Best Starter Aquarium?

[elm03]

Hi! I’m new to this and never had a salt/fresh water tank before. I’ve been looking at different stores and places online to get a tank, but I’m not sure which one is best? I was looking at glass frameless ones, and possibly something from fluval but I’m curious as to what everyone else thinks! Thanks!!

 

[Spare time]

I think most of it depends on what you want to keep, your budget, and how big you want the tank to be.

 

[Tamberav]

Hi! I’m new to this and never had a salt/fresh water tank before. I’ve been looking at different stores and places online to get a tank, but I’m not sure which one is best? I was looking at glass frameless ones, and possibly something from fluval but I’m curious as to what everyone else thinks! Thanks!!

A 25 or 30g AIO I found to be the easiest and least stressful. Water changes are a breeze and everything is easily accessible to remove any pests, clean the sand, rocks and so on. Easy to light and easy to get proper flow.

 

[elm03]

I think most of it depends on what you want to keep, your budget, and how big you want the tank to be.

That is true! I’m gonna end up getting the Fluval Evo XII 13.5 gallon salt water kit.

 

[Derrick0580]

Get the largest tank your budget allows. The more water volume the more room for nutrient swings

 

[csturgis1989]

I started with a Fluval 13.5 and wish I had gone a little bigger especially since I ditched the lid and got a AI prime shortly after. Waterbox cube 20 gallons are nice and there are a lot of used ones out there that you can pick up reasonably priced.

 

[Fishpalace]

The Red Sea max nano peninsula is a cracking tank at 22g and is an aIo or a Red Sea reefer 170 which is 45g and is sumped.

both are good and similar footprint

 

[Idech]

That is true! I’m gonna end up getting the Fluval Evo XII 13.5 gallon salt water kit.

It’s a great tank to start and see if you like it. Just know that if you do, chances are you are going to want something bigger.

Maybe get a used one ?

 

[death-by-reef]

Water box 20 or a fluval m80 would be my suggestion

 

[drunkn_reefr]

Hello all. If you’re looking for a lower budget AIO give this tank a look. It’s made by Tidelines. I have a 22 gallon cube and it’s a nice little tank. I upgraded the return pump because it’s pretty bad. Just thought I’d share. Good luck. I didn’t checked the reviews when I purchased mine so you may want to check them out. But I have no complaints. It’s been running for well over a year.

Tideline All-In-One Aquariums

www.dfwaquarium.com

 

[Hairyteeth]

Their all good tanks, just pick what works for you and go with it….if reefing is for you, you’ll end up with another tank and most likely be successful with whatever you start with

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Get a 40 breeder. I have a Seapora Rimless low iron glass tank and love it. It requires a sump though.

 

[dracogrey]

I'm a newbie as well. Deciding between a Planet Tideline and the RS AIOs. Totally understand the rabbit holes you can get lost in. From everything I've read and watched (BRStv has helped a lot) going larger does help with the issues that crop up with newbie tanks as there's more buffer to make mistakes. Which I know I'll be doing no matter how much I prep.

 

[jake88mxdreef]

Hi! I’m new to this and never had a salt/fresh water tank before. I’ve been looking at different stores and places online to get a tank, but I’m not sure which one is best? I was looking at glass frameless ones, and possibly something from fluval but I’m curious as to what everyone else thinks! Thanks!!

wb 60.2

 

[davidcalgary29]

That is true! I’m gonna end up getting the Fluval Evo XII 13.5 gallon salt water kit.

Best AIO tank on the market for the money. It's also extremely popular, and you can mod the heck out of it for optimal performance. Best yet, if you find that you don't like reefing, you won't end up like many other folks do, and spend thousands of dollars on a setup...only to find out that you can only recoup cents on the dollar when you sell it. You really can't go wrong with it for a first tank and, if you want to upgrade later, it will serve as a great quarantine/hospital/frag tank.

 

[Pico bam]

Hi! I’m new to this and never had a salt/fresh water tank before. I’ve been looking at different stores and places online to get a tank, but I’m not sure which one is best? I was looking at glass frameless ones, and possibly something from fluval but I’m curious as to what everyone else thinks! Thanks!!

I'd really recommend a nuvo, waterbox or red sea aquarium, in that order. If you live in a populated are you can usually find a deal on a nice used tank and save a ton of money. That's how I started. Nuvo 25 lagoons are awsome and so are the nuvo 30l fusions.

 

[elm03]

Best AIO tank on the market for the money. It's also extremely popular, and you can mod the heck out of it for optimal performance. Best yet, if you find that you don't like reefing, you won't end up like many other folks do, and spend thousands of dollars on a setup...only to find out that you can only recoup cents on the dollar when you sell it. You really can't go wrong with it for a first tank and, if you want to upgrade later, it will serve as a great quarantine/hospital/frag tank.

Yeah, I found one in my area new out the box never used for $130 so I’m snatching it up

 

[Spare time]

That is true! I’m gonna end up getting the Fluval Evo XII 13.5 gallon salt water kit.

If I were you, I'd buy separate components. I had the evo tank. Something like a 20 gallon would be cheap to set up. A 40 gallon would be better and barely more expensive to setup.


Also please please please buy pre quarantined fish (this does not mean fish at an lfs that are sitting in copper water). Eventually you can set up your own qt for invets/coral and another for fish but it's easier to buy pre qt fish if you are brand new

 

[Tamberav]

The 13g is kind of small and limits what fish you can keep and limited space for corals.

You could honestly buy a 20g at Petco during the sales for $20 or the 40g for $40 or whatever. Then add your own quality lights and such and have more room for corals/fish then going with those little Fluvals and better lighting to boot.

The tank itself doesn't matter, it is just a glass box to hold water. It is the equiptment and ease of maintenance and size that are bigger factors.

 

[death-by-reef]

The 13g is kind of small and limits what fish you can keep and limited space for corals.

You could honestly buy a 20g at Petco during the sales for $20 or the 40g for $40 or whatever. Then add your own quality lights and such and have more room for corals/fish then going with those little Fluvals and better lighting to boot.

The tank itself doesn't matter, it is just a glass box to hold water. It is the lighting/flow/ease of maintinence and size that are bigger factors.

bros right about that