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Reefing on a Budget, Why Expensive Equipment Isnt Needed


esimmons22us

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Hi everyone. I figured I would start a thread involving an experiment I am about to indulge in. The tank I will be using for this experiment is an Innovative Marine Fusion Lagoon 25. The point of this experiment is to show that expensive equipment is not needed. MY current tank equipment list is as follows:

 

EcoTech Marine Vortech MP10 QD

EcoTech Marine Radion xr15w Pro with tank mount kit

EcoTech Marine Reef Link

EcoTech Marine Battery Backup

IM Ghost Skimmer

IM Mini Max Reactor

IM 211 GPH Return Pump

IM Spin StreamReturn Nozzle

IM 200 Micron Filter Sock

Tunze Nano Care Magnet

Tunze Nano Osmolator

Cobalt Neo Therm 100 watt heater

 

This is all top of the line equipment that I will be changing to products that are a fraction of the cost and work just as well and most important are easy to use. The equipment below is what I will be exchanging for what I already have.

 

Jebao RW-4

Coralbox Battery Backup

Kessil a160we

DIY Air Driven Protein Skimmer

Jebao DC 2000 Return Pump

Chemi-Pure Elite

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I agree and have been using cheaper stuff for sometime. I can tell you one thing I will not ever go back to running cheap and that's protein skimmers and test kits that's where I pay more money. Also light bulbs for the most part.

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The equipment I have chosen is to directly compete with what I already have which is the ecotech marine line of equipment. Also I will be using the jebao dc 2000 in a small side experiment to see if you can achieve enough flow with just a return pump and two spin streams. I chose this equipment because most reefers like wave pumps you can control and also have a battery back up option. They want lights that are aesthetically pleasing and have good coral growth. The big one is skimmers. I hate the ghost series skimmers, they are loud and over priced and there really aren't any good alternatives for a skimmer in all in one tanks. I hand picked all of this equipment because they are a good quality product that can stand toe to toe with the best brands in the business but aren't so cheap your ashamed to even have it on your tank.

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Shewillbemine

Are you starting a new tank from scratch while using the cheaper equipment? Or are you just replacing the expensive stuff on your existing tank?

 

The reason I ask is that cheap or not, simply replacing equipment (particularly lighting) on a tank will result in changes.

 

But I guess the point isn't necessarily to keep the tank looking the same; it's to see how the tank will react. Carry on.

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Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think anyone thinks all that equipment IS needed. I've always looked at it as levels of reefing, some go high end, highly automated bells and whistles. I'm impressed with myself that after a decade, I've managed to get some good lights with controllers and timers on the rest lol. I've never owned an auto top off, don't run any filters or skimmers or media or battery backup. I think I was 3-4 years into the hobby before I stopped using tap water. At this rate I should have a killer tank in about fifty years though.

 

I don't understand why if you have all that equipment, you wouldn't use it, unless it's excess power/space issues which I could see, if they aren't really helping or making a noticeable difference, by all means cut them loose. Be interesting to see how it goes, I like my IM tanks quite a bit and will have to see how yours goes.

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Fancy equipment makes life easier which is why we pay a premium. Is a calcium reactor needed? Absolutely not but it sure as hell makes dialing down the tank to set it and forget it status a whole lot easier. Apex? Not really sure what the point of this is as everyone knows you don't need a bunch of equipment to have a nice tank but it sure does help make it easier keeping it that way.

 

Also you say you want to keep away from name brand but you are doing a Kessil. Good luck getting any decent spread for anything other than softies with that A160 on that tank. If you want to go budget but show it's capable use equipment that is cheap but can still grow anything. Mars Aqua ebay special comes to mind.

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Cool idea - but like Goingpostal said I think that there are levels of reefing. What some consider "high end" may not really be that high end to someone else.

 

For example I just upgraded to a Jebao RW-8 from a bunch of small koralias and random pumps... I also upgraded to a Jebao return pump from an old model quiet one.

 

I think that to truly "reef on a budget" you need to involve significant DIY. One can now DIY a powerful light for much cheaper than what's available commercially - it's all about cutting features that aren't needed and focusing on what is necessary. Focusing on the features actually needed is also important when looking at commercially available products when on a budget. A cheaper and less powerful light connected to a wall timer can be just as effective as a premium Radion/Kessil/Nanobox when used under the right circumstances such as a shallower tank.

 

I guess my point is that there is even cheaper equipment available and there's no question that you can operate a reef successfully on equipment that's a step or 2 down from top of the line. There are surely plenty of people who run their reef tanks using a plenum/undergravel filter... I think that good maintenance habits and using a quality water source are the most influential factors on whether a reef is successful or not.

 

Looking forward to your build though - I love the dimensions of these tanks!

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what I am doing is taking my existing tank which is still pretty young at only 4 months and swapping equipment. I wanted to use commercially available equipment that is plug and play. I have used diy lights before with decent results but my experiment is to achieve good results with simple equipment that a entry level reefer can use and buy from a retailer. For a little history on the tank I did have a 60 cube and downsized to the lagoon 25. I will probably wait another month or two before I start adding more coral.

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I received most of my equipment today and was able to install the jebao rw-4 pump and the kessil a160we light. The kessil light does cover the whole tank. Also, the tank is shallow with only 10" of water and the distance from the light to the sand bed is only 18". This means penetration isn’t a problem so I would have to say this light is a perfect fit for this build. Just hooked the kessil ($240) up to a cheap light timer and I have replaced my radion xr15 pro ($400) and saved $160. I also used a tank mount I had laying around but if you were to compare mounting kits the radion kit is $90 and the new kessil mounting arm (which looks prtty cool and I will probably end up getting it) is $70 so there is another $20 for a grand total of $180 in savings so far. Then I saved another $235 by changing from the mp10qd wireless ($285) to the jebao rw-4 ($50) and another $50 with the battery backup for the jebao ($100) compared to the ecotech version ($150). This makes a grand total of $465 in savings. Im hoping to have some pictures posted soon but so far the coral I have seem to be responding well including my bubble tip anemone.

 

 

 

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Great looking tank - diggin' the rock layout and the green mushroom garden!

 

What substrate are you using specifically? I'm looking for something just like that but can't make up my mind. Also how much did you use?

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I will slowly begin to add more corals but my goal is to have a mixed reef. I prefer lps over sps and probably won't have much sps. I'm also hopping I can get my hands on a small clam. Just remember patience is key in reef tanks especially nanos.

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I love hearing a thud noise while watching TV and look over at my tank to see my flame angel laying on the floor. Luckily i was there to put his dumb a## back in the tank. I hate screen tops and refuse to get one so hopefully he will learn like a kid sticking something in an electric outlet.

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I used caribsea agra-alive special grade reef sand and I added a link to it. I prefer a shallow sanded just for aesthetic purposes.

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/CaribSea-Arag-Alive-Special-Grade-20-Pound/dp/B0002DH0YO/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1449030652&sr=1-2&keywords=caribsea+arag-alive

 

Hey thanks for the link! I think I'm going to replace my sand with this... I have the super super fine stuff and while it's nice for certain wrasses and gobies I really want something that won't blow around and let me turn my RW-8 above level 2 (40br)!

 

Sucks about the flame - I really want one of those but they're pretty costly around where I live!

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Could you tell, preferably show me the fish and corals you have? Total Coral noob. Hell, I've been in it only like a year and a half or so lol.

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Right now I have two Picasso clowns, flame angel brittle star fish and misc cleaner crew. The coral I have is limited being green mushrooms, toadstool, bubble tip anemone, entrusting gorgonia, elephant ear, mushroom, and green sinularia.

I used fine sand in a 140 gallon tank I had and I hated it. I love the sand I have now. It never blows around like the finer stuff did

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