Single Best Piece of Equipment?

[G12_aquatics]

+1 for lighting. From my personal experience, lighting is the number one thing worth dishing out money out for.

 

[raketemensch]

Hahahahaha surprisingly it wouldn't be the first time, but luckily the tank will be in the basement which is a finished concrete flooring and sloped so it'll just go right out the door! However, I still think that the plywood builds are even safer than a fragile glass box. Plus I love the DIY projects and I will be keeping up with the builds on my thread when I start the project! Definitely not for everybody, but I absolutely love this stuff.

Do you have a sink in that basement?

I didn't, so I installed a slop sink and a drain pump that pumps the water up to the plumbing in the ceiling to use the house's main drains, and it's by far the most valuable thing I've done.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Better growth and color from leds??? What leds are you using that grows coral better than halides??

Hydra 26 hd on my zoa tank. Radion xr30 g4 pros on my dads sps dominant 150. If halides grew better, why do all the major coral venders use led’s?

 

[Magellan]

This is a great thread! Such a wide range of opinions here.

I think that ultimately, the answer is dependent on the tank. For me, my most important piece of equipment is a fan. I think it cost less than 20 bucks, but is absolutely essential. I have a 28g AIO lit by MH, it gets hot! Without the fan, it needs 3 ice bottles a day in the summer just to keep it below 80.

oh, and to the guy who said “the trinity”...i laughed! My light is old enough to be in a reefing museum, I don’t have a wavemaker, and have never had a skimmer. The “sump” in the back might as well be a HOB filter. Tank does great and my corals are quickly outgrowing it.

 

[vetteguy53081]

System controller followed by Calcium reactor

 

[ThatTennesseeBeardedGuy]

Do you have a sink in that basement?

I didn't, so I installed a slop sink and a drain pump that pumps the water up to the plumbing in the ceiling to use the house's main drains, and it's by far the most valuable thing I've done.

I do but i plan to replace it with a bigger style sink similar to yours.

 

[Jon Fishman]

System controller followed by Calcium reactor

I suppose testing is necessary to use a Ca reactor right?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I suppose testing is necessary to use a Ca reactor right?

Once your drips and effluents are set, not really. Your PH probe will monitor the desired level and the slower drip will assure calcium is maintained. Of course you want to monitor/test occasionally but should be stable and eliminates need to add calcium and alk.

 

[AdamB]

Really tough call on favorite . My GHL doser is one of my favs and helps me not having to hand dose every day but lighting and wavermakers has to be the ticket ..
Oh yeah ATO’s are up there too.

 

[Iván Olalla]

Hydra 26 hd on my zoa tank. Radion xr30 g4 pros on my dads sps dominant 150. If halides grew better, why do all the major coral venders use led’s?

what do you mean all major vendors? one example: Battle corals...Adam puts WWC frags in to shame IMHO... this has being largely debated here...just for fun: why many led users are using t5´s along with the leds?

 

[Jon Fishman]

 

[tomxreef]

Honestly the best investment I’ve made was some WiFi outlets and an echo dot. Controls my halides and my return/skimmer. Let me ditch my apex.

 

[Homebrewer]

I’d say high-quality skimmer gets my vote for this question. I favor Reef Octopus.

Honorable mention though has to go to the Piranha glass cleaner. Love that thing!

 

[45ZoaGarden]

what do you mean all major vendors? one example: Battle corals...Adam puts WWC frags in to shame IMHO... this has being largely debated here...just for fun: why many led users are using t5´s along with the leds?

Wwc, strictly fish, cherry corals, top shelf, and Jason fox are just a few I know off the top of my head. Puts wwc to shame? Ever been in their store?

 

[Mical]

Last time I used one of them was to level my stand...

 

[Stang67]

Not sure if any one mentioned it..... 5 gallon bucket.

 

[Zeedawg]

This is a tough one...in order....

1. (3) Vortech MP40 Pumps
2. Pax Bellum ARID n18
3. Kessil AP700
4. Nyos Quantum Skimmer
5. Apex

 

[Ozzi-reef]

Apex is important (especially when I’m travelling for work) but support is a PITA. Top quality lighting (AI Hydra 52’s) is also super important. But if I have to call out the single most important piece, that I feel has made the biggest difference in success, it has to be my Turbo L4 ATS.

 

[Isabel’s Hobby]

As a relatively young reefer what is y'alls favorite or best piece of equipment to purchase for the reef tank? My own personal question is, is something like the apex controller actually worth it?

I don’t have an apex .. don’t even know what that does. But for me is my sensors and auto RO refill I m in Arizona so dry always needed to refill so now I have a 15g ro tank with sensors best thing ever

 

[Isabel’s Hobby]

This is a tough one...in order....

1. (3) Vortech MP40 Pumps
2. Pax Bellum ARID n18
3. Kessil AP700
4. Nyos Quantum Skimmer
5. Apex

love the Vortech have 2 of them
Kessil I love the 360x better then the AP700 just sold them on eBay
Skimmer i have a German one the Deltec love that one so much