Stability

Big_Mclargehuge · Nov 23, 2020

Hey! I am looking to get the next piece of equipment for my reef tank. I have a 32 gallon biocube. I am planning on moving in the next year and will probably downgrade to a smaller tank (20 gallon). I am looking for the best thing to add stability to my tank. I'm thinking an ATO would probably be my best bet for that. I still don't have my own RODI unit. If you had to pick one to get first what would it be? Any tips would be appreciated. I'd love to get a better light etc.. but i feel like stability is the most important thing to focus on right now. Thanks!

Hallowhead · Nov 23, 2020

They really go hand in hand but I would say get an ATO and buy boxed water for the time being. If you're mixing with tap water you're asking for issues long term.

Big_Mclargehuge · Nov 23, 2020

Hallowhead said:
They really go hand in hand but I would say get an ATO and buy boxed water for the time being. If you're mixing with tap water you're asking for issues long term.

Thanks! I get my water from my LFS. It's just becoming a pain. I've realized I don't need to do water changes as much as i thought i would in the beginning but would like the control of being able to do them whenver I want or if something goes wrong in the tank. Thanks!

Hallowhead · Nov 23, 2020

Big_Mclargehuge said:
Thanks! I get my water from my LFS. It's just becoming a pain. I've realized I don't need to do water changes as much as i thought i would in the beginning but would like the control of being able to do them whenver I want or if something goes wrong in the tank. Thanks!

Definitely go with an ATO then. Just get the water from LFS for the time being and feed the ATO.

Big_Mclargehuge · Nov 23, 2020

Hallowhead said:
Definitely go with an ATO then. Just get the water from LFS for the time being and feed the ATO.

Also just checked out your build thread. Awesome man! That stand looks great.

Hallowhead · Nov 23, 2020

Big_Mclargehuge said:
Also just checked out your build thread. Awesome man! That stand looks great.

Woot ! Follow along. I just battled my way through dinos... Hopefully never again

Ksull72487 · Nov 23, 2020

Hallowhead said:
They really go hand in hand but I would say get an ATO and buy boxed water for the time being. If you're mixing with tap water you're asking for issues long term.

Yeah I agree! You can buy 5 Gallon Jugs for like $6-7 bucks for top off. Last forever and it has Potassium Calcium and Magnesium. The boxed water is like $11. BioCubes not hard to do water changes on so get the ATO first. The bigger tanks although, this gets costly.

Ksull72487 · Nov 23, 2020

Ksull72487 said:
Yeah I agree! You can buy 5 Gallon Jugs for like $6-7 bucks for top off. Last forever and it has Potassium Calcium and Magnesium. The boxed water is like $11. BioCubes not hard to do water changes on so get the ATO first. The bigger tanks although, this gets costly.

Boxed Salt Water. NutriSeawater or Petco. I don’t particularly like the batches fish stores sell. No need to dose lol.

Big_Mclargehuge · Nov 23, 2020

Ksull72487 said:
Yeah I agree! You can buy 5 Gallon Jugs for like $6-7 bucks for top off. Last forever and it has Potassium Calcium and Magnesium. The boxed water is like $11. BioCubes not hard to do water changes on so get the ATO first. The bigger tanks although, this gets costly.

Yeah that was kind of my thought process. I wanted to see if anyone knew something I didn't. I'm also planning on getting a smaller nano tank when I move which would make water changes even cheaper and easier. Thanks!

Ksull72487 · Nov 23, 2020

Big_Mclargehuge said:
Yeah that was kind of my thought process. I wanted to see if anyone knew something I didn't. I'm also planning on getting a smaller nano tank when I move which would make water changes even cheaper and easier. Thanks!

Yup no problem. 32 gallons you don’t really need a RO/DI. Gonna take awhile to make anyways. Easier just to do the boxed water unless your heavily stocked. I remember tho my Biocube I did a ATO pretty fast. JBJ worked well with the float sensors. You can use a cheap 2.5Gallon Glass Tank from Petco. Store it in stand and just fill it with the water from Home Depot, Walmart or Lowe’s.

I work for Primo Water Corporation all are 5 gallon jugs hon their. Pottassium, Calcium and Magnesium. So the trace amounts we inject back are perfect for Corals. Then try to buy NutriSeawater for water changes I like that better as everything’s listed. But the Petco ocean water works as well. Or just bring a container to local fish store but that was a pain and I don’t always know how they mixed it.

Big_Mclargehuge · Nov 23, 2020

Ksull72487 said:
Yup no problem. 32 gallons you don’t really need a RO/DI. Gonna take awhile to make anyways. Easier just to do the boxed water unless your heavily stocked. I remember tho my Biocube I did a ATO pretty fast. JBJ worked well with the float sensors. You can use a cheap 2.5Gallon Glass Tank from Petco. Store it in stand and just fill it with the water from Home Depot, Walmart or Lowe’s.

I work for Primo Water Corporation all are 5 gallon jugs hon their. Pottassium, Calcium and Magnesium. So the trace amounts we inject back are perfect for Corals. Then try to buy NutriSeawater for water changes I like that better as everything’s listed. But the Petco ocean water works as well. Or just bring a container to local fish store but that was a pain and I don’t always know how they mixed it.

Hey thanks for the info. I was just going to use RODI water from my LFS. I usually get 5 gallons at a time at my LFS for water changes also.