Buying Tank, A Few Questions - Page 2

Snowangel2214 · 01/01/2011, 12:53 AM

Tank #2 is definitely a good deal. It's just up to you to decide if you want to start from scratch or if you want to fix someone else's problems. I don't mean for that to sound bad, but make sure you look through the tank very well before purchase.

I have bought a tank about 4 months ago and am still battling aiptasia, probably always will. I don't see any in the picture and it looks like there is a great amount of lr which is expensive! Just make sure you aren't inheriting any major issues.

To be honest though, I would take tank #2 over #1. It has some beautiful lr!! Good luck with your endeavors, I look forward to seeing future pictures after you make it your own.

Mister_Palmer · 01/01/2011, 01:52 AM

I'm not really seeing this beautiful LR, but maybe that's just me.
To me, it kind of all looks the same. (Kind of drab)
I'm sure you can get some great stuff, but like at one of the stores it was something like $3.5/LB and it was just brown rock.

Neither of these tanks have a protein skimmer...
So let's say I decided to go sumpless, has anyone had experience with the HOB P.Ss?
I read that the Reef Octopus ones are decent.

Zappo · 01/01/2011, 05:21 AM

Keep in mind that 55's are pretty narrow. I only kept my 55g reef for about 8 months before I upgraded to a 90 for the extra width. Once the LR is in a 55, there isn't much room left. FWIW, I spent a couple months shopping around before buying and managed to come up with a reef ready 90 with stand for $250 from an LFS that sells used equipment and tanks.

If you haven't yet, make sure you check all of the stores in range (even those that don't sell/specialize in saltwater) for good deals. And check for a reef club. If you can find one near you, that'll probably be the place to go for the best deals and a lot of good advice to get you started.

joeychitwood · 01/01/2011, 09:50 AM

I have a sump-less 54 gallon corner tank with a Remora HOB skimmer by AquaC. The tank has been rock stable (knock on wood) for six years.

Frogmanx82 · 01/01/2011, 11:11 AM

I have a sumpless system. You can check my homepage for pics and details. I'm running a Fluval canister modified for a reef tank, a tunze nano 9002, and a tunze nano reefpack which is another 9002 and an intank filter. I run a mix of GFO and carbon in the intank filter. I'm sure people will say I'm underskimming a 90 gallon tank with the two nanos, but they pull 2 cups of dark skimmate each every week. The black box design is no worse looking than an overflow. If I had more than an inch behind the tank, I would have gone with an HOB skimmer which would probably be better than the nanos I'm stuck with. In fact there are many HOB refugiums too. I'm not sure how tight you will be to the wall behind the tank. I ended up putting a 90 gallon tank in a spot originally planned for a 55.

If I had a cabinet designed to support a sump, I would do it. I think I have a very nice sumpless system but would agree with all the comments about the advantages of a sump. The only advantages for my sumpless system is the water makeup is much less and I think it takes a bit of work to get a sump system to run as quiet as mine does.

I agree with your assessment of the live rock. Sure it has some coraline, but I don't see any nice large rocks. I think I'd go for the clean system and have the experience of starting up the tank. The light is probably OK for FOWLR and some softies, but make sure its HO T5.

tinkerman · 01/01/2011, 02:10 PM

If you are set on getting a 55. I would first find out if the 1st one is even drillable, I see an overflow box in it. If it is drillable I would go with that one, better deal I think with light, tank. I would only do tank #1 if it is drillable. Otherwise I would go with tank #2 cause it is rr. I would get new sand, I don't think you will get the rock that is in the tank if you mave to pay extra for the coral. I probably wouldn't pay extra for coral and light unless the light was really good. So this is my opinion for the 2 tanks. I still will stress that I would recomend that you get a 75 instead, I think you would be much happier with the extra room. Yes it may cost you more, but the extra room is worth it. I started with a hob overflow and the power went out and lost the syphon and will never do them again, don't care how many people tell me they have run theirs for 20 yrs with no problems. If you werer talking about the hob skimmer I have heard they are good, no personal experence, but have owned 2 reef octopus and am happy with them.

Mister_Palmer · 01/01/2011, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinkerman

If you are set on getting a 55. I would first find out if the 1st one is even drillable, I see an overflow box in it. If it is drillable I would go with that one, better deal I think with light, tank. I would only do tank #1 if it is drillable. Otherwise I would go with tank #2 cause it is rr. I would get new sand, I don't think you will get the rock that is in the tank if you mave to pay extra for the coral. I probably wouldn't pay extra for coral and light unless the light was really good. So this is my opinion for the 2 tanks. I still will stress that I would recomend that you get a 75 instead, I think you would be much happier with the extra room. Yes it may cost you more, but the extra room is worth it. I started with a hob overflow and the power went out and lost the syphon and will never do them again, don't care how many people tell me they have run theirs for 20 yrs with no problems. If you werer talking about the hob skimmer I have heard they are good, no personal experence, but have owned 2 reef octopus and am happy with them.

I'm thinking that the Tank 1 probably isn't drillable, I think it was tempered.

And you know what, once I re-looked at the tag, it's not THAT Live Rock.
It's 50LBs of "New" LR.

I think I'm going with the 55 range, I just don't have the room for a bigger one I don't think.

Mister_Palmer · 01/03/2011, 07:00 PM

So, I ended up buying the Tank with the 55 Gallon/Stand and T5s

But upon further stand inspection, I'm wondering if it's "good"

One piece of wood is kind of splitting, and when I put the leveler across both the 4 foot wide area, and the 1 foot or so deep area it was off

Might be the carpet?
Would you all feel safe using this?
It seems incredibly sturdy, especially next to my 55 perfecto stand, which seems like it's made of plywood.

Here are some pics with the areas I'm wondering about kind of circled.
Thanks so much.

[img]http://i52.*******.com/21lsm0z.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i52.*******.com/fabuyb.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i53.*******.com/5x3g1v.jpg[/img]

01/01/2011, 11:11 AM	#30
Frogmanx82 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,515	I have a sumpless system. You can check my homepage for pics and details. I'm running a Fluval canister modified for a reef tank, a tunze nano 9002, and a tunze nano reefpack which is another 9002 and an intank filter. I run a mix of GFO and carbon in the intank filter. I'm sure people will say I'm underskimming a 90 gallon tank with the two nanos, but they pull 2 cups of dark skimmate each every week. The black box design is no worse looking than an overflow. If I had more than an inch behind the tank, I would have gone with an HOB skimmer which would probably be better than the nanos I'm stuck with. In fact there are many HOB refugiums too. I'm not sure how tight you will be to the wall behind the tank. I ended up putting a 90 gallon tank in a spot originally planned for a 55. If I had a cabinet designed to support a sump, I would do it. I think I have a very nice sumpless system but would agree with all the comments about the advantages of a sump. The only advantages for my sumpless system is the water makeup is much less and I think it takes a bit of work to get a sump system to run as quiet as mine does. I agree with your assessment of the live rock. Sure it has some coraline, but I don't see any nice large rocks. I think I'd go for the clean system and have the experience of starting up the tank. The light is probably OK for FOWLR and some softies, but make sure its HO T5. __________________ Exodus 8:2 Check my homepage for tank pics and details. Current Tank Info: 90 gallon, 2x maxspect R420R LED, 4 Ocellaris Clowns, Yellow Eye Kole Tang, Flame Angel, Foxface Rabbitfish, Banggai Cardinals, Azure Damsel, rock flower anemone, cleaner shrimp, serpent star

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Need Advice - Setting up Refugium before Display tank?	walnutninja	New to the Hobby	0	12/16/2009 06:32 PM
Buying a skimmer	handbananna	Arizona - Fish & Reef Aquarium Group (FRAG)	0	12/02/2009 07:29 PM
time to buy my skimmer question?	woodstock '69	Reef Discussion	5	09/01/2006 08:02 AM
buying a established tank moving question	ternetzi	New to the Hobby	3	02/17/2006 04:35 PM

01/01/2011, 12:53 AM	#26
Snowangel2214 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NW US Posts: 39	Tank #2 is definitely a good deal. It's just up to you to decide if you want to start from scratch or if you want to fix someone else's problems. I don't mean for that to sound bad, but make sure you look through the tank very well before purchase. I have bought a tank about 4 months ago and am still battling aiptasia, probably always will. I don't see any in the picture and it looks like there is a great amount of lr which is expensive! Just make sure you aren't inheriting any major issues. To be honest though, I would take tank #2 over #1. It has some beautiful lr!! Good luck with your endeavors, I look forward to seeing future pictures after you make it your own.

01/01/2011, 01:52 AM	#27
Mister_Palmer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: St.Louis Posts: 819	I'm not really seeing this beautiful LR, but maybe that's just me. To me, it kind of all looks the same. (Kind of drab) I'm sure you can get some great stuff, but like at one of the stores it was something like $3.5/LB and it was just brown rock. Neither of these tanks have a protein skimmer... So let's say I decided to go sumpless, has anyone had experience with the HOB P.Ss? I read that the Reef Octopus ones are decent.

01/01/2011, 05:21 AM	#28
Zappo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Minnetonka, MN Posts: 582	Keep in mind that 55's are pretty narrow. I only kept my 55g reef for about 8 months before I upgraded to a 90 for the extra width. Once the LR is in a 55, there isn't much room left. FWIW, I spent a couple months shopping around before buying and managed to come up with a reef ready 90 with stand for $250 from an LFS that sells used equipment and tanks. If you haven't yet, make sure you check all of the stores in range (even those that don't sell/specialize in saltwater) for good deals. And check for a reef club. If you can find one near you, that'll probably be the place to go for the best deals and a lot of good advice to get you started.

01/01/2011, 09:50 AM	#29
joeychitwood Schrödinger's Mod Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 3,488	I have a sump-less 54 gallon corner tank with a Remora HOB skimmer by AquaC. The tank has been rock stable (knock on wood) for six years.

01/01/2011, 02:10 PM	#31
tinkerman Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Moorhead,MN Posts: 386	If you are set on getting a 55. I would first find out if the 1st one is even drillable, I see an overflow box in it. If it is drillable I would go with that one, better deal I think with light, tank. I would only do tank #1 if it is drillable. Otherwise I would go with tank #2 cause it is rr. I would get new sand, I don't think you will get the rock that is in the tank if you mave to pay extra for the coral. I probably wouldn't pay extra for coral and light unless the light was really good. So this is my opinion for the 2 tanks. I still will stress that I would recomend that you get a 75 instead, I think you would be much happier with the extra room. Yes it may cost you more, but the extra room is worth it. I started with a hob overflow and the power went out and lost the syphon and will never do them again, don't care how many people tell me they have run theirs for 20 yrs with no problems. If you werer talking about the hob skimmer I have heard they are good, no personal experence, but have owned 2 reef octopus and am happy with them.

01/03/2011, 07:00 PM	#33
Mister_Palmer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: St.Louis Posts: 819	So, I ended up buying the Tank with the 55 Gallon/Stand and T5s But upon further stand inspection, I'm wondering if it's "good" One piece of wood is kind of splitting, and when I put the leveler across both the 4 foot wide area, and the 1 foot or so deep area it was off Might be the carpet? Would you all feel safe using this? It seems incredibly sturdy, especially next to my 55 perfecto stand, which seems like it's made of plywood. Here are some pics with the areas I'm wondering about kind of circled. Thanks so much. [img]http://i52.*****.com/21lsm0z.jpg[/img] [img]http://i52.***.com/fabuyb.jpg[/img] [img]http://i53.*****.com/5x3g1v.jpg[/img]