AIO tanks are a fail

Paulip

Paulip

New member
I decided to get back to the aquarium hobby after a long layover. AIO tanks are a new concept to me and I took a shot at it. I don't think the idea works.

AIO's took hold because of the influx of newer/older (not seasoned) people getting into the hobby. Aesthetics were a major consideration.

Advantages:

1) Hides the heater - Show me your picture of your fishes' burn marks. I promise not to call DCFS or PETA.
2) Hides the mechanical filter (for some of you crazies it hides your cheato filled refugium)
3) includes lights in the canopy

Unfortunately, anybody who has been in the hobby for awhile knows that different livestock and living conditions require vastly different setups.

Disadvantages

1) Locks you into very narrow operating parameters. ie Protein Skimmers. (Just happens to be one of the most important components of the reef hobby.) and Lights (Not worth beating this dead horse.)
2) the actual mechanical filtration less effective in terms of flow. The return pump may be 300 GPH. It is far from actual 300 gallons that needs to be cleaned per hour. The wier is only 2 inches wide and the water doesn't fall through the wier. The water partially moves back and forth between the sump and main display. So much swimming area lost below the top wier.
3) Media baskets require finger gymnastics to remove. (Ever pull out the basket out of an Aquaclear 50 or cannister? Thumb and forefinger.)
4) Lights...we know this. That's why newer AIO's have an open top.
5) There is a collection of crud on your pump intake. The most inconveniently accessible part of the tank is also the one requiring the most cleaning. I was silly enough to graze it with a toothbrush while running. WOW! I wish I had a Magnum H.O.T right now.


AIO offer the promise of one McReefTank operability. But, it really doesn't. You can probably go many more directions starting with a bare glass tank and a canister filter. The AIO movement is just a way for manufacturers to sell a few square feet of glass/acrylic for several hundred dollars. Somebody stop the insanity!
 
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I jumped on the bandwagon a year ago and I regret everything, now I got my new tank up and going can't wait for the switch
 
What AIO did you have? AIO are great for nano tanks. There are plenty of successful AIO tanks full of SPS. The new AIO tanks have plenty of space in the back for protein skimmers, reactors, and such. The light is whatever you want. People run Kessil, AI, even T5 with AIO tanks.
 
Biocube 14.

I am aware of compact skimmers. And I may be talking out of hearsay, but I really doubt the efficiency of these compact skimmers. Not that I am obsessed with a "dry skim", but that is a start.

Agree with the light options which I earlier mentioned to be the beating a dead horse topic for AIO since they have gone topless. It's just a form factor discussion at this point.

As for the nano argument, I still think a canister filter with heating (Eheim made such a product) takes care of that with much less space and much more efficiency. Case in point, consider the dosage for carbon or purigen for these nanos. That media basket area is a lot of space for those small dosages. Do I make up for it in polyfil?

People who decry "nitrate factory" with canisters obviously never thought of swishing the mechanical media in used tank water once a week. But, that is another dead horse.
 
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oh man, i feel you then if you have a Biocube 14. The new AIOs are SOOOO much nicer. I always hated the biocubes. Check out IM's new 25 gallon and 50 gallon lagoon tanks. They are sweeeet. But I will have to say most AIO comes with shitty equipments and you eventually will upgrade them all.

I had a 12 gallon nano and still run a 5 gallon nano. I also just got a new Red Sea Reefer 350. Having a sump is awesome but I think both style of tanks have their pros and cons. For a lot of folks that dont have a lot of space, AIO is a great alternative. The simplicity is also very attractive.
 
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As stated pros and cons to both AIO and sump systems. I had the sump on a elos mini and it was like cleaning two tanks. Even with a sock, detritus accumulated and for me it was a pain to clean. IM changed the aio game with the fusion series. Skimmer,media reactor socks are all hidden in the back and extremely quiet. Since I started with biocubes, I am interested in seeing how they improved upon things with the new led series about to be released.
 
I have a JBJ 30 rimless and I love the tank. Never had any issues with it except wanting more room for coral but I don't have the space for a bigger tank. But with this tank i never have any issues with filtration or anything

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
 
I love my Nuvo 40 and 20 and also the 10 and 30 i had and sold i owned a biocube and there nice but i prefer the Nuvos because of the different tank sizes that are available
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personally, I had great success with softies in a aio especially zoas of all quality ranges. I ran a jbj28, but upgrades are a need especially the media rack
 
The Nuvos are beautiful based on the current mode in tastes. However you (Ricoreef), dear sir, are past cheato-crazy with your mangrove sticking out of your sump. Actually, its a classy touch. I am guessing you will have to train (bonsai) them under the light with some wire.

So far, Fluval Edge with a Marine bacpac upgrade is an AIO which doesn't give up too much of the efficiency that I spoke off.

https://saltwater-conversion.com/products/marine-pac-3 . $600 bucks Holy Cow.
 
Paulip said:
The Nuvos are beautiful based on the current mode in tastes. However you (Ricoreef), dear sir, are past cheato-crazy with your mangrove sticking out of your sump. Actually, its a classy touch. I am guessing you will have to train (bonsai) them under the light with some wire.

So far, Fluval Edge with a Marine bacpac upgrade is an AIO which doesn't give up too much of the efficiency that I spoke off.

https://saltwater-conversion.com/products/marine-pac-3 . $600 bucks Holy Cow.
Click to expand...

Hey paulip i dont use a fuge the mangroves are just for looks i just like them sticking out ? and am quite new to this one day ill be like the big boys and have a boy sps tank with big a boy sump/ fuge well thats the plan for now just learning from you guys thanks for everyone's advice and help here chicagoreef #1
 
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I am downgrading my thread to a rant. (Though, still short of a retraction.)

After some consideration, I realized that all of the return plumbing from a an HOB/External scheme would totally demolish your rock scape and flow planning which is extra critical in reefkeeping. I was thinking with a freshwater mindset.

:poo:

Excellent presentation for AIO's when not running the cabinet sump. http://blog.marinedepot.com/2016/02...-all-in-one-aquarium-upgrades-tank-hacks.html
 
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I have a Red Sea Max 130 (34g) and im pretty happy with it.



View attachment 16143

I removed the top ,added my own lights.
The filtration does leave alot to be desired, but overall im pretty happy with the results and how it functions.
Not the answer to reefing problems, but so easy and convenient compared to adding sumps and fuges and baffles and return pumps and plumbing and overflows etc etc..
 
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