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Waterbox Cube 20

Waterbox Cube 20

Scored on 28 verified owner verdicts, from 692 comments read across 7 communities
TL;DR
Owners consistently call the Waterbox Cube 20 a well-built, good-looking all-in-one that holds up over years and works nicely for a small reef. The main gripes are the cramped back chamber, which is fiddly to work in and limits pump upgrades, and a few wishing they'd sized up. A solid pick for someone wanting a quality, compact nano reef who's fine with a tighter AIO footprint.

75% of 28 verified owners recommend the Waterbox Cube 20, based on real owner verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.

See the problems 6 owners report →

What 28 owners say
692 comments reviewed · scored on the 28 clearest verdicts
75%
Recommend
21 owners
4%
Neutral
1 owners
21%
Don't recommend
6 owners
Source
Score
N
Counted in the score
Reddit
80%
10
Other forumsReefcentral, Reef2Reef, Plantedtank, Nano Reef, Bay Area Reefers
72%
18
Reviewed, but not counted — and why
YouTubeiowner comments
84%
44
No clear verdictiSetup, tips & quirks
3

The headline score reflects owners (Reddit, enthusiast forums), independent lab tests, blogs with no affiliate links, and YouTube owner-comments when they line up with owners. YouTube is shown for perspective but kept out here — hover the i for why.

What owners like
  • Well-built, high-quality tank that holds up over years of use · 4 · 14%
  • Great-looking all-in-one that's easy to recommend · 4 · 14%
  • Roomy sump area with a high water line for flexible setup · 2 · 7%
  • Good value for the price · 2 · 7%
What owners flag
  • Wish it were a bit bigger; space gets tight once stocked · 2 · 7%
  • Tight AIO back chamber is awkward to work in and limits return-pump upgrades · 2 · 7%
  • Baffle design can clog · 1 · 4%
Who it's for
A great fit if
  • Nano reef keepers stocking clownfish and inverts
  • Saltwater beginners wanting an all-in-one nano tank
  • Buyers who value build quality and a high water line
  • Small spaces needing a compact, good-looking tank
Look elsewhere if
  • Reef keepers wanting to run a stronger return pump
  • Anyone who dislikes cramped, hard-to-service AIO compartments
  • Those who'll soon want more space (consider sizing up)

Synthesized from what Waterbox Cube 20 owners say — not a spec sheet.

How buyers rate it elsewhere

Retailers' own star averages, for comparison — separate from our vetted owner-verdict score above.

Top quotes, sourced

692 reviewed · 72 shown
Sentiment
Community
Sort
YouTube▼ don’t recommend

the glass seems more suitable to reef system

Reddit— neutral

I bought a waterbox cube 20 and love it but a LFS near me had pro star 60 fully equipped as a package and I really wish I went with that instead. Mainly because aio with everything installed is just a pain to work in.

Reddit▲ recommend

I had a WB before, the Cube20 and I was very statisfied.

Reddit▲ recommend

Waterbox cube 20 is really the best imo.

Reddit▼ don’t recommend

don't get the wb cube20, its got a horrible baffle design and gets clogged all the time.

YouTube— neutral

immediately noticed I might want a stronger pump

YouTube▲ recommend

Tank looks great.

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

I don’t see a protein skimmer. I thought this was the heart of any salt water aquarium.

YouTube▲ recommend

Such great dimensions on this aquarium.

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

whhhhhyyyy black silicone </3

Reddit▲ recommend

The waterbox cube 20 is a fantastic choice too. I’m running one with 2 clowns, a firefish and a bunch in inverts. It’s a great quality tank and really well built.

Nano-Reef Community▼ don’t recommend

i got my self a Cube 20 to and as i am in Europ im having problems getting a silent Pump as well :( I have a Jebao 1200, it seams working but ther is this DC snurring sound all the time,.. the Stock Pump is loud as well

Reddit▲ recommend

ive had a lot of success with my Waterbox Cube 20 so far, i totally recommend it

Nano-Reef Community▼ don’t recommend

My biggest issue at the moment is that I'm experiencing quite a loud buzz noise with the current pump (a Sicce Syncra Silent Water Pump 1.0). I feel this isn't acceptable (pretty disappointed really) and am pretty desperate to solve this issue

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

Had it set up for two weeks and heard the tank crack and watched the crack grow from the outside of the tank

YouTube▲ recommend

Looks great. Can’t wait to see fish and coral in it.

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

Word of warning, the return pumps they provide are awful cheap and extremely loud

YouTube▲ recommend

You picked a really nice setup

Bay Area Reefers▼ don’t recommend

waterbox is apparently really loose when it comes to build tolerances

YouTube▲ recommend

Wow love this tank! Good job!

YouTube▲ recommend

Really love the scape too!

Reef2Reef▼ don’t recommend

Purchased the Waterbox cube 20 thinking it was AIO but it is not.

Reef2Reef▼ don’t recommend

The stock pump is loud, which a DC would fix.

YouTube▲ recommend

That looks totally neat !

Showing 124 of 72

Common problems & things to know

Practical notes owners raise — setup, quirks, and issues to watch for. They don't say whether the person likes the product, so they're not counted in the score, but they inform the pros, cons, and who it's for.

Redditⓘ good to know

I have the cube20 and when I tried to upgrade my return pump the flow into the back of the tank couldn’t keep up. Went back to the stock pump and added a random flow generator to it instead.

The Planted Tank Forumⓘ good to know

I haven't gotten anything more than some green spot algae on the glass here, which is amazing. The fish are getting bigger and look to be doing great.

Nano-Reef Communityⓘ good to know

The pump that came with it is a little noisy so going to get a Sicce 1.0 pump and see if it is quieter.