Need your opinions and help

[bucksfan1976]

Ok here it goes... Wife gave me some more room to spend on my build and here is my issues. Now I have to keep everything under 1000$, So what would you do ?

1. I currently have a non drilled 30 gallon marineland cube sitting empty so if I keep I plan to do the following

Lighting
AI Prime - $199
Prime Mount $50
Skimz SH1 Protein Skimmer $120
2 x Ecotech MP 10- $470.00
Tank and Stand 75$

Total for build- $914.00

Or

SC Aquarium 50 Gallon Rimless System - $649.99
comes with tank, stand , skimmer and plumbing
Chinese LED system $120.00
Reef Keeper Lite $120.00
2 x Jebao WP 4 powerheads $110.00
Additional hanging kit for light $30.00

Total of build 1024.00


So which one would you do?

 

[tankstudy]

You could probably drop one MP10.

 

[bucksfan1976]

Or I could just do 1 MP40 :) Id rather have to much then not enough on the flow.

 

[tankstudy]

That is true too. You could run the MP40 solo and if you ever upgraded to a larger tank, the MP40 would still be usable.

 

[Jimbo662]

I have the SCA 50g. Great size. I ended up doing my own plumbing. What comes in the package is thin walled pvc that I didn't like.

 

[bucksfan1976]

Yea I have had several friends buy tanks through them, Steve the owner is awesome from what i heard, Ive heard nightmares on the plumbing its thin walled and they only provide rubber hoses for under the tank.

 

[tankstudy]

Yea I have had several friends buy tanks through them, Steve the owner is awesome from what i heard, Ive heard nightmares on the plumbing its thin walled and they only provide rubber hoses for under the tank.

Plumbing and the stand are probably why I didn't get the SCA bundle. I dropped the bundle and went with an empty nuvo 20 and decked it out instead.

 

[ngvu1]

If I can ONLY pick 1 out of the 2 solutions, I would pick #2. However, I can close my eyes and throw out 5 more options......Last but not least, you won't be spending less than $1024 even with your current math on either solutions :-)

 

[bucksfan1976]

LOL well bigger budget would be bigger tank :P

 

[ngvu1]

No, I meant for the 1K bugets. There are more than 1 option you can go with.....just need to think outside the box and a lot of creativity :-)

LOL well bigger budget would be bigger tank :p

 

[bucksfan1976]

Please help me out :)

 

[runzwithscissors]

Take her out for dinner and a movie. Might up the 1k

 

[bucksfan1976]

Take her out for dinner and a movie. Might up the 1k

Well after 17 years 2 kids , I dont think the kissing butt will work...LOL

 

[Scubafrog]

Have you seen their EcoTech "Deal of the Day" for $1395? Good thru 1/31/16 Just a little over your $1K budget. :-)

http://www.scaquariums.com/product-p/sca-50gpnpeco.htm

 

[TheEngineer]

I have the 50g SCA cube. Aside from plumbing, as said, it is the best tank I've owned to date.