All in one tank or not

[jackdurkalik]

Hello, i'm planning my first tank and i was wondering if i should look into a All-in-one tank like the Innovative Marine Nuvo. Here's my shopping list if i dont go with the Nuvo:

• Tank: Rimless custom tank 24x15x13 (20G)
• Powerhead: Tunze 6020 (or 6040 havent decided yet)
• heater: Ebo Jager 100w
• light: AI Hydra26
• Refugium: DYI hang on back refugium
• Skimmer: Tunze 9004

Should i look into fitting all this into a Nuvo 20 instead of a custom tank ? I plan on keeping Soft/LPS and other easy to keep coral. I'll probably add a hang on back reactor when i start adding LPS if kalk in my top off isnt enought.

Thanks:wavehand:

 

[chefbill]

For your first tank, I'd suggest something a bit larger. A 20g will quickly run out of room, both for corals and fish. That is on top of the fact that "dilution is the solution to polution" meaning more room for error. My first tank was a 29g biocube, I recently upgraded to a 90g w/ 30g sump, the 29g ran out of room LOL.

Also, knowing what I know now, the same money could have easily doubled or tripled my volume had I pieced it together instead of doing the biocube. However, the 'plug and play' aspect of an AIO is great fot the first timer.

 

[Rai]

I agree with chefbill. I kind of regret that I started with 30 gallons. Now I want to upgrade mine to 75g or 90g.

 

[IDreamOReefin]

"I Should have bought the bigger tank."
This might be the most wide spread regret I hear. ... and feel.

 

[Neebles]

I agree with going larger. I started with an 18g AIO and soon got frustrated with its limitations. I lasted 3 months before upgrading to a 75g with sump.

 

[SoloGarth]

Yeah I don't think starting out with anything smaller than a 55 is a good idea. The more water volume the more stable things are. My 120 is plumbed in with the sump and a 50 gal water reservoir as well. It just gives you more slack when it comes to water parameters. I keep all Sps though. LPS and soft corals are much more forgiving. Still it is best to get the biggest tank within your budget.

 

[RocketEngineer]

Personally, My 40B is about the best small tank I've ever had. My Office Setup is simple, easy to maintain, and was relatively inexpensive. Nothing fancy but then again, staying simple lets you learn the ropes before you get to the hard to keep stuff.

 

[Azedenkae]

Hello, i'm planning my first tank and i was wondering if i should look into a All-in-one tank like the Innovative Marine Nuvo. Here's my shopping list if i dont go with the Nuvo:

• Tank: Rimless custom tank 24x15x13 (20G)
• Powerhead: Tunze 6020 (or 6040 havent decided yet)
• heater: Ebo Jager 100w
• light: AI Hydra26
• Refugium: DYI hang on back refugium
• Skimmer: Tunze 9004

Should i look into fitting all this into a Nuvo 20 instead of a custom tank ? I plan on keeping Soft/LPS and other easy to keep coral. I'll probably add a hang on back reactor when i start adding LPS if kalk in my top off isnt enought.

Thanks:wavehand:

That's a great tank. All of that should definitely fit in/onto a Nuvo 20. Whether or not you want the Nuvo 20 or a custom tank though, is your own preference. That size tank is a decent size tank too, very suitable for a beginner. You'll be able to take care of it a lot more easily than most smaller or bigger tanks, as it's in that range that allows for easier maintenance whilst not bogging you down with fears of large water changes and dosings and the likes.

There are plenty of corals you can keep in there, some of the easiest in my experience are bubble corals, hammers, mushrooms and well, pretty much many of the LPS/soft corals out there.

 

[Stackemdeep]

I help a couple of fellows with small AIO tanks and in my experience they are more difficult to operate due to their unforgiving nature. A small water column requires very exacting detail when it comes to water changes, water chemistry, dosing, livestock compatibility, export balance, flow and lighting. Well, basically everything. A 60,90 or 120 drilled with a sump is simply easier to operate without crossing the line to very expensive equipment. The smaller tanks require much more work and attention than my 120 and I am grateful for the excess water column that provides a more forgiving environment. If you do go the AIO route there are a few things which will help. The Aquamaxx HOB skimmers are definitely worth the extra dollars they cost and they work. They cost more for a reason. Consider where you will put your macro and maybe even planting some in the DT for additional export. The marine pure synthetic live rock bricks work very well housing anaerobic bacteria to help you control nitrate and fit in the media sections. Lastly go very light and slow on fish addition so that the balance may be maintained. Getting flow right will be a challenge because of the space so use a substrate that can handle this issue...avoid the really fine substrate. During the first months as you mature the system be very disciplined on water changes. We found great success doing 3 and 4 gallon changes every 4-5 days as we built the de-nitrification capacity of the systems. It can be done with patience and one of my friends now is growing sps in his 30 AIO and has rock solid stability. Good Luck with your new build !

 

[NMSREEFER]

All in one tank or not

I like my 29 gallon bio cube. I've had a 75 and a 55 in the past, but I wanted smaller. I like the all in one plug and play setup and the little fuge in the back. I have chaeto and pods in the back with phosphate and Purigen and pod piles in the dt. My Mandarin is still plump after a month, but I have ordered and cultured pods a few times in the process. The fans are kind of loud on the biocube, but there is very little evaporation. The lights are suitable for most corals.

 

[NMSREEFER]

After disappointment with several heaters I found the cobalt slim heaters. Great for a small tank

 

[jackdurkalik]

Thank for the quick answer everybody. Concerning the tank size i chose a 20G because i dont have alot of space or the experience to get a bigger one. A bigger tank will also cost alot more to stock and since space is limited maintenance of a bigger tank would be really really hard (i'm in an appartment so i dont have space to stock alot of RODI water). I know it'll be a challenge but people seems to have trouble/success with all size of tank so i figured that if i stay on top of my water change and keep my bio load low i can do it.

Now about the All-in-one, is there any advantage of these kind of tank? They dont seem cheaper people seems to remove/upgrade the filtration compartment and the return pump so is it more about the look?

Personally, My 40B is about the best small tank I've ever had. My Office Setup is simple, easy to maintain, and was relatively inexpensive. Nothing fancy but then again, staying simple lets you learn the ropes before you get to the hard to keep stuff.

Nice setup, what's the footprint of the stand? I also plan on keeping thing simple i wanna use as few equipment as possible until i really need it. While reading, i've seen alot of people filling their tank with equipment and supplement only to go back to the basic when everything went to hell.

Also, where did you get your rock they looked fantastic. I planned on starting with some dry rock since i wont be able to cure it but yours seems to be already cured.

I like my 29 gallon bio cube. I've had a 75 and a 55 in the past, but I wanted smaller. I like the all in one plug and play setup and the little fuge in the back. I have chaeto and pods in the back with phosphate and Purigen and pod piles in the dt. My Mandarin is still plump after a month, but I have ordered and cultured pods a few times in the process. The fans are kind of loud on the biocube, but there is very little evaporation. The lights are suitable for most corals.

I dont really like the look of the bio cube and i dont have AC so heat would be a problem i think. The tank will also be in the living room so i tried to make it as silent as possible.

After disappointment with several heaters I found the cobalt slim heaters. Great for a small tank

I've read some great review about the Ebo Jager heater and dont have access to some cobalt slim localy (Canada). Did you had trouble with Ebo heater before? I also plan on buying a Ranco controller for my heater since they are prone to failure.

I help a couple of fellows with small AIO tanks and in my experience they are more difficult to operate due to their unforgiving nature. A small water column requires very exacting detail when it comes to water changes, water chemistry, dosing, livestock compatibility, export balance, flow and lighting. Well, basically everything. A 60,90 or 120 drilled with a sump is simply easier to operate without crossing the line to very expensive equipment. The smaller tanks require much more work and attention than my 120 and I am grateful for the excess water column that provides a more forgiving environment. If you do go the AIO route there are a few things which will help. The Aquamaxx HOB skimmers are definitely worth the extra dollars they cost and they work. They cost more for a reason. Consider where you will put your macro and maybe even planting some in the DT for additional export. The marine pure synthetic live rock bricks work very well housing anaerobic bacteria to help you control nitrate and fit in the media sections. Lastly go very light and slow on fish addition so that the balance may be maintained. Getting flow right will be a challenge because of the space so use a substrate that can handle this issue...avoid the really fine substrate. During the first months as you mature the system be very disciplined on water changes. We found great success doing 3 and 4 gallon changes every 4-5 days as we built the de-nitrification capacity of the systems. It can be done with patience and one of my friends now is growing sps in his 30 AIO and has rock solid stability. Good Luck with your new build !

Since you talked about what i'll put into my tank here's my plan:

• Rock: 20 lbs dry marco rock (dont have space to cure live rock)
• Sand: Caribsea Seafloor Special Grade Sand (didnt want super fine subtrate exactly because of the flow)
• Salt: Red sea coral pro
• Fish: 1 watchman goby and 1 firefish
• invertebrates: Trocus snail, Cerith snail, Nassarius Snails and 1 Cleaner Shrimp (i'll wait for some algea to grow before getting my snail and i'll start with 1-2 before getting more since i don't want them to starve. I plan on having 10 snails max if i ever need so many)
• Coral: Zoa, Mushroom, Hammer and Torch at first and if everything goes well i'd like to to have a Colt, Candy Cane and a Acan Brain. These are all the type of coral i'm considering i'm pretty sure i won't have all of them but i think they would be great for a beginner like me.

I tryed to do my research before choosing every part of my aquarium but i might have forgotten something. What do you guys think?

 

[Stackemdeep]

Since you talked about what i'll put into my tank here's my plan:

• Rock: 20 lbs dry marco rock (dont have space to cure live rock)
• Sand: Caribsea Seafloor Special Grade Sand (didnt want super fine subtrate exactly because of the flow)
• Salt: Red sea coral pro
• Fish: 1 watchman goby and 1 firefish
• invertebrates: Trocus snail, Cerith snail, Nassarius Snails and 1 Cleaner Shrimp (i'll wait for some algea to grow before getting my snail and i'll start with 1-2 before getting more since i don't want them to starve. I plan on having 10 snails max if i ever need so many)
• Coral: Zoa, Mushroom, Hammer and Torch at first and if everything goes well i'd like to to have a Colt, Candy Cane and a Acan Brain. These are all the type of coral i'm considering i'm pretty sure i won't have all of them but i think they would be great for a beginner like me.

I tryed to do my research before choosing every part of my aquarium but i might have forgotten something. What do you guys think?

I would not choose RS coral pro to start on a small tank because of all the water changes you will be doing in the first few months. Your tank will end up right at the bucket parameters and RSCP will have 12.5 DKH at 35ppt. I would start with the Blue, then switch up when you get some consumption going if your intention is to offset dosing. Invest in a quality NO3 kit. You will be using it all the time. After about 3 months you will be able to lighten up on WC's Not sure which small tank you are getting but start off with no more than 1" fish for 5 gallons. You may eventually get this to tighten down to 3-4" but do remember they grow.

 

[RocketEngineer]

Not sure which small tank you are getting but start off with no more than 1" fish for 5 gallons. You may eventually get this to tighten down to 3-4" but do remember they grow.

The whole "Inches per gallon" thing is total BS, especially for SW setups. This is a poor concept in FW that's has somehow gotten handed down and is still wrong. Some fish need more space than others. Please research the individual needs of the fish you are trying to keep. And don't make the mistake of buying a juvenile that in its adult form will need to be in a bigger tank. Doing so will cause that fish to suffer higher stress and stunted growth due to being trapped in a closet size tank.

 

[Stackemdeep]

The whole "Inches per gallon" thing is total BS

When helping new guys get started calculating bio load is a difficult concept so what you abrasively call "total BS" is an easy way to help them avoid new reefer issues. Your lack of tact and common courtesy is excused but perhaps in the future you might consider a reason an experienced reefer would make a valid suggestion to help them avoid newbie mistakes and give them an easy rule of thumb to slow things down while they have time to learn the process.

 

[RocketEngineer]

The problem with "rules of thumb" is they become "Rules of Law" when they aren't either. BTW, in a FW setup, a better indicator for the common fish (less than 6") is 12 square inches of surface area for each 1" of fish length in order to ensure proper oxygen exchange (Reference:The Tropical Aquarium By Gina Sanford page 81). I would be interested to see where the 1" per gallon rule can be found in a book. If you do find it, please post the link to that book. I would be honestly interested in reading said book for my own reference.

:hmm3: I'm not going to debate experience or courtesy on a forum. Not worth my time or yours :wavehand:.

OP:PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!. Do your research. Some small fish still need big tanks so they have room to move around like they would on the reef. Other larger fish want to just perch in one spot looking for food. Each species is different and the needs of the fish should come first. Remember, this hobby is expensive enough without having to replace fish all the time. A proper setup will ensure they have a long life in your care and most last DECADES if given the proper environment.

 

[jackdurkalik]

I would not choose RS coral pro to start on a small tank because of all the water changes you will be doing in the first few months. Your tank will end up right at the bucket parameters and RSCP will have 12.5 DKH at 35ppt. I would start with the Blue, then switch up when you get some consumption going if your intention is to offset dosing. Invest in a quality NO3 kit. You will be using it all the time. After about 3 months you will be able to lighten up on WC's Not sure which small tank you are getting but start off with no more than 1" fish for 5 gallons. You may eventually get this to tighten down to 3-4" but do remember they grow.

Thanks for the advise, so i'll switch to Instant Ocean to start things up and when i'll add LPS and things have stabilized i'll switch to RSPC if needed ?

The problem with "rules of thumb" is they become "Rules of Law" when they aren't either. BTW, in a FW setup, a better indicator for the common fish (less than 6") is 12 square inches of surface area for each 1" of fish length in order to ensure proper oxygen exchange (Reference:The Tropical Aquarium By Gina Sanford page 81). I would be interested to see where the 1" per gallon rule can be found in a book. If you do find it, please post the link to that book. I would be honestly interested in reading said book for my own reference.

:hmm3: I'm not going to debate experience or courtesy on a forum. Not worth my time or yours :wavehand:.

OP:PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!. Do your research. Some small fish still need big tanks so they have room to move around like they would on the reef. Other larger fish want to just perch in one spot looking for food. Each species is different and the needs of the fish should come first. Remember, this hobby is expensive enough without having to replace fish all the time. A proper setup will ensure they have a long life in your care and most last DECADES if given the proper environment.

Already did posted in that thread , 1 Watchman Goby and 1 Firefish was approved.

 

[RocketEngineer]

Thanks for the advise, so i'll switch to Instant Ocean to start things up and when i'll add LPS and things have stabilized i'll switch to RSPC if needed ?

That sounds like a good plan. I stay with IO because its inexpensive and has been around a long time but RSPC is a quality product.

Already did posted in that thread , 1 Watchman Goby and 1 Firefish was approved.

Good small starter fish. There is lots of good advice in that thread so keep reading as you go.

 

[WhiteTang]

Hello, i'm planning my first tank and i was wondering if i should look into a All-in-one tank like the Innovative Marine Nuvo. Here's my shopping list if i dont go with the Nuvo:

• Tank: Rimless custom tank 24x15x13 (20G)
• Powerhead: Tunze 6020 (or 6040 havent decided yet)
• heater: Ebo Jager 100w
• light: AI Hydra26
• Refugium: DYI hang on back refugium
• Skimmer: Tunze 9004

Should i look into fitting all this into a Nuvo 20 instead of a custom tank ? I plan on keeping Soft/LPS and other easy to keep coral. I'll probably add a hang on back reactor when i start adding LPS if kalk in my top off isnt enought.

Thanks:wavehand:

If you are like me, totally new with saltwater tanks, an AIO will be the best "school". I have a 16g Nuvo which IMO is incredible. As others have pointed out you should take into consideration what you want to put in there. My advise would be to go with the Innovative Marine SR-60 or 80 or 120.
You might not be able to keep multiple Tangs but you def. will be able to keep most fish but the biggest.

The AIO will teach you all lot. I say go for it.