Best aio tank

[chris k.]

Looking for some ideas on a tank at least 20 gallons. That the equipment it comes with is good and needs no upgrades. I have a evo 13.5 that i like. I use it a a qt. I also have a 110 gallon display. Just looking for something smaller. Maybe it will be an anemone or rock flower tank.

 

[Highgrade]

Cant beat Innovative Marine. Well built and nice glass. You can get them on sale often for 10-20% off. Some of the smaller tanks come with a screen for the top which is a nice plus. Just need a light and a heater and you should be good.

 

[LanM]

Check out the C-vue line from Cobalt Aquatics. Finally rolled them out...very high quality by the looks of things. Mitered corners, low iron, drillable, dual overflows, MJ pumps, blah blah. Stearns and Foster has 20% off right now, I ordered a 26 C-vue shipped to my house for $200+tax. Really wanted the 40, but at 36 inches the Hydra 26 wouldn't cut the mustard.

 

[HolisticBear]

Looking for some ideas on a tank at least 20 gallons. That the equipment it comes with is good and needs no upgrades. I have a evo 13.5 that i like. I use it a a qt. I also have a 110 gallon display. Just looking for something smaller. Maybe it will be an anemone or rock flower tank.

Waterbox has some interesting AIO (you need to buy equipment), and the Red Sea Max Nano and Max 170 are nice. IM & Waterbox make lagoon shapped AIOs, while Red Sea are more square.

 

[Dodgersfan]

I think Red Sea is the benchmark if you don’t care about cost differences.

SCA has a smoking deal on a 50g 2’ cube that comes with everything but lights, but that’s pushing the limits on “nano” I wish they made a smaller one, I’ve been looking for something in the 20-30 gal range that’s better than a bio cube but less expensive than a Red Sea to put in my office...
(And I’m also trying to talk my wife into letting me put one of those 50g cubes in the bedroom )

Actually just noticed you specified AIO l, neither of these are AIO, both have sumps. I don’t know of an AIO that comes fully equipped besides the bio/nano cubes.

 

[mta_morrow]

I had my IM30L up and running for 2 years till I moved and upsized. Highly recommend their equipment and customer service was top notch. BTW, my complete IM30L system is for sale[emoji57]

 

[jeffthomas]

Check out the C-vue line from Cobalt Aquatics. Finally rolled them out...very high quality by the looks of things. Mitered corners, low iron, drillable, dual overflows, MJ pumps, blah blah. Stearns and Foster has 20% off right now, I ordered a 26 C-vue shipped to my house for $200+tax. Really wanted the 40, but at 36 inches the Hydra 26 wouldn't cut the mustard.

The C-Vue look really nice. How did you get 20% off?

 

[LanM]

There was a code FEBFLASH that gave 20% off. That was just a few days ago so I'm guessing it's still active I can check.

Last month it was janflash....
Im guessing next month it will be marflash, ha.

From what I hear they're built in the same Factory that the jbj tanks are, put the difference being aside from the actual dimensions mitered corners and whatnot.

 

[Cnidoblast]

Avoid the biocube at all costs! All the fittings and backend dimensions are nonstandard!

 

[LanM]

Just checked foster&smith, apparently the code had expired.

I've seen a 20% code active twice int he past month, so I'd assume it would be available again soon.

 

[Heyy_KB]

love my waterbox 30gallon. bigger "sump" than IM 25 and it's 24x24.

 

[Ignitros]

I went with the Fluval M90. Look in the member tank section for mine. I posted pics of my setup. It comes with everything you need to get started for around $800. I got mine for $600 on sale.

 

[Stevied71]

Red Sea Nano Max, comes with everything you need. Including a top shelve AI Prime HD- LED.

 

[polyppal]

+1 on the innovative marine tanks. for the price you can't beat the quality and sexy rimless looks

 

[Why-Me]

I'm absolutely stuck between the Red Sea Max 170 and the SCA 50 gallon cube EcoTech Edition

 

[LetItReef]

I like the modern look- rimless and clarity of Innovative marine.

 

[splix]

FWIW, I like the IM tanks, I had the 25 lagoon in the past. I wanted to go with another AIO tank that was a bit larger and was looking at the IM 50 lagoon. By the time you bought all the gear, the red sea E-series were the same price. I went with an red sea max E-260 and couldnt be happier. I've upgraded nothing and have no intention to.

 

[Tahoe61]

I am in the IM group as well. Sharp looking tanks and easy to modify. I had the IM 20, and I have had Bio-Cubes and JBJ's. If your not looking to add a sump the IM 20 is perfect. Easy to maintain and low cost on equipment compared to other medium sized tanks.

 

[Luno]

I made my own aio out of acrylic nano cube. Just siliconed pieces of black acrylic. Made 3 sections for my fuge, skimmer and return. Turned a 20g tank into 5g rear sump and 15g display

 

[Kenny4128]

Did anyone end up getting the 45g C-Vue? I too bought the tank/stand with the 20% off coupon $530 all in . I am concerned on the lack of information that is available on these tanks. Seems like their marketing team needs to step up their game. At least JBJ offers dimensions of their sump compartments so you have an idea of what will fit in them. I was really excited to see these tanks come to market and have been waiting like the rest of you since late 2016 but, wish I knew a little bit more about it. I will do an un-boxing video and show the dimensions when I get mine, it suppose to be here on Tuesday 3/6. Fingers crossed I don't get a box of glass cause I am really excited about this build. I am coming from a JBJ RL30, I know its not a huge upgrade but, my light only covers a 24" area effectively (Maxscpect Ethereal). I have made a few mistakes on that build that I wont do this next time around, no more black sand, this stuff has metal in it and sticks to mag cleaners, pump drives, and is sugar fine so it blows all over the place when you turn up the flow. It looks cool but, it does't offer any pH buffering and is really not meant for a reef system. I am going with a DEP-4000 DC return pump (1000 GPH, I will turn it down), Tunze Comline 9004 DC, 200w titanium digital heater, 40 lbs dry marco rock (glued and epoxied), 40 lbs Carb Sea Aragonite Reef Sand, Tunze Osimalator, and either an MP10 or the Maxspext Gyre XF230 ( I have both but want to see witch one provides the best flow for my setup. I will also be putting the rock on egg crate to keep them from shifting. My biggest worry is fitting the skimmer in the second chamber, in my 30g I just razor cut the second dividing baffle out and it fit no problem but the skimmer was constantly running at variable water heights and depended on the ATO to keep it in the sweet spot however, this is not an ideal setup. If I have to I will cut the second baffle out on the C-Vue and move it accordingly then re-silicone it back into place. I have high hope for this setup and hope it last me for a least 5+ years I have done large aquariums in the past but, the simplicity of an all in one nanos hold a special place in my heart.