All good advice.
I'm still doing a lot of reading on how the items involved work. I'm currently reading up on protein skimmers and how they work. I actually can't believe that such a simple device is so expensive.
It seems like a 2 litre pop bottle with the bottom cut out of it and a wooden airstone or two with a tube out the top draining into a collection cup would do the same job for about $25 bucks. But that's just my initial thought after a few hours of reading.
As for the calcium reactor, I will back burner that and add my calcium and alkaline manually in the beginning. If I find I need heavy and frequent dosing, an auto doser seems like the way to go.
I like the idea of a computer controlling my lights and powerheads, but the rest just seems like overkill to me at this point.
Quick background on me...
Age 19-27 - I was a Tool and Die Maker for a major Auto Manufacturer
Age 28-33 - I was a Corporate Sales Rep in the Downtown Core (Toronto)
Age 34-Today (35) - I run a company in West Hamilton with about 12 employees
So I can build things and I have the ability to bring things in wholesale also. I'm hoping to do this for my live rock and corals to save some money.
But I also have an excellent relationship with all of the local fish stores from my days as a cichlid breeder. I know the big guys within big al's at Hamilton and Oakville. The Oakville guys just moved to Mississauga. So I'm hoping I can use those connections too
I think I'm going to end up using 250-350 pounds of live rock for my wall, cave and in my sump. I might order what I need, or I might order in 500-1000 pounds to get a lower price and pass on the savings to other people I know in the hobby
I did try the HDAS, but they just aren't my kind of people. I'm an ex jock that would rather do things than sit around and talk about doing things
Hopefully I can meet up with some local people and put together some group buys. I don't mind using my company as a front to get wholesale pricing
What? The tank is going in my home office
That's a write off