what are the most popular nano tanks at the moment?

[JazzZero]

Re: ?

Re: ?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14556919#post14556919 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ChrisMc73
This is your opinion, that Finnex is "the best".
It will be up to the individual to decided what is the best for them.

And as far as Do It Yourself aquariums, did you all read the original posters question/statement?




Not sure a DIY is the best idea for someone NEW to aquariums!?

My apologizes didnt mean to offend and yes it is IMO forgot to write

Any how, when i said DIY i meant get it custom made. The great about this is;

1.Its to your specifications Many advantages (can be a disadvantage so i highly recommend getting the dimensions of al the equipment and then coming up it the dimensions for this.)

2.Get the good equipment instead of paying for a good system with a crappy skimmer or light and then buying the equipment you actually want. Lets face facts all the skimmer that nano tanks come with are just bad....

3.No space for equipment issues. BioCube or aquapod or anything like that have space issues as no room to put other pumps for chillers or etc b/c the pump is taking up the space.

4. No all in one kind of thing so the dimesions are the dimensions of the Display not the dimensions of "all in one"


Even though i say this i aint saying that nano tanks are bad, i just think that custom made ones are just better.

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

Well if thats what you meant by DIY = Custom Made I would agree its a great way to go, but again, not for a beginner. Sorry wasn't trying to get nasty with you. I just didn't think DIY meant Custom, but I agree is a nice option, just not for someone brand new to aquariums.

A beginner wouldn't really know much about 1 - 4 would they?
I mean really you think a beginner knows about tank size and specifications? And good/bad skimmers? And all that jazz?
I think someone new needs to learn from a system like an All In One tank such as the Aquapod, Solana, BioCube, Finnex, CAD Lights, etc...

Then when they are ready and have learned enough to handle your 1 - 4 lists, then sure a Custom made is a great way to go...I totally agree.

So trying to throw all those choices and options and decisions on to someone brand new to the hobby is not a good idea IMO.

On top of all that, custom designed tanks are not cheap, and for someone who doesn't even know if this is a hobby they will stick with or not, again, not a great idea.

So let them pick a less expensive AIO tank, learn some stuff, see if they will stick with it and either love it and take off or leave it.

A custom tank is not what I would recommend to a newbie.

 

[davenia7]

the question was what are the favorite nanos atm...
i would say the current favorite nano...not aio... is a 10 or 20L opentop with all parts individually selected. that being said... if i was going aio... solana would be my next choice. also, im working soon to diy a tank for a shrimp goby pair from cutting glass on.

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

Really? Favorite?

I guess I read it wrong...

what are the most popular nano tanks at the moment? I am new to aquariums, and would like to no what are the most popular nano tanks at the moment?

And again, someone who is "NEW TO AQUARIUMS" doesn't really know what parts to select do they?

 

[davenia7]

why would they be setting up anything without researching first? in researching what ur going to put in a diy, you'd learn what you need to know to be succesful. aio's cost way more money than i spent on my first diy... a 5 gal fw converted to sw... i will agree that my previous fw addiction made my first tank quicker and easier... but no one should do anything with aquariums withgout doing their research first... unles they really want the costs to skyrocket.
as far as starting cheap... my eclipse 5 and conversion costs ran under $150. and i dont know any aio's less than that to decide whether u are interested in sw or not....

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14561505#post14561505 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davenia7
why would they be setting up anything without researching first? in researching what ur going to put in a diy, you'd learn what you need to know to be succesful. aio's cost way more money than i spent on my first diy... a 5 gal fw converted to sw... i will agree that my previous fw addiction made my first tank quicker and easier... but no one should do anything with aquariums withgout doing their research first... unles they really want the costs to skyrocket.
as far as starting cheap... my eclipse 5 and conversion costs ran under $150. and i dont know any aio's less than that to decide whether u are interested in sw or not....

Did you notice the Original Poster has 2 posts total?...the research is just now beginning I'm sure, and they asked what the MOST POPULAR Aquariums were and you and JazzZero want them to start working on a "CUSTOM" Do It Yourself tank...nice advice.

 

[davenia7]

y not? that's what i did... that's what many have done... and it is by far the most "popular" nano.
aio's are an expensive way to start. i know that if i had gotten something like a bc for four times the money and then still had to spend money to upgrade lights, pumps, skimmer, etc. from the get go... i would have been REALLY turned off the hobby. i would've hoped someone out there would be able to point out the positives and negatives of both...

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14561640#post14561640 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by davenia7
y not? that's what i did... that's what many have done... and it is by far the most "popular" nano.
aio's are an expensive way to start. i know that if i had gotten something like a bc for four times the money and then still had to spend money to upgrade lights, pumps, skimmer, etc. from the get go... i would have been REALLY turned off the hobby. i would've hoped someone out there would be able to point out the positives and negatives of both...

You also had serveral years of FreshWater aquarium knowledge when you got into Saltwater, according to your tag line of 10 years FW and 3 years SW. So that would make it a lot more easy for you to do a custom Nano Tank to start with, but if this person is new, and they said it very clear...that they were NEW TO AQUARIUMS. a good place to start for people who are new is an AIO IMHO, for the simple fact they get to learn all the parts that make up a tank. Great learning too.

If this person plans to take the time, do the research, ask the questions, read the information and then build a custom...great! Not a bad way to start at all.

But this person has not told us what their intentions or desires with this new tank are, so I'm assuming its a new hobby they want to get into quickly as possible, as most newbs do. And an AIO just might help jump start their hobby for them.

This person might have years of experience with aquariums anyway, we don't know? My guess from the question is they don't have years of experience and would like a simple solution to get them a nice reef aquarium. I don't think they are coming from freshwater tanks to saltwater and want to start picking out their own customized equipment for a new tank...they just want to get going asap...that's my guess?

 

[bluegrizzlies1]

I would also say the cad light system

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

Yep, I would say that of the most popular nano reef aquariums out there these are the most popular...not in any particular order...

CAD Lights
Current-USA Solana
Current-USA Aquapod
BioCube
Finnex

All good choices for a nano reef, all in one, solution.

 

[JazzZero]

Look all im saying is that CUSTOM is the best way to go IMO even if you are a newbie. To be honest i havent met a person who quit this hobby expect for a friend whose tank crashed (he made mistakes didnt consult anyone and bought the wrong things). So to be honest if you ask anyone in this forums about equipment and a good tank dimension they will be more than willing to help and/or connect you to a more experienced person. Trust me i honestly regret buying a Finnex not its bad but just because of the tank size (dimensions specifically) and im sure that other people have regrets about some aspect of there tanks. So thats why i recommend going to with a custom.

 

[JGross4]

I've made several custom tanks and had several store bought tanks. If I was just starting out, I would buy an AIO for sure. I would get either a Oceanic Biocube or a Current Solana. That's just my opinion.

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

Yeah, I'm glad that Finnex isn't the only one out there now days.
Good thing lots of companies are making nano tanks for new beginners to start off with, who don't know a thing about going and building a tank from scratch, custom to their unknown aquarium knowledge...hahaha.

Of course we all look back and see what mistakes we've made or say what we'd do differently, thats the same with anything, even a house, or a car, or a tank!

 

[cerobbins]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14561771#post14561771 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ChrisMc73
You also had serveral years of FreshWater aquarium knowledge when you got into Saltwater, according to your tag line of 10 years FW and 3 years SW. So that would make it a lot more easy for you to do a custom Nano Tank to start with, but if this person is new, and they said it very clear...that they were NEW TO AQUARIUMS. a good place to start for people who are new is an AIO IMHO, for the simple fact they get to learn all the parts that make up a tank. Great learning too.

If this person plans to take the time, do the research, ask the questions, read the information and then build a custom...great! Not a bad way to start at all.

But this person has not told us what their intentions or desires with this new tank are, so I'm assuming its a new hobby they want to get into quickly as possible, as most newbs do. And an AIO just might help jump start their hobby for them.

This person might have years of experience with aquariums anyway, we don't know? My guess from the question is they don't have years of experience and would like a simple solution to get them a nice reef aquarium. I don't think they are coming from freshwater tanks to saltwater and want to start picking out their own customized equipment for a new tank...they just want to get going asap...that's my guess?

They didn't ask anything pertaining to ease of use for a beginner. They just asked what was most popular. If they want to know what we think is best for them they will ask.

 

[bagged87blayzer]

I have an Eco Systems Mini. But most people don't have them or know about them. Also they are Expensive, if you buy them new, got mine for a 1/3 of the cost used.

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14567249#post14567249 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cerobbins
They didn't ask anything pertaining to ease of use for a beginner. They just asked what was most popular. If they want to know what we think is best for them they will ask.

Nice 12th post...awesome input!

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14567330#post14567330 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bagged87blayzer
I have an Eco Systems Mini. But most people don't have them or know about them. Also they are Expensive, if you buy them new, got mine for a 1/3 of the cost used.

I've seen some websites with the Eco Systems on them, haven't heard much but they look nice, maybe you could share some of the nice things about them, to compare to why you chose it over some of the other "popular" tanks we've mentioned...

Oh wait, thats not what the original poster asked...nevermind.

 

[nayyer]

New here

New here

i have been reading about on all the forums. Im new to all of this, i wanted to get a larger SW i was thinking 25-40 gal tank. would really prefer a nano. i have read all the arguments, but in reality it comes down to the price. i wish i could go and get a 900 tank like the solana, but i cant afford this price for a beginner. I really need to lower the cost and i think DIY is the way to go. I would like to know what would be the thinks i need to buy. i know i need a good lighting system, and a good skimmer. any help would be greatly apriciated. also, i want to start a reef any driection woud be great help.

 

[cerobbins]

Well I would say the best way to start would be to find a rough stocking list of the types of livestock you would like to keep. This makes recommendations tailor better to your needs. In general if on a tighter budget if it were me I would probably piece a system together rather than purchasing an all-in-one setup. A good starting point would be to nail down a rough livestock list and then pick your tank size accordingly. Then we can look into your equipment options and go from there.

 

[TriggerHappyDude]

Re: New here

Re: New here

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14569868#post14569868 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nayyer
i have been reading about on all the forums. Im new to all of this, i wanted to get a larger SW i was thinking 25-40 gal tank. would really prefer a nano. i have read all the arguments, but in reality it comes down to the price. i wish i could go and get a 900 tank like the solana, but i cant afford this price for a beginner. I really need to lower the cost and i think DIY is the way to go. I would like to know what would be the thinks i need to buy. i know i need a good lighting system, and a good skimmer. any help would be greatly apriciated. also, i want to start a reef any driection woud be great help.

Where did you see a Solana for $900?
I think you can get one much cheaper.
DIY is a fine way to start, but if you are like me and buy quality to top of the line equipment, you'll end up over $900 anyway...unless you can stay within your budget and buy some good quality stuff and avoid the "top of the line" stuff. Most folks can do that, I can't.