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02/19/2019, 07:44 PM | #1 |
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Should I buy this tank??? Aiptasa issue
So my LFS has this used system up for sale, It's a Red Sea 250. Fully stocked with some corals, live rock and fish. They're asking $500 for it and that seems like a great deal but looking in it I see a decent amount of Aiptasa. I know they are a scourge to get rid of but should that keep me away from snapping this up? What would you all do?
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02/19/2019, 08:01 PM | #2 |
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Aiptasia are a relatively simple problem to solve..A matted filefish added to the tank temporarily could handle it.
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02/19/2019, 08:12 PM | #3 |
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Even if you start over completely with the tank and bleach the rock, give the corals away, $500 for the tank and stand is a pretty good deal. They retail for over $1300. What all does this come with?
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“In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank. |
02/19/2019, 08:54 PM | #4 |
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Seems like a bargain. Transportation might be a bit tricky, though. . . .
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02/19/2019, 08:59 PM | #5 |
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02/19/2019, 09:16 PM | #6 |
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If you have it, spend the $150. Heck I spent half that to deliver a 90 gallon and stand without setup. And the only reason it was that cheap is because they only had one guy available and I helped carry it in. LFS is a half mile from my house. I have done the whole break down a system, move it and set it back up. It’s not fun. These guys are professionals plus you won’t have to buy buckets and tubs for the rock and water etc.
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“In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank. |
02/19/2019, 10:06 PM | #7 | |
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Quote:
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02/19/2019, 10:12 PM | #8 | |
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Quote:
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02/19/2019, 10:45 PM | #9 | |
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Quote:
This. Everyone will get aptasia one way or another. Just keep it in check and you’re good. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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-Dave Current Tank Info: 40g RIP. 300g system, 180g display. |
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02/20/2019, 06:07 PM | #10 |
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So I figured out what’s in it: 50 lbs live rock, 2 korallia wave pumps, deltec skimmer, 8 fish 3 bubble anemones, leather corals , mushrooms and blue xenia. 6 LED bulbs 8 months old. Good deal??
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02/20/2019, 06:30 PM | #11 |
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As long as there isn’t anything wrong with the tank like a bunch of scratches or chips, yes. At $5 a pound for live rock that’s $250 right there. Like I said earlier too the tank retails for over $1300
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“In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank. |
02/20/2019, 06:43 PM | #12 |
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check the light again. I believe that tank comes with 6 t5'S...
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Please don't feed the bears because the bears will become dependent on free handouts and forget how to take care of themselves …... Current Tank Info: 75 Gal. Mixed reef mostly sps |
02/20/2019, 06:49 PM | #13 | |
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He said it runs a little hot in the shop but is otherwise done. I live in the desert so in the summer my house is about 80. Should I be concerned? He said his shop where he has it is warmer than most houses. |
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02/20/2019, 09:13 PM | #14 | |
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“In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank. |
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02/20/2019, 09:29 PM | #15 | |
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Thank you so much for all your help! Does anyone think the light is really blue on it from that pic? He says there are two white and four blue led’s. Is that normal? |
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02/20/2019, 10:01 PM | #16 |
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It’s normal. The blue lights is what makes the corals healthy and more colorful. There are different bulb combinations you can go for but white light is usually much lower than blues. I attached a screenshot of a point on my radion schedule so you can see percentages since I haven’t ran t-5s in a few years and don’t really remember my old bulb combinations.
Also, blue lights completely drown out the whites in pictures. You need a filter to take a pic with the blues on to make the picture look like what your eyes can see when you view the tank.
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“In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank. |
02/21/2019, 12:14 PM | #17 | |
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Would I be better off setting up a new tank vs this one? Getting used makes me a little nervous but I see the value in it. |
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02/21/2019, 01:18 PM | #18 | |
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I have had five different tanks in the past 16-18 years sometimes multiples at once for different reasons. Four of five were used tanks and I never had any issues with them. The one that was new is my current 90 gallon reef and I stopped counting at 5k. Out the door with the tank, stand, sump, MP40, mp10, reeflink, radions, return pump, one new reactor with pump, a new pump for an old reactor I had, sand, heaters and a custom rock wall I was out over 3.5k. I used rock I already had or that would have raised the cost as well. This is not a cheap hobby and I save money where I can, but this was a new tank for a new house so I went a bit more than necessary. I have honestly seen more posts about new tanks having bad seals than old ones. The reefer series is a very good tank though and I haven’t seen any complaints on them. As long as the seals are still good I personally would pick it up. You can still start from scratch with this tank and you are still saving a good chunk of money. Upgrade whatever you want over time to the specific equipment you want. If you want quieter pumps, go for a quieter one that runs cooler. You would still have a backup if the return failed. Rather have LED’s, upgrade and either sell the t-5, use it as supplemental or keep as a backup in case you drop your fixture in the tank. It happens. I’m not in the market for another tank at the moment but if I lived near you, I would have bought this two days ago and stored it or set up another one. Again, this has to be your choice though because only you will know if you can live with a used tank.
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“In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank. |
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02/21/2019, 01:23 PM | #19 |
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One last thing, I wouldn’t reuse the sand, especially if they are delivering it because there won’t be time to rinse it properly. Buy new sand or go bare bottom. I would also go with white over black. I have had both and black doesn’t reflect the lights the same. It also shows dirt and detritus more. The arogonite sand also helps with buffering.
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“In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank. |
02/21/2019, 04:35 PM | #20 |
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This tank is an astounding value.
The rock and skimmer are worth $500. You won't be able to get your first inhabitant in a new tank for much under $1,000. I found this page: https://www.redseafish.com/max-concept/max-250/ So it is 6x39w T5, the Deltec skimmer is probably the MCE which is an excellent skimmer, and overall it's a solid tank, ready to go. Even if you dump everything from inside, bleach and acid wash the rocks, you'll still have a hell of a deal. |
02/22/2019, 08:01 AM | #21 | |
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Ask them if they will do maintaince for the first month just to get you going. Desert heat is dry heat. Evap cooling will work in your case. Set up a fan to blow across the water. Even better locate it under an ac vent.
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Tank sizes, 2-10's a 55 and one that's about 500gal Current Tank Info: Interior decorating happening |
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02/26/2019, 10:38 PM | #22 | |
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As far as the tank goes, I considered buying a used for this go around, but I decided I did not want anyone else's initial mistakes. Aside from hardware you are more or less cycling a new tank when you buy and move someone's existing setup. Cycling can be minimized - remove the sand as was suggested, but keep 50% of the water if possible - but not removed entirely. Aiptasia would not be my first concern though, shitty water packing the rock with TDS would. I do not regret going all new this go round, but I may buy someone else's mistakes in the future |
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