Brand new and need some input

[CarrieHess]

Hi guys.. Hopefully you all are open to a newbie looking for advice.

I am brand new to the scene. Have been watching tons of videos and reading more than my brain can take on some days. After visiting two local exotic fish shops, I have narrowed my tank down to two different ones that would work well in my space.

First one a tank setup with the sump pump below. The second one is an all in one with the system behind the tank up against the wall. My preference as far as looks is the all in one but I find myself wondering if they are as effective as the sump pump tanks. I guess my question is, if I go with the all in one, will I regret not doing a sump pump later? Are their benefits to one over the other minus the appearance and how the setup is?

Any advice in advance is much appreciated. Thank you for reading!

 

[Alarmguy66]

Ive had both, a 180 with a 55 gallon sump, tanks without sumps, and now a 40 gallon AIO. The sump definitely makes water changes easier, gives you a place to hide away equipment, and gives more flexibility in general. Plus its an extra volume of water for stability. It might seem contradictory, but I think its a better way to go when you are just starting out, even though it seems more complex. The All in one limits you a lot in what you can do, and if you dont understand the consequences of those limitations, you can get in trouble deep and fast.

That being said, I am running an AIO right now and I find it gives me more time to appreciate the tank and less time to worry about things running properly in the tank.

A lot of it comes down to what you are trying to keep. Fish only, AIO, LPS or softies, AIO can work fine with the right attention, SPS, probably will have more luck with a sump in the long run. You will probably get a lot of opinions on this, so take in what people have to say and make the decision for yourself.

 

[GoVols]

Go with a sump.

You can get better filtration (better skimmer area), added water volume to your system, and more display tank area, easier to maintain (service) over the long haul, and you can put your heater and other equipment (fuge area) etc in the sump.

Good luck with your final decision.

 

[F i s h y]

Ive had both, a 180 with a 55 gallon sump, tanks without sumps, and now a 40 gallon AIO. The sump definitely makes water changes easier, gives you a place to hide away equipment, and gives more flexibility in general. Plus its an extra volume of water for stability. It might seem contradictory, but I think its a better way to go when you are just starting out, even though it seems more complex. The All in one limits you a lot in what you can do, and if you dont understand the consequences of those limitations, you can get in trouble deep and fast.

That being said, I am running an AIO right now and I find it gives me more time to appreciate the tank and less time to worry about things running properly in the tank.

A lot of it comes down to what you are trying to keep. Fish only, AIO, LPS or softies, AIO can work fine with the right attention, SPS, probably will have more luck with a sump in the long run. You will probably get a lot of opinions on this, so take in what people have to say and make the decision for yourself.

This is great advice. I have only ever had tanks with sumps. This is a great answer. I agree it does come down to your long term goals for your slice of the reef.

Welcome to the community. Lots of great people here. Happy reefing!

 

[fishguy242]

hi welcome to the reef going to love it here!!
lots of fun/info/fun/help/fun...
i am going to say sump,many more options of equip,more water volume,do not forget ground probe,either way you go

 

[CarrieHess]

A lot of it comes down to what you are trying to keep. Fish only, AIO, LPS or softies, AIO can work fine with the right attention, SPS, probably will have more luck with a sump in the long run. You will probably get a lot of opinions on this, so take in what people have to say and make the decision for yourself.

Thank you for the input!

So as of right now, I am thinking it's going to be minor. A blackstorm clown fish or two, a shrimp, maybe a crab and a tang of some sort. I do not plan on having a massive amount of fish but just a few that I can enjoy and see swimming around. As far as corals goes, I am hoping a handful of softies & some bubble corals. Again this may change after having a tank for a year or two because I know how addicting it may become for me but at least in the beginning. I hope to just work on building something beautiful but isn't too crazy to maintain if that makes sense.

 

[Ippyroy]

Sumps can be used when you upgrade your tank. An AIO cannot be upgraded. The equipment for them, skimmers and reactors, tend to be limited as well. But both are great and anything that holds water can do the job and produce a beautiful and successful reef. It all comes down to the time and effort you are willing to put in. Good luck and enjoy the journey.

 

[NashobaTek]

 

[Robertellis30]

I have a pair of storms. I love them! Great easy fish to start off with!

 

[CarrieHess]

I have a pair of storms. I love them! Great easy fish to start off with!

thank you! I fell in love with them the minute I saw them

 

[LoneStarReef]

Hi guys.. Hopefully you all are open to a newbie looking for advice.

I am brand new to the scene. Have been watching tons of videos and reading more than my brain can take on some days. After visiting two local exotic fish shops, I have narrowed my tank down to two different ones that would work well in my space.

First one a tank setup with the sump pump below. The second one is an all in one with the system behind the tank up against the wall. My preference as far as looks is the all in one but I find myself wondering if they are as effective as the sump pump tanks. I guess my question is, if I go with the all in one, will I regret not doing a sump pump later? Are their benefits to one over the other minus the appearance and how the setup is?

Any advice in advance is much appreciated. Thank you for reading!

Sump all the way. So much better and allows for more volume. Plus I like having a refugium for nutrient removal. I have a bunch of macro algae in mine. Does such a great job my nutrients are way too low (which I have corrected). Anyway, that’s my two cents. One other piece of unsolicited advice: buy as big of a tank as you can afford. I went with a 90 right off the bat (plus 30 sump) and I don’t regret it one bit. Enjoy! Happy reefing.