Anyone Run a Waterbox 50.3 AIO or Similar Sized AIO?

[Fish Fan]

Hey guys!

I have an itch for a new tank, and I'm just kind of exploring a few different options. I haven't decided on anything yet, except that I want a new tank

I'm really looking for my "'realistic' dream tank", which would be somewhere between 80 to 120 gallons, maybe 150, but I'm having a hard time finding what I want for an amount I'm already begrudgingly willing to pay for a glass or plastic box to hold my fish. When it comes to the cost of new tanks these days, I am in full on "old man" mode, please don't get me started ;-)

But, I have a "nook" in my basement living area that was built by the 1970's homebuilders ostensibly to hold an old, standard def TV set. We can't knock this nook thing down because it's hiding some of the major plumbing works where the town water comes into the house. And since old, boxy, standard def TV's are a long distant memory, this space is simply screaming for an aquarium, in my opinion. I mean, even my wife agrees, what else are we going to put there?

This space would allow for a 36" aquarium, but without getting into too much here, plumbing a sump would be problematic, to say the least. So I was thinking freshwater, until it just popped into my head, an All-In-One reef tank might be a good idea for this space.

I did a little looking, and I'm open to other ideas for sure, but I found the Waterbox 50.3 AIO and I'm interested. To any owners of this tank, how has it been? Do you feel you're missing out by not having a sump?

https://waterboxaquariums.com/produ...9uT6E1E4NpG-iGgXJ5yT-fnGv2pwxNtQaAspyEALw_wcB

It looks like the included filter socks are small, possibly non-standard size. I really don't like socks, and prefer to run cups of floss, and I even have one of the fleece rollers, though I haven't set it up yet. Can I use anything else for mechanical filtration on this Waterbox tank besides their socks?

Can you setup a refugium in one of the sections in the filter area?

Any other thoughts/feelings/do's or don't with this tank? It looks like there's an InTank media basket available, so that's a plus.

More generally, for those of you who run similar sized AIO's, any advice or thoughts?

Thanks very much for your help!

 

[Tamberav]

Here is a media basket for your 50.3

Waterbox AIO 28.2 | AIO 30.2 | AIO 35.2 | AIO 40.2 | AIO 50.3 - BLACK EDITION

inTank Media Baskets greatly improve and increase the filtration of your aquarium while making it easy to maintain

intankaquatics.com

Don't get their stand but guessing you don't plan to.

The waterbox back is not "fully black". If you put a fuge in it, you will see the light through the front of the glass. You would have to put black acrylic or something in the back.

For my AIO's I just ran floss and a bag of carbon, done. I tried all the other crap but it just over complicates the back and impedes flow for little benefit.

 

[Tamberav]

I love the simplicity of AIO's - they are generally simpler to keep clean manually. You have gravity on your side so a vinyl tube in the back and you can suck the water out periodically if you want. No bending over and using a pump to empty a sump.

They do make tiny skimmers if you want one, I quit using those too because they ALL make some amount of noise and there is no cabinet doors to silence it. Plus its ugly on the back. Filter roller is neat but also an eyesore. I have seen some make a cover for wall for the back to block taller things like skimmers and such though..

If you want a heavier stocked tank or hate water changes then those things are probably useful though.

 

[Fish Fan]

Here is a media basket for your 50.3

Waterbox AIO 28.2 | AIO 30.2 | AIO 35.2 | AIO 40.2 | AIO 50.3 - BLACK EDITION

inTank Media Baskets greatly improve and increase the filtration of your aquarium while making it easy to maintain

intankaquatics.com

Don't get their stand but guessing you don't plan to.

The waterbox back is not "fully black". If you put a fuge in it, you will see the light through the front of the glass. You would have to put black acrylic or something in the back.

For my AIO's I just ran floss and a bag of carbon, done. I tried all the other crap but it just over complicates the bag and impedes flow for little benefit.

Thank you for your reply!

No, I don't want their stand, this would go on our "nook", for lack of a better word, so no stand needed.

A "Not fully black back" may be a hard no for me. I own a brand new, and now discontinued, IM Nuvo Black 40 gallon, which I've thought about running, but I think it's too small. Also, it features a "smoked" back panel, as they call it, but it's entirely see through, not fully black. So if you hung a HOB filter on the back, you'd see the "shadow" of the filter. I'd have to paint it or black it out. Plus, it's not drilled and at only 40 gallons, doesn't seem worth it.

I have two small AIO's going currently, both IM Nuvo Fusions, a 10 and a 15, but I consider these my "I wanted to get back into saltwater tanks", not my "dream" tank. But I run these with little more than floss and water changes. I'm not sure I can do that on a much larger tank, but thank you for sharing how you run your system.

Side note: I have an also brand new, never used, standard 65 gallon, reef-ready tank, but I don't like the old glass or the overflow.

And, for once, I don't want just another fish tank, I want a nice aquarium.

This is what's driving my decision making with this purchase.

 

[Fish Fan]

I love the simplicity of AIO's - they are generally simpler to keep clean manually. You have gravity on your side so a vinyl tube in the back and you can suck the water out periodically if you want. No bending over and using a pump to empty a sump.

They do make tiny skimmers if you want one, I quit using those too because they ALL make some amount of noise and there is no cabinet doors to silence it. Plus its ugly on the back. Filter roller is neat but also an eyesore. I have seen some make a cover for wall for the back to block taller things like skimmers and such though..

If you want a heavier stocked tank or hate water changes then those things are probably useful though.

I try to never overstock with fish, and I don't yet have a solid livestock plan for this tank, if I did it. Honestly, being that it would be an AIO and in a bit of an awkward spot in my home, I kind of see an easier softy tank, which is not my dream tank, but would still be a fine display.

I'm starting to lean more towards a 'fuge vs. a skimmer in general, but I know that there are nano skimmers available for AIO tanks. I also have one of the AquaGadget 'fuge lights where you peel back a bit of your IM Nuvo Fusion's black backing, and velcro the light to the back of the tank. If that light would shine through the display on the Waterbox 50.3, then that's a no. I am interested to know if there is another way to run a 'fuge in these tanks.

I agree, I don't like the way the filter rollers sit above the tank, and I really, really don't like the cost of the replacement rolls. I just don't like dealing with socks, so I'm open to other ways of mechanical filtration, including just using no mechanical, which I believe Josh from World Wide Corrals advocates. But for my money, ideally, I'd have a media basket or cup and run cheap (like me!) PolyFil from Walmart, and pitch it every few days to a week.

Thank you very much for your help!

 

[Tamberav]

It's possible they changed the back glass since then. It has been years since I have looked at one, but it is how it used to be. I didn't know IM was this way, I have older IM's and they are acrylic AIO sections.

This thread is a good example but it is from 2018 so I can't be sure it is still that way. I don't have any waterbox currently.

Waterbox AIO 50.3

It's been around two weeks since receiving my new Waterbox AIO 50.3. First shipment came in cracked but they quicky send me a replacement .. I build my own stand due to their stand on backorder. Besides that I been really happy with the aquarium until I discover this. I notice that I can't do...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Fish Fan]

It's possible they changed the back glass since then. It has been years since I have looked at one, but it is how it used to be. I didn't know IM was this way, I have older IM's and they are acrylic AIO sections.

This thread is a good example but it is from 2018 so I can't be sure it is still that way. I don't have any waterbox currently.

Waterbox AIO 50.3

It's been around two weeks since receiving my new Waterbox AIO 50.3. First shipment came in cracked but they quicky send me a replacement .. I build my own stand due to their stand on backorder. Besides that I been really happy with the aquarium until I discover this. I notice that I can't do...

www.reef2reef.com

Thanks again for your time and help, it's very much appreciated!

My IM 40 gallon is not one of their AIO's, it's a now discontinued, non-drilled, rimless tank that featured low-iron glass, nice seams, and their "smoked glass" back, which seemed great when I ordered it sometime around 2017, but once it arrived I was left scratching my head. It's dark, but not see through or light proof. I don't know what engineer or designer decided that the back needs to be dark to hide equipment, but not so dark as to completely hid the equipment. It's like you'd see the "shadow" of the equipment.

I appreciate, and will check out the link you posted.

Thank you again for your help!!!

 

[steveschuerger]

I was running and IM SR60 AIO for about a year and almost half. A nice midsize tank. I’d go back to them if I was getting a larger tank for sure

• Outside DIMS: Length 35.43” Width: 23.62” Height: 16.14”
• Display DIMS: Length 34.65” Width: 17.88” Height: 16.14”

 

[Fish Fan]

I was running and IM SR60 AIO for about a year and almost half. A nice midsize tank. I’d go back to them if I was getting a larger tank for sure

• Outside DIMS: Length 35.43” Width: 23.62” Height: 16.14”
• Display DIMS: Length 34.65” Width: 17.88” Height: 16.14”

Thank you for your reply!

I am unaware of an IM tank that has these dimensions, could you post a link?

I like IM, and have three (two saltwater) of their smaller AIO tanks running.

I don't want/need a stand, so it drives me nuts that IM and others won't sell me a tank without all the extra stands and stuff they add to their 'packages'.

I am very interested to learn more about your 60 gallon, how you set it up and ran it, and what you are keeping in it. Do you have a build thread?