Getting Started – Aquarium Buying Guide

Now that you’re armed with the information you need to budget for and locate your aquarium, it’s time to decide on how big and what type of tank. This decision is obviously primarily shaped by your budget and placement options, but there is more to consider.

What Makes a Reef Tank

Reef-ready aquariums are usually identified by the black overflow box often contained in the back. If you’re considering buying an aquarium that doesn’t have one, be warned that it may be more difficult to integrate the accessories commonly used to make reefkeeping sustainable. The overflow box has several purposes but primarily it is used to hide plumbing or wet equipment. If the tank isn’t an all-in-one, you can expect that external plumbing connections will be contained in the overflow box and it will mainly be used for the drain and return connections that feed your sump or refugium. For an all-in-one, the overflox box usually contains the primary pump and nozzle fittings for circulation as well as any additional filter medium and additional space for a heater or other accessories. Another useful function of the overflow is that it provides water skimming to remove any films or debris that collect on the water surface.

Easy Access

An often overlooked aspect when you’re aquarium shopping is the overall height of the tank. You may want to avoid anything where the top of the tank is too tall for you to comfortably pour new water in or easily place accessories, scaping, or corals. Low-profile tanks are often the easiest to set up and maintain simply due to the ease of access.

Go Big or Go Complicated

The single most important thing to understand about reefkeeping is that first and foremost, you are a water steward. Your primary efforts should always be keeping water quality pristine and water chemistry balanced. It may sound counterintuitive at first, but keeping larger amounts of water clean and balanced is much easier than smaller amounts. This is because a larger volume of water gives you more stability than a smaller one. It takes more of something to affect the total amount, basically giving you a buffer to avoid over-polluting and over-correcting water parameters. For this reason I recommend starting out in the hobby with at least a 50 gallon aquarium. Smaller aquariums, especially pico-sized, are for more advanced reefkeepers who are already familiar with how to keep water parameters in check and doing it conservatively. With a smaller water volume, parameters can change much more quickly and require more frequent monitoring and correction.

All-in-One vs Conventional Aquariums

All-in-One (hereafter AIO) aquariums generally include most of what you need to get started and stay running. The additional purchases are typically powerheads/wavemakers, lighting, and heating. AIO aquariums are popular for good reason, but they have some drawbacks compared to a conventional setup.

AIO Pros and Cons vs Conventional Setup

Clear Glass vs Low Iron vs Acrylic

There are basically three options when it comes to the aquarium construction material; clear glass, low iron glass, and acrylic.

Low iron glass has the same properties as clear glass except it is colorless with slightly higher transparency but it is also slightly less scratch resistant. Clear glass usually has a slight green tint. If you’re concerned with viewing colors in your aquarium clearly and accurately, low iron glass gives a slight edge, but with a higher price point.

Acrylic has the benefits of higher durability and transparency while also being much lighter than glass. Aquariums with complex curves are often made of acrylic. The drawbacks are that acrylic can show visual distortion from manufacturing imperfections or curved edges. It is also easy to scratch so cleaning must be done with tools that will not damage the inside or outside surfaces. Acrylic has a porous surface so cleaning may be more difficult than glass, and UV light can break down the material over time, causing it to become more brittle and opaque. When using acrylic, it is especially important to keep the aquarium away from direct sunlight and you may want to avoid using aquarium lights with a UV component.

Traditional vs Rimless Glass

The decision to go with a rimless aquarium is mostly about aesthetics but there are some practical considerations. Aesthetically, rimless aquariums are preferable to traditional rimmed aquariums because there is less viewing obstruction. The glass on rimless aquariums tends to also be thicker and often times is low iron. Because there is no rim covering the top edge, mounting lights and other accessories to the glass edge is often easier than with a rimmed aquarium. Drawbacks to a rimless aquarium are that cover and canopy options are often limited and the water line is visible as where it’s covered with a rimmed tank. Rimless tanks are also usually smaller because there is less support for holding large water volumes.

Stands and Canopies

Aquariums are often sold with their matching stand and you may not have many options once you select your tank. However, an important consideration is that your stand can accommodate the additional equipment and accessories you may need to run your reef tank. If you plan to add a sump or refugium, you’ll want to make sure it will fit in the stand. Stands are most often made of wood, steel or aluminum and each has their pros and cons but all are suitable for the job.

Some aquariums may be sold with a canopy that sits above the tank. These are mainly for aesthetic purposes and usually only come with rimmed tanks. One useful thing about a canopy is you may be able to mount your lighting to it, but they can also be hindrance to access.