So it really isn’t that hard to have a killer reef aquarium if you find all the right information early before making mistakes.
15 years and I have learned from several mistakes
mistake 1)
Do not get a little canister filter or overhang filter – like the $250 eheim 2222 I purchased. It requires constant cleaning and effort- what a waste of time and money.
Solugion:
Get a refugium – It looks complicated but really isn’t – it is a system placed under your tank that lets water overflow from your tank to the cabinet under your tank. The Refugium is a ecosystem in itself that grows plants, etc. The fish waste naturally breaks down in your refugium so you do not have to clean it your self. It will make your filtration life so easy. No clean up, at all you make your tank a self sufficient being. This was the refugium I got
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product ... ts_id=1316
mistake 2) Don’t buy Jebo lights or any imported lights from china that last for a couple months and leave your tank in the dark.
2 months of operation and the cheap Chinese ballast that powers the unit goes out, and my tank is left totally dark. All my investment in inverts over $500 – dead. Pay the extra money and buy something USA with a warranty.
Solution: Look into Companies like Orbit or Catalina Aquarium. They are very solid in their craftsmanship and offer warrantys. Catalina offers a 5 year warranty on their fixtures – I purchased a 3 X 250 HQI Hood from their company with 4 X 96 watt power compacts through www.aquauniverse.com - wow I have never been happier. This was the unit here - http://www.aquauniverse.com/component/p ... Itemid,31/
You just install it into your canopy and you are ready to go – no assembly required.
mistake 3) Heat is an issue so get a chiller.
Summer came and when I was on vacation the temperature on my tank went to 95 degrees. Everything survived even my pulsating xenia which usually fries when hot temps come. Prepare yourself for a hot day and have a chiller on hand.
Again I do not dislike china but have had trouble with the Via Aqua Chiller – stopped working quickly after purchase. So I bought a Pacific Coast Chiller and have been in heaven since. Their chillers are all over ebay so I just snagged on there.
Doing it yourself is something you need to do – don’t let companies just sell you stuff- do some research before you make bad decisions.
15 years and I have learned from several mistakes
mistake 1)
Do not get a little canister filter or overhang filter – like the $250 eheim 2222 I purchased. It requires constant cleaning and effort- what a waste of time and money.
Solugion:
Get a refugium – It looks complicated but really isn’t – it is a system placed under your tank that lets water overflow from your tank to the cabinet under your tank. The Refugium is a ecosystem in itself that grows plants, etc. The fish waste naturally breaks down in your refugium so you do not have to clean it your self. It will make your filtration life so easy. No clean up, at all you make your tank a self sufficient being. This was the refugium I got
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product ... ts_id=1316
mistake 2) Don’t buy Jebo lights or any imported lights from china that last for a couple months and leave your tank in the dark.
2 months of operation and the cheap Chinese ballast that powers the unit goes out, and my tank is left totally dark. All my investment in inverts over $500 – dead. Pay the extra money and buy something USA with a warranty.
Solution: Look into Companies like Orbit or Catalina Aquarium. They are very solid in their craftsmanship and offer warrantys. Catalina offers a 5 year warranty on their fixtures – I purchased a 3 X 250 HQI Hood from their company with 4 X 96 watt power compacts through www.aquauniverse.com - wow I have never been happier. This was the unit here - http://www.aquauniverse.com/component/p ... Itemid,31/
You just install it into your canopy and you are ready to go – no assembly required.
mistake 3) Heat is an issue so get a chiller.
Summer came and when I was on vacation the temperature on my tank went to 95 degrees. Everything survived even my pulsating xenia which usually fries when hot temps come. Prepare yourself for a hot day and have a chiller on hand.
Again I do not dislike china but have had trouble with the Via Aqua Chiller – stopped working quickly after purchase. So I bought a Pacific Coast Chiller and have been in heaven since. Their chillers are all over ebay so I just snagged on there.
Doing it yourself is something you need to do – don’t let companies just sell you stuff- do some research before you make bad decisions.
How did all your inverts die though?? Did you not notice it for weeks? Or do you live way out in the boonies with no ability to get anything you could replace most any ballast with a home depot T8 ballast (they're electronic as well).
