What would you go all out on?

[tgriffin]

If you could go all out on "one" piece of equipment for your tank what would it be? This includes lights as being one piece.


Please explain your reason why this one thing would be most beneficial to your reef tank.


Thanks

 

[snowmansnow]

Skimming.
I'm glad I did

Why? Removing stuff from your tank is MUCH more beneficial than adding stuff. It isn't about the supplements you add, it's about the nutrients you export.

B

 

[thanh386]

1. Skimmer : A clean tank is a good tank. Dont go cheap, this is the back bone equipment of any tank. I would spend as much of the budget on this as possible.
2. Lighting : kinda obvious. Get lighting that YOU like and not what you hear. Look around at different tank and see the colors that suits you. This isnt always a price battle tho, t5 and MH are still top notch and low priced.
3. Reactors: cheap stuff clogs. spend a little more for less headaches. This goes for both media and calcium.
4. Tank and stand: I'm a shallow person, I like pretty things

 

[jef4y]

I couldn't say. They all play an important part. You can have the greatest lights in the world, but then fry everything because you don't have a controller or good way to manage the heat. You can skim the life out of the water but if your cheap pump fails, well, it's all over.

Bottom line, there's not much you can cheap out on without risk.

 

[ichthyoid]

Thanh386;800991 wrote: 1. Skimmer : A clean tank is a good tank. Dont go cheap, this is the back bone equipment of any tank. I would spend as much of the budget on this as possible.
2. Lighting : kinda obvious. Get lighting that YOU like and not what you hear. Look around at different tank and see the colors that suits you. This isnt always a price battle tho, t5 and MH are still top notch and low priced.
3. Reactors: cheap stuff clogs. spend a little more for less headaches. This goes for both media and calcium.
4. Tank and stand: I'm a shallow person, I like pretty things

Nice to see you can count Thanh!

For me it will always be lights, the one thing that has no alternative, at least for corals.

 

[acroholic]

Basically everything. I try to stay at a high level of equipment in most of my reef related purchases. Nothing truer in this hobby than "Buy cheap, buy twice," IME.

But there is nothing that says you cannot buy good quality equipment used and save a lot of money.

The Alpha Vertex 300 Skimmer I use on my 465 gallon tank was used, and I only paid $650 for it. New these sell for $1400.

 

[sinbad]

I am still in the beginner stages of my tank compared to most of you. It is also hard for me to pick one piece.
Everything is necessary and works together...however, I guess if I had to pick just one it would be lights. I love the way it makes my tank and corals look.

 

[saltbubbles]

Hmmmm... let me see. A few solar panels?

 

[rdnelson]

Apex for me. At this point anyway. Why, I have adequate lights for the time being, I have an adequate skimmer for the time being, I have an adequat ATO (even if it is DIY) and I have adequate circulation (well almost, anyone have a used Hydor Koralia 4 they want to part with cheap?). So for me at the moment, that would be a "Dream Purchase".

Edit:

saltbubbles;801081 wrote: Hmmmm... let me see. A few solar panels?

+10000000000

Edit:

ichthyoid;801006 wrote: Nice to see you can count Thanh!

I think he copied someones paper.

 

[atmercure]

skimmer. just did it yesterday. kids wont eat for a year, but hey, this tank is important.
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[tgriffin]

atmercure;801149 wrote: skimmer. just did it yesterday. kids wont eat for a year, but hey, this tank is important.

Is that a kids oven you have that beast sitting on?

 

[rdnelson]

atmercure;801149 wrote: skimmer. just did it yesterday. kids wont eat for a year, but hey, this tank is important.

You can always make more kids. I am just saying......