 16 for 250 or the 32 for 300. I know I can't have sps or even some of the more light demanding corals, but I'll at least have led lighting from the get go and could upgrade more bars later. Plus those come with the controller for the lights to do automatic sunset/sunrise and moonset/moonrise.
Since I'm new to this hobby I don't really have that grasp on all the products out there, so what I want to ask you guys is if I should be sinking too much money into an old and tired biocube or would I get a lot more out of my money going with something else?
First off, lighting is an issue. I could run stock lighting and not have sps, but the bulbs are obviously old, so I need new ones ($40). And the splash guard is really yellow to the point that any light going through would give a yellow tint. I've seen replacement splash guards for the coralife biocubes for $20, but none for the oceanic. So even if I found one for the same price, I'm looking at $60 just to get stock lights and 160 if the ballasts are shot. I've been looking at led's and I can do a diy set up, but it seems like the drivers and heatsinks would run me close to 100 bucks anyway. So no matter what I go with I'll have to spend about $100 on lighting.
Second, both biocubes are stock all around. So pumps need to be upgraded and filtration is all stock. I'm basically starting with an aio tank with no other equipment.
So while looking at equipment I've seen brand new biocubes with led lights that aren't that much more. I could get the biocube 16 for 250 or the 32 for 300. I know I can't have sps or even some of the more light demanding corals, but I'll at least have led lighting from the get go and could upgrade more bars later. Plus those come with the controller for the lights to do automatic sunset/sunrise and moonset/moonrise.
Since I'm new to this hobby I don't really have that grasp on all the products out there, so what I want to ask you guys is if I should be sinking too much money into an old and tired biocube or would I get a lot more out of my money going with something else?
