Review: Oceanic BioCube HQI Aquarium & Stand (29 Gallon)

By Luke • Jan 17th, 2011 • Category: Hardware and Supplies

The Oceanic BioCube HQI 29 gallon aquarium is great for people that want a small reef tank and an HQI lighting system, but in a small, compact size. This tank provides a clean look, protecting the cords and hardware from view, putting all the focus on the reef inside.

HQI lights are preferable for keeping corals, and that is the main highlight of this aquarium. The high intensity output is great for growing and supporting a healthy reef.

The lighting system is designed with a splash guard housing around the lamp, and there is a clear glass splash cover on the bottom. This will keep the light protected from splashing and evaporation. The light housing also has thermal vents to allow heat to rise away from the aquarium. There are also fans to help keep the whole fixture cool.

The lighting may be the highlight, but there is also enough other hardware provided with this system to make it a complete package. What else does this 29 gallon aquarium system come with?

To start with, there is a refugium at the back of the aquarium. A protein skimmer is included to help remove organic wastes from the water. The protein skimmer sits in the refugium area on the back of the tank, keeping it hidden from view. There is also a replaceable filter cartridge that is used to trap waste and help you remove it from the tank.

The aquarium tank itself is clear glass, with rounded corners in the front – it looks very nice. The canopy has a clear glass panel on top to allow the light to easily luminate the tank, and it can be removed for easy access during cleaning.

Specs & Features

Let’s a take a quick look at the specs:

About 50 inches tall
20.8 inch by 19 inch footprint
Includes a cabinet
150 watt, 14,000k double ended metal halide lamp
38mm / 4,000 rpm cooling fans
Pump flow rate of 243 gph
Glass aquarium, 29 gallons, net volume of 26 gallons
Setup and startup instructions included
Canopy with glass top
Refugium in back of tank

Where Can You Buy This Aquarium?

We like to suggest PetStore.com – they have great prices and more user reviews if you want to see what other owners are saying about this aquarium. They also offer free shipping for orders over $175, so take that into consideration since this aquarium will qualify for free shipping if you order it from them.

The Reviews

This is a pretty popular aquarium due to the fact that you get most of the hardware that you need, it’s priced well, and it can fit in a lot of smaller living or office situations. If you are leery about setting up a 75 gallon aquarium due to the size, this 29 gallon reef cube could be a good alternative.

Impressed With Workmanship…

One buyer said that they are impressed with the workmanship and that the stand is very sturdy. They like the fact that it also runs very quietly. This same person disliked that no moonlights are included with this aquarium kit, but they didn’t find that to be a very big issue since moonlights are easy to install if desired.

Another buyer said the same about the workmanship, being impressed with the quality. This person also mentioned that they found cabinet to be very sturdy.

However, another owner mentioned that when assembling the cabinet, the connectors might break if over-tightened. But this can be avoided by being careful during assembly.

Their Favorite of the BioCubes…

Another buyer that has owned multiple BioCubes said that their favorite is this HQI, the lighting gives the water a very nice shimmer.