must have items....

[freshfish]

Hello, I'm getting closer to getting my system up and running an am looking for reccomendations on must have equipment. For example, mag float, net, buckets, test kits... Also looking for brand or model reccomendations, don't really wanna waste money on a crappy item. I'm a make a one time quality puchase kinda guy. Any help from you experienced peeps is greatly appreciated.

[FireWater]

A lot of it is personal choice on brand and cost.

For instance, I can't stand MagFloats. Now ask me what I have to clean the glass. Lol

I've been buying the Hanna checkers for the big three tests (cal, alk, phos) and I really like them. Lots of folks like the Red Sea test kits as well.

I would recommend spending the money on setting up an easy and efficient water change process to start with. The other times will start coming together quickly.

[freshfish]

That's exactly what Im looking for, what's the reason you don't like the mag float? I only listed mag float cause that's all I have ever seen. But having a pro and con about a product before I buy is great food for thought...what do you use to test salinity? Nitrate?

[FireWater]

I use a refractometer, standard issue bulk reef supply model. I calibrate it often.

Nothing wrong with the mag float. I just had a couple Monday ones that came apart on me.

[rrasco]

Is this a reef tank?

I still use magfloats, but just for the light stuff on the glass when it needs it. I like my kent scraper for the coralline on the glass near the sandbed. Never had one come apart on me, but I have had the felt peel back and expose a metal edge that nearly wreaked havoc on my glass.

For a reef, you will want a turkey baster and some tongs.

A mass of buckets and nets is always convenient.

I use red sea kits for cal, alk, mag. I have a hanna checker for phos. I used to use a hydrometer, but picked up a refractometer (with calibration solution) for cheap on black friday from BRS. Checked against each other, my hydro was spot on. It's important to rinse it out before and after each use, as well as keeping air off of the needle while checking or your results will be skewed.

An Auto Top Off will make your life easier.

If you don't have an RODI unit yet, I'd highly recommend one.

You may want to get into dosing at some point. That's something that is on my 'must have' list. 2-part, containers, and dosing pumps.

There is plenty of other stuff, just depends on what you want to keep, how you want to keep it, how you want to perform your maintenance, how complicated or simple you want your system, and of course how much you want to spend.

[freshfish]

Thanks for the info, I have a ro/di unit and I plan to start with a fowlr and build up to a reef, so far I have collected a reef ready 75g tank, sump, lighting, 40lbs of dead live rock that I nuked, a gfo phosphate reactor, a heater, sump light, sicce 4.0 return pump. Next will be a reef octopus xs 160 Diablo skimmer. Its been coming together slowly, my goal is to have it wet by the end of this year.

[kkiel02]

If I had to pick my favorite equipment that I couldn't live without it would definitely be my tunze osmolator. Ato make this hobby so much easier.

[OrionN]

You need some internal PH for water motion. I started to use Vortech this last year and really love the current it generate. I would get alt least 2 MP40. One on each end.

[Big_Pun]

my cant live without equipment would be: vortech mp-40, biggest skimmer i can fit(running one rated at 240 on 150g currently) , good lighting(if you plan to have a reef and can fit in budget get the best light you can fit in your budget), my reef keeper elite cant tell you how much easier things are automated. quality test kits like the hanna checkers. and a auto top off(the reef keeper controls mine)

[freshfish]

My tank is drilled on both back corners and I have the loc line to direct flow, do you think I will need more water movement? The light I bought has MH T5 and LEDs all together..Its going to be an inwall tank with all maintenance done from back side which is a closet to the other room. I had it plumbed so I have a drain and my ro/di unit less than two feet away, and had closet wired with an additional breaker and outlets designated for the aquarium.

[rrasco]

Yes, you should not rely on your retrun(s) for in-tank flow. This should be accomplished with your choice of powerheads, a closed loop, or wave boxes.

[Big_Pun]

Yes, you should not rely on your retrun(s) for in-tank flow. This should be accomplished with your choice of powerheads, a closed loop, or wave boxes.

I agree, I always tell new people on here about my tank I have two over flows that could handle close to 1000gph each if needed with 1.5 bulk heads I have but I only run 2x sicce 2 pumps to each return. my flow in display is from 2 mp-40s, you don't want water rushing in sump is the main reason.

[freshfish]

My plan was to run a tee from the sicce 4.0 to handle both returns, but if you guys think this is a bad idea ill start looking for two smaller pumps. Or, this might be a dumb ? Could I split the pump into a three way and use it to power the returns and the phos reactor too and then get a wave box or something for the DT?

[jcnkt_ellis]

You can split the return with a tee or three-way but put the tee / three-way a foot or so after the return pump to avoid damaging the pump. Just remember that the more you split it the less head flow they will all have. I like to do checkvalves on the lines to prevent back flow if I cut the pump off and to adjust flow to where I need it the most, or in this case, to make sure the reactor flow is slow enough.

[OrionN]

Large pumps use a lot of electricity and add a lot of heat into the tank.
The more flow though the sump, the noisier the tank get. You really don't need to get a lot of flow though the sump these day. Small PH in the DT works a lot better and introduce a lot less heat and have better current. Much less energy use also.
Certain pump do not get damage from back pressure other pumps do. You just need to research on the pump you use.
I always put a ball valve before and after the pump. That way, if I have to remove the pump for service, I can easily do it. I would have an extra return pump, Identical on hand. Pumps rarely fail, but fail they will, once you in it as long as I have, you will have a return pump fail.

[freshfish]

another reason I went with such a large pump is cause I need it to travel about 6 feet up to the returns. I can add something for water movement in the Display Tank just not sure what to go with. I need to research wave box versus the korailia type power heads versus a close loop??? Never heard of a closed loop and not really sure what it is....

[rrasco]

A closed loop is a system that works by drawing water directly from the tank (not through a sump or anything else) and is redelivered to the tank via a PVC system that is designed to create water flow within the tank. Kind of like a powerhead, but outside of the tank. People use high-powered pumps, like a reeflo, to power multiple pvc nozzles; typically through the bottom or rear pane of glass.

There are pros and cons to a CL. It will keep cords out of your tank, typically can be powered by a single pump, and it's easy to hide with creative aquascaping. One of the disadvantages is the fact the tank is drilled so far below the water line. If there were to be a plumbing failure, it has the potential to empty the tank.

Here is a decent illustration. I'm not sure I would try dual pumps on the CL though.

http://jc-reef.webs.com/Closed%20Loop%20Pump%20System.jpg

[freshfish]

Gotcha, I googled it and saw some videos on the Closed Loops. I also came across the Hydor Smart Wave contoller and the SCWD. I am thinking about adding these to my equipment list. Anyone have any pros and cons? I looked at the Tunze wave box but dont really like having that big black box in the DT.

[Sherita]

My can't live without list: digital refractometer, turkey baster, brute trashcans on wheels, 24" long tweezers, Kent pro scraper (I have acrylic tanks, so no magfloats here), muriatic acid (for cleaning pumps/powerheads/skimmers/reactors).

I've had a tank drilled for CL. Robert is right, the possibility for a major flood in the form of a drained tank is there. I no longer have a tank drilled for CL, due to said flood. I'd rather have visible cords, water on the floor is a PITA to clean up.

[Scutterborn]

I love my closed loop. I've got 3 out put nozzles and a single drain. All from the bottom. Very clean and works flawlessly. I run a Sicce 5.0 for this.

[OrionN]

Pattern of water flow from a propeller type PH (low speed high volume) is a lot more natural that that of centripetal pumps/close loop (high speed low volume). Another problem with the CL is that the amount of water intake is high. Diffusing this intake requires a large screened area or else fish and invertebrates can get suck in and kill. This intake cannot be place in the overflow box due to problem with take in air bubbles; it has to be in the tank itself. Failure (most often at the attachment to the pump or failure of the pump) can and will empty the tank.
I was one of the earlier reefers who used close loop way back in 2000. It works OK but I like dump buckets then propeller type PH much better. I used a closed loop in the tank below.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/1/aquarium

[Scutterborn]

Nice write up, Minh.


- Ben -

[allan]

Really good write up. Enjoyed reading the article.


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[OrionN]

Thanks. I just want to tell the OP that I use CL before, I will have the 400 dollars automatic valve (1.5 inches 3 way valves) to redirec the flow every few minutes. It works OK but I think current PH works a lot better.