What's a good starter tank type? AIO, Hang-on, Reef Ready, other?

[randyBRS]

What type of tank did you start with?

All-In-One?
Glass box with Hang-On equipment?
Reef Ready?

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

I started with an AIO. I think medium sized AIO s are the best for people just starting. Sumps are harder to understand and i think they are really only needed for bigger tanks 75 gallons or more. a normal tank with hang on equipemtn just looks bad and half the time, its not even enough filtration...

 

[dougers31]

To me one of the best starter tanks would be a 40 breeder(Petco dollar a gallon sale ) if not going the all-in-one route... IMO It's an okay size for stability and reasonable for cost plus if they realize it's not a hobby for them then they won't be out as much monetarily speaking. Otherwise the all-in-one route is a nice alternative and keeps things simple even though you have fewer options that way.

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

To me one of the best starter tanks would be a 40 breeder(Petco dollar a gallon sale ) if not going the all-in-one route... IMO It's an okay size for stability and reasonable for cost plus if they realize it's not a hobby for them then they won't be out as much monetarily speaking. Otherwise the all-in-one route is a nice alternative and keeps things simple even though you have fewer options that way.

All in one is definitely simpler

 

[link81]

I started with a glass box many years ago for freshwater.
my first salt tank was a 20g glass box.
Very quickly picked up a 33 long drilled with sump.
every tank after that has been either a drilled or a biocube.

The 40B i currently have was intended to be a super simple glass box, but within a month i had drilled it and added a sump.

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

I started with a glass box many years ago for freshwater.
my first salt tank was a 20g glass box.
Very quickly picked up a 33 long drilled with sump.
every tank after that has been either a drilled or a biocube.

The 40B i currently have was intended to be a super simple glass box, but within a month i had drilled it and added a sump.

Freshwater i would definitely go with hang on back or canister filter.

 

[link81]

Freshwater i would definitely go with hang on back or canister filter.

sumps definitely don't seem to be as popular with fresh, although i'm not sure why, all the same benefits apply. Most notably a hidden place to put equipment, and the display stays full of water.

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

sumps definitely don't seem to be as popular with fresh, although i'm not sure why, all the same benefits apply. Most notably a hidden place to put equipment, and the display stays full of water.

Plants getting stuck in the overflow is why its not as popular

 

[hotdrop]

sumps definitely don't seem to be as popular with fresh, although i'm not sure why, all the same benefits apply. Most notably a hidden place to put equipment, and the display stays full of water.

Because canisters work well for freshwater. Honestly I think they are fine for saltwater as well they just need to be designed a bit smarter.

 

[NotFishyFishGuy]

Because canisters work well for freshwater. Honestly I think they are fine for saltwater as well they just need to be designed a bit smarter.

Plus, they are more expensive, harder to maintain, and plants get stuck

 

[Katrina71]

Aio was so easy to start with.

 

[Tamberav]

AIO about 20-30 gallons. The IM25 Lagoon is especially easy to light and get flow correct due to the dimensions.

It's got just enough water not to swing widely and can miss a water change now and again but small enough that water changes are a breeze and even a 50 percent change is no big deal.

It's quiet and fits the equipment one would need for this size tank and its very easy to siphon out the back chambers if needed using gravity. No need for a pump or a shop vac like a sump.

Just overall very easy to maintain which makes it beginner friendly.

 

[reef_daddy]

Personally, if I could do it again, I would start with a small bio cube. Something inexpensive. Because if you get some easy corals and a couple of easy fish, and you’re able to keep everything alive and like the taste of the hobby, it’s not big expense to start over and get a larger tank.
Unfortunately I started with an IM40 fusion, and now I successfully keep an SPS dominant reef. But my issue now is that I am limited with the size. Looking back I would have gotten a tank that could at least support a tang. Now I’m super invested and super limited. I spend more money on smaller equipment trying to maintain stability in a low water-volume tank.

 

[hotdrop]

Personally, if I could do it again, I would start with a small bio cube. Something inexpensive. Because if you get some easy corals and a couple of easy fish, and you’re able to keep everything alive and like the taste of the hobby, it’s not big expense to start over and get a larger tank.
Unfortunately I started with an IM40 fusion, and now I successfully keep an SPS dominant reef. But my issue now is that I am limited with the size. Looking back I would have gotten a tank that could at least support a tang. Now I’m super invested and super limited. I spend more money on smaller equipment trying to maintain stability in a low water-volume tank.

The I’m 40 probably set you back 1k you could probably get half that back in the scale of reef expenses that’s not too bad

 

[Mical]

I started w/glass box and all HOB equipment. Currently both tanks still have HOB overflows but both have sumps, skimmers, ATOs, dosers, & the like. Both are thriving environments & I get great pleasure maintaining them.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Started with a 15 gallon, eshopps hob over flow, sump to hide my heater.

other equipment needed was a light and powerheads, a return pump and an ato. And of course at the time live fiji rock.

but this simple berlin method tank was super easy to maintain with just water changes for 2 years. Any plague algae was small enough to scrub my rocks while it cycled the first 6 months.

was also far easier to clean a sump(10 gallon aquarium) than the small aio compartments imo.