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CrazyD

Experienced Reefer
Manhattan Reefs
Location
Queens, NY
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Hello All,

I'll start by Thanking all of you for all the info that is on this forum.

Looking to start a reef tank. After all the reading for info on the things I need to get :headache:, it looks like the Red Sea Max may be the way to go.

I'm already on the list for the Spring Frag Swap 2010 as i'm try to learn as much as I can. I want to take my time and do things the right way.

Checked out some tanks and I'm still not sure which is the better way to start. My landlord has a cap of up to 50 Gallons for the tank size. Not 50lbs. Sorry about the typo

Questions:
1. All in one tank or not, and which one?
2. Petco OW or RO/DI to start? If RO/DI will it be a tax on the water bill?
(looking out for my landlord)
3. I see where some have over 34lbs of L/R in an RSM tank. is it safe to go over in any tank?
4. Best way to buy L/R?

Looking forward to hear what you think.

Best Regards,
 
Last edited:
Awibrandy

Awibrandy

Old School Reefer
Location
Far Rockaway
Rating - 100%
182   0   0
Welcome to MR!
Sorry I can't help with small all in one tanks. No personal experience with them, but plenty of others here will soon chime in with that.
Nice that you are looking out for your landlord. You can save, and reuse the waste water to wash dishes, washing machine, and water your plants, and you get to save $$ for yourself as well. I'd invest the one time $$, and get an RO/DI.;)

Best way to buy L/R would be from other members selling forum here, or the internet.
 
JimmyR1rider

JimmyR1rider

Advanced Reefer
Manhattan Reefs
Location
East Stroudsburg, PA
Rating - 100%
48   0   0
CrazyD said:
Hello All,

I'll start by Thanking all of you for all the info that is on this forum.

Looking to start a reef tank. After all the reading for info on the things I need to get :headache:, it looks like the Red Sea Max may be the way to go.

I'm already on the list for the Spring Frag Swap 2010 as i'm try to learn as much as I can. I want to take my time and do things the right way.

Checked out some tanks and I'm still not sure which is the better way to start. My landlord has a cap of up to 50lbs for the tank size.

Questions:
1. All in one tank or not, and which one?
2. Petco OW or RO/DI to start? If RO/DI will it be a tax on the water bill?
(looking out for my landlord)
3. I see where some have over 34lbs of L/R in an RSM tank. is it safe to go over in any tank?
4. Best way to buy L/R?

Looking forward to hear what you think.

Best Regards,
Click to expand...


First off welcome to MR...
The only bad thing here is no matter what you do your going to be EXTREMELY limited with what size tank you go with- 1 gallon of water is 8.5 pounds- so if water alone was needed 50 pounds would give you a 5 gallon that hed allow- but then you need Live Rock and Live Sand- even with a 5 gallon youll be over the 50 pound limit he has by at least 10 pounds. Is this limit because you live on an upper floor?

As Awi stated always should go with ro and make your water from supplies you have stocked at the house. See if hed let you go up on weight a bit. If so I know a bunch on here have beautiful bio cubes and such. Theyd be able to help you out if you go that route.
 
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JonnyJ

JonnyJ

Member
Manhattan Reefs
Location
New York
Rating - 100%
87   0   0
Lunareclipse said:
50 lbs or 50 gallons? 50 lbs is really small. You prolly weight more than that.
Click to expand...

I am guessing that he means 50gallons. the Rsm filled with water is over 300 pounds +rock and sand lol its probably close too 400.

RSM is a great choice over other ALL in ones. It comes with quality parts and can be ran as is without any expensive modifications. I went with the Solana because of the open top, my place is always hot and a hooded system like the rsm made me worry about heat issues. That is something you will definitely have to plan for with buying a tank, The RSM can run hot if your place is hot so a chiller may be needed. The RSM will come with almost all of the stuff you will need besides a few things.

2 of them come to mind.

1. Controller, any will do, the reef keeper lite is a great buy. Not sure how much you know about them but they are programmable to do many functions.they can show accurate temperature, Ph levels, and you can set your heater up too it and if it malfunctions [which they are known to do] it will cut power too them so it doesnt cook your tank and kill your livestock. you can also set it that if the tank reaches a certain temperature a fan or a chiller will come on.

2. Auto top off, although it isn't necessary and people run a system without it i would suggest setting one up. They will help with stabilizing your salt levels and your corals will appreciate that.



hopefully this post helps you out, if you have any questions give me a pm or even call and ill be glad to help you out.


Jonny
 
C

CrazyD

Experienced Reefer
Manhattan Reefs
Location
Queens, NY
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
@ Awibrandy, Thanks for the welcome and the info. I will look into a RO/DI ASAP. Any you can recommend? As for my landlord, he is really a nice guy and I just don't like to abuse off anyone anyway.

Who told you about my plants? :scratchch

@ JimmyR1rider, Thank you too for the the welcome. My mistake, it should be 50 gallons not lbs and yes I am on a second floor.

@ lunareclipse, You are so right I come in at way more than that. It was up to 50 gallons not 50lbs.
 
JimmyR1rider

JimmyR1rider

Advanced Reefer
Manhattan Reefs
Location
East Stroudsburg, PA
Rating - 100%
48   0   0
Jonny Roks said:
50lbs is probably less than tank and stand ;)

he could always go with a "picotope" or whatever they call them
Click to expand...

LMAO probably



No problem at all is a great forum
Ok good 50 gallons gives you a LIITLE more leeway lol The red sea is nice man nad I think its the biggest closed top all in one you get I had a biocube 29G when I first was into it- but bad info made it a bad experience I got my ro from www.thefilterguys.biz if interested check em out. Good luck on your selection procees and post some pics when you get what you get.
 
Last edited:
JonnyJ

JonnyJ

Member
Manhattan Reefs
Location
New York
Rating - 100%
87   0   0
ok so its 50gallons! good because you would have only been able to have an rsm with maybe a single lizard in it!

Anyways petco water is fine, thats what i currently use and at around 11dollars a box it isn't that bad on your wallet depending on your water changes.

I purchase R/O water for top offs because i dont have the space for an R/O and dont want to mix my own water because of the mess and stress it will cause The woman of the house [lol]

you can easily put more than 30lbs of lr. just to give you an idea i have around 60 in my 34 solana along with 30lbs of sand]

Best place to buy LR is probably on here or craigslist.
 
C

CrazyD

Experienced Reefer
Manhattan Reefs
Location
Queens, NY
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
@ Jonny Roks, Thanks for the info it's on my things to do or get list. I looked at a 41gal open top Fluval at Petco but it was the last one and missing parts.

picotope? I guess I had that one coming. LOL
 
C

CrazyD

Experienced Reefer
Manhattan Reefs
Location
Queens, NY
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
I actually talked to Russ before I even posted on the site. I have been reading for days and found his site info on here. I may have to give him a second look. It's just that it looks like it would be easier with an all in one and I found one new online for $825 with S/H. I'm also going to check here in the for sale area too.

@ Russ, Anything in that price range? Not sure if that's even possibale. I did not see the RSM on your site.
 
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