Best All In One Saltwater Tank

[Jolee0722]

What is the best 50 gallon or below all in one/ plug and play aquarium? I have seen the jbj nanocube, biocube and biocube hqi, as well as the innovative marine nuvo series and Red Sea max 130d. Is there any other recommendations out there on a good 50 gallon or below all in one tank? Could you also recommend out of all the good ones, which one is the best? I am looking for something not too small but not too big.

 

[Tkey3425]

I like the Red Sea tanks personally. Like the max 250, it's 60 gallons but the design of them I'd awesome and 60 gallons is fairly forgiving.

 

[dragonfisher33]

I like the Red Sea tanks personally. Like the max 250, it's 60 gallons but the design of them I'd awesome and 60 gallons is fairly forgiving.

red sea is good, but ultra expensive in my opinion. something like 60 is easily thousands of dollars. it's almost like the designer tank in the fish hobby

 

[dmolavi]

Is there a reason you're going with a "kit" tank vs getting individual components? One thing to watch out for when you buy a kit tank is that replacement parts, flexibility, and expandability will be severely limited.

You could get a 55 gallon tank for $55 during the quarterly Petco sale, find/buy/build a stand, and then either buy new equipment or used from Craigslist, for less than something like the RedSea Max.

 

[Jolee0722]

I really don't have the equipment to drill in an overflow, which is almost a must have fore saltwater tanks. And also, this will be my first saltwater tank, so might as well start with a kit and maybe later on if thinking about getting a bigger one, then I will probably drill. I have freshwater tanks, but I still want to get my feet wet in saltwater. I have seen the Red Sea max 250 for $1649.99, but that might be too big for the space I have available for a fish tank and slightly over my budget.

 

[dmolavi]

Your LFS could drill it for you; most charge around $25 for it. All you need is a power drill and diamond hole-saw bit. BRSTv has a video on it:
Installing an internal aquarium overflow and drilling holes in glass aquariums - YouTube

Instructions on drilling holes in glass aquariums - Bulk Reef Supply - YouTube

 

[Mebbid]

I really don't have the equipment to drill in an overflow, which is almost a must have fore saltwater tanks. And also, this will be my first saltwater tank, so might as well start with a kit and maybe later on if thinking about getting a bigger one, then I will probably drill. I have freshwater tanks, but I still want to get my feet wet in saltwater. I have seen the Red Sea max 250 for $1649.99, but that might be too big for the space I have available for a fish tank and slightly over my budget.

I agree about buying components separately. Any glass shop or local reef store should be able to easily drill a tank for you. You will save a ton of money avoiding the kit as well as being able to completely customize your tank. The only downside is a little more research on your part.

 

[Jolee0722]

How much do you think something around a little above 60 gallons with probably about a 20 gallon sump will cost?

 

[dmolavi]

If you wait for the dollar/gallon sale at Petco, the sump will be $20. You can find a 60 on Craigslist for $100 or less usually. (Some Petcos include 60 and 75 gallon tanks in the sale, but not all).

Then you just need a stand. Again, Craigslist is usually the way to go, or you can build one on your own. Lots of threads online on how to do it with lumber from Home Depot or Lowes.

 

[Tkey3425]

If you wait for the dollar/gallon sale at Petco, the sump will be $20. You can find a 60 on Craigslist for $100 or less usually. (Some Petcos include 60 and 75 gallon tanks in the sale, but not all).

Then you just need a stand. Again, Craigslist is usually the way to go, or you can build one on your own. Lots of threads online on how to do it with lumber from Home Depot or Lowes.

I built my 210 tank with MH lighting, skimmer, sump, uv sterilizer, overflows, pumps, etc for a full blown sps capable reef and I paid less than $2500 for everything buying stuff online as I went. The Red Sea max 250 is my other tank in my office at work. I paid about $1700 for it so your estimate is close. But it is an absolutely beautiful tank because yes it is a "designer" tank but its absolutely the best looking tank as far an exterior and a good aqua scape and coral is just the icing in the cake. I can't keep a reef at work because I'd never get anything done so my office tank is just a fish only tank.

 

[Jolee0722]

Do you know where I can buy a rimless tank or which company makes the best rimless tank.

 

[dmolavi]

If money is no object, go acrylic. Stronger and clearer than glass, but expensive as all get out. Not sure about good manufacturers, though.

 

[Jolee0722]

I'd like to save as much money as possible

 

[Tkey3425]

Do you know where I can buy a rimless tank or which company makes the best rimless tank.

Our local petsmart had a nice rimless 40 gallon set up. Overflow holes are not required, you can use an overflow box. I personally would not drill my own tank. My 210 is drilled from the factory but it has extreme bracing under there. You could use a canister set up instead of a sump. Just keep up the maintenance on the canister and you won't have issues

 

[Jolee0722]

What do you put in your sump Tkey3425?

 

[Mebbid]

Our local petsmart had a nice rimless 40 gallon set up. Overflow holes are not required, you can use an overflow box. I personally would not drill my own tank. My 210 is drilled from the factory but it has extreme bracing under there. You could use a canister set up instead of a sump. Just keep up the maintenance on the canister and you won't have issues

Getting a rimless tank and then hanging stuff off the back of it kind of defeats the purpose imho.

Drilled tanks are far more reliable than a HOB overflow, I'd get the tank drilled while you still can.

 

[Jolee0722]

I'm thinking of maybe buying a glass holes overflow kit and drilling the tank myself.

 

[dmolavi]

BRS has a drilling kit:

Glass Drill Bits - Bulk Reef Supply

 

[Tkey3425]

What do you put in your sump Tkey3425?

Its a wet dry filter sump, Skimmer, live rock, carbon and GFO reactor, uv sterilizer, filter media on the top, skimmer pump, return pump, reactor pump, chaeto algae, heaters etc. basically any equipment I don't want in my tank goes in my sump, which is all equipment.

 

[Jolee0722]

Yes but the kits from glass holes come with drills too and bulkheads.