you might want to look into the eclipse systems. I has a 2.5 eclipse nano reef which i loved till the filter died. I retro fitted a 10w light out of a 10g hood into the eclipse and could grow almost anything including sps corals. It was great. I have seen the larger 12g eclipse systems with softies, and i happen to own one but it is dry till my wife allows me to set it up as a mantis shrimp tank
My first tank was also a 24g nano cube DX which i have had running for a year and a half with little problems. I got it new off e-bay and have loved! loved it. I really like jbj products, i have replaced the bulbs and the pump died on me but the lighting and tank itself has been wonderful despite some peoples concerns with nanocubes. I you are a
DIY person I would say make your own nano cube. It is really a simple system and you could convert a normal tank pretty easy with a trip to Lows for plexi and glue, that also give you the ability to put whatever type of lighting you might want...say you want sps corals just throw up a small cheap halide...not to hard if its
DIY the nano seem more expensive to convert...anyway good luck and have fun
