Plug n Play Reef tank??

[Waters]

Just for discussion purposes, suppose you took a working formula and was able to duplicate it exactly, would you get the same results? For example, you were told to use a 100 gallon tank, with X brand of salt, X lighting, run by Apex with Trident, X brand of rock, etc. I am guessing two tanks side by side would look very different.....but why?

 

[AndyinAtlanta]

I think the nuances would grow the longer you have the tanks. Day 1 the tanks would look identical, but over time small differences would have bigger impacts. Its an endless list, the slight tolerance differences in the plastics in each pump, the small electrical differences in your outlets that run power to the lights, the differences in the direction the water flows in your tank, it goes on and on.

Ultimately those small differences will make each tank mature differently. Not noticeable on day one, probably not month one either, but a year into it I'm betting they look like completely different tanks.