If you could startover with your tank today

mbindon · Feb 28, 2017

Hi. I'm getting ready to move in a couple of months and looking at setting up a new reef tank and would love to hear from all of you pros how you would start your tank up today. I have some reef tank experience and ran a 60 gallon LPS and softies up until 9 years ago. I had to downsize and have been running a JBJ 28g LED nanocube with an Apex classic controller for the past 9 years. I would like to set up a bigger tank in the 60g range and would like to use LED lighting with the capability to keep SPS corals. I still have my old 60g tank and stand but no real supplies left and am also trying to decide whether to start over completely (the Red Sea Max E-260 looks very tempting...) or try to use my old tank and assemble all the parts on my own. Thanks in advance for any help!

MaiReef · Feb 28, 2017

I like the idea of a new tank, but do you like to build or have it done for you. The E-260 is a beautiful system.

MaiReef · Feb 28, 2017

and...
Welcome to R2R!

Mr.Rocc · Feb 28, 2017

Personally If/when I start over, I want to go bigger. In the original investment a bigger tank isnt going to be as much of a price difference as say if you made the tank then had to restart. Also more expensive isn't always better. For example Jebao powerheads and pumps work amazing and are cheaper, if you do your husbandry. So thats just my two cents.

spiraling · Feb 28, 2017

I would start by leak checking your 60 gallon. If it has been sitting empty for a few years the silicon might have dried out.
Of course you can just skip this step and get the Red Sea

Bulk Reef supply made a series of videos last year about setting up a new tank, and went through all the details, hardware choices etc. Look up the 52 days of reefing on youtube. Its a good start.

mbindon · Feb 28, 2017

Wow-- thanks for the quick replies! I don't mind buying separate components, but I have neither the skill nor interest to learn how to drill a system or build it from scratch. As far as size, I don't have the space to really go above 60-90 gallons in my new place.

TRPlacek · Feb 28, 2017

I have a 60 cube running a radion g3 non pro and if I were to do it all over again I would plumb into a fish room with a much larger sump. I can't stand working underneath that little cabinet and dealing with that little sump. Also, I would add another radion and go for the pros.

Buuuuut instead of starting all over with that I decided to go bigger and combine my 60 gallon and 90 gallon to a 180 with a fish room! Lol.

reefs+waves · Feb 28, 2017

If I was restarting my tank, Instead of using my 55 gallon tank I would have went with a 75, also I would have wired my tank better because my wires are all over the place.