Tank Sizes & Brands

[TheSheik]

Okay, I'm a newbie to this caper so I need some guidance & kind words.

Researching which tank to get as a starting point and it's becoming more confusing the more pet shop owners I speak with.

Can you guys provide me with some honest feedback on the strengths & weaknesses of the following tanks please :

Aqua One AS-500
Aqua One AR-380
Juwel Rekord 60
Hailea FC-400

As you can see, I'm looking at getting an 'all-in-one' style with the built-in lights & filter etc, just not sure which is the better buy and why ??

All comments appreciated plus if you'd like to recommend something completely different, I'm all ears (or eyes :wink:)

[firedragon92]

from experience all the all in one tanks are built and work quite well, but i know for a fact that the aqua ones are very easy to get spare parts for where as the jewels are quit hard and ive never come across the helia

[TheSheik]

Hmmmn, that's interesting.

The Hailea models seem to be quite popular here in Sydney and come with glowing recommendations too.

[wombat1100]

I'm am always wary of anything thats "ALL IN ONE"
if there is a problem and parts are either not available or too expensive it then makes the product useless.
was there a particular reason you wanted an all in one Sheik?

[TheSheik]

A couple of reasons mainly.

(a) ease of set-up & compact
(b) aesthetics
(c) I'm lazy ;-)

I don't have an enormous amount of space to play with so I was hoping to get something that does the job but doesn't take over the complete loungeroom.

I'm open to any suggestions you might have as to how I can have something workable whilst steering away from the all-in-one concept.

[wombat1100]

i just googled the Aqua One AS-500 and for $165 its a bargain price for everything you get in it ie lights filters pumps , and don't get me wrong, i do own a all in one! but they just aren't my 1st choice in a tank, personal preference i guess, I'm more a traditional tank and cabinet with a external canister filter type fella! like i said , personal preference.

What are you planning on keeping in it anyways?

[firedragon92]

im with you there wombat i prefer the tradinional tanks my self, but have nothing against the all in ones infact like i said they work quite well its just personal prefrance.

One advantage to you tradional tank with canister setup is that you can mix and match and have your filter as good as you want and set it up in different ways which is very impotant. and if its the space you worried about when you really think about it a tradinional tank takes up just as much room as an all in one because you have your canister underneath the tank or your internal inside the tank out of the way and your light on top so when you compare the two a 3 foot traditional tank takes up just as much room as an all in one.

it also alows you to personalise your set up and is still very easy to clean

[Woodsy]

Problem is that you'd struggle to set one up for $165. You have more options with all-in-one's in some cases to, especially when you're building custom nan-reefs ect.

[firedragon92]

that is true for $165 you would not be able to set up a new traditional tank, but i know off ebay and things like that you can pick up entire set-ups for $50.

so i would recommend looking there if i were you

[cichlidboy]

the usual glass tanks are always the best way to go as far as a long lasting tank is concerned.
You have more choice. WAYY more choice as far as equipment and livestock is concerned.

[firedragon92]

yep im with TJ they are also alot easier to clean and access than the all in one set ups and are easily modified

[TheSheik]

Wow !!

Thanks guys, appreciate the thoughts.


All you have done is made my decision even harder now. :D

[wombat1100]

Thats what we are here for , to overload you with opinions and information!!!

[mr_walker]

Bearing in mind that I have no idea what I'm talking about ... I'll be the devils advocate. :D

I am looking at an AquaOne 4 foot tank, and the integrated filter looked very flexible. You can put whatever combination of media you want in the trickle baskets and it looked very easy to keep the filter clean - just lift the lids and rinse out the wool pads that sit over the media baskets. I have read that with the trickle filter, the bio media gets more oxygen (but refer back to my first point).

I have also read, however, that some people have had problems with the power head giving out. The guy at the LFS said it's probably because they never maintained them properly ...

And in the future, if you dont like it, don't use the internal filter and install a canister instead.

My $0.02

Cheers,

Walker

[wombat1100]

YUP thats right MR Walker, all good points

[mr_walker]

I thought I knew what I wanted ... but after more investigation I'm really not sure.

The shop I went to used to sell Aqua One, and stopped because they weren't happy with the product. They also said the filtration doesn't necessarily perform to the stated spec, and that the light fittings are not standard, so you have to buy special Aqua One tubes.

I had a look at the Juwel Rio 240, which is another 4' all in one, except it has an internal corner filter that is pretty neat because you can hide the heater inside it. The filter looks a bit small for the tank size though, and is not very flexible (you have to buy their special media sponges - more $$$).

I also looked at the Fluval Vicenza model, which is a bit $$$, however is a very nice looking tank. The thing I don't like about it is that it is drilled throught the base to connect the Fluval canister filter, and you're supposed to change the O rings on the penetration every couple of years :eek: What a job!

Personally, I'm back to thinking about a standard tank with an external Fluval filter, and building my own stand/hood (I'm a hobbyist woodworker on the side).

I seem to change my mind each week, but I have noticed my expected budget creeping up and up... so I think I might go with the cheaper more flexible option instead of the pretty all in one tanks.

[wombat1100]

Better to save your money and get a set up you are happy with, as for the cabinet , just make sure you make it high enough in the door section to comfortably get your canister filter in and out for cleaning, then its just like a all in one BUT BETTER!!!!

[masterid]

I have noticed that when some people start out with a new aquarium (http://www.agritura.com) they really don't take into mind that a little research is necessary to maintain a clean tank and keep healthy fish. When setting up a new fish aquarium, NEVER EVER setup the tank and purchase the fish in the same day. The tank needs time to cycle. By this, I mean it is important that the chemicals have time to balance and bacteria need to be present in order to maintain healthy fish. This takes some time. At least allow for a few days before adding fish. And never, add more then a few at a time. This can throw off the balance in the tank (http://www.agritura.com) and kill the fish. (http://www.agritura.com)
When purchasing the equipment for a tank, don't be afraid to ask questions. Everyone has their own preference as far as filters and equipment goes. Asking others how they have their tank set up and what filters they have can prevent you from trying different types of pumps and wasting your money. In the beginning I wasted money on some cheaper pumps and had to deal with a mess with they stopped working and leaked all over the floor.:)

[cichlidboy]

back to the question about the all in ones.
i reckon, if you do really want to get an all in one,
you should stick to the aquaones.
just because they're more widely available, and parts are easier to get.
i still prefer normal glass tanks where i can muck around with different filtration systems and such =D =D