The 3 most important reef aquarium equipment pieces...

[sixty_reefer]

I am going to choose my 3 based only on the equipment I would want to see failing in my tank.

Lights
Heater/chiller
Return pump

 

[MnFish1]

I am going to choose my 3 based only on the equipment I would want to see failing in my tank.

Lights
Heater/chiller
Return pump

Hopefully you mean 'not' failing in your tank

 

[ca1ore]

Cannot really answer the poll. You must have some kind of mechanical vessel to hold the water, a credible salt mix to make up the water, some kind of mechanical medium to facilitate the biofilter, some form of adequate light, some water movement and devices to maintain acceptable temperature. Everything else is optional.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Hopefully you mean 'not' failing in your tank

[emoji23] [emoji23] [emoji23] [emoji23] [emoji23]

 

[ca1ore]

A more interesting question might be where it is most advisable not to skimp or buy cheap. For me, that is most definitely the lighting.

 

[lapin]

My choices for a "REEF AQUARIUM"
Coral needs light unless they are NPS. Not popular on this forum.
The tank needs rock and or sand for filtration plus its not a reef without something on the bottom or sides for critters and coral to live on.
Without salt mix, it is a fresh water tank.

 

[DarthSimon]

For Reef Tank:

1: Lighting: Depending on what kind of corals you want to keep Softies, LPS, or SPS, as you go up the ladder they require stronger lighting with par levels being monitored especially SPS.

2: Water Chemistry Gear : Dosing Pumps, Calcium Reactors. Keeping your Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium Stable is crucial to corals. Monitoring those parameters with Controllers Ect. Trident up and coming...

3: Nutrient control. Turf Scrubbers, Refugium's Ect. Protein Skimmers. We need to clean our water...

 

[MnFish1]

For Reef Tank:

1: Lighting: Depending on what kind of corals you want to keep Softies, LPS, or SPS, as you go up the ladder they require stronger lighting with par levels being monitored especially SPS.

2: Water Chemistry Gear : Dosing Pumps, Calcium Reactors. Keeping your Calcium, Alkalinity, and Magnesium Stable is crucial to corals. Monitoring those parameters with Controllers Ect. Trident up and coming...

3: Nutrient control. Turf Scrubbers, Refugium's Ect. Protein Skimmers. We need to clean our water...

Thats all the choices

 

[jda]

Nobody is saying that you can do without the rest of the stuff... what are the three things that if you "turned the dial up to 11" would give you the most benefit?

Water change dial at 6 to 8 is probably fine with not much benefit of going to 11. LaMont test kit at 11 is probably not worth a Salifert at 8 or 9, but a Hannah Ultra Low Phosphorous at 11 might be worth the Salifter or Red Sea at 3 or 4. ...this kind of stuff.

Lights, lights, lights and lights along with real live rock and CaRx over 2/3 part still ring true for me. Did I mention lights?

 

[DarthSimon]

Honestly, there is much more than three.... So many things go into running a successful reef aquarium. It's hard work, but when you see results, and you see your prized acropora grow and encrust, it's super rewarding!!

This is why I do it!!

 

[Heart of Dixie]

How many times do you see the question asked on this forum, “what are your water parameters”. Test kits are mundane but without them it’s like flying without instruments.

 

[MnFish1]

How many times do you see the question asked on this forum, “what are your water parameters”. Test kits are mundane but without them it’s like flying without instruments.

Well lets say you have a tank free of algae - and the nitrate is 0. What does that mean?
Lets say you have a tank full of algae - and the nitrate is 0 - what does that mean?

 

[MrObscura]

After proper water chemistry flow is the most important imo, followed by lighting. So, the first 2 were easy to choose. For the third I went with an rodi unit simply because of how important water is and how inconsistant getting 0tds water from an lfs can be.

 

[chefjpaul]

Rodi- all starts with water!
Light
Flow

 

[Heart of Dixie]

Well lets say you have a tank free of algae - and the nitrate is 0. What does that mean?
Lets say you have a tank full of algae - and the nitrate is 0 - what does that mean?

At least you know where your nitrate is which is where you can start solving the issue(s)

 

[chefjpaul]

Well lets say you have a tank free of algae - and the nitrate is 0. What does that mean?
Lets say you have a tank full of algae - and the nitrate is 0 - what does that mean?

Yes!
Lets say I quit personally testing as I would chase... .....ICP technology.

Best growth ever.

 

[MnFish1]

At least you know where your nitrate is which is where you can start solving the issue(s)

But you didnt answer the rhetorical question

 

[MnFish1]

Yes!
Lets say I quit personally testing as I would chase... .....ICP technology.

Best growth ever.

Why? (Fyi I totally disbelieve it it) - just saying - so many people have questions - why is my tin high - etc etc. yet they have no problems. to me it means nothing. If its normal - yeah ok - but any abnormalities are non-specific.

 

[MnFish1]

Yes!
Lets say I quit personally testing as I would chase... .....ICP technology.

Best growth ever.

PS - lets say you quit ICP testing for the sake of asking

 

[chefjpaul]

PS - lets say you quit ICP testing for the sake of asking

Then I quite ICP testing. I utilize it more for the precision abilities to adjust my doser..... my reasoning.
Doesn't need to happen every week.

I don't think consistently testing creates stability in my case anyway, I tend to adjust more.

I also dont freak out if an element or metal reads off, if the tank is good. Keeps me in a methodical thinking of investigating rather quick reactions.