Nano Cube Tanks

One of the joys of the reefing hobby are the almost endless tank designs that are available.  From traditional rectangular tanks like the Reef Casa Studio 12, to peninsula tanks to lagoon style tanks, such as the Flat 6, there truly is a tank for every space and vision.  Another popular tank style is the nano cube tank.  A cube tank is shaped, as its name would suggest, like a cube, with each side being roughly the same length.  While there is no strict definition of what makes ct/reef-casa-studio-12-all-in-one-aquarium/?wmc-currency=USDa nano cube tank, generally any cube tank with sides less than 20” or so are considered to be nano cubes.

Nano cube tanks are popular because they offer the largest water volume with the smallest footprint.  While there are tower style tanks available that are taller than their other dimensions, they suffer from a myriad of problems such as poor gas exchange due to a reduced surface area to volume ratio and can be quite difficult to aquascape.  Cube tanks, on the other hand, have enough surface area relative to their volume for effective gas exchange and are generally quite simple to aquascape.  While every reefer has their own aquascaping style and vision, a nano cube tank often lends itself to a simple single larger rock island as well as a few smaller islands for zoas, green star polyps and other corals that need to be isolated from the main rockwork.

Equipment for a nano cube tank is generally the same as for any other tank, namely a light, heater and return pump at minimum and possibly a protein skimmer.  Generally, powerheads are not required in small cube tanks but if a hobbyist is looking to maintain an SPS dominated nano cube tank then a small powerhead may be a good idea.  The Reef Casa Halo light pairs well with any nano cube tank and will provide the perfect amount of spread and intensity.

Reefers looking for a versatile, easy to aquascape tank, with a small footprint should give consideration to a nano cube tank paired with a Reef Casa Halo light as a solid option for their reefing needs.