New Build - Advice before committing

[Buzzlightyear]

I want to start a reef aquarium as a first-time marine reef in SE Australia. I’ve been scrolling and consuming as much info as possible for the last few months, referencing many sources and other R2R member tanks of similar desired style/inhabitants.
I’m now at the stage to start committing to purchases but I need to refine equipment to ensure it aligns to the reef design principles and requirements summarise to

• Silent > cost
• Silent/Quiet> cost
• Hands off > Low touch
• Simple > time-intensive

The vision of my tank is to try mirror some of the sights/experiences from my scuba dives (Cairns GBR and Philippines) with a significant focus on mixed reef with mostly LPS. Nothing set but I’d like to do a mix to mirror natural reef (Euphyllia/ Goni / Cynarina/Toadstool, small Zoanthids for cover)

Fish wise I’m keen to be housing Regal Tang, Clownfish Pairs, Biscuit Starfish, Purple Tang, and anglefish with cleaner wrasse and other CUC.

Aligning to the design, I thought I had a good plan but the recent news of Reef factory changed everything and now I’ve removed from RF equipment. However I had planed a large investment in ecosystem management with Reef Factory to assist keeping it Simple with proactive oversight for me as a beginner but also someone who can be time poor at times to achieve the best healthy tank but no idea what to do anymore. So I’m seeking advice from the experts, for validation if there anything majorly wrong or I could look into further.

I’ve collated based on many product reviews but also consideration some of the equipment I can source second hand to lower the price to entry which is where most of my refinement questions come from

• Due to the RF unknowns likely best to hold fire for a few weeks/month?
• Lights –Radion G5 vs G6 XR15 vs XR30 – appears plenty of options available 2nd hand any risk / recommendation – is 2 x XR30 overkill? Are they louder? (Was ReefFlare 2 x Small or medium
• Pump – higher spec = lower usage = quitter (Was RF Base 5000). seems to be lots of 2nd hand Vectra's are available - any reason for this?
• There’s a number of items I’d be happy to step-up so its operating at a lower performance if it will assist with noise or water management is there such thing as too big? Eg ReefMat 500 or 600 Skimmer?
• Is there any reason I cannot in future if required place some sound deadening material/rubber/silicon on the inside of the cade doors, panels/ pipe holders to assist with containing dampening noise?
• Any equipment you would only buy new?
• Which key products with a single vendor would assist most long term to make it easier - simplified /automated? Reef Factory, EcoTech, Red Sea or other?
• Is there any equipment listed that you think doesn’t align to the design principles with major #1 silent!

(*= intended as 2nd hand)

PRODUCT​	OPTION 1​	OPTION 2​
TANK​	1 x Cade Pro Reef S2 900 - white​	1 x Cade Pro Reef S2 1200 - white​
LIGHTS​	2 x Ecotech Radion G6 XR15 Pro *​	2 x Ecotech Radion G6 or G5* XR30 Pro 2 x Ecotech Radion G5* XR15 Pro​
PUMP​	1 x Ecotech Vectra S2*​	Ecotech Vectra M2*​
POWER HEAD​	2 x Ecotech Vortech MP40 QD *​	2 x Aqua Illumination Nero 5​
HEATER​	2 x Eheim Jager Heater 250w​	​
FILTER​	1 x Red Sea ReefMat 250​	Red Sea ReefMat 500*​
SKIMMER​	1 x Mantis Skimmer Tornado 150 (New or *)​	Red Sea Reefer DC Skimmer 300-600* + Controller​
ALGE REACTOR​	1 x Pax Bellum ARID N18​	​
CARBON REACTOR​	1 x Aqua Medic Multi Reactor M - Gen II​	​
​	​	​
ECOSYSTEM​	​	​
MONITORING​	?​	Reer Factory Smart Feeder​
​	?​	Reef Factory KH Keeper Plus​
​	?​	Reef Factory Smart Tester​
​	?​	Reef Factory Dosing Pump Pro x4​
​	?​	Reef Factory Salinity Guardian​
​	?​	Reef Factory Thermo View​
​	?​	Reef Factory TDS Meter​

Thanks for any and all suggestions in advanced!

 

[bubbgee]

XR30 covers 24x24 square. I needed two for my mixed. You might need more xr30s or supplemental light bars depending on how large of SPS you'll have eventually (which you can add much later as you see shading).

Everything else seems to be fine. I use Neptune for monitoring but I think Hydros should be fine. For parameter testing, start with Hanna and Salifert. No need to get the testers and Alk monitoring until you see swings of 2dKh daily and you're stock full of SPS.