Best purchase for a newbie is...

[Mgoc]

I am new to the hobby and I would assume everyone else was at some point. Some of us dont have the money to pay for the most expensive equipment or for an expert to come set up our new tanks at home. And many of us have been at a point where you know you need or want to buy more equipment to make your life easier and tank healthier. What was the best purchase you ever made?

 

[wabooth555]

Dj strips
Ato

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[Vmacisback]

testing kits
Auto top off

 

[uall8up]

ro/di

 

[feh]

My best advice is to research anything you buy before you buy it and don't skimp on equipment. In the long run it will be less expensive to buy better equipment and we all know this isn't a cheap hobby. Read reviews etc and see what people have to say about a product before you buy it. Buying low quality equipment can lead to bad things.

I'd recommend for basic equipment to find a decent quality:
heater
ato
skimmer
power heads
light fixture
return pump
ro/di system
test kits

 

[k2parkstar]

My best advice is to research anything you buy before you buy it and don't skimp on equipment. In the long run it will be less expensive to buy better equipment and we all know this isn't a cheap hobby. Read reviews etc and see what people have to say about a product before you buy it. Buying low quality equipment can lead to bad things.

I'd recommend for basic equipment to find a decent quality:
heater
ato
skimmer
power heads
light fixture
return pump
ro/di system
test kits

Great start here^^^^

 

[Izro]

LEDs
RO/DI system
Ato

 

[ReefJeeper]

RO system & ATO are both priceless

 

[Genesis Corals]

My best advice is to research anything you buy before you buy it and don't skimp on equipment. In the long run it will be less expensive to buy better equipment and we all know this isn't a cheap hobby. Read reviews etc and see what people have to say about a product before you buy it. Buying low quality equipment can lead to bad things.

I'd recommend for basic equipment to find a decent quality:
heater
ato
skimmer
power heads
light fixture
return pump
ro/di system
test kits

+1 the ones I highlighted are key equipment that one can start a system without, but that would great reduce headaches and lead to a healthy tank.

 

[Ditzy3]

Whats ato

 

[reefsandrotts]

In my opinion the first things a newb should get are books,and alot of friends online to ask for help,then start with the tank and equipment.

 

[glb]

Whats ato

Auto top-off. It automatically adds topoff water to your tank so you don't have to.

 

[Mgoc]

Sounds like an ATO should be my next purchase. What size should it be for a 180 gallon with a 40g breeder sump?

 

[trickedout900]

An auto top off needs to be sized to the amount of water you would loose in a day. Keep in mind though if things go wrong, you could end up dumping way to much freshwater in your tank. I had a float valve attached to my 65 gallon reserve tank as my auto top off. One day I came home to discover the skimmer overflowed and about 15 gallons of freshwater was dumped into my tank. The salt level was extremely low. Luckily I only had two fish and they both survived. Do your research and plan accordingly. I now manually top off until I can afford a controller to help make sure that never happens again. When I do set it back up I will probably have no more than 3 to 5 gallons of water in the top off tank. Just my two cents.

 

[NanaReefer]

RO/DI system & ATO without a doubt


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[mallorieGgator]

RO/DI for sure

 

[3dees]

maybe a dumb question but why all the votes for an ato? I add a gal. of water to my 120 fw tank every morning with a pitcher. I understand that it would be nice but is it really a must have?

 

[k2parkstar]

maybe a dumb question but why all the votes for an ato? I add a gal. of water to my 120 fw tank every morning with a pitcher. I understand that it would be nice but is it really a must have?

It helps with stability. Water is constantly evaporating out of your tank. In saltwater even small swings in parameters can have an effect on your system, sometimes small effects, sometime big effects. The ATO is just another way to ensure stability. Also, because it is convent and easy, and one less thing to worry about, especially when you have to go out of town.

 

[Mike in CT]

As for the ATO over filling, I have mine (not my idea....learned from this forum) set on a timer to go off twice a day for 20 mins
or so (I use a aqua lifter for a pump) so it can only pump a few gallons at most per day even if something else goes wrong with the float switches etc..

I did not think I needed ATO either...but sometimes you get busy and its nice to know you can go a few day without burning up your return pump.

 

[Mike in CT]

Other things...... GFCI to plug in all your electric needs. You want to be around to your reef!!!