[Steve]

Unfortunately, no reef tank yet for me. It looks like I will have to get a few other projects cleared out before taking on that one. Maybe later this year...

Originally Posted by OLS

WOW, long time no active. Steve, I guess you already bought or didn't buy your cube tank, but I could
never have put it more aptly than JeffT72 anyway...those tanks try to accomplish on a small scale
what most successful people find new and different ways to make HUGE. its been said a thousand times,
you need to find ways to get more water into your system so that little things don't cause big shocks.
I always had a big tank and thought maybe I should go down to a 40. So I had a 29 gallon sump and
thought I was good. But then I thought I would go down even smaller and had a 30 with the 29 sump and
it was a DISASTER. Granted it was brought on by two things, neglect and poor rock purchases. I had
all the kits to test things, but thought I was a good enough aquarist to use dead reckoning. If I ever
do it again, and I hope to god I don't, but it's back to 50+ at a minimum with a 40 gallon sump at a minimum.
Things MIGHT have worked out better, but I got some rock from a company and everyone who had bought it
before me was complaining about Aiptasia anemones. I thought I could "out-keep" those people and use
clean water and good husbandry to combat the anemones. But they took over, I got angry, and I got out
of the game.

You MIGHT be able to do a fish only tank or a coral only tank, but outside of that, cubes are a no-no IMO.
Fish are bad for coral tanks in small formats.