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Pod Your Reef

Your Favortie All-In-One setup


Luk3

Your Favorite  

57 members have voted

  1. 1. Whats your favorite AIO setup?

    • AquaPod
      14
    • BioCube
      31
    • Nano Cube
      15


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Hi Everyone,

I'm very new to the nano-reefing world and i am fascinated by it. I am about to start my first SW tank and ive been doing alot of reading on this site and found out that I have a lot to learn and that everyone seems very helpful and friendly. I started this thread in hopes that people will say which set up they have/like the best and why. Anything about anything is always appreciated and helpful.

 

Luk3

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you didn't put cadlights as an option... :P lol i chose the BC14 because i like the size and looks. i also like the fact that there's a sunpod that fits nicely over it :)

 

for me, it's kinda hard to choose between AIO systems because you always end up ripping out their guts and modifying the crap out of it just to make it reef compatible.

 

Tim

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All of these units can be ran stock depending on what you want to run in them. I chose the BC because I really liked the fit and finish. Of course I have done a bunch of mods but that is just how I roll. I mod my truck, my snowmobiles, heck I even did a mod on my wife :bling: ...talk about an upgrade :naughtydance: !!

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thanks for all your replies. Does anyone ever leave anything stock? im trying to keep my spending cost down. Also my LFS is selling a 12 AQ for 139 and a 24 AQ for 189. Does anyone like the stock aquapod?

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lol i mod pretty much everything i come across too... but i don't think i'd ever do my girlfriend. i'm not that hardcore... and she's supahsexy the way she is. lol

 

you can keep most of it stock for FOWLR or very low light corals/inverts (mushrooms or pure filter feeders) but you'll have to rip out the bioballs and other filter media it comes with. it helps to just take out all the filter media in the back compartments and turn it into a mini fuge, as well as replacing the stock pump with a more powerful and efficient pump.

 

have you done any reading in the forum? there are a lot of threads that other people have started about how they run their AIO system. maybe that's why you aren't getting many responses?

 

Tim

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i have been doing alot of reading i just thought i would try to compile them in one place and see what everyone has to say about everything. This is a very newbie question but what inverts and corals are low light?

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Despite popular vote i am going with the Aquapod 12g. Ive read up on these and realized that there are 3 versions. The 7050, 7051, and 7052. I found out that the 7051 and 7052 have an "adjustable weir overflow filtration system." What i was wondering was if there is any reason that the 7051 and 52 are substantially better than the 7050, and my other (most likely very noobish) question is what is a adjustable weir overflow filtration system and is it a vital or necesary part or will my reef and i survive without it.

 

Sorry for all the questions, im trying to get into this addicting hobby and i want to start off on the right track.

Any info whatsoever will be greatly appreciated.

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i did the research a while back and i am under the impression that the Aquapod is the best buy only because your going to mod everything anyway. So why not get the cheapest one. So unless somone has a reason that the Aquapod "tank" alot worse than the rest, then i would go with it. just my 2 cents.

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I would go with the new Nanocube MH HQI 24 g. Plumbling system is way better in the new design and no need to mod it. It comes with a wave maker that controls both powerheads and a cheap air driven skimmer and a nice spot for a heater (constant water level).

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went with biocube...only cuz of the extra 5 gallons...the bc29 looks freakin awesome...but besides the extra volume, aquapod next, then nano-cube....but finnex and red sea max would be 1 and 2 if they were on ur list....mostly for looks

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thanks for all the replies guys i really appreciate it. cadlights, IMO, is pretty sexy, but a little to sexy for my price range -_- , and like atomic said if im just going to mod it i might as well go cheap.

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supreme_spork
i own an ap24 that i have no problems with, i like the cadlights 34gal though, except that its acrylic

 

 

the CAD 34g is glass...

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None of the 3 above in the poll. Hands down the best AIO is either a Finnex 30g glass or the CAD 34g. You simply can't beat an open-topped AIO setup if you don't go custom route. The JBJ 28g HQI is a very close 2nd however.

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I think the real answer, is - What are you gonna put in the tank?

 

First - how much live rock? From reading the forums, and from my own experience, this is the first question to answer.

 

I have 40 lbs of live rock in my BioCube 29g. I have a protein skimmer (Tunze 9002), but even with fish and corals and over feeding - the bioload doesn't produce very much skimmate. This may be due to the insane amount of live rock, maybe not.

 

Second - how close are you to a LFS or LRS that has GOOD RO/DI or saltwater for sale?

 

If you do 5-gallon water changes every 2 weeks, and it is convienant to do so, you probably don't need a skimmer. I know alot of people will disagree, but after reading and reading and talking and talking, water changes can take the place of a PS in small volume tanks.

 

Third - What corals are you gonna put in it.

 

If you are gonna put crazy difficult or moderately difficult to keep corals in your tank, then yes, you will need to MOD pretty much everything. But, I know various people running stock BC29's and 1 Redsea Max completely stock. They have a ton of corals and fish, and they do regular water changes and test basic parameters twice a week. However, it only takes one coral you really love, and if this coral needs better lighting, better filtration, lower nitrate levels, etc, you may find yourself moding everything so it can live in your tank.

 

Fourth - Hobby or Casual?

 

A lot of people on these forums are hobbiests. I think we do mods because we enjoy thinking, planning, working, and then seeing the out come of our labor over time. Just because a bunch of people on these forums tell you that you HAVE to mod these tanks doesnt mean ANYTHING. With all due respect to everyone on these forums (you have saved my tank several times). It is just that a lot of people here are hobbiests, we tinker, and watch and tinker and watch. Plus, many people here have tanks that support very very difficult to keep livestock. I have seen plenty of set-ups that could just as easily support 50 or 60 gallon tanks, but are being used on a 29 to 34g tank.

 

You can run ANY of the 5 major brands stock. There are good and bad things about all of them. You can do small mods to most of them to install features that don't come stock.

 

If you are just going for looks, then pick the one that you like the LOOK of best. Don't worry about features. You will add corals based on what you think can live in your tank and how they look.

 

If you are a hobbiest type, then go with the tank at the low end of your budget, get out a note pad and paper, and start planning your mods from the begging.

 

For example, I cant remember the thread, but I guy took at RedSea Max (34g?) and added a 30g sump in a custom stand he built. He wanted a lot of fish, didnt have room for anything bigger then 30g or so. He has a ridiculus set-up. He has a 34g tank with a 60g water system.

 

I am a fan of stock lighting. There is always lighting bigger and better then what you have. If your budget is restrictive and you want the versatility of MH, then get a tank that comes stock with MH.

 

Price out all the mods you think you may do to a tank, and then look at the stock prices of the various all-in-ones.

 

That is my $0.02, well since this is a little long, I guess it is my $0.50 :P

 

Cheers.

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Once again thank you for all the responses ecspecially ge0.

 

Im going to have probably 10-12 pounds of fiji LR, with around 15-18 pounds of LS

 

I havent asked my closest LFS about their saltwater situation.

 

For corals and livestock im going to go very slow to get the feel for everything. I was thinking mainly about zoas, along with mushrooms, possibly leathers and a xenia, and i would really like a anenome but from what i hear they are kinda difficult to keep happy in such small quarters. For livestock i was thinking about clownfish (most likely false percs) and im still deciding on one or two, along with sometype of blenny or a goby. For CUC, cleaner shrimp, and a peppermint shrimp along with the other usual CUC members.

 

I would like to do mods but i guess that im a little worried that im going to break something or do something wrong. So i guess in ge0s perspective i would be more of a casual person.

i had a couple of questions about livestock and corals

What are the most easiest to keep type of zoas in a 12g

What are the most easiest to keep anenomes in a 12g

and do blood shrimp and cleaner shrimp get along, and do peppermint shrimp and cleaner shrimp get along?

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I would like to do mods but i guess that im a little worried that im going to break something or do something wrong. So i guess in ge0s perspective i would be more of a casual person.

i had a couple of questions about livestock and corals

What are the most easiest to keep type of zoas in a 12g

What are the most easiest to keep anenomes in a 12g

and do blood shrimp and cleaner shrimp get along, and do peppermint shrimp and cleaner shrimp get along?

 

The most destructive mod I've done is cutting a little piece of plastic. I think most mods involve moving something, replacing something, upgrading something, etc.

 

All zoas are going to require the same in terms of care, so get the colors you like.

 

I'm not sure any anemone is a great idea for a 12g unless it is a feature tank. Anemone's can get big and stop you from having other corals because they sting them. They also tend to move around from time to time and cause havoc if they do so. I have an RBTA in my BC29, but I am prepared to get rid of it if it gets too large.

 

This is tongue in cheek - you could keep a glass anemone :) (aka aiptasia - PITA pest).

 

I would pick one shrimp. They tend to run around and make corals close up.

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