Which all-in-one for my clasroom?

[causeofhim]

I want to get a 8-14 gal all-in-one tank for my classroom. I want to make it as easy to care for as possible. I do not want to be lugging many gals of top-off water back and forth, so no halides. I also do not want to do many water changes. Because of this, I will not have any fish. I would like just the easy softies and maybe some LPS.

What would be the best all-in-one system for this situation? Money is also an issue, I am on a teacher's budget.

I was thinking somthing like the Aquapod, BioCube, or NanoCube Deluxe w/free stand? They are about the same price and seem comparible. Can anyone explain which would be better and why?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...t=nano&Np=1

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod...quapod&Np=1


http://www.petsolutions.com/Oceanic-...I97982051.aspx

[jaguarmonk]

they all look like they would probably work out well.

I just recently bought the NanoCube DX with the free stand to replace my older nano cube that I've had for about 4 years. I've been very pleased with my NanoCubes, and have never ad any problems with them. I'm a college student and I transport it back and forth to school during breaks, being self contained I dont have to worry about setting up and tearing down a bunch of stuff every time.

I'd go for something with a complete lid if its going to be in a classroom setting, because you never really know what might end up in it.

[Zatko]

Careful with kids and the Aquapod stand! It is top heavy!

Especially the 24 gallon. The 12 as well, IMO.

That's just my opinion from a very non-professional engineering standpoint. I've sold these before, and talked many out of it, and I just don't trust the stand. In a classroom, with peering eyes of kids and hands on the glass, I think this is one you should steer clear of, unless you fashion your own solid stand.

And please don't think corals are easier than fish. If anything, they are tougher. There are corals that are extremely hardy, but the same goes for fish.

I put together a 12 gallon Aquapod at my LFS where I work, and it has 1 six line wrasse and 1 pygmy geometric hawk along with a cleaner shrimp and some brittle starfish. All the tank has is 10 lbs of live rock, and 1 bag of CaribSea's Arag-Alive sand. We feed them once every other day with about a 1/3 cube of frozen mysis, and leave the lights on for ~8 hours a day. We also chose simple corals to accompany them: multiple Florida ricordea, a devil's finger leather, a green favia, some mushrooms and zoanthids, and a toadstool leather frag. Occaisionally I dose Lugol's concentrated iodine solution (barely 1 drop) once or twice a month. We've only topped off with RO water over the course of the last 5 months, and that's it. No water changes. Not even feeding the corals. Just clean the glass once a week and feed the fish several times a week. You could opt to do even hardier fish and feed them 2 times a week - damsels are resilient fish! Total cost was about $800-900 including everything. But enough about that. I know that near $1000 is probably what you don't want to spend.

For a teachers budget, the free stand sounds nice in the first link of the Nano Cube, but I do not like the quality of this product. I think the overall quality of the Aquapod is much more solid. I guess it's the better plastic. Their setup is pretty easy and overall, I think you'll be most happy with that. It's just that stand I can't get past.

I would say the first link with the 12 gallon Nano Cube Deluxe with the free stand is your best bet for the money. Though I would spend the extra $50 and steer clear of JBJ. But with 10 lbs of live rock and ~20 lbs of live sand, you should be under $300 (with the JBJ) no problem, unless someone is trying to rob you blind.

[causeofhim]

Originally posted by Zatko

And please don't think corals are easier than fish. If anything, they are tougher. There are corals that are extremely hardy, but the same goes for fish.

Thanks for your help. I don't tink that corals are easier than fish, I just dont want the extra food and waste in the water column.

I already have two barebottom tanks at home, a 60 gal spscube and a 150 mixed tank. i already have rock and coral to spare for this endevor as well.

[zma21]

I bought the nanocube 12DX with the free stand from dr.s foster smith.

It's REALLY well built. The lights are pretty good, I have some LPS, my zoa colony and gsp's in there right now, along with various mushrooms.

I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.

[racksteris]

Hey causeofhim, go with the Oceanic BioCube. I got both the Nanocube and the AquaPod from Dr.s Foster Smith. I'm only useing the AquaPod now, Nanocube in storage.

One more thing the NANOCUBE 12 DX IS FARRRRRR FROMMMMMMM REALLY WELL BUILT.

[jaguarmonk]

I'm just curious, but what do you guys not like about the NanoCube? I just bought the DX, and it is alot better made than the original 12gal I bought 4 years ago.

[SaltyNovice]

Tagging along, I too have thought about a good Nano for my classroom. I'm interested in what you end up doing and how it works out. I'm probably not going to do anything until next school year.

SaltyNovice

[zma21]

Originally posted by jaguarmonk
I'm just curious, but what do you guys not like about the NanoCube? I just bought the DX, and it is alot better made than the original 12gal I bought 4 years ago.

Follow racksteris' posts. All he does is go around and hate on JBJ.

I just bought the nanocube, after looking at all three.

-aquapod
-nanocube
-biocube

-Aquapod-- Looked the cheapest of the three. The seals were sloppy around the outside and there was a lot of black sealant that was left over around the tank. Just not overly done with care in my opinion.

-Biocube--would have been my first choice. Well made, and i trust oceanic with my life

-Nanocube--the reason i went with this, is basically because i got a great deal with the DX and the stand. I checked it out, the lights are better than the aquapod (without MH), there were no messy seals at the ones i looked at, and JBJ has MUCH better customer service than current(aquapod) does, hands down.

I would have bought the biocube, but a stand would have been another hundred.

[racksteris]

Hey zma21 I only HATE on JBJ when you go around and try to sell to every one on this forum.

There is too many thing's that I don't like about the nanocube to list.

This is my nanocube DX after 2 weeks.

[jaguarmonk]

Too many to list?
I'm curious as to just a few of them....

[racksteris]

OK.
1- The light has one plug for everything - both compact fluorescent lamps & moonlight you CAN'T use a timer on it BC there is one plug for everything. Forget about DUSK TO DAWN LIGHTING with the nanocube.

2. The space inside the stand for storage is 6 X 14, Your luck if u can get a can of food to fit inside this thing & the stand is VERY weak.

3. The top is just cheap, It over laps the side of the tank.

4. The quality of the tank is very bad.


I can go on & on

[jaguarmonk]

Originally posted by racksteris
OK.
1- The light has one plug for everything - both compact fluorescent lamps & moonlight you CAN'T use a timer on it BC there is one plug for everything. Forget about DUSK TO DAWN LIGHTING with the nanocube.

2. The space inside the stand for storage is 6 X 14, Your luck if u can get a can of food to fit inside this thing & the stand is VERY weak.

3. The top is just cheap, It over laps the side of the tank.

4. The quality of the tank is very bad.


I can go on & on

wow....
apparently you never owned the original NanoCube.... The DX cover is a major improvement.

Dusk to Dawn lighting isn't really something the average person does anyway...

Stand storage I agree with, it is pretty small I never would have paid for the stand if it wasn't free, and it did have the worst building instructions I have ever seen in my life. But I'm able to fit my food, hydrometer, scrubber pad, net, siphon, and enough salt to last my in my dorm for a while. It isn't pretty, but with the door closed no one has to know.

As for quality, I don' t really know what you are referring to, it's priced right for what it is...

[racksteris]

BioCube, AquaPod way better quality

[zma21]

Hey racksteris, since the nanocube is such a burden to you, i'll mail you a rubbermaid storage tub in exchange for the nanocube. Heck, i'll even pay for shipping.

God forbid you have such a terrible device under your roof. Let me know.

[mikellini]

The Biocube is the best as far as quality and reliability go. Ask yourself: is it worth the money? You get what you pay for... and you could go for the BC8 if the 14 is too much

[zma21]

I agree with mikellini.

The biocube is the best tank here in my opinion.

Like i stated above, the only reason i went route of the nanocube was because i could get the nanocube and stand for $10 less than I could get the biocube by itself. With the $100 or so I saved from the stand, i bought a refractometer and a koralia 1.

[racksteris]

The Biocube is the best Nano, as I'm try to tell ZMA21. I only got a AquaPod BC of the MH.

[racksteris]

NANOCUBE comes last.....

[racksteris]

Hey ZMA21 u have any pic's of your tank

[MikePowell]

i like the nanocube and thats all i have had. all the tanks have the same function, to keep fish, and unless yours just fell apart for some reason there is no need to bash on it. if you feel that it is low quality then just don't buy it. you don't have to go around preaching how "bad" the tank is. also i will be more than happy to pay for shipping on your nanocube if zma21 dosen't first =).

[racksteris]

Hey MikePowell, You say I'm going around saying how bad the nanocube is. Its not the best nano but ZMA21 goes around and try to tell everyone on this forum that it's the best nano, which is not right.

[zma21]

I don't understand your statement of how I say it is the best nano.

I've stated multiple times that the biocube is the best in my opinion. In the end they are all functioning fish tanks, so why argue?

Anyway, let me know about shipping me that nanocube, 61542 is my zip.

[causeofhim]

racksteris
I'll do more than just pay for shipping. If your not using the tank, shoot me a price for it and i may take it off of your hands.

[racksteris]

Hey zma21 for some that know so much, can't seem to find a pic of your tank anywhere.....