Experience level: sea monkeys...

stewie

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Welcome
finding nemo fish GIF by Monterey Bay Aquarium
 

vetteguy53081

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vetteguy53081

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Hello everyone! My experience level keeping aquatics is at keeping Sea Monkeys when I was 12 - but I have always wanted a tank and really like anemones and corals more than fish.

I am in the aspirational stage of starting a reef tank and have a good salt water specialty shop <20 minutes from my house. I'm working my way through BRStv youtube channel to become conversant with the basics. I'm thinking the Red Sea E-170 AIO (or Reefer 170) is a better choice vs BioCube 32. Thoughts? Other recommendations. I know you more experienced folks could get a lot more bang for the bucks spent for the E-170 - but can I?

One basic question for the community is water spill containment and floor damage. My LFS has salt stains on their floor around all their tanks - and it's a good store. Been around for over 10 years. So what do you do to hedge against water spills and the like? I appreciate all the help y'all can throw my way!

I found a few products if you would care to comment on them:

absorbent mat for routine water changes
under cabinet sump catch pan
HVAC drip pan
industrial barrel 27gal spill berm
As a former pet store owner, remember, stores are constantly bailing water out of tanks with a container and spilling water here and there
Different behavior at home
 

CMMorgan

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Thanks! Overthinking and OCD-level detail monitoring. You're right! I fit right in.
You are in great company. I have been measuring my alk and calcium almost daily trying to program my doser. My readings haven't moved all week. My husband thinks I'm a mad scientist.
 

MaxTremors

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Hello everyone! My experience level keeping aquatics is at keeping Sea Monkeys when I was 12 - but I have always wanted a tank and really like anemones and corals more than fish.

I am in the aspirational stage of starting a reef tank and have a good salt water specialty shop <20 minutes from my house. I'm working my way through BRStv youtube channel to become conversant with the basics. I'm thinking the Red Sea E-170 AIO (or Reefer 170) is a better choice vs BioCube 32. Thoughts? Other recommendations. I know you more experienced folks could get a lot more bang for the bucks spent for the E-170 - but can I?

One basic question for the community is water spill containment and floor damage. My LFS has salt stains on their floor around all their tanks - and it's a good store. Been around for over 10 years. So what do you do to hedge against water spills and the like? I appreciate all the help y'all can throw my way!

I found a few products if you would care to comment on them:

absorbent mat for routine water changes
under cabinet sump catch pan
HVAC drip pan
industrial barrel 27gal spill berm
Just be careful. Your LFS has saltwater stains everywhere because they’re constantly taking things out of their tanks. Just doing regular maintenance you won’t spill much if you’re careful. My biggest issue (and it’s one you can safe guard against), is my RODI bucket over flowing when I’m making water because I forgot to set a timer. Other than that, they few drops/splashes here and there are easy to clean up.
 

revhtree

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Welcome to your new home for saltwater reef aquarium resources and fun! Welcome to the family! :D
welcome-home-logo-greeting-png.1484246
 
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I ❤ Sea-Monkeys

I ❤ Sea-Monkeys

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Just be careful. Your LFS has saltwater stains everywhere because they’re constantly taking things out of their tanks. Just doing regular maintenance you won’t spill much if you’re careful. My biggest issue (and it’s one you can safe guard against), is my RODI bucket over flowing when I’m making water because I forgot to set a timer. Other than that, they few drops/splashes here and there are easy to clean up.
Thanks! Very likely, I'm overthinking this epically for a 40-60 gallon range. I now know to pay attention to making sure tank is level, if I use an under-the-tank mat to make sure it doesn't push up against the bottom glass away from the sides.
 

Fish Think Pink

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Hello everyone! My experience level keeping aquatics is at keeping Sea Monkeys when I was 12 - but I have always wanted a tank and really like anemones and corals more than fish.

I am in the aspirational stage of starting a reef tank and have a good salt water specialty shop <20 minutes from my house. I'm working my way through BRStv youtube channel to become conversant with the basics. I'm thinking the Red Sea E-170 AIO (or Reefer 170) is a better choice vs BioCube 32. Thoughts? Other recommendations. I know you more experienced folks could get a lot more bang for the bucks spent for the E-170 - but can I?

One basic question for the community is water spill containment and floor damage. My LFS has salt stains on their floor around all their tanks - and it's a good store. Been around for over 10 years. So what do you do to hedge against water spills and the like? I appreciate all the help y'all can throw my way!

I found a few products if you would care to comment on them:

absorbent mat for routine water changes
under cabinet sump catch pan
HVAC drip pan
industrial barrel 27gal spill berm
Welcome!

Glad you joined. When I returned to hobby, it was my BFs first time... warned him we'd get water down the wall behind the tank... so far its only happened 1x but wish we had set the tank further out from the wall so I could really get back there to clean. We only set it out about 4" but if I could squeeze whole body back there... well, water under the bridge... :)

We also store old towels nearby so they are always handy. We put down travertine floor, and our baseboards are painted pine (not MDF). Whenever we're working on tank or feeding tank (2x daily) we have at least 1 towel down in front of tank. When we spill water, we clean up promptly. We also ensure everything in our sump is IN our sump so if it leaks then it just would leak into sump. We retrofit filter socks that hung over edge of sump, water condensed on top, and we had puddle we traced back to those filter sock holders hanging over edge so we retrofit PVC frame inside sump so instead the sock holder hang on the PVC frame.

Keep power cords up off floor... water and electricity don't mix well... We have power strips mounted inside tank stand so they are elevated and everything has drip loop so water never runs back length of whole cord and into outlet.

You'll figure it out as you go along - journey is where the fun lies! Keep us posted
 

Fish Think Pink

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Some of us here over think things so much that we make the simplest task impossible by worrying about non-existent complexities.

welcome to the group. They are mostly nice. Just make sure that you research before you buy a shark, tang, or dragonette. Otherwise, the appropriate enforcement department will be by to make you feel like a terrible human.

Just be careful. Your LFS has saltwater stains everywhere because they’re constantly taking things out of their tanks. Just doing regular maintenance you won’t spill much if you’re careful. My biggest issue (and it’s one you can safe guard against), is my RODI bucket over flowing when I’m making water because I forgot to set a timer. Other than that, they few drops/splashes here and there are easy to clean up.

@Townes_Van_Camp oh dear, represent the tang and mandarin police some days

@MaxTremors get a WatchDog Water Alarm for like $15 from local home improvement store (info in my build thread). Bottom detaches and has long cord so you can hang your sensor over lip of bucket. The "water dog" will alarm loudly when water reaches sensor and no more worries overflowing bucket. In fact, I'm changing my design so my "water dog" no longer sits next to my tank but on top, so I can dangle that bottom sensor plate into tank itself because I'm tired of overflowing RODI water in my laundry room. I do have a hot water heater pan under tank, and alarm sounds promptly, but usually between 2-3am ...
 
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I ❤ Sea-Monkeys

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Welcome!

Glad you joined. When I returned to hobby, it was my BFs first time... warned him we'd get water down the wall behind the tank... so far its only happened 1x but wish we had set the tank further out from the wall so I could really get back there to clean. We only set it out about 4" but if I could squeeze whole body back there... well, water under the bridge... :)

We also store old towels nearby so they are always handy. We put down travertine floor, and our baseboards are painted pine (not MDF). Whenever we're working on tank or feeding tank (2x daily) we have at least 1 towel down in front of tank. When we spill water, we clean up promptly. We also ensure everything in our sump is IN our sump so if it leaks then it just would leak into sump. We retrofit filter socks that hung over edge of sump, water condensed on top, and we had puddle we traced back to those filter sock holders hanging over edge so we retrofit PVC frame inside sump so instead the sock holder hang on the PVC frame.

Keep power cords up off floor... water and electricity don't mix well... We have power strips mounted inside tank stand so they are elevated and everything has drip loop so water never runs back length of whole cord and into outlet.

You'll figure it out as you go along - journey is where the fun lies! Keep us posted
Thank you! I'll definitely follow your advice to have 4+" space from the wall, towels, etc. I can dry spilled water with a box fan but salt on the hardwood... I'll need to be able to get my arm back there. I'm only doing a 40g so it should be small enough to reach. I have a good LFS and they agree that a Red Sea E-170 AIO best suits my goals. Pricy for someone with experience - but good for a sea monkey like me. They also advised that I'm better off with the stock configuration - all set up and ready, so I won't have to worry about hooking up an under-cabinet sump or filter socks. I can do that down the road.
 
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Welcome. Love the research so far. Cool items there. I guess I have been doing it too long as I just use towels. :)

Cannot wait to see the set up you have (getting).
Thanks! I'm hearing Red Sea has a waiting list for the E-170 AIO of 3+ months. So it's gonna be a while... time for excessive research and overthinking!
 

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Welcome to club. You are off to a great start with researching. i have to say spillage has never crossed my mind since my tanks in the wall and access from the furnace room. But I do keep hand towel hanging by the door for getting in the tank. Good luck with your new tank and start a build thread.
 

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