All in one or custom

Wy8tt_Earp · Oct 5, 2020

I have had the same 90 tank since I graduated college 22 years ago. I recently had a snail block the return in the tank causing water to leave the tank, go down the wall, and into an outlet. After the fire all my sps died and I struggled to get the chemistry back to pre-fire parameters. I have decided to break the tank down, put in gif outlets, and purchase my next 20 year tank. I am fortunate to live within driving distance of Top Shelf Aquatics and the question came up if I was going with a custom or a Red Sea Reefer style tank? My question is what are the pros and cons of the Red Sea reefer style tanks? Anything I need to swap out or change from the standard package. I have lights, Skimmer, return and circulation pump from the previous tank.

Nick Steele · Oct 5, 2020

Looking to stay in the same size range? If so personally I would look into innovative marine tanks that way you can do a custom sump to fit your needs. Or if you like the plug and play redsea would be fine as well. One thing I don’t like about redsea myself is the ato being on top of the sump. I have seen this made into a refugium but still I don’t like it.

Wy8tt_Earp · Oct 5, 2020

Looking to go a little bigger. Some where in the 120 range

Nick Steele · Oct 5, 2020

Innovative Marine has a 100g ext overflow at 4’x2’x20” a 112g lagoon that’s 3’x3’x20” and a 150G lagoon that’s 4’x3’x20”

Waterbox has their Reefpro 180 (140dt 40sump) it’s 5’x25”x24”

Redsea has a reefer 625 (130dt 33 sump) that’s 5’x25”x24”

Depends on which system you prefer more. You’d have to look at which style sump you like better redsea or waterbox or if you want to tailor a sump to fit your needs IM would be the way to go IMO

ImaFlippinDolphin · Oct 6, 2020

I had a catastrophic failure a decade and a half ago, power outage that killed my tank. I was defeated, swore off aquaria and here I am again...i went red sea 3xl 900. Sorry to hear about the fire that sucks. Things to know about red sea is youll need mm to inch couplings for the plumbing,outside of that itll save money based on the research I did going with the stand/tank combo vs custom.