What do you consider an "AIO"?

[JNalley]

Ok only one more stupid example I swear. My sons aio cpu cooler didn't include the gif of tacocat and if your water block doesn't have tacocat on it, then is it really working as advertised?

lol. He has a nice lookin PC though, real clean. The only thing I'd add is a 120 or even 140 (if it will support it) at the back as an exhaust just so he pulls some air over the VRM's on the motherboard. But definitely a nice-looking and clean build.

 

[Gtinnel]

lol. He has a nice lookin PC though, real clean. The only thing I'd add is a 120 or even 140 (if it will support it) at the back as an exhaust just so he pulls some air over the VRM's on the motherboard. But definitely a nice-looking and clean build.

Thanks. It may be his pc (he's 13) but I'm the one who put it together, picked the parts, and paid for it. Next time I have it open I'm planning on putting an exhaust fan on the back. I should have done it when I removed the old cpu cooler and installed the water cooler but I didn't think about it until it was back together.

It really bugs me that the fans don't match, and it really needs rgb memory, but otherwise I think it turned out fairly decent for someone who has only build a few computers.

 

[Tamberav]

So, a little backstory. Had an established reef tank running from 2004 - 2011, but had a big move, and the logistics of the move, plus the space I was moving into prohibited me from carrying on the hobby. Fast-forward to this past 2 weeks, I decided to share the hobby with my 2-year-old daughter, so decided to try and get into something "for cheap". An AIO *seemed* like a perfect option. However, this is where the headache starts.

To me, something that is All-in-one should always give you the bare minimums to get a tank up and running, Glass, Filtration, Pump(s), Heater, and Light... Those 5 things to me, constitute the BARE MINIMUM for an AIO. However, I've noticed that nearly no companies provide heaters, a lot of companies market AIO's without lights, and some even market without pumps. Do you guys really consider these to be "All-in-one"??

What I'd like to see in that lane of tanks is
Basic AIO: Tank, Pump, Filters, Lights, Heater
Intermediate AIO: includes above + Skimmer, More lights, Or some extra peripherals (siphon/gravel cleaner, tank scraper, etc)
Advanced AIO: Same as above but maybe a sump or fuge, or reactors of some kind, maybe some automation or powerheads...

I dunno, AIO just seems to be a term that isn't well defined, and definitely doesn't live up to what I would consider All-in-one

The most complete set of tanks I found that come close are the Fluval's, but none of them come with a heater... they do however give you everything else in my list of basic requirements... so that's something... and depending on where you're purchasing from, you can add in the optional recommended heater from them during the shopping process, so, that's at least a little better.

What do you guys think?

I consider an AIO to be anything with a filtration chamber inside the tank itself instead of a sump or hang on back.

That is it.

I don't like getting bundled equiptment. Rather pay less for the tank and buy what I want to add on.

 

[blaxsun]

I disagree with your thinking. To me AIO just means that all of the equipment will be contained within the display tank. I wouldn't take it to mean that it comes with everything.

That's pretty much my take as well. AIO = smaller internal sump (usually in the back or along the side). Often little or no ATO capacity, so AIO often equates to manual top-up.

 

[TheDragonsReef]

AIO in the hobby typical refers to a display tank with filter section all built into one tank.

My aio frag tank i built for example

 

[JNalley]

Thanks. It may be his pc (he's 13) but I'm the one who put it together, picked the parts, and paid for it. Next time I have it open I'm planning on putting an exhaust fan on the back. I should have done it when I removed the old cpu cooler and installed the water cooler but I didn't think about it until it was back together.

It really bugs me that the fans don't match, and it really needs rgb memory, but otherwise I think it turned out fairly decent for someone who has only build a few computers.

Well, the fact that the black NZXT fans are at the front makes it a bit better. I have RGB Memory in one of my PC's and regular in the other. The thing about RGB Memory (at least from Corsair (iCue and Lightloop fans = amazing)) is that it's generally slower timing memory so, if I had to do the initial one all over again I wouldn't have RGB memory.