If you could start again, you would....?

TAYGEL · Apr 12, 2016

Getting real close to finally upgrading to a 65! I've had a biocube 14 (modified) for the past 5 yrs and while fun, it obviously leaves a lot to be desired!

Over the past two years (wow. its taken a long time) i've slowly purchased the following

40 gallon breeder- broke while drilling

65 pre drilled
eschopps refugium
Hydo smart level control
Jeboa RW-8
2 Reef radiance LED
DM-165
Over flow accessory kit
no name Protein skimmer
synce Return pump 358 gallons
RODI filter
45 lbs dried pukani rock

I just order plumbing supplies online and will be doing a dry run hopefully next weekend.

If you could do it all over again. What would you do differently?

Tahoe61 · Apr 12, 2016

Buy more Tongan branch.
Go with a better skimmer.
Buy a better ATO.

I have done it over hundreds of times and I just keep trying to get it right.

mcarroll · Apr 12, 2016

I'm fairly well strapped on the budget, so like you, I do not go out and "buy a new system".....ever.

Instead, I accumulate parts. Someday it'll work out that I have bucks AND need a new system all at the same time I suppose...just not so far! LOL

Anyway....tips in the direction of accumulating good gear over time....

Patience!
The closest I have to a "regret" or something I'd do over is a wish list of upgrades that I haven't gotten to. (Single, large ~120 gallon tank and Auto Water Change System are sharing the top of the list, awaiting serendipity right now. ) I don't really have any way to second-guess myself when I accumulate grear at such a slow rate - 10 years worth of reading and accumulating before I got my first tank started, for example. Every acquisition has been pretty dang-well thought out by the time it happens. There's really only been one exception, but just one in how many pieces of gear?
I can't say I'd ever spend money AND patience on cheap chinese gear. If you're going to take your time acquiring your gear you may as well wait for someone to sell (for example) a nice Tunze nanostream...or just as likely a whole set of Tunze nanostreams....for used prices. It happens.
Ditto for skimmers, etc.
In many cases of buying used hardware, you can even pick up a "broken" unit from a top brand like Tunze (i.e. they sell parts for their products at reasonable prices) that needs something basic like a new housing or impeller for dirt cheap or even free. Almost always a killer deal if there's a replacement part available - you just have to be more willing than the previous owner to go through the bother of repair. I've gotten a few goodies over the years this way....mostly skimmers and pumps. "bother"
Post in the Wanted To Buy forum and subscribe to follow WTB as well as the Dry Goods For Sale forum so you can hawk all the new posts.

Ares · Apr 12, 2016

I would put more thought and planning into my rockscaping and hand pick pieces rather than buy bulk online.
That and get the size/dimension/type of a tank that I really want and fits my space the way I want it.

If I could do it today I would get a rimless, center drain something like 3' x 3' x 2'

Anthony kolodziej · Apr 12, 2016

I would save up and buy the best . I have gone out and spent on things that in the end just weren't right . I would also NEVER EVER add anything to the tank without first dipping it and quarantine . third I might stay small . (maybe) lol

john.m.cole3 · Apr 12, 2016

QT my fish and dip my corals EVERY time. I had a small aiptasia outbreak months back and am currently going through an outbreak of ich and flukes. I had to tear apart and remove my rocks and drain my tank to get my fish out and in QT. Now I'm having to wait 72 days before anything can go back in the DT. You can set up 2 x 10 gallon tanks with all QT supplies needed for around $100. I've already lost more than that in fish. I was 16 months disease free and all it took was one sick fish...

michellejy · Apr 12, 2016

I would not have tried to find a mate for my clownfish without quarantining first. I was so worried about it turning female if kept separate that I dumped him in with her immediately. She was my first saltwater fish in this house. I had her for 7 1/2 years, and she suffered before dying as a direct result of my decision.

john.m.cole3 · Apr 13, 2016

michellejy said:
I would not have tried to find a mate for my clownfish without quarantining first. I was so worried about it turning female if kept separate that I dumped him in with her immediately. She was my first saltwater fish in this house. I had her for 7 1/2 years, and she suffered before dying as a direct result of my decision.

dang... so sorry to hear that.

Chrisfish · Apr 13, 2016

michellejy said:
I would not have tried to find a mate for my clownfish without quarantining first. I was so worried about it turning female if kept separate that I dumped him in with her immediately. She was my first saltwater fish in this house. I had her for 7 1/2 years, and she suffered before dying as a direct result of my decision.

So sorry to hear about that, we really get attached to our sea creatures.

vic67 · Apr 13, 2016

..buy a BIGGER tank ! I have the room and my wife doesn't care how much I spend. lol

TAYGEL · Apr 13, 2016

mcarroll said:
I'm fairly well strapped on the budget, so like you, I do not go out and "buy a new system".....ever.

Instead, I accumulate parts. Someday it'll work out that I have bucks AND need a new system all at the same time I suppose...just not so far! LOL

Anyway....tips in the direction of accumulating good gear over time....

Patience!

The closest I have to a "regret" or something I'd do over is a wish list of upgrades that I haven't gotten to. (Single, large ~120 gallon tank and Auto Water Change System are sharing the top of the list, awaiting serendipity right now. ) I don't really have any way to second-guess myself when I accumulate grear at such a slow rate - 10 years worth of reading and accumulating before I got my first tank started, for example. Every acquisition has been pretty dang-well thought out by the time it happens. There's really only been one exception, but just one in how many pieces of gear?

I can't say I'd ever spend money AND patience on cheap chinese gear. If you're going to take your time acquiring your gear you may as well wait for someone to sell (for example) a nice Tunze nanostream...or just as likely a whole set of Tunze nanostreams....for used prices. It happens.

Ditto for skimmers, etc.

In many cases of buying used hardware, you can even pick up a "broken" unit from a top brand like Tunze (i.e. they sell parts for their products at reasonable prices) that needs something basic like a new housing or impeller for dirt cheap or even free. Almost always a killer deal if there's a replacement part available - you just have to be more willing than the previous owner to go through the bother of repair. I've gotten a few goodies over the years this way....mostly skimmers and pumps. "bother"

Post in the Wanted To Buy forum and subscribe to follow WTB as well as the Dry Goods For Sale forum so you can hawk all the new posts.

Great info! The patience part is tough! It seems everytime I think I'm close something happens. This time we've decided to paint the living room where the tank will go. Pushing back setting up yet again. Rather move a empty tank to paint than a full one. Plus since cracking my 40 breeder and g0ing up in size to a 65, Im thinking my return pump rated at 396gph is a little on the low side. SO, save up, research, research and purchase. Thanks!

cheers
Nick

TAYGEL · Apr 13, 2016

Ares said:
I would put more thought and planning into my rockscaping and hand pick pieces rather than buy bulk online.
That and get the size/dimension/type of a tank that I really want and fits my space the way I want it.

If I could do it today I would get a rimless, center drain something like 3' x 3' x 2'

What dont you like about your scape?

TAYGEL · Apr 13, 2016

So far lots of good stuff!

QT, QT, DIP, DIP AND QT some more!

Patience

Buy the good stuff if you can

Go bigger if you can...or smaller:/

Make sure your in love with your scape

Any logistical stuff when setting up that would of made it easier?

saltyfilmfolks · Apr 13, 2016

I would really have put more though into the tank stand. Its the guts of your system and we live and die by it.

BigJim · Apr 13, 2016

I would have bought a canopy when I bought my tank and stand. I just bought one anyway because it allows many more lighting options. You can combine different fixtures without having a bunch of ugly cables, wires and mounting hardware showing above the tank.

choff · Apr 13, 2016

Not bought a Red Sea Max S650 and just went full custom since I have gutted and modified it that the only OEM thing left is the tank and stand.

The catch 22 is that I was new to reefing and no matter what I bought it wouldn't be what I want now. Ideally, I would have started small, like a 40b and learned the craft before upgrading. The good news is, I really like the RSM look ( as does the wife) and perfectly happy with the size, so while I may have "wasted" money, I love my current system with no plans of an upgrade or change.

Ares · Apr 13, 2016

I'm not happy with the type of rock and sizes shapes. I bought dry rock that has tremendous surface area for biological filtering and while it works great, it isn't visually appealing. I would buy more tonga rock and other larger, solid pieces for my display. Plan it out and have it look right, dry, before adding water. The other rock I got would be great in the sump (100 gallon sump 58 gallon display). Just visually not what I want and to rip it all out now, tear apart coral colonies etc isn't something I'm ready to do. With a new tank and time to plan I will though.

revhtree · Apr 13, 2016

Good thread!

choff · Apr 13, 2016

Ares said:
I'm not happy with the type of rock and sizes shapes. I bought dry rock that has tremendous surface area for biological filtering and while it works great, it isn't visually appealing. I would buy more tonga rock and other larger, solid pieces for my display. Plan it out and have it look right, dry, before adding water. The other rock I got would be great in the sump (100 gallon sump 58 gallon display). Just visually not what I want and to rip it all out now, tear apart coral colonies etc isn't something I'm ready to do. With a new tank and time to plan I will though.

I did that exact thing. I had all Marco rock and it was driving me crazy. I just tossed them in and rearranged them, but never to anything I liked. The detritus that got trapped in the pockets was driving me crazy. I finally had enough and had a custom scape made for me. I moved half of the existing rock into my sump and dropped in the custom scape. Then slowly removed the rest of the existing rock and put in the other pieces of the new scape. Next I slowly removed the rock from my sump as that is not my preference.

It was great to restart for me, but my tank was only 18 months old and I didn't really have any very large colonies. I also bought a lot of corals when I first started before I knew what I wanted so it gave me an opportunity to get rid of a lot of stuff. It helped having a frag tank that I could use to hold a lot of the corals while I did the transition.

I'm so glad I did it, I no longer look at my tank and fret about the scape and can focus on growing corals instead of constantly shifting things around. Of course, focusing on growing corals and it happening.....

beaslbob · Apr 13, 2016

I would have started the tank with an in tank refugium. Just a partition 3" in front of the back glass. Cost ~30 with two additional 2 tube shop light fixtures. It was the single best think I did for the system.