"Sump"thing I was wondering

[alton]

Calcium reactor?
1. Something that is very expensive
2. Something you can not buy cheap just to say you have a reactor
3. Most tanks that run them are awesome
4. Something I am still debating on
5. Something I would have already had except for $4100 for injectors and $800 for transfer case on my truck

[BrianA]

Erik: I am looking forward to having a mix of both fish and reef. I feel that it would work best that way since they act hand in hand in nature. However it will raise the expense of the tank and maintenance in the short term. I feel that tank happiness is more of a priority. It will obviously not get done all at once, but I want to make it happen.

Alton: I see your pros to having a CA reactor and I think I am going to use one. If I can look over at my tank and instantly feel at ease then that is a must.

[ErikH]

Must have items in the short term....

Correct filtration, reef octopus or better. RO are the BEST bang for the buck. I run two skimmers currently, but it's more of an experiment than a necessity. For a reef with a decent bioload I would aim close to one and a half times what size you need to avoid buying this item twice. Next would be lighting. LEDs are awesome, the evolutions fixtures are inexpensive and plenty bright. Next I would automate my daily top offs with an aqualifter and a reefkeeper. Figure out your evaporation rate, and try as best you can to time it correctly. It's cheaper to do this rather than purchase an ATO unit and then a controller. This will also help keep you sane. You would be surprised how many people throw in the towel just because they have to manually top off. Next would be a Rodi unit followed by your preferred dosing setup. I prefer reactors.