# ADA Bio Cube



## Aqua sobriquet (6 Feb 2021)

Good idea or not? I’m not suggesting buying it as you can cut your own foam up into cubes ...


----------



## papa_c (6 Feb 2021)

Marketing on steroids!

cannot believe the cost of it! Bet it is little more than off cuts re-purposed.

I think it will set up a business and sell unbranded at 1/5th of the cost and still make a healthy profit!


----------



## Aqua sobriquet (6 Feb 2021)

I think I’ve seen some 15mm filter foam sheet somewhere, I may give it a try if it’s not too expensive.


----------



## becks (6 Feb 2021)

People will buy it still


----------



## alto (6 Feb 2021)

Aqua sobriquet said:


> I think I’ve seen some 15mm filter foam sheet somewhere, I may give it a try if it’s not too expensive.


Do so

But it likely won’t have the same flow characteristics or longevity 

If you’ve ever used traditional “sponge filters” it’s very obvious similar _*looking*_ “sponge/foam” behaves very differently, even foams made from the same “ingredient” may have very different characteristics - that’s the beauty of plastics 
At $20 for 2 litres of product in a nicely finished box that’s travelled thousands of kilometres I’m not too offended by the price, and generally ADA quality does meet certain standards ... remember what glass boxes looked like before ADA came along and insisted glass could be clearer, silicon work could be almost invisible 

I’d certainly buy the aquarium and cabinet in this PFK review Review: ADA Cube Garden 60-P aquarium and Do!aqua cabinet 
I have bought the aquarium, but locally available aquarium cabinets are pretty awful - one lfs finally sourced a halfway decent (actual) wood cabinet, the first shipment was very nice quality and finish, subsequent shipments saw quality and delivery elements change, then shipments where more cabinets were damaged or “seconds” than saleable (cabinets)


----------



## alto (7 Feb 2021)

It’s easy to bash ADA but also consider their contributions to Aquascaping

ADA Web Aqua Journal 








						AQUA JOURNAL | ADA
					

ADA designs and develops products of aquarium, lighting and CO2 supply system to propose Nature Aquarium where tropical fish swimming in densely grown aquatic plants.




					www.adana.co.jp
				




Chihiros 





						Shanghai Ogino Biotechnology Co.,Ltd
					

Shanghai Ogino Biotechnology Co.,Ltd




					www.chihiros.cn
				




Twinstar 








						TWINSTAR EU
					

European Official Distributor




					twinstareu.com
				





			http://www.twinstar.kr/?ckattempt=1


----------



## Aqua sobriquet (7 Feb 2021)

Most of ADA’s stuff is well thought out, hence the original question. I guess it may help improve the flow over a solid block? ADA don’t actually intend this stuff to be used long term according to their info. Actually, thinking about it a bit more, it’s far less wasteful than cutting a disc to fit the canister and throwing the corners away.


----------



## Hufsa (7 Feb 2021)

I feel like I have read somewhere that foam should be in whole blocks that fill the space they are in, otherwise most of the water will want to bypass the sponge (path of least resistance), and the sponge will therefore be less effective.


----------



## dw1305 (7 Feb 2021)

Hi all, 


Hufsa said:


> I feel like I have read somewhere that foam should be in whole blocks that fill the space they are in, otherwise most of the water will want to bypass the sponge (path of least resistance), and the sponge will therefore be less effective.


Have a look at <"Swiss Tropicals - Poret®aqua Media">.

cheers Darrel


----------



## Hufsa (7 Feb 2021)

I stand corrected, please disregard my earlier statement 
Goes to show how many differing opinions there are online, a bit dizzying at times


----------



## Aqua sobriquet (7 Feb 2021)

Interesting link Darrel, thanks.


----------



## alto (8 Feb 2021)

Aqua sobriquet said:


> Most of ADA’s stuff is well thought out, hence the original question. I guess it may help improve the flow over a solid block? ADA don’t actually intend this stuff to be used long term according to their info.


Looking at the stuff in the photo (not likely that I’ll see it IRL as the local ADA Rep has his own ideas as to what’s suitable to make His Order List) my guess it’s meant to simulate the ceramic mechanical filtration media ... of course most mechanical filter media will also become biological media over media (it’s just not as “optimized” re surface area/volume ratio, oxygenation, pore sizes, etc)

Of course my guess may be way off, and it’s optimized for biological support 

(btw there is NO substitute for properly made Poret sponge filters ... haven’t been able to get those for years either)


----------

