Out Dated Reef's

Dowtish · Aug 7, 2011

I had SW tanks back when I was teenager (early 90's), and all there was then was hang on mechanical filters, and then the new "skilter" came out. It overflowed quick, and I almost burned the house down. And go bare bottom with LR. But since starting back after a 16 year hiatus, I really don't do much different. I just put Ecobak pellets in my canister, and do everything manually. (dosing, top offs)

This setup is what you can accomplish on a budget. I bought the 90 gallon bowfront tank, stand, lights, base rock, heater, and canister for $600 off CR. Tank is just 6 months old, have had zero losses except for a green toadstool frag.

Sumpless
Eheim Canister running Ecobak Pellets and Carbon
Eheim Heater
Aquaticlife 48 4T5
4 Koralias
Coralife 220 Skimmer (Craigs List used)

60 lbs Base Rock
20 LR
40 lbs Live Sand
Mushrooms,Ricordea, Zoas, Palys, GSP, Blue Xenia, Orange,Green,Purple Monti Caps,Milliepora, Pink Birdsnest, ORA Green Birdsnest, Peach Digitata, Torch, Frogspawn, and few others...

2 Emerald Crabs, 2 Porcelain Crabs, and various CUC
2 False Perc Clownfish
3 Green Chromis
Diamond Goby
Midas Blenny
Melanurus Wrasse
McKoskers Wrasse
Cleaner Wrasse
Yellow Tang
Kole Tang

Rockadile · Aug 7, 2011

I started in on this hobby about 2 yrs ago. My first tank was a 55gal sumpless with a HoB skimmer and a penquin 400 bio wheel and a couple K2 power heads. that was all the equipment I had other then my lights.

I think it cost me 1500-2000 with live rock. Very successful tank with minimal problems other then not being able to grow sps.

I know have a 90gal RR with a 30long sump. 2 mp40, reef octopus skimmer, duel reactor, ato, kalk stirrer.

5k easy. I miss my 55

_Alex_ · Aug 7, 2011

i need to update this thread, https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/member-tanks/62319-our-40b.html, but this 40b is running with 4 bulb current nova fixture with ati bulbs, a cpr hob skimmer, and 3 current makers. thats it. have about 60lbs of sand and 50-60lbs live rock. im going to be redoing the live rock and hopefulyl making more room for frags. we do weekly water changes of 5-7gallons and then dose brs 2 part alk and calcium recipe 1 and thats it.

Reef Breeders · Aug 7, 2011

I have heard some bad stories involving controller failure, and I used to think that they were glorified timers. I was running my first tank on 2 hob filters and a button to turn the lights on and off. It is a lot easier to keep my tank in top condition, all I do now is add a little ca and change the water every other week. All natural reefs can be done, but the risk of a crash is probably worse when you have no reactor or skimmer to fall back on. Dont take this the wrong way, I run my main tank with no skimmer, but when I got the money together to buy the equipment for my frag tank, I was amazed. The power of a giant fuge full of chaeto, a skimmer, a dual reactor, and a controller is amazing. If one thing goes wrong, there is a lot to fall back on to pick up the slack.

seareefrun · Aug 7, 2011

I used to have to convert all the equipment back in the mid 80's, starting with the wet/dry combo's. I noitced first off that the wet chamber was a ponding place with or without Bio rings or balls, so I ran mine empty. I started putting a pre filter drip pad above the dry chamber, this made a big differance. So the filters I make now have all the best of old and new school (meaning that the medium is differant ). My filters also have on board Chemical drip chamber that holds a gallon of whatever you like.
No controler's, no dosing and no probes. What I use for 240 gallons is 2 tbls of Kent superbuffer once a week to bring the 7 gallons of RO re-fill up to reef spec and Kent Micro-Vert twice a week and 10ml a day each of seachem reef plus and reef complete. I change 65 gallons a month even if the nitrates are between .05-15ppm.

clowns101 · Aug 7, 2011

Sweet! Why did people stop using Wet Drys? Totaly confused me!

Reef Breeders · Aug 7, 2011

clowns101 said:
Sweet! Why did people stop using Wet Drys? Totaly confused me!

Mostly since bioballs have a bad rap, but other than that it seems like the lack of space. The trickle filter takes up half of the wet dry, which is great for adding bio media, carbon, gfo, etc. , but there is little room for a fuge, skimmer or pumps. I see a great use of space for a fuge under the trickle part in the picture. I have been told that they were no good, mostly by people who like using giant fuges and very little to no filter media paired with a good skimmer. I personally love bioballs, they float in the "in" section of my sump and are covered in feather dusters.

seareefrun · Aug 8, 2011

Yes these trickle boxes flow onto an angled flow tray mixed with my full pass skimmer discharge, then 2,400gph goes through the fuge and back to the pump. The skimmer sump stays at a costant level with the fuge. The skimmer bubbles get trapped in the chaeto and back into soultion and never enter the sump. The main pump is 1500gph. The skimmer runs on a modified RIO 1700 at 600gph. The 30g seahorse has a 400gph RIO. Happy Reefing

clowns101 · Aug 8, 2011

anemonekeeper said:
Mostly since bioballs have a bad rap, but other than that it seems like the lack of space. The trickle filter takes up half of the wet dry, which is great for adding bio media, carbon, gfo, etc. , but there is little room for a fuge, skimmer or pumps. I see a great use of space for a fuge under the trickle part in the picture. I have been told that they were no good, mostly by people who like using giant fuges and very little to no filter media paired with a good skimmer. I personally love bioballs, they float in the "in" section of my sump and are covered in feather dusters.

I know why, I was being sarcastic, haha!