Opinions on JBJ Cubey?

[Dmitch86]

Hello all, I'm new to the form but have browsed on here quite a bit in the past. I currently have a 29 gallon biocube at home. I just got a small promotion at work and now have a rather large desk. They said to "make it mine" so my first thought was a fish tank. I'm looking for suggestions on some AIO Picos that would work well on a desk. I'm not familiar with many at this time but I've seen the JBJ Cubey and liked the looks of it. However the lights on it don't look the greatest to me. WIth all the blue in the center and the red I figured I would have to redo this.

My big question I guess is it seems like on something this small, with such a small/thin canopy there would not be room for a heatsink to add the normal high power leds. The tank is only 3 gallons, if that, on something this small would a large cluster of 10mm "high power" leds be beneficial at all? THis would allow me to get the light spread throughout the tank like I would prefer.

I'm not looking to stock much in it, probably just some decent zoas and sexy shrimp or maybe a clown goby. Does any one have any opinions on this tank, or any suggestions on an alternate tank?

Thanks!

[bdevillier19]

For the money go with a cad lights 4 or 8 gallon. I've seen the jbj in person and they are very flimsy and cheap feeling. The led lighting is horrible. The color banding is the worst I have ever seen. It could be a good tank with lots of mods but why not get the cad lights 4 gallon for the same money.

[Dmitch86]

I do like the Calights. Is the back side, behind the wall for the pump and heater etc. covered? One of the reasons liked the jbj was it was all covered with the lid. I do have an 8 gallon biocube that's empty but its just to big for what I'm wanting. Are there any other, better quality, units? I'm thinking it will need to stay under 5 gallons, depending on the shape.

[bdevillier19]

I don't think there is a cover on the cad lights aquarium. You could do a fluval spec v. They seem to be the hot new pico tank. I have one that I'm going to be setting back up. The dimensions make it a challenge to scape but they are a cool tank and the mods are easy to do on them.

[new-b-reefer]

Aqueon evolve 4 with a beamswork 9x1 watt clamp led. Thats what I have in my bedroom. Even the factory light can keep softies happy but the beamswork is still better. Or even the small wavepoint 8watt super blue + 10k is a good option. The rear filteration and display have covers. Feel free to brows my thread in my sig

[Dmitch86]

I really like Cadlights the evolve 4 is also nice. However, due to the space, im still leaning towards the idea of the cubey more. Having the light fixture in the hood would be really nice. What are the opinions on the JBJ 6 gallon nano cube? Is this better quality than the cubey?

[bdevillier19]

i think any of the bigger JBJ biocubes are better than the cubey. the cubey is made of super thin plastic and breaks easily. talking to my LFS, their counter top cubey is cubey number 2 due to the lid and frame cracking due to people opening it to check it out.

[NJKayakAngler]

I have the cubey and love the tank but it took a bunch of mods to make it work the way it needed to. The stock pump doesn't have the flow you need and failed within 2 months, I built a custom overflow and attached it to the back wall for surface skimming, replaced all the screws in the lights with stainless right off the bat because of moisture problems with the sealed tank.

[metrokat]

I got the new model Cubey on Monday. Don't have anything it it right now except water. I agree that the flow is extremely slow. Which pump have you guys used for the upgrade?

[bdevillier19]

I got the new model Cubey on Monday. Don't have anything it it right now except water. I agree that the flow is extremely slow. Which pump have you guys used for the upgrade?

there's a new model cubey? i was super excited to see this thing announce but disappointed when i got a hands on with it. is there any changes worth noting?

[Nanofreak79]

Obviously newer, not better. No offense Kat I didn't know they changed anything about it.

 

To answer your question, the cadlights is your best bet, IMO. The plastic tanks scratch easily, and overall cheaply made.

[metrokat]

there's a new model cubey? i was super excited to see this thing announce but disappointed when i got a hands on with it. is there any changes worth noting?

I don't know what the old cubey was like but looking on the internet:

http://reefbuilders.com/2012/10/21/jbj-cubey-2/

 

3 switches for the light no longer exist. There is a remote control with different light options

 

The light has been completely replaced

 

The top feeding window is now a little window

 

The intake grill at the bottom of the tank has been replaced with an overflow at the top.

The output nozzle has been replaced with a spray bar.

[bdevillier19]

Interesting. Is there any sort of control on color with the light or is it just an RGB type setup where you can only choose what the remote allows you to?

[Dmitch86]

It looks like due to size, and the fact I want a completely enclosed tank I'll be going with the Cubey. I just do not know how much of a fan I am on the new light, and the older style light had very bad light distribution. On something this small what would be a recommended DIY led set up, I would think only a few leds would be plenty. Would you be able to do anything with the 10mm leds, such as a large array of say 50 or so, I have a TON of these left over from a project that are royal blue and some 6500k's, they are very bright for their size, but I dont know if a large amount of them would be able to provide the ouput needed to sustain anything.

[metrokat]

Interesting. Is there any sort of control on color with the light or is it just an RGB type setup where you can only choose what the remote allows you to?

If you mean dimming, yes it has a +/- but you can't mix the colors. It offers

Cool White

Warm White

Red

Green

Actinic