Does anyone think redsea is worth the compared to any other tank same question goes for waterbox im looking to upgrade and stuck on the 2 types of brand and also im and planning on installing reef mat and their doesnt seem to be any room in waterbox sump for that from what i see. thanks for any input. How much luck has anyone had with redsea is what im asking i guess as far as quality and sound.
Thoughts on redsea vs waterbox.
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xCry0x
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I have an old red sea max 250 that I bought used and have had running for 5 years.
Solid tank, no real issues outside of just wishing I had a sump and not an AIO tank.
I think their newer tanks all look great. Especially the fully turnkey ones that come with a great sump and all the plumbing.
Waterbox has similar turn key tanks as well, less familiar with them since my lfs carried the red sea series. Taking a glance it didn't seem like the prices were that dissimilar.
Solid tank, no real issues outside of just wishing I had a sump and not an AIO tank.
I think their newer tanks all look great. Especially the fully turnkey ones that come with a great sump and all the plumbing.
Waterbox has similar turn key tanks as well, less familiar with them since my lfs carried the red sea series. Taking a glance it didn't seem like the prices were that dissimilar.
jimfish98
Active Member
When I was looking, the issue with Red Sea on the larger tanks was seam failures. The cabinets on those larger ones were an issue as well. For me to spend that kind of money, I wanted to see less nightmare videos and posts about the product I was buying. That being said, I am not sure if they have adjusted their design and such since.
Waterbox is what I went for and thus far it has been a great tank with no issues. I have enjoyed it enough that I have a second tank coming next week. Customer service by the way is top notch in my book.
The RS Reef Mat can fit in a Waterbox sump with modification. It would vary by unit, but for most you take out the walls for the socks, plumb directly to the mat with the parts that come with the mat filter. It would open up most space in the main chamber for other stuff which is nice.
Waterbox is what I went for and thus far it has been a great tank with no issues. I have enjoyed it enough that I have a second tank coming next week. Customer service by the way is top notch in my book.
The RS Reef Mat can fit in a Waterbox sump with modification. It would vary by unit, but for most you take out the walls for the socks, plumb directly to the mat with the parts that come with the mat filter. It would open up most space in the main chamber for other stuff which is nice.
Lps_lover12
Valuable Member
Cant say anything about Red Sea tanks as I’ve never had one but I do have a waterbox and it is worth every penny. What made me go with the waterbox over Red Sea was all the horror stories I read about Red Sea tanks leaking. Like jimfish98 said when I’m spending that kind of money I want to know I’m getting the best quality. You wont be disappointed with waterbox, excellent quality all around
jimfish98
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It doesn't make much if any noise unless its teetering between going too low on the main pipe or about to use the over flow pipe. The day of a water change there is a little adjusting, but otherwise I don't have to touch it.
GoTakeANap
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Waterbox all day. Red Sea tanks are known for seam failure on 1 year old tanks. That alone scared me away with all the horror stories I’ve seen and read.
robo_reef
New Member
If you want the RS Reef Mat, going RS is going to be easier (prebuilt version) instead of modifying a Waterbox sump. I think not designing for rollers is a mistake that Waterbox needs to correct soon. It's the future.
I agree i am sure they will the filter socks was the reason i took a break from the hobby a few years back so i am gonna fully automate this thing as much as possible and yes its most definitely the future thanks robo_reef.
PeterC99
Solarbenchmark.com
Forget the reef mat. Get these cheap 3D printed filter cups that fit in the sock compartment. 15 seconds to Change out a small piece of filter floss every week. Game changer!
Hmmm interestingForget the reef mat. Get these cheap 3D printed filter cups that fit in the sock compartment. 15 seconds to Change out a small piece of filter floss every week. Game changer!
PeterC99
Solarbenchmark.com
Give this a try first. Cheap, quick, and very effective. You are going to save money, time, and aggravation!!!
robo_reef
New Member
It's not the same though. I have the inTank filter floss holder (sits on top of the sock brackets), which is expensive but makes it easier to cut a rectangular piece of floss. You'd still have to change it every week (what if you are on vacation for a few weeks?) and it clogged once during a bacterial bloom. At a time when everything else is being automated (dosing, etc), why not automate something you have to do every week?Forget the reef mat. Get these cheap 3D printed filter cups that fit in the sock compartment. 15 seconds to Change out a small piece of filter floss every week. Game changer!
piranhaman00
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Couldn’t pay me to put a rimless aquarium in my house, especially Red Sea, They all rely on siliconed seams to hold the glass together, no thanks
PeterC99
Solarbenchmark.com
It’s exactly the same but much cheaper! Only costs $20 for the 3D printed filter holder and a $10 bag of filter floss last me a whole year on my 90 gallon. I’ve been away 2 weeks with no change and no problems.
Reef rollers are expensive, take a lot of time to setup, and have to be maintained. Heard many complaints on this site about rollers failing, clogging, and or breaking. Also, What happens if your reef roller jams. Besides how long and how hard to change the roll, and how much do the rolls cost? Only 1 minute total for the month to change floss.
These filter cups are very old school but work very well, cheap, easy to maintain - and don’t breakdown. Been using for 2 years now. Will never go back to filter socks or to a filter roller.
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