Changing Tank

IMO the experience you had with the 12 gallon is likely something you'll run into again with a biocube as well unless you have a modest stocking plan (I don't think an anemone is modest). There's a good chance you'll find something about it over the course of the first 6 months or year that is going to cause you problems (like when you try and add an anemone and it keeps dying or something) and then you'll wish you had a better system/lighting/skimming etc.

I've seen bubble tip anemones in biocubes as well. They do have somewhat less lighting requirements than some others. However I feel like trying to keep anemones in borderline conditions is always going to make it tougher on you unless you get lucky. If the anemone you get is not in pristine condition when you get it and you have sub-optimal conditions in the tank there is a greater chance it's going to either die straight off or wander around and potentially get caught in a powerhead or something.

Obviously some people have been able to do it for at least some period of time but whether those same anemones have been able to survive in those biocubes for multiple years and who knows how many anemones have died in those tanks before finding a particularly nice specimen is impossible to say. Anemones live for a long time and just because they look healthy for a few months or even years doesn't necessarily mean they are thriving.

It's just safest not to go with borderline conditions IMO. Ultimately it's up to you how much risk you want to take with your livestock and how you feel about putting an animal in sub-optimal conditions.

My 2c

 

We just purchased the 29 gallon biocube last night from our LFS. The one light is 10,000K so it's not great but we only plan to stock it with just low light corals or will upgrade down the road with a better light.

If you search on 3reef for a biocube you will see many tanks currently setup and can see what people are stocking thiers with. Many I have noticed are upgrading the light and have very nice looking tanks!

Good luck!

 

you can have a anemone ive had one with pc's for a year now you will be fine