Good question Chief, I'd like to know myself. I just bought a 12 gallon nano and plan on drilling it for a sump. Hope it doesn't break. Heard a lot of bad stuff about the 24 gallon (the older models) I had one that actually cracked on me. I for some strange reson decided to give the newer models a try.
alot of people like aqua's from what i have seen. I've seen them both, the aqua has a better filtration and better planned out but i like the nano's astheticly. Doesn't really matter either way though, they are both built on the same plans, just modified to look different for sales. Less probliems with the aqua's also with defective parts.
I have the 12DX from JBJ and I love it. I got turned on to it by my brother. He has one as well as a 6gal Pico. He loves his JBJ but he just told me that he is going to change out to the Aquapod when he moves. I don't know why, but I love mine and would never swap it out, even if it broke I would still get another one.
I have seen them but I am not too sure on the pricing, they look great, Fishtopia has one set up on the front counter as a reef and WOW it looks amazing.
i've had a jbj nanocube 12dx running very strong for a little over 2 yrs now. i've never had any problems with it. the newer ones have a surface skimmer mod and moonlights (mine didn't, had to mod it myself). i did however swap out the stock pump with a more efficient one. i hear good things about the aquapod and biocube though. i'd do some serious snooping around on www.nano-reef.com though. also, i'd really really recommend www.nanotuners.com ; they got tons of goodies there. i hear big buzz on the sapphire nanoskimmer. its designed for the jbj nanocube 12 and it works with the lid closed, and works well! forget the fission skimmer.
i heard the best bang for the buck are the finnex systems. check them out.
:bump: I added a poll so please vote, I am seriously thinking of buying one of these tanks as a hospital/QT tank or do a small FOWLR tank. I really like the biocube but it is very expensive, I chose the pod in the poll due to cost, size, and research I did but I have no first hand experience with it so it was a shot in the dark persay.