Raindog3030
Active Member
Welcome back to the hobby, I too am just back into reeefing after a 10 year hiatus as well...can't tell you how right you are, so many things have changed!
Back in the adiction and wow lots have change
- Thread starter Aquamannytv
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Aquamannytv
Community Member
I had no idea so much has pass and change but to tell the truth it was a good bracke from the hobby i want to get as much and many ideas I can and I see here it’s the place to learn lol I remember the pumps I use to have was reef flow dart now they are smaller and more efficient also where are the maxi jet lol no one use those any more I even had a wave box on my tank I can’t wait to see more new stuff
Raindog3030
Active Member
Hahaha, I'm still trying to find frozen cyclopeez and no one uses magdrive pumps anymore! I was so excited when I got my magdrive24 for my big system(12 years ago?), I thought to myself, pumps will never get better than this...how wrong I was!
I've been educating myself about the biggest change, which IMO is LED lighting...how crazy! And cheap wave makers are super cool too! And gyre pumps too, there is so much!
mcarroll
10K Club member
mcarroll
10K Club member
Not wishful, but low-tech* is less problematic in the long run than high-tech.
Folks use lots of tech to deal with ultra-high bio-loads.
So if you can keep the bio-load lower, your system can be almost self-maintaining with the exception of alk, ca, mg and food all on dosers. Automate water changes with dosers too if you want.
Other than a doser, the key combo is still live rock (which is not the same as dead rock;Facepalm), good flow and a protein skimmer.
Some folks even doubt the necessity of the skimmer by running their tanks without one!
(I think it's mostly an aeration device...but have no plans to shut mine off!
)* Not to be confused with no-tech, which is not possible if you can't be there every day.
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Aquamannytv
Community Member
Not wishful, but low-tech* is less problematic in the long run than high-tech.
Folks use lots of tech to deal with ultra-high bio-loads.
So if you can keep the bio-load lower, your system can be almost self-maintaining with the exception of alk, ca, mg and food all on dosers. Automate water changes with dosers too if you want.
Other than a doser, the key combo is still live rock (which is not the same as dead rock;Facepalm), good flow and a protein skimmer.
Some folks even doubt the necessity of the skimmer by running their tanks without one!
(I think it's mostly an aeration device...but have no plans to shut mine off!
* Not to be confused with no-tech, which is not possible if you can't be there every day.
I am totally with you and thanks for the input I can’t see my tank with out a protein skimmer and Cheato on my sump that is a must
The tech I’ll like to have and I guess am a bit old school is for my calcium reactor and to check the water perimeters also auto top off system water level alarm I think that’s the most I’ll have for what I see there is many diferent controllers out there with one is the most use now
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Aquamannytv
Community Member
ok, everyone let 's get this going I have some Q? first, what is the go-to pump LED's and skimmer and most important the controller, you guys think also I will like to know about the lights if it will be better to use a single fixture o separate ones thanks for the help
btw I decided my tank will be 48L X 28W X 24H and I will have 3 side view I will show my plans soon and will show the DIY videos also
btw I decided my tank will be 48L X 28W X 24H and I will have 3 side view I will show my plans soon and will show the DIY videos also
beaslbob
2500 Club Member
Welcome back
My observations:
10 years ago everything was DSB's until people started reporting crashes after a few years of operation.
Back 40 years ago algae was a sign of the healthy system. Which is when I started. But then I had simple 10-20g fish tanks also. had o 55g mixed reef for 7 years or so tho.
today things have kinda gone full circle with refugiums full of algae to balance out and stabilize the system. See the brs videos on refugiums. they basically suggest a blue/red led refugium light is desired.
whatever you do this old school type guy recommends you start the system with macro algae like chaetomorphia (spelling LOL) usually in a refugium. then do the rest.
I use mollys as dither or test fish also. No need to risk marine only fish.
the rock structures can generally be limestone or even concrete you mold yourself. But the latter takes a lot of effort.
To maintain calcium, alk, magnesium you can use the dr randy holmes-farley improved diy 2 part system. It used calcium chloride (available at redimix concrete suppliers at $20-$30 for 40 or 50 pound bags), baking soda, Epsom salts and magnesium chloride. The magnesium chloride is hard to find but I get mine from a local industrial supplier for $20 for a 50 pound bag.
With a balanced out tank you don't need to do water changes and with the dosing the things being used up are maintained.
But that's just me and my old school methods.
worth at most .02
ps I do like our led lights even tho they were very expensive.
My observations:
10 years ago everything was DSB's until people started reporting crashes after a few years of operation.
Back 40 years ago algae was a sign of the healthy system. Which is when I started. But then I had simple 10-20g fish tanks also. had o 55g mixed reef for 7 years or so tho.
today things have kinda gone full circle with refugiums full of algae to balance out and stabilize the system. See the brs videos on refugiums. they basically suggest a blue/red led refugium light is desired.
whatever you do this old school type guy recommends you start the system with macro algae like chaetomorphia (spelling LOL) usually in a refugium. then do the rest.
I use mollys as dither or test fish also. No need to risk marine only fish.
the rock structures can generally be limestone or even concrete you mold yourself. But the latter takes a lot of effort.
To maintain calcium, alk, magnesium you can use the dr randy holmes-farley improved diy 2 part system. It used calcium chloride (available at redimix concrete suppliers at $20-$30 for 40 or 50 pound bags), baking soda, Epsom salts and magnesium chloride. The magnesium chloride is hard to find but I get mine from a local industrial supplier for $20 for a 50 pound bag.
With a balanced out tank you don't need to do water changes and with the dosing the things being used up are maintained.
But that's just me and my old school methods.
worth at most .02
ps I do like our led lights even tho they were very expensive.
OP
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Aquamannytv
Community Member
thanks for that info and i agreed 100% with you and i need to apologize because i never mention my old system or what i will like on my new one.
my old tank was a 180g display with a 60g sump refugium in which I had a protein skimmer, carbon reactor, phosphate reactor, also had a dedicated chamber for cheato with a sand bed, I wish I had pics but I deleted all of them the pump I had was a reef dart to move the water and in the tank I had a tunze wave box and 2 tunze pumps, as for lights I had 3 400w MH light with 4 T5 controlling all that was an aquatronica controller with ph probe for the calcium reactor and kalk reactor and top off, for water changes I had a 200g in the back wall conected to the system with valves for in and out i was able to change water in 5 min but my tank was super stable so I only use to do a water change every 6 to 7 months the 200g tank in the back wall I use to feel it up with sea salt water when I was going to do the water change never mix salt all the equipment imade my self, for my new tank i will be making must of the equipment my self exept for the skimmer
beaslbob
2500 Club Member
Seems like the only big change is the led lights
OP
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Aquamannytv
Community Member
Well the pumps and controllers are diferent for what I see on some tanks witch pump is the most reliable and cust eficiente also what lights and controller
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Aquamannytv
Community Member
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