Well, how about that...

[Kurt Copeland]

I have been thinking about remodeling my home office for a long time. The only thing holding me back was...what else?...a lack of funds. I wanted to upgrade my tank and put down new flooring and get a few other nice little things. I've even had my interior designer wife create a mood board and mock up of her ideas for the room. It's gonna look awesome. (I have been dreaming of this for about fifteen years.)

So, the fence in the backyard has been there since 1982 (looks like 1892) and I've been getting quotes to have it replaced. I pull some money out of my savings to take care of this necessity and, lo and behold, as if the stars suddenly aligned...

1. I got a great deal on the fence replacement by the people who did our neighbor's fence so I know they are going to do a great job for a good price and I will have enough money left over for...

2. The awesome after-Christmas sale at the giant aquarium store about four blocks from my house and I was still deliberating about whether I should be doing this and getting a new tank and all when...

3. I notice my age-old, second-hand, die-hard, no brand, non-drilled 60-gallon aquarium has a tiny little leak...

Long story made slightly less long...I'm shooting for a 150-gallon tank with overflow. I just need to figure out how to get it through the window.

I am still a relative newbie at all of this (despite having been a member here for a bit) and would like suggestions on docile, peaceful creatures that will get along with each other in a saltwater tank (no predators) and, for now, no reef. I know. But I need to start this with something relatively easy and I won't initially have the equipment, time and knowledge I need to maintain a full reef and everything which it entails. I would prefer to start with the fish in a tank with substrate and flow and a few plants and maybe a decoration or two.

Once I get everything settled, I can eventually progress to a reef tank. At least, this is how I see it in my mind.

Thoughts and suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[rayn]

Congrats on the upgrade! Funny how things sometimes work out.

 

[ReeferBob]

Awesome! I highly suggest saving your money and NOT get a "reef ready " tank. Get a standard tank and drill holes for a coast to coast overflow (or any other overflow) and do a bean style drain system for total silence . It pays to do it right in the long run. Don't be afraid to drill the tank it could not be easier. VERY good plan to start out slow. I suggest nothing for the first month and then a well thought out cleanup crew for at least 2 more months. Plan your stocking list carefully and plan the order that you will introduce each new family member as it is very important. I also suggest you buy your fish online at a place like liveaquaria. Your local fish store, like most of them, almost certainly has ich :mad: in their tanks. In either case it is a good idea to quarantine all new purchases for 30 days. Ich will wipe out your entire tank in short order .

Be VERY wary of ANY advice you get from the LFS. They want to sell you product. Their employees are there for a paycheck, nothing more. Come here for advice.

 

[Kurt Copeland]

Why are the built in overflows on the reef ready tanks not as good as using a drill kit? Is the noise level the only factor?

I get my fish from North Dallas Aquarium which is leagues beyond any PetCo or PetSmart and I seriously doubt they ever had an issue with Ick. They are pristine and knowledgable.

Thanks for the response.

I have considered drilling my own tank and I even have a glassholes kit. Just thinking of the great deal on the ready to go tank.

 

[ReeferBob]

If you trust the store for Ich, that's great. But Ich can come in any store, not just the big box ones. And most stores have combined filtration for all of their tanks so if one has something, all the tanks have it. It is always still advisable to quarantine. Marine diseases and parasites will take out your entire tank.

builtin overflows are primarily not ideal because they are designed to use a noisy, less efficient Durso style drain. Their design also lends itself to having stagnant water at the bottom of the overflow. They are also physically large and unsightly in the tank (and steal water volume). Any of those reasons alone is enough to not use one, but most of all is the drain system. For a new setup go right to a full-siphon drain. You can use your glass holes kit but make sure you are able to put three drain lines on it (full siphon, open channel, emergency). You can buy a pre-made kit designed for drilled tanks from lots of places. You can still use this tank if it is a great deal but I suggest removing the overflow and plugging the holes in the bottom and not using it as "reef ready". Bottom holes just need a piece of glass (NOT acrylic!) siliconed over the top of them. They'll be covered by substrate and you'll never know. You could probably even sell the weirs that you removed on ebay for $50.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I once brought Ich from my own 55g to my 100g. Never saw it on the fish when they were in the 55 and they were in there for over a year.

 

[Reefrookie220]

I would like to point out that the advice given by @ReeferBob is a little one sided.

Why would you buy a Reef ready tank and "patch" the holes?

 

[ReeferBob]

I would like to point out that the advice given by @ReeferBob is a little one sided.

Why would you buy a Reef ready tank and "patch" the holes?

My original advice was not to buy a reef ready tank at all. But he said he was getting a good deal on it. Point is, you can remove all of the "reef ready" parts and turn it back into a standard tank. I think most of the people that would recommend not buying a reef-ready tank are those that have owned one, like myself. They are a generally a PITA and very limiting if the desire is to have a full siphon drain system. Once you go full-siphon, you'll never go back to Durso. So yes, it is my personal preference. In the case of "reef-ready" tanks, more is most definitely less.

 

[theblackpearl]

i would never buy a reef ready tank....the overflow takes up way too much room....I made that mistake once and I will never do it again.....Reef ready tanks have a giant black overflow that takes up about 15 perecnt of the tank.....Just take your time, start slow....Ive been working on the same tank for 6 months and its never seen water...

 

[cmcoker]

The store he is talking about can get him whatever kind of overflow he wants installed.
That said, I have got sick fish from them..

 

[cmcoker]

Why are the built in overflows on the reef ready tanks not as good as using a drill kit? Is the noise level the only factor?

I get my fish from North Dallas Aquarium which is leagues beyond any PetCo or PetSmart and I seriously doubt they ever had an issue with Ick. They are pristine and knowledgable.

Thanks for the response.

I have considered drilling my own tank and I even have a glassholes kit. Just thinking of the great deal on the ready to go tank.

Is it one of the used tanks they have out front?

Also, if you join DFWMAS, they will give you 10% off if you show your membership card..

 

[pgravis]

I have a reef ready tank and used one of the pre drilled holes with a straight pipe for my main siphon, and the other hole for a taller emergency drain and I run my return over the back wall. I know this style has a name, although I'm not sure what it is. The tank is dead silent and the only thing I would do different next time is to drill a hill in the back wall to bring my return through, rather than over the top. That being said, I painted the pipe coming over the top black and I don't even notice it at this point.

 

[AZDesertRat]

I took on a second job to fund a remodel and to build my present 5 foot 100G reef system. I sold the old 90G non drilled system, installed tile throughout most of the house then slowly started buying up and building my new reef system from the ground up. I went to my LFS and ordered a custom tank with diamond edge glass, had a custom offset overflow installed and had 5 holes drilled where I directed at the factory. The tank was less than some of the similar tanks the LFS had sitting on the floor and it was exactly what I wanted. Talk to a couple LFS and see what they can do for you.

 

[cmcoker]

Yes, don't just talk to one lfs. We in the dfw area are lucky to have a ton of lfs.
Dfwmas.org has a map of all of them, also check out the for sale section. I got a 120g planet aquarium tank, stand, canopy, trigger system ruby sump, ato container for $800 from a fellow member. http://www.dfwmas.org/lfs

 

[ReeferBob]

I have a reef ready tank and used one of the pre drilled holes with a straight pipe for my main siphon, and the other hole for a taller emergency drain and I run my return over the back wall. I know this style has a name, although I'm not sure what it is. The tank is dead silent and the only thing I would do different next time is to drill a hill in the back wall to bring my return through, rather than over the top. That being said, I painted the pipe coming over the top black and I don't even notice it at this point.

This is known as a "Herbie" style. Bean is better in that it starts with a Herbie and adds an open channel to tune the drain. Herbie's can cause floods if the primary full siphon gets clogged. Bean corrects that problem.

 

[mcarroll]

[...]. I also suggest you buy your fish online at a place like liveaquaria. Your local fish store, like most of them, almost certainly has ich :mad: in their tanks. [...]
Be VERY wary of ANY advice you get from the LFS. They want to sell you product. Their employees are there for a paycheck, nothing more. Come here for advice.

This is some of the saddest aquarium hobby advice I have ever seen given.

And wonderful free advertising for a place that doesn't need it. (Mods?)

You can rest assured that the wonderful folks at liveaquaria have the same ich, are selling the same fish, and have the same motivations as any local fish store. $$$

Do not be so gullible as to think otherwise.

[emoji106][emoji41][emoji106]

Support your local economy!

 

[cmcoker]

Definitely support your lfs, I don't want it taken that I suggest otherwise since I have gotten sick fish from the mentioned lfs.
My statement was meant to advocate quarantine, no matter where you source your livestock.

 

[ReeferBob]

This is some of the saddest aquarium hobby advice I have ever seen given.

And wonderful free advertising for a place that doesn't need it. (Mods?)

You can rest assured that the wonderful folks at liveaquaria have the same ich, are selling the same fish, and have the same motivations as any local fish store. $$$

Do not be so gullible as to think otherwise.

[emoji106][emoji41][emoji106]

Support your local economy!

Yes, heavens to Betsy let's call in the Mods to remove mention of one the most popular online fish sites that there is. I've bought 10 whole fish from them. I had a problem with one and they immediately credited it. My LFS won't even guarantee a fish to make it to your house alive. I am sure some people have good, trustable local fish stores and that is great. But I see no reason to support a local store that has no current equipment, mostly sick, aiptasia infested tanks, and staff that has no idea what they are doing for no other reason than they are local. Let them go under - they should. I have options.

Sorry i don't sugar coat my advice. If you don't like it, don't take it.

 

[Gravityreefing]

i would never buy a reef ready tank....the overflow takes up way too much room....I made that mistake once and I will never do it again.....Reef ready tanks have a giant black overflow that takes up about 15 perecnt of the tank.....Just take your time, start slow....Ive been working on the same tank for 6 months and its never seen water...

I saw this and was just curious to why? So is it just bc the over flow takes up too much space or bc of the look? The over boxes does work and I know alot of reefer used them so am confused by this. I also have a tank with dual over flow custom that I drilled two holes on each side of the tank two for drain and two for return. The only difference is I did not drill the holes from the bottom of the tank but from the back about 8" or so up from the bottom of tank.

 

[Latino277]

Hey Kurt,

1st Congrats good and luck on your new toy and Money pit... lol

I have owned both reef ready tanks and recently drilled my 125g for a bean setup. Here are the pro's and cons of both:

• Reef ready:

1. As plug and play as you can get in this hobby. Plug/plumb your drain lines to the sump. Plug/Plumb your return lines. Fill with water. Then sit on your big ole butt and have a beer. Don't we wish. This is overly simplified but you get the idea
2. If the 150 has 2 overflows you absolutely can set this up with a bean style system. Ill let you do your research on that
3. You have very little control on the placement of the overflows. You'll either get 2 corner overflows or one center overflow.
4. Standard overflows take up a lot of space in the tank
5. Tank cost more than a standard tank

• Standard tank with drilled overflows

1. Your can put the overflows where ever you want. The only real limitation is if the bottom of the tank has tempered glass, Can't Drill Tampered Glass!!!!
2. You can setup any style overflow you want. just drill the holes for it
3. If you place the overflow on the sides, you can go with smaller internal overflows and gain some of that space you would have lost with the standard tank
4. Drilling is an easy thing. but, easy things sometimes go wrong. You run the chance of breaking the glass
5. Depending on the overflow kit you choose, you can end up spending, in total, the same as a Reef ready tank.

I'm sure I'm missing stuff here. these guys will point it out

As far as buying livestock, ask fellow reefers that live near by. they'll tell you where to go. I'll leave the leave the sick fish and ick conversation for another day... good luck