Upgrade time!

[Superdave]

(or should I say "Upgrayedd" time?)

 

At this point, I believe I want to chose between the following.  

 

https://www.marineandreef.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RRL31935

 

https://buceplant.com/collections/ultum-nature-systems/products/uns-all-in-one-tanks?variant=23178066722897

 

Ultum looks sleeker to me and perhaps of a higher build quality?  Trying to find a retailer that does free shipping for it is proving difficult so if anyone has a lead, let me know.  

 

Thoughts on the two and or alternatives?  

 

--Superdave

[gena]

The UNS system looks nicer to me.  Between those two that's what I would choose.  Plus it has some great reviews.  Plus it's slightly bigger.  If you are upgrading, go for the biggest volume that fits your requirements :).

 

What size is your current tank?

[filefishfinatic]

35 minutes ago, Superdave said:

(or should I say "Upgrayedd" time?)

 

At this point, I believe I want to chose between the following.  

 

https://www.marineandreef.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RRL31935

 

https://buceplant.com/collections/ultum-nature-systems/products/uns-all-in-one-tanks?variant=23178066722897

 

Ultum looks sleeker to me and perhaps of a higher build quality?  Trying to find a retailer that does free shipping for it is proving difficult so if anyone has a lead, let me know.  

 

Thoughts on the two and or alternatives?  

 

--Superdave

uns isnt designed for saltwater. imo id just get a 40 breeder and lazer cut a aio and build a custom cabinet. much better dimension, you could light it with 2 viparspectrad. it would be very cheap.

[Jaren45]

4 minutes ago, filefishfinatic said:

uns isnt designed for saltwater. imo id just get a 40 breeder and lazer cut a aio and build a custom cabinet. much better dimension, you could light it with 2 viparspectrad. it would be very cheap.

yes its cheap but doesn't look nearly as nice.. plus no tank is "designed for saltwater" or freshwater, there's plenty of great saltwater tanks on here that use both of the tanks linked

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

As far as glass quality goes, UNS blows Lifegard away. 
 

Peninsula tanks, while really cool, are kind of a pain to clean, because they’re so narrow, once scaped. I also had a really hard time lighting our IM 20 Peninsula. Unless you are able to mount from the ceiling, it’s really hard to make the lighting pleasing to the eye, while covering the tank completely. 

[filefishfinatic]

go for the 14g if you are stuck between the 2, has a bigger aio chamber and it looks better

12 minutes ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

As far as glass quality goes, UNS blows Lifegard away. 
 

Peninsula tanks, while really cool, are kind of a pain to clean, because they’re so narrow, once scaped. I also had a really hard time lighting our IM 20 Peninsula. Unless you are able to mount from the ceiling, it’s really hard to make the lighting pleasing to the eye, while covering the tank completely. 

cant you just use t5 or like a current usa or take 3 kessils and make a custom frame?

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

1 hour ago, filefishfinatic said:

cant you just use t5 or like a current usa or take 3 kessils and make a custom frame?

I had a current on it - their lights suck. Not a fan of them at all. Also, it’s a real pain the remove them every time you need to get in to the tank to flip a snail back over, or to feed the tank. 
 

T5’s and any fixtures in a frame would require being hung. 

[filefishfinatic]

not necessarily, you could just build a current usa style fixture where it rests on the rim and just put 2 metal bars over the tank and the kessils would rest on the bars. 

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

4 minutes ago, filefishfinatic said:

not necessarily, you could just build a current usa style fixture where it rests on the rim and just put 2 metal bars over the tank and the kessils would rest on the bars. 

That goes back to being unsightly.

[Superdave]

On 8/24/2021 at 9:54 AM, gena said:

The UNS system looks nicer to me.  Between those two that's what I would choose.  Plus it has some great reviews.  Plus it's slightly bigger.  If you are upgrading, go for the biggest volume that fits your requirements :).

 

What size is your current tank?

Current tank is this:  https://www.marineandreef.com/Lifegard_Aquatics_9_6_Gallon_Crystal_Aquarium_p/rrl31950.htm

 

It has been awesome and I have zero complaints.  I just want to move away from the hang on back (side for me) style filter.  Currently using the AC70 and while it offers great space for heater, filtration media, (and space for some mushrooms and tube feeders to populate!), has good adjustable flow, the salt creep and general "look" of it is something I want to move on from.  

 

I made my own custom surface skimmer attachment for the AC70 but both of ones I'm looking at have that feature.  

 

I also would like to relocate my auto-top off float switch sensor out of the display area.  

 

Generally, am leaning towards the UNS for reasons you identified.  

[Superdave]

On 8/24/2021 at 10:33 AM, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

As far as glass quality goes, UNS blows Lifegard away. 
 

Peninsula tanks, while really cool, are kind of a pain to clean, because they’re so narrow, once scaped. I also had a really hard time lighting our IM 20 Peninsula. Unless you are able to mount from the ceiling, it’s really hard to make the lighting pleasing to the eye, while covering the tank completely. 

Good point on the peninsula footprint.  What I have now is hard enough to keep scraped as it is.  Though I do kind of like my wild mushroom "forest floor" effect as they have taken over!  Hadn't thought about the light spread, so thanks for pointing that out.  I have a Kessil A80 that I was going to keep using on whichever tank I select which is partly guiding my choice, ie not wanting to upgrade lighting at this point.  

[Jaren45]

9 hours ago, Superdave said:

Good point on the peninsula footprint.  What I have now is hard enough to keep scraped as it is.  Though I do kind of like my wild mushroom "forest floor" effect as they have taken over!  Hadn't thought about the light spread, so thanks for pointing that out.  I have a Kessil A80 that I was going to keep using on whichever tank I select which is partly guiding my choice, ie not wanting to upgrade lighting at this point.  

Looked at the IM10 yet? its a ~12" cube aio which would fit the a80 nicely

[gena]

21 hours ago, Superdave said:

Though I do kind of like my wild mushroom "forest floor" effect as they have taken over!  

THIS is one of my favorite things.  Would love to see a photo if you can, no worries if not!!!!

[Superdave]

23 hours ago, Jaren45 said:

Looked at the IM10 yet? its a ~12" cube aio which would fit the a80 nicely

It is a nice tank, but I was wanting to move up in size (current is 9.6 gallon) and I prefer the rectangular shape over cube.  

[Superdave]

11 hours ago, gena said:

THIS is one of my favorite things.  Would love to see a photo if you can, no worries if not!!!!

I posted one in the tank gallery a few days ago.  It is not total coverage just yet, but well on its way.  

[gena]

12 hours ago, Superdave said:

I posted one in the tank gallery a few days ago.  It is not total coverage just yet, but well on its way.  

Ohhhhh right!!!!!  I commented on those gallery photos!!!!  This is fantastic!!!!  This is my favorite kind of reef tank.  Thanks for posting 😊.

[ef4life]

Uns are fantastic, mine while it’s never held water besides some testing, the quality and seams are perfect. 
 

I’ll be going with uns again when I do my kitchen tank upgrade

[Superdave]

Ended up getting the UNS 60A--its an amazingly well designed and built tank.  So excited to get it going!

 

Still sorting out my stand "issue" as the double one I had planned on using (for my son's freshwater 20 gallon underneath) is too wobbly.  Might have to get one fabricated.  

[Christopher Marks]

26 minutes ago, Superdave said:

Ended up getting the UNS 60A--its an amazingly well designed and built tank.  So excited to get it going!

 

Still sorting out my stand "issue" as the double one I had planned on using (for my son's freshwater 20 gallon underneath) is too wobbly.  Might have to get one fabricated.  

That's awesome! Share some photos of the tank empty, it will be neat to see some of the nice details. I haven't seen a UNS all in one tank yet, just their lovely standard tanks.

[Superdave]

46 minutes ago, Christopher Marks said:

That's awesome! Share some photos of the tank empty, it will be neat to see some of the nice details. I haven't seen a UNS all in one tank yet, just their lovely standard tanks.

Will do.  It does actually have water and some sand in it but other than that is empty.  The tolerance/precision of the 45 mitered glass edges is incredible; almost as if there isn't any silicone there at all.  @UNS

 

[Christopher Marks]

Yeah, it would be nice to get a look at the rear chambers too, if you can still see it from where it’s placed.

[EarleD]

On 8/28/2021 at 9:40 PM, Superdave said:

I posted one in the tank gallery a few days ago.  It is not total coverage just yet, but well on its way.  

Love this look.  That’s my goal too.  Mushroom central

 

 

[Superdave]

3 hours ago, EarleD said:

Love this look.  That’s my goal too.  Mushroom central

 

 

Very nice!  My mushrooms got too disturbed and shuffled around in the move to the larger tank so my new setup look it quite different.  Lighting and tank depth very different so kind of expected it.  

[EarleD]

25 minutes ago, Superdave said:

Very nice!  My mushrooms got too disturbed and shuffled around in the move to the larger tank so my new setup look it quite different.  Lighting and tank depth very different so kind of expected it.  

I have a 5 gallon reef.   Very basic.  Want a bigger tank but this one’s still under 6 months old.  
 

my Superman is dropping babies 3-4 at a time.  Everything else slower to go I guess