mjszos
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2021
- Messages
- 218
- Reaction score
- 401
- Location
- Chicago, IL
- What state or country do you live in
- Illinois
Hello! It is finally that time, we are closing on our first home on 2/25/2022 and with that comes the freedom to finally upgrade my tank. I am currently running a Fluval Evo 13.5 that will be repurposed for something (QT tank maybe?) once settled. With this in mind, I've been doing as much research as possible and lurking around these parts for inspiration for what's next. Hoping to get this thread started to begin planning out the next build, and have it be an open forum for anyone in a similar position to me.
Some additional background; I've been reefing for almost exactly 1 year. Over this time I've learned more than I ever could have imagined, and fell in love with the hobby more than I thought possible. The addition of working from home (which is a permanent arrangement) has afforded me the time to learn and appreciate my tank more than ever. I started off looking at the Xenia in my LFS and thinking "oh wow" to falling in love with Euphyllia and Florida Ricordia.
Now, here's where I am currently at and would love some feedback. In terms of my tank goals:
Livestock that is moving:
Coral: LPS Dominant Mixed Reef. Primarily Euphyllia and mushrooms.
Fish: Current tank inhabitants will be coming, a black oscellaris clown and a 6 line wrasse.
Inverts: Pincushion Urchin, a bunch of blue leg hermits, 2x Nassarius snails, 1x Turbo
Livestock I am hoping to keep:
Coral: same as above, just grow the collection. Likely a nem at some point as well, but I would need to find one that truly captivates me.
Fish: Would love to be able to keep some interesting fish, possibly a young tang to be rehomed when it outgrows the tank (I know, I know tang police). Otherwise, I am wide open for recommendations!
So now the tank questions... I am really on the fence of where to go, I am thinking in the 50-gallon range. This is what I have put together, but I am all ears for other suggestions. For this tank size, and with hoping to go with my stocking choices, is the ReefLED 90 necessary?
Big questions:
1. Is there any tangible stocking difference between the 250 and the 200? There's a 12 gallon display difference, the 250 is a rectangle and the 200 is a cube. Having a hard time wrapping my head around the difference. Something like a Tang even young is likely out of the question in a 200 simply because it wont have the ability to swim in bursts?
2. For both of these systems, is a light like the ReefLED 90 necessary? I'm currently running a ReefLED 50, could just pick up a 2nd. Keeping in mind, I only plan on keeping LPS.
3. What skimmer would you recommend for either of these? Skimmers are above my head as I do not run one with my AIO nano reef.
4. If given the opportunity, would you go with a complete system like Red Sea offers? I'm hoping to be somewhat cost-effective, while also building a great system. I understand this is an investment that I will likely never recoup, and I am fine with that. I just am hoping to have a discussion as to whether they merit the price, or if there are other alternatives (love to DIY, hate the look of the strapping on breeders).
Thanks! 7 days til close, hopefully will be able to start acquiring parts for the tank shortly after!
Some additional background; I've been reefing for almost exactly 1 year. Over this time I've learned more than I ever could have imagined, and fell in love with the hobby more than I thought possible. The addition of working from home (which is a permanent arrangement) has afforded me the time to learn and appreciate my tank more than ever. I started off looking at the Xenia in my LFS and thinking "oh wow" to falling in love with Euphyllia and Florida Ricordia.
Now, here's where I am currently at and would love some feedback. In terms of my tank goals:
Livestock that is moving:
Coral: LPS Dominant Mixed Reef. Primarily Euphyllia and mushrooms.
Fish: Current tank inhabitants will be coming, a black oscellaris clown and a 6 line wrasse.
Inverts: Pincushion Urchin, a bunch of blue leg hermits, 2x Nassarius snails, 1x Turbo
Livestock I am hoping to keep:
Coral: same as above, just grow the collection. Likely a nem at some point as well, but I would need to find one that truly captivates me.
Fish: Would love to be able to keep some interesting fish, possibly a young tang to be rehomed when it outgrows the tank (I know, I know tang police). Otherwise, I am wide open for recommendations!
So now the tank questions... I am really on the fence of where to go, I am thinking in the 50-gallon range. This is what I have put together, but I am all ears for other suggestions. For this tank size, and with hoping to go with my stocking choices, is the ReefLED 90 necessary?
| Part | Type |
| Tank | Red Sea Reefer - 250 | Red Sea Reefer XL 200 |
| Lighting | Red Sea ReefLED 90 |
| Lighting | Red Sea ReefLED 90 |
| Pump | Sicce Syncra Silent 2.0 |
| Powerheads | AI Nero 3 |
| Powerheads | AI Nero 3 |
| Skimmer | ??? |
Big questions:
1. Is there any tangible stocking difference between the 250 and the 200? There's a 12 gallon display difference, the 250 is a rectangle and the 200 is a cube. Having a hard time wrapping my head around the difference. Something like a Tang even young is likely out of the question in a 200 simply because it wont have the ability to swim in bursts?
2. For both of these systems, is a light like the ReefLED 90 necessary? I'm currently running a ReefLED 50, could just pick up a 2nd. Keeping in mind, I only plan on keeping LPS.
3. What skimmer would you recommend for either of these? Skimmers are above my head as I do not run one with my AIO nano reef.
4. If given the opportunity, would you go with a complete system like Red Sea offers? I'm hoping to be somewhat cost-effective, while also building a great system. I understand this is an investment that I will likely never recoup, and I am fine with that. I just am hoping to have a discussion as to whether they merit the price, or if there are other alternatives (love to DIY, hate the look of the strapping on breeders).
Thanks! 7 days til close, hopefully will be able to start acquiring parts for the tank shortly after!
