Freshwater aquascaper evolving his hobby

Is all-in-one better than having a sump below the stand for a 30gal. display?

  • Yes

    Votes: 3 50.0%
  • No

    Votes: 3 50.0%

  • Total voters
    6
As a fellow freshwater enthusiast, I respect your work! It's a nice Dutch-style, with a little of the Iwagumi motif. I know how much pruning and other effort goes into that.

The good news is that your reef tank probably won't be much more expensive, or difficult except for the price of the inhabitants. You have the same concepts down - measuring water chemistry and dosing. That's the primary difference between your average freshwater consumer and saltwater. You've probably got a decent understanding of algae too.

I didn't answer your poll because I don't think it's that simple. Extra volume and room for equipment is good, but that's all the sump will afford you. A 30 gallon with a skimmer and UV will be just as good as a 20 gallon with a 10 gallon sump and the same equipment imo. Fish stocking density is important too but I think you know that by now.

I run a 90 gallon, packed with coral, that pays for all of my tank expenses (9 tanks). Been building up the 20 and 10 gallon tanks with coral too though. The 90 has a skimmer, UV, and dosing pumps. The 20 has a skimmer and the 10 has nothing other than the filter. The 8 gallon biocube is my newest tank, and the problem child. It's dealing with dinoflagellates at the moment.
 
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Welcome to the site! I actually just got my son a 30 gallon long Innovative Marine Nuvo Pro. Currently building a custom cabinet stand for it. Can't wait to get it setup
Wish my father bought me those kind of gifts!
My father did build two stands for me though.

Your son is lucky!
 
As a fellow freshwater enthusiast, I respect your work! It's a nice Dutch-style, with a little of the Iwagumi motif. I know how much pruning and other effort goes into that.

The good news is that your reef tank probably won't be much more expensive, or difficult except for the price of the inhabitants. You have the same concepts down - measuring water chemistry and dosing. That's the primary difference between your average freshwater consumer and saltwater. You've probably got a decent understanding of algae too.

I didn't answer your poll because I don't think it's that simple. Extra volume and room for equipment is good, but that's all the sump will afford you. A 30 gallon with a skimmer and UV will be just as good as a 20 gallon with a 10 gallon sump and the same equipment imo. Fish stocking density is important too but I think you know that by now.

I run a 90 gallon, packed with coral, that pays for all of my tank expenses (9 tanks). Been building up the 20 and 10 gallon tanks with coral too though. The 90 has a skimmer, UV, and dosing pumps. The 20 has a skimmer and the 10 has nothing other than the filter. The 8 gallon biocube is my newest tank, and the problem child. It's dealing with dinoflagellates at the moment.
Thanks, I appreciate you saying that and your input. Hopefully you can show me one of your displays. I’m still learning about the differences between fresh and salt. You are right, a lot of the concepts are the same.
 
Thanks, I’d recommend you look into Dennis Wong’s channel on you tube or his main website 2hr aquarist. He’s an incredibly talented source of info. on aquascaping as he tries to simplify a complete approach to it. I don’t really play Pokémon anymore, just collect perhaps one of these days. My days of competitive battling are long gone!
i already occasionally watch George farmer but i will check him out
 
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Awesome planted tank! For that size, an AIO would be a great option
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%

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