Getting back after a 3yr break from reefing. Need some advice.

[PeterB113]

hey guys so after a 3 year break from reefing ive decided to get back into the hobby!! Im looking for some advice for starting a new tank again. Wondering if theres any new/upgraded tech i should buy or new tricks of the trade i can learn so i can keep my reef nice and healthy. I was thinking of getting a 40-50gal rimless (unsure of the brand yet) using 2 hydra 32 as lights and 2 nero 3 pumps. For filtration ive always used a simple HOB filter live rock and sand and do weekly water changes of about 15% and dose as needed. For heater i like the titanium heaters. Other than that thats pretty much all ive ever done and have had good results but im wondering if theres any new ways to make it even simpler/better. Its going to be a mixed reef but very litte sps more LPS and softy but i like having my tanks PACKED FULL lol. Also want opinions on which salt i should use ive always used red sea coral pro but have been thinking of switching to tropic marin pro. Please let me know what you guys think and any advice you can give. I really want it to look like my 20g did before i broke it down (but with smarter coral placements lol).

 

[exnisstech]

From the looks of your previous tank I'd say you could be the one giving advice. I love succesful low tech systems. I think many people coming into the hobby would stay longer if they started off simple and learned the basics vs depending on tech to make them succesful.
You should think about starting a build thread.

 

[edsbeaker]

^ Agreed!!! That was a beautiful tank!
I dont think there has been that big of a change in equipment in the last 3 years. For me, the major change has been the prices on livestock. It seems like prices have gone way up on corals and fish for some reason.

 

[Lavey29]

Jump in, the water is fine.

 

[PeterB113]

^ Agreed!!! That was a beautiful tank!
I dont think there has been that big of a change in equipment in the last 3 years. For me, the major change has been the prices on livestock. It seems like prices have gone way up on corals and fish for some reason.

Thank you i miss it alot Yea livestock and coral prices DEFINITELY went up since the last time i bought coral. Would you use an ATO on a tank like mine? I never have because ive been scared of horror stories about flooding your tank and house lol. I usually just top off manually as needed but was thinking about a ATO. Any thoughts?

 

[fishyjoes]

I'd say get a sump if you can, if nothing else it lets you keep some clutter out of the main display.
I use a dumb float valve with gravity for top off. Dead simple and reliable.

 

[PeterB113]

I'd say get a sump if you can, if nothing else it lets you keep some clutter out of the main display.
I use a dumb float valve with gravity for top off. Dead simple and reliable.

Do you mean a sump for the ATO?? I have to look into it if im being honest i have no clue what a sump does or the reason for it lol ive always done the “easy” way with just a HOB filter and water changes.

 

[exnisstech]

I have tanks with sumps and love them but I recently set up a tank with a hob filter to house everything in my reefer 170 that I need to tear down. Its a 29g with an aquaclear 110 hob. I'm adding an ATO at the moment but I had an extra ATO unit here. I'm just going to use a gallon jug but the tank is in the basement so no one will see it.

I keep a 10g observation QT running with a hob.

 

[fishyjoes]

Do you mean a sump for the ATO?? I have to look into it if im being honest i have no clue what a sump does or the reason for it lol ive always done the “easy” way with just a HOB filter and water changes.

A sump may not be for everybody, it certainly adds some complication if your tank doesn't come set up for it already (you'll have to drill and install plumbing).

Basically it's just another tank connected to your display tank where you can put stuff that you don't want to see in the display part.

In my sump I have a heater, algae scrubber, ATO float valve, protein skimmer, kalk dosing tube, and ph probe. All I have in my display is the wave makers, sump return nozzle, and overflow box.

 

[edsbeaker]

Thank you i miss it alot Yea livestock and coral prices DEFINITELY went up since the last time i bought coral. Would you use an ATO on a tank like mine? I never have because ive been scared of horror stories about flooding your tank and house lol. I usually just top off manually as needed but was thinking about a ATO. Any thoughts?

I wouldn’t have a tank without an ATO, but I LOVE automation. They certainly are not required as long as you keep up with adding water when needed. They are reliable “IF” they are set up correctly, and keeps salinity more stable then manually adding freshwater.

Where they tend to fail, (I know because I made this mistake) is to have the outlet of the water line below the water line of the water that sits in the ATO container. This causes a siphon that will keep adding water until those two levels equal out. I don’t make that mistake anymore, and I also make a small pinhole in the line just before it comes out of the ATO container as an added safety measure. When the pump turns off, air will get into that hole and break the siphon.

 

[PeterB113]

A sump may not be for everybody, it certainly adds some complication if your tank doesn't come set up for it already (you'll have to drill and install plumbing).

Basically it's just another tank connected to your display tank where you can put stuff that you don't want to see in the display part.

In my sump I have a heater, algae scrubber, ATO float valve, protein skimmer, kalk dosing tube, and ph probe. All I have in my display is the wave makers, sump return nozzle, and overflow box.

Gotcha yea i dont think a sump is for me i dont use that much equipment like a skimmer or dosing pumps so the only thing id need to “hide” is my heater.