A couple of questions from someone looking to start reefing

Joestanbo10 · Mar 27, 2022

Hello,

I've been researching and visiting a few local shops for a couple of months now with a view to getting a marine aquarium, I have a couple of questions I hope some of you can help me with.

1. What's the best tank for a beginner to start with? I've been looking at Red Sea Max E170, Red Sea XL 200, Waterbox AIO and marine X, I've also seen the Aqua one tanks but don't much about them?

2. A follow on from the above, would you recommend going for an AIO system or one with a sump? As a side note to this question, my aquarium will be in my upstairs office, so I want to take weight and potential for leaks into account here.

With the above in mind, my plan is mainly for fish and soft corals, I don't want to do anything too advanced to begin with, but bearing in mind I may wish to progress further down the line. Costings wise, ideally I want to get everything for between £1500 - £2000 (not including sand, rock and fish). If there's any other tank options, I'm open to suggestions, I'd like something from 40 - 55G.

Thanks

PeterC99 · Mar 27, 2022

First - Welcome to R2R!

There is no perfect size to start with - really depends on the individual. I started with a Red Sea Reefer 170 (34 gallons) and 8 months later upgraded to a 90 gallon. Sump/AIO is also a personal preference. My preference is a sump because of more flexibility with filtration and room to work in.

Good luck!

Impala67 · Mar 27, 2022

Joestanbo10 said:
Hello,

I've been researching and visiting a few local shops for a couple of months now with a view to getting a marine aquarium, I have a couple of questions I hope some of you can help me with.

1. What's the best tank for a beginner to start with? I've been looking at Red Sea Max E170, Red Sea XL 200, Waterbox AIO and marine X, I've also seen the Aqua one tanks but don't much about them?

2. A follow on from the above, would you recommend going for an AIO system or one with a sump? As a side note to this question, my aquarium will be in my upstairs office, so I want to take weight and potential for leaks into account here.

With the above in mind, my plan is mainly for fish and soft corals, I don't want to do anything too advanced to begin with, but bearing in mind I may wish to progress further down the line. Costings wise, ideally I want to get everything for between £1500 - £2000 (not including sand, rock and fish). If there's any other tank options, I'm open to suggestions, I'd like something from 40 - 55G.

Thanks

Personally I would use a sump and not an AIO system I do not like them whatsoever!! as far as the tank it’s self how much room do you have in your office for a tank? Will this aquarium be sitting on a support beam? Are you wanting to buy a complete set or buy all of it separate? Personally I like buying things separate because it gives you more options plus it’s fun to have a project putting it all together! This hobby is really expensive but I must say I don’t regret a thing!!

Woodyman · Mar 27, 2022

@ying yang I see a fellow UK for you to help!

If your starting out and wanting something on the smaller side for weight/leak potential an AIO would be a good start. If your going to be fish/soft coral only an AIO is also perfect as water changes can handle your macro/micro nutrients. Just my thoughts.

I can't help you with pricing but hopefully @ying yang can!

A tank with dedicated sump is nice as well and has its own different set of advantages, but for weight reasons and everything else I wouldn't say you want to go down that path starting out, but you certainly could. There are plenty of people here to help and answer your questions as they arise!

Personally I have both sump tanks and AIOs. I enjoy both for different reasons. Larger than a 40 I'd say sump. Under you can get away with a AIO if you want. Although a sump doesn't hurt either for small tanks.

uhgster1 · Mar 27, 2022

Fluval 13.5 gallon, IM Nuvo 10 to 14 gallons. I’ve had both and they sit nicely on regular furniture and don’t take up a lot of space.

This is my Fluval 13.5 setup 6 months ago. Hope that gives you a better idea.

OldRed1 · Mar 27, 2022

Sounds like we’re in similar situations. A few of my primary considerations were the following:

1. Minimizing Complexity
This is my first ever salt water tank. There is a lot I have learned, and there is so much more that I am clueless about. It is so easy to get lost down the rabbit holes of sumps, refugiums, drilling tanks, etc. At some point, I found myself watching more videos about plumbing techniques and realized I had drifted too far from my goal of having a simple salt water tank. I can always grow in this hobby and accumulate more complex gear, but for my first tank I am looking for something simple and reliable.

2. Reliability
More equipment means more stuff to break. More breaks means higher costs to repair. In this first build, I want my money to be spent on things IN THE TANK that I can see, not on things in the cabinet.

3. Ease of Offloading
Worst case scenario, I discover that I really don’t enjoy this hobby. In that case, I’ll look to offload my equipment to recoup as much money as I can. Selling a simple set up will likely be easier than selling many different components.

For these and other reasons, I invested in a simple Waterbox 25 gallon AIO system for $300. I will add approximately $500 in immediate upgrades, and I have enough flexibility with this tank to add additional modifications if I so desire.

If it turns out that I don’t love this hobby, then it will be easy to offload this AIO system to someone. If I fall in love with the hobby, then I can upgrade to a more complex, larger system. And, my AIO can become a reliable QT system.

BVF · Mar 27, 2022

uhgster1 said:
Fluval 13.5 gallon, IM Nuvo 10 to 14 gallons. I’ve had both and they sit nicely on regular furniture and don’t take up a lot of space.

This is my Fluval 13.5 setup 6 months ago. Hope that gives you a better idea.

Nice colors. What is this one, day-glo favia?

ying yang · Mar 27, 2022

Hi there and welcome to r2r.
Well for £ 1500-£2000 you have many tank options available.
But saying that we can easy get carried away buying high end equipment so choice is yours of what you decide there.

For me I bought a 300 litre aquareef 300 which comes with probably an 80-90 litre 6-7 compartmemt sump which I got 65 litres actual water in at max fill line as need leave empty space incase return pump fails.
Mine came with t5 lights but I bought mine 6 years ago ( newer models come with leds) get a skimmer,2 heaters,return pump,sponges,filter media,plastic bio balls ( which didn't use)
Price was £ 1800.00 but got for £ 1250 I think it was as maidenhead aquatics which there I lots around the country often got them on sale.
There is a old Facebook group of aquareef users that I think @atoll started many years ago,I'm guessing same as I read which gives tips on adapting my tank and other aquareefs like lengthening pipe into sump to quieten the splashing,bit of airline tubing into groove on waterfall from one baffle to other,removing little tiny pieces of glass for these covers so can fit over sized slimmer in and the likes .
My intention was to upgrade the stock skimmer but looking at others skimmate of who got " high end skimmers" mine looks same so thought no need,I didn't lengthen pipe into first compartment either ,just raised the sponges up a bit and I don't really have a problem with the noise like some complain they make and I got mine in living room ,but on Any tank running water ,splashing water,water through pumps ,air sucking in will make some kind of noise so imo doesn't matter what tank you get,it's universal.
I had tank sitting empty for 5 years so out of warranty by time set it up and had a cracked fitting which rang aquareef up in uk and was good customer service and even though said would usually have to selle the whole plumbing pipework he managed to just grab the one piece I needed and posted it out .
10mm low iron glass and good workmanship on silicone etc and tank and aluminium/ plastic stand comes ready assembled ,just need connect the plumbing pipes which is easy enough .
For wavemakers I just went for all pond solutions reef surge 8000 which have been ok and got job done ( mid range priced I guess) as didnt fancy spending best part of £ 1000.00 for 2 wave makers lol

No experience on any other reef tank manufacturers unfortunately but you got a nice budget to have a wide choice ( again depending if you want high end skimmer,wace makers,return pumps etc

But what I would be doing first is deciding what fish you would like then see what size tank is recommended for them ( I decided 80 gallon main reason I'm on 3rd floor flat and tight access coming up stairs but also can fit some half decent sized fish in the tank.
Having a sump is ideal place to hide all your equipment out of the way,a small aio tank has back chambers for this but if want other add ons they literally that as hang on back of tank .
So yeah just make a plan of what you want in the tank ,what equipment you may think you need or would like ( can just have simple tank which works for many as dont need all latest gadgets to be successful,) look reviews on products and see if in budget you decided then once all worked out then go from there.

Good luck and hope you and your family get great enjoyment from your tank .

And happy mothers day to all mothers out there ^_^

Wasabiroot · Mar 27, 2022

Just my 2 cents...I would go above 20g and consider a 40 breeder or larger. If you're serious about keeping coral, a smaller tank will punish any initial water chemistry mistakes you make much more and give you less ability to fix errors in time.

vetteguy53081 · Mar 27, 2022

Best tank will be what you can afford and where you have sufficient room and not at or near a window for location.
AIO are great for full containment and minimal maintenance versus a sump
Tanks to consider :
Red Sea
WaterBox
Innovative Marine

Aquarium/Tank
You need to decide where you want to put your aquarium, determine what size you want or may only have room for, whether you want an acrylic or glass tank, and choose a style that will best fit into the spot you have picked out to display it.
Lighting
The type of lighting you choose will be based on the type of system you have planned to set up, as well as what kind of livestock you will be keeping in it.
Skimmers, Filters & Filtration Equipment
Once again, what type of system you are going to set up will help you determine which kind of filters and filtration system to choose.
Powerhead
Depending on the size of your aquarium, the use of one or several powerheads is an excellent way to provide good water circulation throughout the system.
Live Rock & Substrate
Here you need to decide on what type of material you want on the bottom of the tank, as well as whether you want to start with a live or non-living medium. Live Rock plays an important role in a marine tank. Many marine animals, fish in particular, can be quite territorial. It is important to provide ample shelter or places where the animals can hide, sleep, and avoid potential problems with aggression from other tankmates in the confined space of an aquarium.
Sea Salt Mix/Saltwater & Hydrometer
Sea salts are what make an aquarium a saltwater or marine aquarium. Also referred to as a salinity tester, this item measures the specific gravity or salt content of the water.
Heater & Thermometer
For smaller aquariums one heater works well, but for larger systems the use of multiple units is advised. With stick-on, floating, multi-function remote digital sensor, and many other types of units to pick from, the material a thermometer is made of is an important factor when choosing one as well.
Air Pump & Air Stones
Only needed if you are going to run a piece of equipment that requires these items, Or for quarantining/medicating fish
Test Kits, Additives & Supplements
For live rock and reef tank systems, calcium (a.k.a. limewater/kalkwasser) needs to be added. Other supplemental vitamins or additives that are beneficial to the health of certain marine inhabitants you may be keeping, such a iodine for crustaceans, are important as well.
Maintenance Tools & Supplies
This category includes having items on hand such as a various sized plastic buckets or containers, tank cleaning tools such as a siphon tube/hose, an algae scraper or magnet, as well as nets of different sizes, spare equipment replacements parts, and so on. A good way to keep track of what maintenance tasks you have preformed and when is to keep a log book or record of everything you do.

atoll · Mar 27, 2022

@ying yang I did have a Facebook group.for squared tanks with lots of worthwhile mods, some Aquareef themselves may have included in their "improved" models. However, that was some years ago and I closed it as many moved on to other aquariums and posts became less. Maybe I should start a D-D aquarium Facebook group.

Joestanbo10 · Mar 27, 2022

Impala67 said:
Personally I would use a sump and not an AIO system I do not like them whatsoever!! as far as the tank it’s self how much room do you have in your office for a tank? Will this aquarium be sitting on a support beam? Are you wanting to buy a complete set or buy all of it separate? Personally I like buying things separate because it gives you more options plus it’s fun to have a project putting it all together! This hobby is really expensive but I must say I don’t regret a thing!!

Thank you for your reply.

I have quite a lot of space, but would like to stick to 40 - 55G tank, which generally seem about 60cm in length, one of the reasons for this, is that it will be upstairs, plus maintenance and water changes, I don't want to be too intensive. I'm not sure on the support beam, it would be up against an external wall, my house is a new build in the UK which are timber framed.

I'm kind of torn between the MAX E170 and XL200, I don't mind buying the equipment separately, and to be honest the costings I have come out with for lets say basic / getting started are £350 difference, would £350 be worth the extra 30L and in-cabinet sump?

Wasabiroot · Mar 27, 2022

Probably. A sump allows for extra space below for better equipment, and typically the included skimmers in AIO systems are a bit lacking in ability. Plus you'd be able to have a neat refugium.

Joestanbo10 · Mar 27, 2022

ying yang said:
Hi there and welcome to r2r.
Well for £ 1500-£2000 you have many tank options available.
But saying that we can easy get carried away buying high end equipment so choice is yours of what you decide there.

For me I bought a 300 litre aquareef 300 which comes with probably an 80-90 litre 6-7 compartmemt sump which I got 65 litres actual water in at max fill line as need leave empty space incase return pump fails.
Mine came with t5 lights but I bought mine 6 years ago ( newer models come with leds) get a skimmer,2 heaters,return pump,sponges,filter media,plastic bio balls ( which didn't use)
Price was £ 1800.00 but got for £ 1250 I think it was as maidenhead aquatics which there I lots around the country often got them on sale.
There is a old Facebook group of aquareef users that I think @atoll started many years ago,I'm guessing same as I read which gives tips on adapting my tank and other aquareefs like lengthening pipe into sump to quieten the splashing,bit of airline tubing into groove on waterfall from one baffle to other,removing little tiny pieces of glass for these covers so can fit over sized slimmer in and the likes .
My intention was to upgrade the stock skimmer but looking at others skimmate of who got " high end skimmers" mine looks same so thought no need,I didn't lengthen pipe into first compartment either ,just raised the sponges up a bit and I don't really have a problem with the noise like some complain they make and I got mine in living room ,but on Any tank running water ,splashing water,water through pumps ,air sucking in will make some kind of noise so imo doesn't matter what tank you get,it's universal.
I had tank sitting empty for 5 years so out of warranty by time set it up and had a cracked fitting which rang aquareef up in uk and was good customer service and even though said would usually have to selle the whole plumbing pipework he managed to just grab the one piece I needed and posted it out .
10mm low iron glass and good workmanship on silicone etc and tank and aluminium/ plastic stand comes ready assembled ,just need connect the plumbing pipes which is easy enough .
For wavemakers I just went for all pond solutions reef surge 8000 which have been ok and got job done ( mid range priced I guess) as didnt fancy spending best part of £ 1000.00 for 2 wave makers lol

No experience on any other reef tank manufacturers unfortunately but you got a nice budget to have a wide choice ( again depending if you want high end skimmer,wace makers,return pumps etc

But what I would be doing first is deciding what fish you would like then see what size tank is recommended for them ( I decided 80 gallon main reason I'm on 3rd floor flat and tight access coming up stairs but also can fit some half decent sized fish in the tank.
Having a sump is ideal place to hide all your equipment out of the way,a small aio tank has back chambers for this but if want other add ons they literally that as hang on back of tank .
So yeah just make a plan of what you want in the tank ,what equipment you may think you need or would like ( can just have simple tank which works for many as dont need all latest gadgets to be successful,) look reviews on products and see if in budget you decided then once all worked out then go from there.

Good luck and hope you and your family get great enjoyment from your tank .

And happy mothers day to all mothers out there ^_^

Thank you for all the information, much appreciated.

jchl2000 · Mar 27, 2022

Joestanbo10 said:
Hello,

I've been researching and visiting a few local shops for a couple of months now with a view to getting a marine aquarium, I have a couple of questions I hope some of you can help me with.

1. What's the best tank for a beginner to start with? I've been looking at Red Sea Max E170, Red Sea XL 200, Waterbox AIO and marine X, I've also seen the Aqua one tanks but don't much about them?

2. A follow on from the above, would you recommend going for an AIO system or one with a sump? As a side note to this question, my aquarium will be in my upstairs office, so I want to take weight and potential for leaks into account here.

With the above in mind, my plan is mainly for fish and soft corals, I don't want to do anything too advanced to begin with, but bearing in mind I may wish to progress further down the line. Costings wise, ideally I want to get everything for between £1500 - £2000 (not including sand, rock and fish). If there's any other tank options, I'm open to suggestions, I'd like something from 40 - 55G.

Thanks

Here is my best advice, you need to get a quarantine tank along with your main tank! I wish someone had told me that from day zero, treat all your fish first before adding them to the main tank, once you have corals on your main tank treating deseases is extremely hard!!

Impala67 · Mar 27, 2022

Joestanbo10 said:
Thank you for your reply.

I have quite a lot of space, but would like to stick to 40 - 55G tank, which generally seem about 60cm in length, one of the reasons for this, is that it will be upstairs, plus maintenance and water changes, I don't want to be too intensive. I'm not sure on the support beam, it would be up against an external wall, my house is a new build in the UK which are timber framed.

I'm kind of torn between the MAX E170 and XL200, I don't mind buying the equipment separately, and to be honest the costings I have come out with for lets say basic / getting started are £350 difference, would £350 be worth the extra 30L and in-cabinet sump?

I would not recommend a 55 there very flat and hard to aquascape!! I would probably do a 40 gal with a 20 gal sump the Max E170 is probably the best out of the others in my opinion…. Like I said opinion not everyone will agree. In all honesty it’s your choice

damsels are not mean · Mar 27, 2022

Joestanbo10 said:
Hello,

I've been researching and visiting a few local shops for a couple of months now with a view to getting a marine aquarium, I have a couple of questions I hope some of you can help me with.

1. What's the best tank for a beginner to start with? I've been looking at Red Sea Max E170, Red Sea XL 200, Waterbox AIO and marine X, I've also seen the Aqua one tanks but don't much about them?

2. A follow on from the above, would you recommend going for an AIO system or one with a sump? As a side note to this question, my aquarium will be in my upstairs office, so I want to take weight and potential for leaks into account here.

With the above in mind, my plan is mainly for fish and soft corals, I don't want to do anything too advanced to begin with, but bearing in mind I may wish to progress further down the line. Costings wise, ideally I want to get everything for between £1500 - £2000 (not including sand, rock and fish). If there's any other tank options, I'm open to suggestions, I'd like something from 40 - 55G.

Thanks

I think that size of tank is on the line between wanting a sump or not. If you plan a protein skimmer a sump makes that more feasible otherwise I think AIO is just more compact and simple in design. Leaves space under the tank for supplies which you will accumulate a lot of on your journey.

Nachopapa · Mar 27, 2022

I just upgraded (or in the process of) two small office tanks for me and my wife. After research (and currently owning a redsea 600) I went with Innovative Marine AIO 25g and 40g Pro2.

With sand, Marco dry rock, Redsea 50 and Dr Tims fishless one setup was $1100 and the other was $1300.

the 25g is finishing its cycle now and I really like it over the Biocube 16 it is replacing. 40g will arrive shortly to replace a biocube 32. The 24’x24’ form factor fit perfectly on a stand from a furniture store.

I had no interest in a sump for small tanks, my main tank sump on the redsea is awesome. I’m very happy with my redsea as well.