Help me to understand

[Scdell]

There’s nothing wrong with buying equipment made in China. Sure, they can fail, but so can your “proper” equipment. And name brand doesn’t equate to “proper”, you don’t define what “proper” means. So you’ve bought Ecotech and that’s “proper”? Some people feel like they want to spend money on stuff that comes at a higher price tag that should last longer, some don’t. Successful tanks happen at either spectrum.

I have German made Tunze in my tanks, have a bricked Apex (proper, right?), have some Chinese made finnex heaters, super reliable made American Iwaki return pump, expensive Chinese Gyre, Geo’s Ca Rx, and reliable Chinese Diablo/Reef octopus skimmer that’s only skipped a beat when I don’t clean it. Is branded product more proper than a non branded one when they all function to do the same thing? Maybe less effectively?

I wouldn’t knock on all Chinese made products cuz I got a Jebao RW15 or PP whatever that’s been running for 7 years, and still on a frag tank!

I'm probably much older than you. When I was a kid anything "made in Japan" was useless throw away junk. Boy did they turn that around. A lot of early stuff coming out of China was and still is the same. In the middle of Japan and Chinese made stuff was "made in Thailand". Same thing. I guess that sort of thing sticks with you through life. Chinese stuff will get better. It's just a gamble right now.

 

[SeaDweller]

I'm probably much older than you. When I was a kid anything "made in Japan" was useless throw away junk. Boy did they turn that around. A lot of early stuff coming out of China was and still is the same. In the middle of Japan and Chinese made stuff was "made in Thailand". Same thing. I guess that sort of thing sticks with you through life. Chinese stuff will get better. It's just a gamble right now.

Come on. You can't be much older than me. I was born in 82.

 

[Scdell]

I was born in 56. You're still a puppy. Lol.

 

[SeaDweller]

I was born in 56. You're still a puppy. Lol.

Nah, I'm sure you've got some new tricks to learn!!!!! Haha

 

[Scdell]

Nah, I'm sure you've got some new tricks to learn!!!!! Haha

If only I knew what I know now and was your age. Things would be a lot different. The old saying is soooooo true. Youth is wasted on the young. But it's all good. We learn as we age. As we get older we can look back and see all our mistakes. At the time we went with everything. In all reality I probably wouldn't change much.

 

[SeaDweller]

If only I knew what I know now and was your age. Things would be a lot different. The old saying is soooooo true. Youth is wasted on the young. But it's all good. We learn as we age. As we get older we can look back and see all our mistakes. At the time we went with everything. In all reality I probably wouldn't change much.

We do learn as we age, and hopefully we retain what we learn and grow from it. Things aren't how they were when I was growing up, and the world today scares me. Luckily we have this money pit of a hobby.

FYI, I do believe in paying for better equipment!

 

[lapin]

hum
Le temps est un grand maître, dit-on, le malheur est qu'il tue ses élèves.

 

[Scdell]

hum
Le temps est un grand maître, dit-on, le malheur est qu'il tue ses élèves.

Translate please.

 

[Scdell]

We do learn as we age, and hopefully we retain what we learn and grow from it. Things aren't how they were when I was growing up, and the world today scares me. Luckily we have this money pit of a hobby.

FYI, I do believe in paying for better equipment!

I still learn every day. It's when you stop learning that's bad. I had my first reef tank when I was about your age. Dang things were tough back then. Wasted a lot of money. Killed a lot of animals. It wasn't fun. We had bio balls in the sump back then. Undergravel filters. It's come a long way!

 

[lapin]

We say that time is a great teacher. It's too bad that it also kills all its students.

 

[wesman42]

didn't have the money to buy what was right. I tried a lot of DIY stuff. I ended up killing more things for my desire to have a reef tank. I finally gave it up. Realized

There are 1.4 billion people in China. Are you insinuating that a chinese product = dead livestock on purpose?

 

[Scdell]

There are 1.4 billion people in China. Are you insinuating that a chinese product = dead livestock on purpose?

Said it once earlier. Everything is in interpretation.

 

[Scdell]

We say that time is a great teacher. It's too bad that it also kills all its students.

I'm going to have remember that. I really like it!

 

[User1]

It is all about choices. As is with hobby as is with life. Price != better. There are some cases where this can be true throughout life but in the end we, the hobbyist, all have different budgets and usually make decisions when to buy higher end items vs something we can make vs something we know might be temporary and very well could replace in a year.

I myself had to do this. Upgraded from a 40 to a 210 gallon tank. I really wanted to use the TBS package. My gut told me it was the right thing to do especially when moving an existing tank with years of maturity into a larger system. Yet reality sunk in with two in college and looking at that tuition bill says there are other paths albeit a little longer journey but with same results. Thus I set that aside and picked up dry Pukani instead. I really like TBS rock, I enjoy talking to the owner, but in the end I couldn't make it work. Sure we both understand and there is always another day.

So yes - it is about choices. Sometimes easy, sometimes not so much. No need to go into debt for a hobby.

 

[wesman42]

Said it once earlier. Everything is in interpretation.

Well seeing as it's open to interpretation and you didn't quite answer my question, I'll continue. I'll admit that typically a product coming out of china is perceived as a low-cost copy or a low-quality product in comparison to "USA" made items. However, there's a major flaw in the logic that all Chinese products are a waste of space/time.

Most of the Red Sea series tanks, Waterbox etc are all made in China. The Ecotech line are all made in China. There's tons of other products that are made in China, imported, then slapped with a "Assembled in the USA" sticker after putting on a logo.

I for one, had a Jebao powerhead outlast an MP-40.

 

[Scdell]

It is all about choices. As is with hobby as is with life. Price != better. There are some cases where this can be true throughout life but in the end we, the hobbyist, all have different budgets and usually make decisions when to buy higher end items vs something we can make vs something we know might be temporary and very well could replace in a year.

I myself had to do this. Upgraded from a 40 to a 210 gallon tank. I really wanted to use the TBS package. My gut told me it was the right thing to do especially when moving an existing tank with years of maturity into a larger system. Yet reality sunk in with two in college and looking at that tuition bill says there are other paths albeit a little longer journey but with same results. Thus I set that aside and picked up dry Pukani instead. I really like TBS rock, I enjoy talking to the owner, but in the end I couldn't make it work. Sure we both understand and there is always another day.

So yes - it is about choices. Sometimes easy, sometimes not so much. No need to go into debt for a hobby.

And learning along the way.

 

[Scdell]

Well seeing as it's open to interpretation and you didn't quite answer my question, I'll continue. I'll admit that typically a product coming out of china is perceived as a low-cost copy or a low-quality product in comparison to "USA" made items. However, there's a major flaw in the logic that all Chinese products are a waste of space/time.

Most of the Red Sea series tanks, Waterbox etc are all made in China. The Ecotech line are all made in China. There's tons of other products that are made in China, imported, then slapped with a "Assembled in the USA" sticker after putting on a logo.

I for one, had a Jebao powerhead outlast an MP-40.

The difference is the "big" companies have strict guidelines to follow during the manufacturing process. Or I should say the "good" companies. That's the difference.

 

[User1]

And learning along the way.

Yes, there is that also.

 

[SeaDweller]

Well seeing as it's open to interpretation and you didn't quite answer my question, I'll continue. I'll admit that typically a product coming out of china is perceived as a low-cost copy or a low-quality product in comparison to "USA" made items. However, there's a major flaw in the logic that all Chinese products are a waste of space/time.

Most of the Red Sea series tanks, Waterbox etc are all made in China. The Ecotech line are all made in China. There's tons of other products that are made in China, imported, then slapped with a "Assembled in the USA" sticker after putting on a logo.

I for one, had a Jebao powerhead outlast an MP-40.

How do you know Ecotech is made in China? I thought they came out saying everything was made in house in Pennsylvania or whatever?

 

[FishyDP]

You can find ways to save $$$ without compromising the health of the animals under your care. Case in point: Let's say you start a tank with no sump, no skimmer, no high-end lighting. There's nothing wrong with a HOB filter, some cheap Koralias for circulation, a used 4 bulb T5 fixture, and maybe save up for a HOB skimmer down the road. Just don't put SPS in that... Stick with soft corals and hardy LPS which don't require perfect (i.e. low nutrient) water conditions to grow.

Absolutely, this pretty much describes my first reef tank. All of my fish did well, and were fat and happy. My softies and lps did well and grew. While more expensive equipment would have made maintaining the system easier, I feel that diligence by the aquarium keeper is just as, if not more important than expensive equipment.