Experience level: sea monkeys...

[I ❤ Sea-Monkeys]

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
https://www.cobaltaquatics.com/products/aqua-sponge-matunder cabinet sump catch pan
https://zeroedgeaquarium.com/product/acrylic-catch-pan/HVAC drip pan
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Master-...h-PVC-Connector-28-Gauge-28DDP20X20/204167996industrial barrel 27gal spill berm
https://www.newpig.com/pig-4-drum-foam-wall-spill-berm/p/PAK853#desc-spec

 

[Peace River]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!!!

 

[PeterC99]

Welcome to R2R!

I’m a big fan of R2R 170.

 

[P-Dub]

WELCOME to R2R!!!
For spill containment, I keep a towel thrown over my shoulder whenever I will be putting my hand in the tank or working in the sump. Simple is better!

 

[Fred2482]

Welcome! Spilage is usually only a problem in the beginning. After you experience and fix issues that cause spilage over time its not an issue IME.

 

[CMMorgan]

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
https://www.cobaltaquatics.com/products/aqua-sponge-matunder cabinet sump catch pan
https://zeroedgeaquarium.com/product/acrylic-catch-pan/HVAC drip pan
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Master-...h-PVC-Connector-28-Gauge-28DDP20X20/204167996industrial barrel 27gal spill berm
https://www.newpig.com/pig-4-drum-foam-wall-spill-berm/p/PAK853#desc-spec

Welcome to the salt family .... an avid group of overthinkers. You fit right in.
I think that the key to not having salt stains and water damage is simple, always have towels on hand before you touch the tank and clean as you go.
The worst thing I had to clean up (aside from a flood) was when the hose from my doser slipped out and was dosing down the outside of my tank overnight. Like anything, regular maintenance and not becoming complacent will carry you a long way. An ounce of prevention and all of that.
Welcome and enjoy.

 

[Salty Rambler]

Welcome to R2R! I'd hazard to guess that many of the salt stains you see at your LFS are likely from constantly removing fish/corals from the tanks and adding new stuff. That said, no system is truly spill-proof, but you can take a few steps to try to mitigate the most likely culprits, which appear to be:
--something (likely a snail or an anemone) blocking the drain or breaking the siphon (add an emergency drain)
or
--your skimmer overflowing (line your stand where your sump sits).

 

[Billldg]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[thatone08]

Welcome!

 

[G Santana]

Welcome to R2R

 

[DeniseAndy]

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).

 

[olonmv]

Started in October of last year. I use towels as well and just clean up at the end of whatever I had to do. Like mentioned earlier, LFS constantly are spilling water and probably just get tired of constantly mopping therefore their floors get salt damaged. Our porcelain floors look no different from when I started this hobby. Keep it simple.

 

[Clo]

 

[MERKEY]

Hello and welcome to R2R!

 

[FREAKINRICAN69]

 

[I ❤ Sea-Monkeys]

Welcome to the salt family .... an avid group of overthinkers. You fit right in.
I think that the key to not having salt stains and water damage is simple, always have towels on hand before you touch the tank and clean as you go.
The worst thing I had to clean up (aside from a flood) was when the hose from my doser slipped out and was dosing down the outside of my tank overnight. Like anything, regular maintenance and not becoming complacent will carry you a long way. An ounce of prevention and all of that.
Welcome and enjoy.

Thanks! Overthinking and OCD-level detail monitoring. You're right! I fit right in.

 

[dwair]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Thanks! Overthinking and OCD-level detail monitoring. You're right! I fit right in.

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.

 

[SPR1968]

Hi and welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[Jimbhoy13]

Welcome to R2R.