Synergy Reef + Full EcoTech Line!

[12_egg_Omelette]

Enter the Planet Aquariums Crystaline.

For those not familiar with them, they are a Texas tank designer, and their new line includes

• 
  Complete marine/reef aquarium system
• 
  Easy-to-set-up aquarium includes essential components
• 
  Trimless, crystal-clear, low-iron beveled edge glass aquarium
• 
  Elegant modern cabinet with six different finish options
• 
  Top-of-the-line, three-chamber sump for a skimmer and refugium in the 36" and 48" models and a two-chamber sump for the 24" models. All sumps come with 4" micron filter socks
• 
  Silent, durso overflow and nearly invisible black PVC is used for any visible plumbing
• 
  Sicce pumps in every model offer energy efficiency and silent, reliable opperations.

We're up in the air right now between the 24 and 36, we'll be in an apartment for a year until we can find a house we want to move into.

I'm not quite sure what skimmer I'm going to get and I'm def open to suggestions. However I've already started purchasing equipment and it will be powered by two Radion30 Pros. Flow I'm not sure if I'm going to go with two tunze power heads or two MP40s, or a Gyre figure I'd need two.

The plan is to make this mostly an SPS Acro tank with higher end stuff like Chips Acro, etc.

ATO I plan on using a Puratek ATO, I have one on my nano and I absolutely love it.

[Visualscapes]

Those are nice setups. If you have the space for it I'd go for the 36. You'll never regret going bigger!

[12_egg_Omelette]

Yeah I completely agree, I'm going to be marking out the dimensions when we go look at apartments on the best spot. I am thinking 36'' though. Which would put me of of the nano range at 65 gallons, compared to their smaller version of 42 gallons.

 

Does anyone know if the jump between those two sizes would require a different skimmer? The other nicer feature about the 36 is the sump is different, it comes with a dedicated Refugium Section, while the other doesn't.

[12_egg_Omelette]

This is the look I'm shooting for but on a smaller scale.

 

 

 

[Visualscapes]

I always loved those Japanese tanks. Looked at that softie one numerous times.

 

Skimmer wise you could probably get away with the same size one depending on your bio load. I always tend to oversize though.

 

I'm a big fan of Lifereef products. I've got the CLF-1 sump and the SVS-2 24 skimmer. It fits great under my 36" Cadlights 50 Long with a little room for some spare equipment. I also have to say the owner Jeff is amazing with customer service. I bought my stuff used over at RC and he still spent like a half hr on the phone with me chatting and helping answer questions. Really nice guy. Cool thing about his stuff is its low maintenance and skims like a champ. The downside is there's a really long wait to get a new sump built. I think hes booked into November now.

[12_egg_Omelette]

Oh man, that's one reason I decided to skip a reef savvy tank, the nice think about this package is it comes with a sump from http://www.triggersys.comwhich is another Texas company.

[Visualscapes]

Oh cool, those are nice sumps.

 

Check out the Lifereef skimmers, they have a small footprint and I think he has them in stock. Looking forward to watching your build progress!

[jolee0722]

I would recommend the vertex omega 130 and if you can wait for black friday they have a huge sale on them. There are a numerous amount of great reviews about this skimmer. Besides that, Nyos is expensive but everyone who owns one seems to love them and it is more compact than the vertex skimmer. For the flow I would say two maxspect gyre 130s as they are awesome and at the same time cheaper than the mp40s. You can also get the gyre 150s and they would still be cheaper, plus a module to control them via apex is coming out soon. I would recommend a hybrid made by Dave at nanobox, they are "the ferrari of aquarium lighting" and look super sexy and refined, plus are cheaper than two radion pros. You get t5s and leds from power and coverage. Definitely recommend getting the 36" version. I have a 24" tank right now and regret not getting something larger. It gaves the fish more swimming room and looks really nice.

[12_egg_Omelette]

I would recommend the vertex omega 130 and if you can wait for black friday they have a huge sale on them. There are a numerous amount of great reviews about this skimmer. Besides that, Nyos is expensive but everyone who owns one seems to love them and it is more compact than the vertex skimmer. For the flow I would say two maxspect gyre 130s as they are awesome and at the same time cheaper than the mp40s. You can also get the gyre 150s and they would still be cheaper, plus a module to control them via apex is coming out soon. I would recommend a hybrid made by Dave at nanobox, they are "the ferrari of aquarium lighting" and look super sexy and refined, plus are cheaper than two radion pros. You get t5s and leds from power and coverage. Definitely recommend getting the 36" version. I have a 24" tank right now and regret not getting something larger. It gaves the fish more swimming room and looks really nice.

 

Thanks Jolee - I was also looking at the aquamaxx cone s skimmer, I know it's highly overrated for what I'm going to be doing but I think that might be good in the long run. I'd rather shell out a little more than have to upgrade because I went cheap to start. But the options you guys gave all sound great and I'll have to see what fits best in the sump.

 

I actually reached out to dave about the hybrid and what he suggested and it was Quad T5 and Quad LED away but at 12500, it seemed a little expensive but I was going to do it. I came across a local reefer in the town I'm going to be moving to who is downsizing his tanks and picked up Radion Pro 30s for $275/each so I had to jump on that deal. I figure it they don't work I can easily sell them and upgrade to Dave's lights. Which are pretty sick and was my first choice.

 

I also heard that the new gyre are coming out shortly so I might wait to see what they do there. It will be a while till I get the new tank in hand (Sept/Oct) but that doesn't mean I can't start collecting equipment. I'm also on the look out for rock that I like and was going to start cycling it with the light in a bucket so that it will be good to go when the move starts.

[12_egg_Omelette]

So I'm thinking of purchasing a calcium reactor and running bio pellets, I think it would be easier in the long run even though it will be more expensive to start up.

[HarryPotter]

So I'm thinking of purchasing a calcium reactor and running bio pellets, I think it would be easier in the long run even though it will be more expensive to start up.

 

Update on this tank?

[12_egg_Omelette]

Well I was almost bought a 6 foot tank yesterday. But today I contacted a vendor to start the process. im moving from where I'm at now in a week to my in laws ranch. Then in another 6 weeks were moving again. We should be there for 2-3 years and then moving to purchase. Because of that I'm going to be going with a 36 inch planet aquarium low iron with a trigger system sump. I already have my lights, calcium reactor MP40s and skimmer.

 

For live rock I'm going to be going with Tampa bay saltwater with their package which the live rock is just filled with amazing diversity. I'll have to post some pictures. I'm going to give it about 3-4 weeks to catch any mantis shrimp and pods which would wreck havoc for what I want to do.

 

All my acros will be staying in the nano cube while I play sentry. All in all I'm pretty stocked. It's hard to sit on a bunch of equipment when you're waiting for a new tank. Stand color is going to be tobacco.

[12_egg_Omelette]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HarryPotter]

What the heck is all that LOL! Sponges?

[12_egg_Omelette]

barnacles, oysters, algae, sponges, tunicates, etc.

 

The rock is shipped via air cargo packed in salt water. the amazing diversity and bacteria is second to none. Very happy corals, yeah there will be some nasties, pods that attach to fish, some unwanted crabs, mantis shrimps. But with diligence you can pull them out. I think it the benefit far outweighs the negative.

This is how the stand is going be stocked 65 gallons 130 pounds of live rock, 65 pounds of live sand, 65 blue leg hermit crabs, 33 astrea snails, 3 cucumbers, 2 stars, 2 peppermints, which is ~$800. I might cut back the rock to 90 pounds though to do two islands.

[Jwilken02]

Very interested to hear how your transaction goes with Tampa Bay Saltwater and how you like their live rock. I was thinking about going that route with my new 12 gallon long build, like you I prefer the look of live rock especially during the cycle. I feel like it just makes the tank look more alive and natural during the cycle and searching the rock daily helps pass the time while cycling. If I pull the trigger on the Tampa Bay Saltwater live rock I will let you know how it goes! Good luck with your build.

[12_egg_Omelette]

That you, I've 100% fully committed myself to going with their live rock, what better way to replicate a natural ocean setting then bringing life from the ocean.

[charnelhouse]

I'm not sure I get the "one hermit per gallon" thing. Seems excessive. But then maybe that's why I always have algae... And I'd be scared of cucumbers dying and releasing toxins. That's just me though.

[12_egg_Omelette]

I actually recently adopted the 1 per gallon concept, and I have to say it has made a big difference, not to mention snails shit a lot. I wouldn't put a cucumber in a nano tank that's for sure, but in a total water volume of 95 gallons I'm hoping it won't be an issue.

[charnelhouse]

I actually recently adopted the 1 per gallon concept, and I have to say it has made a big difference, not to mention snails shit a lot. I wouldn't put a cucumber in a nano tank that's for sure, but in a total water volume of 95 gallons I'm hoping it won't be an issue.

 

Interesting. I have one red tip hermit and have been flirting with the idea of adding a few more. Maybe I'll try a dozen and see how it goes.

 

I killed a scarlet (and an emerald crab) in the 6 gallon and felt bad about it whereas dead snails don't seem to bother me. I think it's the legs that make the difference... haha.

[chironerd21]

I actually recently adopted the 1 per gallon concept, and I have to say it has made a big difference, not to mention snails shit a lot. I wouldn't put a cucumber in a nano tank that's for sure, but in a total water volume of 95 gallons I'm hoping it won't be an issue.

That a very nice tank set up! Never heard of the company but reading up on their website =)

 

As for your total water volume its not 95 gallons. The tank is 65 gallons and the sump is 24 gallons. With so much rocks/sand you have probably less than 60 gallons of total displaced water. Just want to make sure because if you start dosing and base off 95 gallons then you might run into trouble later on.

 

As for a skimmer which one did you end up choosing?

[evanski]

barnacles, oysters, algae, sponges, tunicates, etc.

 

The rock is shipped via air cargo packed in salt water. the amazing diversity and bacteria is second to none. Very happy corals, yeah there will be some nasties, pods that attach to fish, some unwanted crabs, mantis shrimps. But with diligence you can pull them out. I think it the benefit far outweighs the negative.

This is how the stand is going be stocked 65 gallons 130 pounds of live rock, 65 pounds of live sand, 65 blue leg hermit crabs, 33 astrea snails, 3 cucumbers, 2 stars, 2 peppermints, which is ~$800. I might cut back the rock to 90 pounds though to do two islands.

 

AWESOME!

 

Any chance the next time you are in Austin you could bring me a small chip to toss into my tank to boost the biodiversity?

 

Grade A homebrew in it for ya...

[pokerdobe]

The crystalline 36 has the same dimensions as the Red Sea reefer 250. Your display is much closer to 56 than 65 gallons.

[12_egg_Omelette]

quick math on the fly when driving. There's a couple people who are going to give me dry rock to put in my tank to seed for them.

 

I'm going to use less rock then they suggest as it's going to be split between a couple of tank. I'm going to replace the rock in my 12 gallon nano. Also going to throw some in my new pico.

[12_egg_Omelette]

That a very nice tank set up! Never heard of the company but reading up on their website =)

 

As for your total water volume its not 95 gallons. The tank is 65 gallons and the sump is 24 gallons. With so much rocks/sand you have probably less than 60 gallons of total displaced water. Just want to make sure because if you start dosing and base off 95 gallons then you might run into trouble later on.

 

As for a skimmer which one did you end up choosing?

I ended up picking up a sea aquatics es5, a calcium reactor (korallin), 2 MP40s. Still need to get a bio pellet reactor to and dual Carbon gfo.