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Coralife Biocube 29 Review 2024: Pros, Cons, & Verdict

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By Lindsey Stanton

Coralife Biocube 29 Review

Selecting a fish tank of any kind, especially if it is your first one, can be a real challenge. If you want a fish tank of any kind, especially a marine tank or one with a coral reef, you should definitely do some research before you get started. It’s not like having your own coral reef is the hardest thing in the world, but it does take some effort and know how to maintain, today we are going to do an in-depth Coralife Biocube 29 review.

It’s built for coral growth, it looks nice, and comes with virtually everything needed for a healthy coral reef environment. Let’s take a closer look at the Biocube 29 and see how good it really is (you can check the current price at Amazon here).

Our Coralife Biocube 29 Review

We have split the review up to cover various parts of the tank including: design, lighting, filter and adding to give an in-depth overview of what the tank offers.

Coralife Biocube aquarium

Design

We like the design of the Coralife Biocube 29 for a number of different reasons. One of things that we really like about this particular fish tank is that it is 29 gallons in size. This is a great size for most homes because it is not way too big so that it won’t fit anywhere, while also not being so small that your fish and plants are cramped on the inside of it. It’s the perfect size for a medium sized community of fish and plants.

There is also the point that this tank has a very sleek and beautiful design. It may not be much more than a normal fish tank, but the special design of the glass and the hood make it look very beautiful and it catches the eye of anybody who walks in the room. This thing is designed to that you pay attention to what is on the inside, which is obviously quite important.

A big part of this sleek design is the fact that all of the main components like the filter and other such things are in a separate portion in the hood and in the rear of the tank. This section is cordoned off so that you can’t actually see it, thus adding to the aesthetics no doubt. It’s a sleek and beautiful aquarium that doesn’t distract from the main attraction due to clearly visible pumps, filters, and other accessories.

Lighting

Another thing that is beneficial about the Coralife Biocube 29 is that it comes complete with a lighting system. It features a built in hood with an integrated lighting bar. The lighting bar is comprised of various LED lights. These lights are very energy efficient, and thus quite cost effective too.

The lighting system included with the Coralife Biocube is more than ideal for substantial coral growth, making this aquarium good for marine tanks and coral reef habitats. The lights are not quite powerful enough to grow SPS coral, but they do just fine for all other kinds. The lighting can be changed from daytime to nighttime mode to suit the particular needs of the community that you are building.

saltwater tank clownfish tropical fish coral
Image Credit: Vojce, Shutterstock

Filter

The Coralife Biocube 29 comes with a decent filtration system, as well as the ability for you to integrate other kinds of filtration. It comes with a wet/dry filtration system that engages in both physical filtration of debris such as fish waste as well as biological filtration.

The filter is located in the rear of the tank, which means that it is not visible to the naked eye, thus helping this tank retain its beautiful look. What is really neat about this particular Biocube is that you can add your own refugium or sump, plus you can add all kinds of filtration elements as you see fit (as long as the space in the back of the tank permits it).

In other words, the tank itself comes with a decent filter, plus the ability for you to improve it even further.

Other Add-ons

Coralife Biocube 29

There are nearly endless amounts of add-ons that you can get for this tank. The beauty here is that the choice is completely up to you. You can spend absolutely nothing on add-ons and your coral reef tank will probably be just fine. Or on the other hand, you can spend on various optional add-ons to increase the health of the community inside of the Coralife Biocube 29.

You can also choose to upgrade the lighting system if you like. Getting some additional LED lights, stronger ones, and different colors are all things you can do to make your reef healthier and look better too. If you want to grow SPS corals you will need to buy some extra lights that are more powerful than the ones included with the Coralife Biocube 29.

A protein skimmer is another thing that you should look into getting (more on those in this article) if you plan on having a lot of coral in the tank. These things are great for removing waste, old food, and other small particles from the water.

You might also want to look into getting is a water heater. If you have warm water coral or a tropical community, a heater is something that you will definitely need. The same thing can be said for a power head which will circulate the water, something that corals need, and something that the Coralife Biocube 29 does not do very well on its own.

The bottom line is that this tank comes with virtually everything you need for a great community and effective coral growth. However, there are also lots of possible add-ons that you can get to improve the quality of life in the tank.

Pros
  • Ideal size for a beginner tank
  • Really sleek design—hidden components
  • Has a good wet/dry filter
  • Has an adequate lighting system for most coral growth
  • Really strong and durable
  • Has a concealed refugium area
  • Possibility for lots of add-ons
Cons
  • Needs a protein skimmer
  • Nod is great for SPS coral growth
  • Doesn’t do a great job at water circulation
  • Rear filter compartment is a little hard to access

What Fish Are Ideal For The Biocube?

There are a great number of fish that can be easily put in the Coralife Biocube 29. No, you can’t fit any really large fish as the tank itself is not all that large, but the selection is still pretty good. So, what kinds of fish are ideal for this tank? Here are some options;

  • Gobies
  • Clownfish
  • Wrasse
  • Betta fish
  • Gouramis
  • Small bottom feeders
  • Tetra fish
  • Jawfish
  • Basslets
  • Blennys
  • Hermit crabs
  • Small shrimp
  • Snails

Summary

In our opinion, the Coralife Biocube 29 is a really nice tank (you can check the current price at Amazon here). It comes with pretty much everything that a coral reef fish tank needs to survive and thrive. It may not be the biggest tank out there or have the most accessories, but it is a great starter option no doubt.

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