Frequently Asked Questions about my 29 Gallon Biocube Reef Aquarium

How much live rock do you have?
I have between 35 - 45 pounds of love rock in the Biocube display tank. My refugium has about 5 pounds of live rock.

Is 29 Gallons too small for a reef aquarium?
29 gallons is not to small but small aquariums are more tricky than large tanks. This is due to the fact that the more water volume you have the more stable the tank will be. When a crab or other critter dies, or you overfeed a little, it is not a big deal in a large aquarium. In a small aquarium little events can cause big changes in the water quality. That is why I added the 12 gallon refugium to add water volume and grow algae. Make sure you don't add to many fish to a small tank and make sure that the veriety of fish you choose don't get to big. Don't overfeed the fish! It is better to miss every other day of feeding than to overfeed.

How many fish can you have in a 29 gallon Biocube?
My 29 Gallon Biocube enables me to have 2 clowns, a flame angel, a six line wrasse and a lawnmower Blenny. This mix of fish is very active and colorful.

How often do you do water changes?
I don't do water changes very often though I think I am going to start. The tank has been very stable for 8 months with just a couple water changes so far but I don't want to push my luck. The refugium helps as well as the fact that I don't overfeed. I have been reading that water changes are good for more than keeping the ammonia levels down. The salt mix that you use in a water change will provide minerals and other elements that become depleted over time.

How often you test the water?
I only test the water at key times. I tested it when the nitrogen cycling process was over before I added any coral or fish. You need a good hydrometer for testing salinity before any water changes. For quick and simple testing you can use some test strips to get a reading of the major parameters in the tank. I also have a full testing kit that I use to test for amonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, and Calcium. I go through all these tests every 6-8 weeks.

Is that the stock lighting in the Biocube?
Yes. So far the stock compact fluorescent lamps work great for zoanthids, torches, hammers and feather dusters.

Any reef aquarium setup advice for me?
My advice is to use lots of live rock and about 1.5 - 2 inches of sand. Let the tank cycle with live rock, sand, and some starter live sand and possibly additive ammonia for about a month with the lights on. After that you can add corals and fish. I would add the largest refugium you can to the tank to grow lots of cheato (Chaetomorpha) algae. If I had the space I would have a 50 gallon drum of just water to add to the water volume of the tank but that is probably overkill. I also add calcium and some trace minerals to the tank. It is also critical to go to reefcentral.com and nano-reef.com and read for about a month before you do anything. Be sure to look at the past tank of the months on reefcentral.com.

I have a 29 tank too, and I am thinking about making a saltwater tank.
I think you should go for it. I had fresh water tanks for 15 years before I got the guts to go saltwater and I wish I had done it sooner. The self contained BioCube makes getting into saltwater more affordable as well. I am also building a larger more custom tank and that is much more expensive. The Oceanic 29 Gallon Biocube is the perfect starter tank.

Are there any problems with the Biocube?
I am VERY happy with this tank. I have the tank right on my office desk so I think the hood fans are a little loud. I actually disconnected one of the two hood fans and it is a bit more quiet and all summer I did not have any heat problems. I would not try this in a hot climate.