Best All In One Reef Tank : Top 3

In an effort to help you find your best all in one reef aquarium, below is a guide to the most important things to take into consideration. Choosing the best reef aquarium for your needs requires attention to placement space, maintenance requirements and lighting considerations.

Creating a proper marine environment so your fish and plant life can thrive begins with a good foundation. An aquarium that functions well, has a good filtration system, fits your storage needs and provides the right habitat specifics for your aquatic life to thrive. Each of these components are important to compare when buying the best indoor aquarium for you.

Filtration System

A good filter system is meant to make the cleaning process of your aquarium quick and easy. Often, more advanced filtration systems are designed to work when combined with other media. Other media includes additional items to optimize your marine environment, like activated carbon or bio-floss.

When looking at filtration systems for your all in one reef aquarium, consider a system that makes set up quick and easy. Some systems are meant to be accessible to the user, and other filtration systems are hidden from view for aesthetic purposes. Consider these factors when looking for the right aquarium.

Storage Considerations

Space requirements are an important consideration to take into account when looking for a reef aquarium. If you’re looking for a gift, consider the storage investment before making a purchase someone might not have the space for. The range in sizes for reef aquariums are substantial. Some reef aquariums can rest on a desk and hold a few gallons of water; others are stand-alone statement pieces.

When considering the best aquarium for your needs, envisioning the space in which it will live is a great way to narrow down your options. Once you know your storage space, you can start looking at specific types of aquariums.

Lighting Considerations

One of the most exciting features of some aquariums is their ability to give light to a room. Some types of aquariums have artificial light sources that provide a boost in ambiance to dim rooms. Aquariums that include a light feature help to boost the colors of the aquatic life in your tank, as well. The aesthetic value of this feature will benefit those who take pride in home décor. In addition to benefits involving the look and feel of your aquarium, an artificial light source optimizes your marine environment.

Advantages of Artificial Light Sources

For many fish species, light can signal courtship activity during the day. For these fish, the presence of artificial light is beneficial because it aids the fish in these activities. Keeping the aquarium life vibrant includes allowing the animals the chance to exercise and be active. In addition to aiding in courtship activities, artificial light sources help to keep aquarium life on a natural cycle. Fish rest periods and increased activity periods will remain as natural as possible, as the artificial light prompts them to follow a pattern that imitates day and night.

For plant species in your aquarium, artificial light provides numerous benefits. The most apparent benefit is the use of light for photosynthesis. Pairing plants and fish in your aquarium is a good idea, because the fish can use the oxygen produced by the plants to thrive. Using an artificial light source is beneficial because it allows plant life to produce consistent oxygen for the benefit of the fish.

Choosing the Best Light

When looking for the best aquarium light, you have many options. One of the best features of some of the top aquariums on the market includes a light option with automatic timers. The automatic times sync up to a natural day and night rhythm, and provide a consistent light source to your marine habitat. When looking for the best light option, consider purchasing an automatic option for maximum effectiveness.

How to Choose the Best Aquarium

After considering the basics, including the storage space and filtration requirements, you can start to filter through the best aquarium for you. An important consideration includes the type of fish or plant life you would like to create a suitable habitat for. Larger fish, such as anglerfish, are often kept in schools and in larger tanks.

Researching the type of fish you want to display includes knowing the water pH requirements and nutrition needs. Water pH requirements are important to monitor. If you are planning to purchase a fish or plant that has specific pH requirements, finding a smaller tank that is easier to control might be beneficial. Nutrition needs are important to consider when determining how many fish can fit into a certain space. If nutrition needs aren’t met and your space is too restrictive, fish can become agitated and unhealthy.

Determining the placement in your house can help determine the size of your tank as well. If you are more worried about storage space than the type of fish in your tank, decide on placement of the tank first. By determining the approximate size of your storage space, you can begin to plan for the best-sized aquarium.

Best Reef Aquariums Product Reviews

1. Coralife LED Biocube Aquarium

This upright modern cube-shaped aquarium comes complete with a LED lighting component nested in the hood. This feature is advantageous for those who want to grow multi-colored coral or have brightly-colored fish.

If you have fish that need to be maintained day and night schedule, the thirty minute sunrise/sunset function aids in replicating the natural day cycle. This feature is advantageous for saltwater fish who are sensitive to changes in heat and light. Keeping saltwater fish healthy is a good advantage of this tank.

The filtration system of this tank is compact and customizable to your habitat needs. The manufacturer has included a glass back panel for easy set up and maintenance. The filters that work in this system must be made by the same company, however. The customizable option makes the filtration system work only on specific filters.

PROS

• LED lighting
• Automatic light timer
• Compact in size

CONS

• Specific filter requirements
• Hinge-top sticks

2. SCA 50 Gallon Starfire Glass Aquarium

This large aquarium features a rimless aquarium tank that measures two feet across, two feet tall and almost two feet in depth. The large and classic look of this aquarium would benefit someone looking for a statement piece in their home.

For aquarium aficionados who enjoy collecting many types of fish, the fifty gallon capacity of this tank will satisfy your need for space. If you need somewhere to store your larger pieces of live coral, this would also make a suitable habitat.

The filtration system lies in the back of this aquarium and is comprised of a skimmer/return pump system. All materials are included to begin the filtration process with initial purchase, which makes this large tank a good buy. The filtration system lacks a bit in the arena of user-friendliness, however, because it is opaque and black. A user cannot see the filtration system or when filters need to be replaced, so keeping a maintenance schedule for this large aquarium is a must.

The open top feature of this aquarium makes accessing the aquatic life easy. However, the option of buying a screen or plastic top later on is a disadvantage.

PROS

• Beautiful statement piece
• Fits large aquatic life
• Black color fits any color scheme
• Built-in filtration system

CONS

• No light fixture included
• Open top
• Large, opaque filtration system

3. Fluval 13.5 Gallon Aquarium Kit

This medium-sized aquarium kit is the classic four-paned rectangle glass style. The beautiful look and size of this aquarium make it a good fit for a desk or bookshelf area.

The filtration system is designed to be concealed behind honeycomb design. The design element to this tank makes it a good home décor item for contemporary decorators. The filtration system has three stages and removes contaminants consistently throughout use. An activated charcoal piece can be placed in the filtration system for additional habitat nutrients and to facilitate oxygen flow. Unfortunately, the filtration system requires astute maintenance and specific parts to keep this aquarium operating at optimum levels.

Fluval designed the top of this aquarium to look sleek and modern. The aluminum waterproof casing contributes to the durability of the beautiful piece. In addition to design and durability elements, this aquarium also comes with an artificial light source. User-friendly buttons on the control panel allow for control of the day and night light cycles.

PROS

• Waterproof casing
• Contemporary design
• Day and night light modes

CONS

• Remove top before feeding
• High maintenance

Conclusion

When compared to other products on usability and style, the Coralife LED Biocube Aquarium stands out as the best all in one reef aquarium on the market. The hinge-top feature of this all-in-one aquarium differentiates it from the rest. When compared to larger aquariums that do not come with a top, the hinge-top provides an extra layer of protection to your aquatic life.

The size and storage space required by the Coralife LED Biocube is also much less than that of other aquariums. This is advantageous to those who enjoy aquariums, but don’t necessarily want a statement piece in their living room. The small size of the Biocube is also a great feature for those who have a job that requires they relocate often. The compact size of this aquarium makes it an ideal product for military members and those who travel on business. The accessible filtration system makes this tank easy to clean, as well.

Finally, the brilliant LED light feature of the Coralife Biocube provides timely and measured light to your aquarium habitat. The automatic timer that the light is on provides the user with a sense of security. No matter the amount of natural light in a room, this aquarium ensures your marine habitat stays healthy by providing a consistent scheduled light source.

So, if you need a product that has a beautiful lighting feature and a customizable filtration system for sensitive aquatic beings, the Coralife LED Biocube Aquarium might be the best product for you.