What would you design.....

[jcusmarine]

....for a reef tank, from scratch with a $2500.00 budget.

Would be interested to see what you guys would put together, with so many options around. The new Elos 20 gallon all-in-one with LED's is almost 2k, and many of you have put together some great large tanks with used equipment, with awesome results.

I have pieced things together, and about 9 or 10 months ago put a 55 gallon together for the second time with pretty good results.

I was thinking about parting everything out, selling all livestock and starting again for a change, trying to put together the best system I can on budget - not including livestock and rock/sand.

Had almost decided on a 60 or 70 gallon cube for SPS, Clams and some schooling fish until I thought I would throw this question out there and see what would come of it. I am always impressed with your tanks and would love to hear what you would do within the budget for all equipment.

 

[jcusmarine]

Saw this....

 

[jcusmarine]

The Elos is cool, expensive for the size again - but the lighting system rocks.

 

[skriz]

$2,500 isn't really much when it comes to a reef system. To get the good stuff, you'll need way more than that. It would be an interesting challenge though.

 

[jcusmarine]

I am looking at a 70 gallon cube at Glasscages - 30x30x17 with <u>stand</u>, starfire glass and built in overflows and black silicone for just over 1000k shipped to Atlanta for pickup.

That leaves $1500.00 for Lighting, Filtration etc etc.

No livestock included in the $2500.00 budget.

I have asked a couple of fellow reefers to see what they could come up with for filtration and lighting also.

I basically bought an all-in-one filtration unit, with auto-top off and built in skimmer on my 55....I am not sure if that is the way to go again. I have seen a lot of you using tanks for sumps and piecing skimmer and accessories together. I am intested to see the product selection for that component of the system as well as lighting.

 

[skriz]

If you want a reef, you'll want a great skimmer. That'll set you back a bit.

Lighting-you can get away with a single halide; the reflector will be the most expensive component here-you want to get the best one, unless you just want to add some light and just want to satisfy the bedget?

Circulation can be done cheaply with koralias. Tunzes are better, but $$

Return pump can be found cheap used. New aren't too bad either.

Sump-can use a tank. 30g?

Looks like you could pull it off!

 

[jcusmarine]

I spent just under 2k on my 55 gallon. Used modded Maxi jets, Tom Rapids Pro with PS4 Auto top off. Added a CPR Bak Pak with new CPR pump. 9w UV. Bought a new Orbit 520 Watt PC fixture - 4 x 130watt and have put nothing but 5 Stage RODI water in from the start.

Its just that 9 months later I really wish I had not added softies and went with SPS. Thats why I think I really want to make a change. The 130 watt PC's work well with the SPS and I have clams on the sand bed, but I know that if I want to setup a dedicated SPS tank I will need to go halide and I will need to have a really good skimmer/filtration to have good growth and color.

In the pic below it shows 9 months on the 55 Gal with 520 w of PC's...took this picture about a month ago and had not done a water change in two months so my nutrients were a little high at the time.

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[jcusmarine]

Barbara! Thank you! Thats what I am trying to figure out...good point on the Calc reactor. I have been using two part A & B from two little fishes for a while.....

I will check out the ASM Skimmer and lumenbrights.

 

[jcusmarine]

Do you think I would be okay with Koralias?
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18915">http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18915</a>

or Skriz had mentioned the Tunze - are they worth the $$?

 

[jcusmarine]

Looks like I will be a little over budget on the build. I appreciate the input. Maybe I will grab a few used items if they come up over the next couple of months.

I guess I need to list my livestock and equipment and start parting out the 55 gallon....

 

[sailfish]

Not sure what they cost but they look nice. I think Sal got one for Slayer.

http://www.marineland.com/sites/Marineland/products/productdetail.aspx?id=2054&cid=3600&mid=3228">http://www.marineland.com/sites/Marineland/products/productdetail.aspx?id=2054&cid=3600&mid=3228</a>

I am planning on a 156 by Oceanic or Deep Sea Aquatic. Dimension's 60"'x24"x24"

If I had the room I would get one like the one mentioned above.

If you go custom maybe get and external overflow that would be real nice.

Your tank looks nice. Let me know if you frag the zoa's on the bottom.lol

Joe

 

[skriz]

jcusmarine;212124 wrote: Do you think I would be okay with Koralias?
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18915">http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18915</a>

or Skriz had mentioned the Tunze - are they worth the $$?[/QUOTE]

The controllable koralias are overpriced and crappy.

I would definately spend the extra money for the tunzes. The nanos are very nice pumps with nice magnets and a great warranty. If I were to redo my tank, I would replace my large tunzes with the nanos-they're that cool!

 

[skriz]

jcusmarine;212132 wrote: Looks like I will be a little over budget on the build. I appreciate the input. Maybe I will grab a few used items if they come up over the next couple of months.

I guess I need to list my livestock and equipment and start parting out the 55 gallon....

keep you eye out for used stuff and pick up stuff on sale. Somebody has tunzes on sale right now...:lol2:

 

[jcusmarine]

Sailfish...Thanks! If I have to part out, I will frag the zoa colony out and you can grab one.

Skriz - thanks for the advice. I will look into the tunzes.

Time to sell the 55!

 

[jcusmarine]

Barbara - I think the ASM G-2 that Skriz mentioned should do the trick and the Calc reactor is going in the build! Thanks!

I think a 60 or 70 Gallon cube, SPS/Clam reef with schooling Anthias and Chromis, and a few sand sifters is the direction I am going with this build.

 

[FutureInterest]

Get a used tank... you can find a 120 with stand and canopy sometimes for as low as 400. Tanks are the hardest things to move around here for some reason and quality tanks abound.

For lights, you can get T5s or MH but it'll run you ~700-1000 new for that sized tank. If you can get the parts used, then it'll be around half that.

For a skimmer I would highly recommend the octopus ext skimmers or the MSX skimmers. They'll only cost you about 250 and work comparably to skimmers 3-4 times the cost. They use the same pump as some of the elite skimmers on the market.

For a sump... just build it yourself with scrap acrylic or do what I did and pick up some cheap rubbermaid containers. Mine were 8 dollars on clearance.

Flow can be expensive but if you go the cheap route you can spend as little as 150 or so.

I put my system together for around 1000 without livestock and it is still thriving.

I have since then dumped at least another 1000 in equipment as I've added a calcium reactor and vortech pumps and other nicnacks.

 

[blind1993]

i would get this skimmer http://www.aquacave.com/octopus-dnw-110-br-recirculatingbr-protein-skimmer-983.html">http://www.aquacave.com/octopus-dnw-110-br-recirculatingbr-protein-skimmer-983.html</a>


this reflector [IMG]http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=2254">http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=2254</a>

1-2 of these tunze and get the controller [IMG]http://www.aquacave.com/tunze-turbelle-nano-stream-6055-1552.html">http://www.aquacave.com/tunze-turbelle-nano-stream-6055-1552.html</a>


largest sump i can fit in the bottom


and this calcium reactor [IMG]http://www.aquacave.com/calcium-reactor-1000-brby-aquamedic-236.html">http://www.aquacave.com/calcium-reactor-1000-brby-aquamedic-236.html</a>



also let me know when you are selling some of those softies becasue you've got a nice tank