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This blog is excellent for new planted tank enthusiasts: The 2Hr Aquarist
By office cabinet, do you mean you don't have access to going around the side or behind the cabinet? That's how most people do it, so I am guessing you mean this is a long counter top and the tank is somewhere in the middle? If you look at my shallow tank journal (in my signature) you can see that its possible to put a canister filter next to a tank, but it will be very obviously next to it. I hide mine behind some wood but that might not be feasible for you. A 1" hole might be enough to squeeze your hoses through if you are using 3/8 tubing (which has an outside diameter of 1/2 inch). Likely for 20 gallon tank you will want more standard 5/8" tubing which has an outside diameter of 3/4 so a single 1" hole is likely not enough. 2 and you would be golden.Thank you everyone for your advice. I have been digesting information from this forum, YouTube, and other places for a while to see if this is something I want to get into.
I have seen that most Planted use Canister filters, actually I have not seen anyone with an AIO. Overflow is all I know so I naturally tend to gravitate there, but I am open to change.
Here are the challenges I see with a canister
1) This will be on an office cabinet that has a granite top.
a) I am planning on drilling a 1" hole in the granite and house Co2, power, Automation, ATO... in the cabinet. I am concerned that I will need to drill a larger or multiple holes if I go canister. Will a 1" hole work?
2) The Glass supply/return look very nice and do not bother me. All these seem to be mounted on the side, but no one shows how the tubes obstruct the side view of their tank. How do you deal with this.
3) how do you do ATO in this type tank or is that not an issue in fresh water?
@mourip I am reading, learning. If you don't want to reply, don't.
For a 20+ gallon tank, I think your lines will probably be 5/8" ID, so a single 1" hole wouldn't cut it.1) This will be on an office cabinet that has a granite top.
a) I am planning on drilling a 1" hole in the granite and house Co2, power, Automation, ATO... in the cabinet. I am concerned that I will need to drill a larger or multiple holes if I go canister. Will a 1" hole work?
It's all a trade off... with an overflow you don't have anything hanging off the side or back of the tank, but you're more limited visually by the box itself, the position of your return(s), and the nature of your filtration intake (all surface and no deep water). With a canister, you've got external lines and you have to choose where they go. On the side is fine to prioritize front viewing because the mirror effect will keep you from seeing them. But, as you note, kinda screws up viewing from the side. You can run the lines down the back, but will then see them from the front unless you black-film the back of the tank. Etc...2) The Glass supply/return look very nice and do not bother me. All these seem to be mounted on the side, but no one shows how the tubes obstruct the side view of their tank. How do you deal with this.
ATO for freshwater is really just for convenience and maintaining a clean water line on the glass. There's no salinity to maintain, so it's not important from a tank-health perspective. I've recently started putting ATOs on all my freshwater tanks both with sumps and with canisters. For the canister-filtered tanks, I just run the ATO line discretely over the side of the tank near the intake/return lines. I have been making little wooden hose holder things that sit on the edge of the tank and look pretty nice. For a 20ish gallon tank, you may be content to just top off manually.3) how do you do ATO in this type tank or is that not an issue in fresh water?
Not sure that I understand your intention with that remark but it reads as defensive coming from someone asking for help. Hopefully I misinterpreted it.@mourip I am reading, learning. If you don't want to reply, don't.
THIS IS GREAT!!! I just ordered the 24.6 gal Lifeguard AIO.My Waterbox is AIO. It‘s great. It’s a peninsula style so the chamber is on a short side so the display is clear on three viewing sides.
I haven’t really noticed any disadvantages. I like being able to see and reach inside the chamber. It’s easier to maintain than a canister.
That said, it’s really up to you.
I was being a bit of a jerk. I apologize as I assumed you were being one too. I get it, people don't do their research, throw out thoughts and you never hear from them again. I am the opposite. I did saltwater for 15 years and had 30k invested in a system that had was fully automated, had a sump room that was 13' x 13' that was amazing. I know what goes into having a tank and have been researching fresh water, planted, Low/Hi Tech... for over a month and regardless of my thoughts, I need and want to hear from people that have experience. "Read first and then ask questions to get clarification" is a typical response people give on the salt forums, I have seen it for years and those people are usually not the coolest. We got off on the wrong foot. Again I apologize.Not sure that I understand your intention with that remark but it reads as defensive coming from someone asking for help. Hopefully I misinterpreted it.
Yeah, it is a long counter and the tank will be somewhere in the middle. I am going to go with the AIO because I am familiar with that style and it will be good for the space. Thank you so much for all your help. I hope you continue to offer your support.By office cabinet, do you mean you don't have access to going around the side or behind the cabinet? That's how most people do it, so I am guessing you mean this is a long counter top and the tank is somewhere in the middle? If you look at my shallow tank journal (in my signature) you can see that its possible to put a canister filter next to a tank, but it will be very obviously next to it. I hide mine behind some wood but that might not be feasible for you. A 1" hole might be enough to squeeze your hoses through if you are using 3/8 tubing (which has an outside diameter of 1/2 inch). Likely for 20 gallon tank you will want more standard 5/8" tubing which has an outside diameter of 3/4 so a single 1" hole is likely not enough. 2 and you would be golden.
Its not that all in one systems are unheard of in freshwater tanks, but rather most people are chasing an aesthetic that uses a clear back pane of glass. One of my first planted tanks was a fluval spec v which uses an all in one type filter system. Its definitely doable, but its also very limiting.
As for where to put tubing. You can just put the lily pipes on the back if it bothers you. Most tanks are designed to be viewed primarily from the front and not 3+ sides. Having the tubing on the sides is usually easier for maintenance purposes.
Most people do not bother with auto top off systems on freshwater because you need to be doing 50+% water changes each week (that's usually the minimum, I try to do 70-90%). So if your water drops an inch or 2 during the week its not a big deal, you will be doing water change too soon for it to matter.
Do you have a build thread for your tank? I have searched here for AIO tanks and there are not any recent ones and the only real one was recommended to me on this thread?My Waterbox is AIO. It‘s great. It’s a peninsula style so the chamber is on a short side so the display is clear on three viewing sides.
I haven’t really noticed any disadvantages. I like being able to see and reach inside the chamber. It’s easier to maintain than a canister.
That said, it’s really up to you.