What would you buy?

[thirty5]

Well my fuge is basically finished. Being installed next weekend.

I only have a few corals at this time. ones that came with the LR that I bought. I have not put any corals in the tank yet. 175 gal bow, about 200 lbs live rock, but going to add more. MH lighting, 3 250w. Tank should be able to handle almost anything.

What would you get, what is something that if you saw here online or in a store that you would just jump on? I am looking to make the tank versatile so it really dont matter. There are so many different things to look at.

Thanks for the help.

 

[crox99]

Are you asking us for some suggestions on fishes or corals?

 

[jhale]

what's the coral budget?

aussie acan'$ or something more reasonable?

 

[alfani]

is there a budget? for basic lps you can go with frogspawn/hammer/torch, brain/cynaria then there's dendros, duncans, acan/micromussa

ofcuz you have your zoas/paly that would cost $20-50 per colony or $20-50 per frag

then there's your mushrooms, rics/yuma

 

[Craig]

I would give it a few weeks to thoroughly cycle.

 

[thirty5]

Sorry didnt explain enough. Tank is well cylced been up for like 8 months. No probs with that.

Budget is not really a consideration. I tend to overdo things. If it is nice, or rare or whatever and i have the cash i will spend it!

 

[bigbris1]

What I would do is look at ton of pics of others tanks to get an idea of what I like vs what I could do without, then compile a list of items I must have, then the hunt begins.

 

[Bob 1000]

If I were you I would Def purchase a Denitrifying reactor...Most of the really nice tanks on this site don't have denitrifying reactors nor do they understand the reactor to make judgement on them...Not to say that they don't have a care free system running already..But if you plan on being in it for the long run................Which means going on vacations, going through hard times, going through I feel like breaking down times.... You might want to purchase a reactor that handles phosphates and nitrates, because let's face it that's what we all want to keep low in our systems......I have went through 26 fish in a big tank and done it while raising young acros...Now I'm trying my hand at reef, all acros, sick and well acros....Not to mention doing it well....So in closing I'd like to say I pride myself in this reactor for a reason....

Damn, I need a job working for Natureef the way I speak for them.....:sleeping:

 

[marrone]

If I were you I would Def purchase a Denitrifying reactor...Most of the really nice tanks on this site don't have denitrifying reactors nor do they understand the reactor to make judgement on them...Not to say that they don't have a care free system running already..But if you plan on being in it for the long run................Which means going on vacations, going through hard times, going through I feel like breaking down times.... You might want to purchase a reactor that handles phosphates and nitrates, because let's face it that's what we all want to keep low in our systems......I have went through 26 fish in a big tank and done it while raising young acros...Now I'm trying my hand at reef, all acros, sick and well acros....Not to mention doing it well....So in closing I'd like to say I pride myself in this reactor for a reason....

Damn, I need a job working for Natureef the way I speak for them.....:sleeping:

Bob, Denitrifying reactor are nothing new, the first wet/dry systems that were offer in the mid 80's had them build in. As time went on they were taking out. If you have a good enough skimmer, biology filteration, on top of doing water changes, there isn't a need to have one. You should be able to control your nitrates without using an additional filter, which you need to feed, to keep your system in-line. If you setup your tank correctly, and do proper maintenance it's a piece of equipment that is not needed.

 

[thirty5]

Bob, Denitrifying reactor are nothing new, the first wet/dry systems that were offer in the mid 80's had them build in. As time went on they were taking out. If you have a good enough skimmer, biology filteration, on top of doing water changes, there isn't a need to have one. You should be able to control your nitrates without using an additional filter, which you need to feed, to keep your system in-line. If you setup your tank correctly, and do proper maintenance it's a piece of equipment that is not needed.

That is exactly what a buddy of mine told me. He has 30 years in the hobby. I am running a huge skimmer, calcium reactor, and 90 gal fuge. So my levels should be ok. I will have saltwater mixed at all times so water changes will be at the flip of a couple switches and i wont even have to shut the system down. i have a LARGE sump.

I am running an MTC HSA-1000 and MTC PROCAL Calcium reactor. RO unit. getting DI attachment for it. So far my water quality has been text book almost perfect, and that is without the fuge running. I am not worried at all (well there is always worrys) about my water quality.

Let me rephrase my question. What is that one piece that you would absolutely jump on if you saw it. Some that that you want that you don't see that often. I want to have a tank that POPS!!!

 

[Bob 1000]

My comments weren't about proper setup...And I know denitrifying reactors aren't new...But keeping and overstocked tank with low to no nitrates and phosphates without having to do water changes every week is impossible without one...

 

[thirty5]

I don't plan to OVERSTOCK my tank. I only have like 5 fish in a 175 at this time. And i do not plan to add that many fish to it. A BLonde Naso i plan to get for my main fish in the tank. Then maybe some cardinals and couple other maybe.

I appreciate the suggestion. That is what makes this board better than others. Cause it is obvious that people like to help others out and even go outside the box with their answer!

 

[marrone]

My comments weren't about proper setup...And I know denitrifying reactors aren't new...But keeping and overstocked tank with low to no nitrates and phosphates without having to do water changes every week is impossible without one...

That's not true. There are plenty of people here, and if you search RC you'll find even more, that have very large tanks, with a lot of fish and corals, and their levels are just fine without one.

 

[Bob 1000]

That's not true. There are plenty of people here, and if you search RC you'll find even more, that have very large tanks, with a lot of fish and corals, and their levels are just fine without one.

You mean overstocked tanks with tangs and angels or other aggressive eating fish....
You mean they do nothing but top off in a 5 and 6 month period and still manage to be able to grow acros.....
Not necessarily large but 180 gallon tanks....

I have yet to see this....Not saying it's not going on, but I just never heard or saw this going on....

 

[marrone]

You mean overstocked tanks with tangs and angels or other aggressive eating fish....
You mean they do nothing but top off in a 5 and 6 month period and still manage to be able to grow acros.....
Not necessarily large but 180 gallon tanks....

I have yet to see this....Not saying it's not going on, but I just never heard or saw this going on....

Bob I suggest you take a look at RC or other people tanks here. You'll find people with tanks loaded with fish and corals, and the tanks are flourishing.

Denitrifying reactors have been around for a long time, they're nothing new. They were in the first wet/dry and eventually people stop using them as they could achieve the same results with better skimmers, biology filter and maintenance. That's not to say they don't work, but you do have to keep feeding them and making sure they're working.

Bob you haven't found magic in bottle by using one. If you probably setup you tank, including equipment, LR, Refugs and water moment, and do proper maintenance, you don't need one.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I would buy a controller. The RK2 is my best investment yet.

 

[fritz]

thirty5, it's going to be real hard to get answers to your question because it is so subjective. You're asking:

"Which moving vehicle, air, land or sea would you purchase if money was no object?"

It may not seem that way but their are as many biotopes in the ocean as it is large. These different biotopes support different types of corals that often cannot exist with other types of corals in the same space for long periods of time. I would recommend, as was mentioned, looking at some tanks and figuring out what suits your particular tastes and take it from there. If your goal is to buy every coral that is rare and mix them together you're going to end up with a lot of dead corals (worst case scenario) or a bunch of ugly corals (best case scenario) as when corals are stressed or not in their proper environment their colors are not their best.

If you instead pick one type of coral and provide the environment best for that type, you'll be fine. You can then pickup the "rare" corals of that type. Also be advised that coral "Rareness" is like fashion. What was rare and "WOW" two years ago sells for about $10 today and everyone has it. You're better off buying things that you like than following fleeting fads.

 

[marrone]

You can then pickup the "rare" corals of that type. Also be advised that coral "Rareness" is like fashion. What was rare and "WOW" two years ago sells for about $10 today and everyone has it. You're better off buying things that you like than following fleeting fads.

Great advise. I wish more people would follow this, to many people get caught up in spending a lot of $$$ on the "in" coral of the moment, only to have the market flooded with them and seeing the price drop down to nothing. Also a lot of the times the "in" coral isn't even that great looking.

 

[jackson6745]

The best skimmer that you can afford.

 

[Wes]

Great advise. I wish more people would follow this, to many people get caught up in spending a lot of $$$ on the "in" coral of the moment, only to have the market flooded with them and seeing the price drop down to nothing. Also a lot of the times the "in" coral isn't even that great looking.

i like to buy the "in" corals and sell frags for less than i paid. If everyone did this the hobby would be alot cheaper.