Deeeeluxe or simple system?

[christyf5]

My tank is deeeeluxe. LOL, none of the super high end stuff but I grew algae like crazy with the simple version as well as the simple version with RO. Then got into SPS and had to add all the bells and whistles.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by christyf5

My tank is deeeeluxe. LOL, none of the super high end stuff but I grew algae like crazy with the simple version as well as the simple version with RO. Then got into SPS and had to add all the bells and whistles.

Bells and whistles meaning?


I do not research this stuff as I do not PLAN to buy it, so Please elaborate if you can Miss Deeeeluxe.

Also.... Are you saying with your past system SPS did not do well?

My tank is full mixed reef and I have SPS in my tank that are growing quite well. Quite well indeed.

[ScubaSteve]

I try to make it as simple and hands off as possible. I'm pretty busy with my PhD, so I don't always have time to be messing with the tank. No FTS right now but it's:

50G rimless with beananimal overflow (I consider the overflow the fanciest part of my tank), 15G sump
RO/DI (I cheat. I get to use the $10K Millipore RO system in my lab that gets water to the ppb levels. Score!)
Vodka/MB7 dosing
carbon
Rowaphos reactor (not needed but a safegaurd)
Vertex IN-80 skimmer
Tunze ATO with kalk in the top off water (Number one item that reduced my maintenance)
90% SPS, some LPS and softies

I admittedly have some algae right now because I have been feeding the tank 4 times a day (cyclopeeze, mysis, live brine, pellets) while getting the new anthias to eat. It's eating like a champ, so I'll start scaling feeding down now.

[reefwars]

ill post a pic in a bit but im as simple as it gets.


90g tank
90g sump

asm skimmer
mh/t5/led combo
tlf reactor for gfo

tap water for top up
weekly water changes of 20g every sunday with IO


45g fuge with halimeda,red macro,dragon macro(?),mangroves,cheato,dsb

recently added a ATS


i have absolutely no algae in the display i run a mixed reef but mostly lps i am getting the best growth ive ever had with a mixed reef, my sand is white, my glass is algae free and my rocks are sptless.

im getting huge pod growth and lots of growth from my macro.


i stopped testing for phosphate because im running gfo so im not gonna do anymore than that regardless of what the tests say.

i have high nitrates( -40ppm) but my corals dont seem to mind.

i have a low bio load of less than a dozen small fish and dont plan on getting anymore anytime soon.


if the algae scrubber does not work i may consider carbon dosing but right now its a last resort method as the ATS seems like its gonna do what its supposed to

ill post a pic or vid later



oh and i tell everyone i help start new tanks that simple has success and is the better way to go with a new tank, add the bells and whistles after the tank gets loaded with fish and corals.

[paddyob]

Denny... you gotta be drunk! Look at these sentences. HA HA HA!

Just buggin yah Denny!


QUOTE=reefwars;679755]



i stopped testing for phs because im running gfo so im not gnna d anymre than that regardless of what the tests say.



i have a low bi load f less than a dozen small fish and dont plan on getting anymore anytime soon.

[/quote]

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by paddyob

Denny... you gotta be drunk! Look at these sentences. HA HA HA!

Just buggin yah Denny!


QUOTE=reefwars;679755]



i stopped testing for phs because im running gfo so im not gnna d anymre than that regardless of what the tests say.



i have a low bi load f less than a dozen small fish and dont plan on getting anymore anytime soon.

[/quote]



haha i know damn smart phone aint that smart obviously is it lol for some reason the letter " o " on my phone needs to be pressed harder then the others .....yuuuuuuup!!!!!!!!!! lol

[paddyob]

haha i know damn smart phone aint that smart obviously is it lol for some reason the letter " o " on my phone needs to be pressed harder then the others .....yuuuuuuup!!!!!!!!!! lol[/quote]

Or you're drunk. LOL!

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by paddyob

haha i know damn smart phone aint that smart obviously is it lol for some reason the letter " o " on my phone needs to be pressed harder then the others .....yuuuuuuup!!!!!!!!!! lol

Or you're drunk. LOL![/quote]



you know me too well bud lol

[reefwars]

the problem i have with the deeeeluxe system is simply the amount of variables involved, if you cant afford the mercedes of dosers or super high tech controllers then the cheaper the equipment and the more variables of problems you could encounter.


right now worse case scenario for me is if my skimmer dies(happened 2 weeks ago) still not a big deal as my tank can run without a skimmer for a while

[christyf5]

oh sorry bells and whistles meaning more "complex (read $$)" equipment. Like metal halides and waveboxes and controllers and dosing pumps/calcium reactors (have had both, currently using doser).

I dunno, I tend to think of the simple as also inexpensive (but not cheap, lets say like, thrifty). Like running a maxijet vs a tunze, or running a lower end skimmer rather than a bubbleking. I applaud those that can get by using tapwater (actually it just amazes me because if I even look at my tank wrong using RO, algae grows). And dosing daily, well thats not my thing. Some days I don't even remember my own name let alone remembering to dose my tank.

My first tank (no SPS, mostly softies and a couple LPS, maybe a frogspawn or something like that) was an algae fest but it was the most lush, vibrant green hair algae you'll ever see. It was quite lovely but was choking out the corals so I ended up finally getting an RO unit. Then I upgraded to a larger tank and wanted to try SPS and clams so I upgraded to metal halides. Dosing would have been ridiculously expensive (locally it was available from one store that charged an arm and a leg) so I bought a calcium reactor. Then various timers failed so I bought a controller. Then my calcium reactor failed so I bought a doser to go with the controller. Ad infintum. My system certainly isn't simple but I don't think its all that complex either (not like some of the systems I've seen that just blow my mind). Besides, I just like saying deeeeluxe

Ooohhhh-eeee, my system is deeeeeluxe!