New/Old member ready to get back in maybe

[SeattleIT]

Hello,
I live in Kitsap County (near Seattle/Tacoma) in Washington State. I am a software developer by trade.
Some of you might remember me; I see some names I remember. I had a few reef tanks, a few years back. I set up my first 30g saltwater tank in 2003, then a 125g reef on to a 240g and took down my last tank ion 2008/9, I haven’t had a tank since. Lately I have been missing the hobby, thinking real hard about setting up another tank. The wife isn’t real keen on a new tank she remembers the cost, maintenance, the circuit breaker popping and 55g trash cans full of saltwater in the garage. I remember the corals, the fish, the trips to LFS's waiting to find that perfect invert, the camaraderie of fellow reefers, the knowledge gained and the excitement of discovering new things in my tank.

I stopped by my LFS the other day, haven’t been back in years. I missed the smell of warm saltwater and the sound of overflow water rushing. This hobby feels a little like an addiction. My LFS offered to help me setup a tank at cost to get me back in, next stop I’ll be on street corner talking to a guy with corals/fish in bags inside his jacket.. If I rebuild it will likely be a combo of new and used equipment.

I haven’t bought anything yet, but I am thinking about keeping it simple this time maybe a 75g. Thought about a FOWLR simple right, but I like the clams and anemones too much. I don’t know what has changed in the reef world since 09, but I am willing to learn. I will likely stay quiet and stalk around until I can convince myself and the wife to let me back in.

 

[user 26995]

Hi, welcome back to RF. I am on the Kitap Peninsula also. I started my first tank in April 2009. I am not on your local street corner but you and your wife are welcome to stop up any time. I can help you out with some things.
A 75 is a great size tank to start with. I like mine. I have 6 SW tanks set up. Something different in all of them.
I'm home most all weekends so let me know if you would like to stop up.
We'll get you started again. Check out the classifieds, theres a few tank set ups for sale right now.

 

[blk822822]

Hey Welcome back to the addiction. My name is Bill and I'm a reefaholic......LOL

 

[vlangel]

Hi and welcome to RF. Well since you have already been in the hobby, at least you know what you really like...clams and anemones. You can decide what your 'must haves' are and tailor the tank from there. Its taken me some 6yrs to get there but now I have a tank that is deeply satisfying and fairly simple. Older and wiser, right?

 

[nata]

Welcome back..let the journey begin..or addiction

 

[SeattleIT]

Thanks everyone I see a few tempting deals in the classifieds, but I still have to convince my wife that this is a good idea.

"Older and wiser" If I were, I wouldn’t even think about getting back into this hobby, so maybe just older...

 

[kpiotrowski]

I've done my part to reel him back in by mentioning a complete system I will have up for sale.

 

[Krish]

Welcome back! I've been back to RF for a few years and still don't have my feet wet yet lol.


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[mcdonaldjosh7]

I remember you selling off your last tank I believe. I was just getting into it then so yenno how it is.
I don't think too much has changed LED's are becoming more and more popular I suppose.

 

[kpiotrowski]

biopellet reactors are prob on that list of whats changed I suppose.

 

[SeattleIT]

So I know what LED's are but after reading for days I cant seem to clear answer. Do LED's really have the potential to rival MH when it comes to SPS, Clams, etc. After reading a bunch of forum posts and online articles the results are mixed, with some even going back to MH. It seems a number of nano tanks using them which makes sense, small, shallow tanks, but what about a 75g-125g tank can they really get the par needed. I like the idea, but to be honest if a sysem of LEDs for a 75-125 cost $700 and the results are unsure then I will just spend $200 at hellolights on a couple of MH's and be done with it. I have kept Seabe's, clam's and SPS in a 29g with a single 175w 10K mh. That being said I love the idea of lower heat, less power, not to mention no bulb changes.

As far as biopellet reactors, I have never heard of these, are they like Phosban reactors? Do they remove Phosphates, Nitrates or soemthing else? How wide spread is the use. thanks again for the inputs.

I am considering starting a nano tank to get back in, maybe a 20L with AIO, or a biocube 29g. Maybe a nice way to wade back in. I like the idea of tweaking a biocube with mods to make it usable. I have only one issue with any tank, it has to have a lid/canopy as I have a coulpe of parrots that I dont want to drown.

 

[ReefGeeker]

I would say that LEDs have been proven at this point, MH is cheaper and effective but as once you factor in the heat and added cost of a chiller and bulb changes I think LEDS would be cheaper in the long run. After my skimmer upgrade I'll be looking at purchasing the LEDs as well. I can't say much about the pellets as Ive never had used them. For a small tank that has MH and a hood you could checkout the NanoCube HQI.

 

[TJL]

I would guess that in your readings that most negatives were of older content and/or inadequate LED fixtures ie; 1st gen. 1w setups without any type of optics. After 13 months of solely using my DIY LED's could not even imagine ever going to/with MH's. There are so many more/better options with LED's in getting more PAR/PUR with less waste (heat, lamp replacement, electricity). You are more than welcome to visit for first hand look-see in results and always happy to share info from a few years of my LED research that has made it to many of the now available commercial units.

Cheers, Todd

 

[pandora32]

Welcome back to RF. I still run mh on my tank. 3 250w hqi. Tank is 215g with a rbta youd be proud of. Door is open if you ever want to stop by. I live in port orchard as well. Bring the wife, maybe that will get her interested again. On a side note, i blame my wife for my addiction. She just wanted a little 20g in her home office. We had that for all of a month maybe before moving to a 55g. We were happy with that until we got our 215g. But i had so much fun with the 55 that ive been thinking about setting up another one. Also, my wife doesnt do her biz in home anymore, so i set her up a 110g in her office. You could swing by there also if youd want to take a look. Take your wife and schedule her a massage, put her in the mood for a tank! Again, welcome back!

 

[pandora32]

Also forgot, the lfs your talking about, if im correct, is the shark reef. Eric has, as of yesterday, a 240g custom 8' wide, with stand canopy lighting sump return pump for sale. Maybe check with him for a deal.

 

[SeattleIT]

I looked at the 240g, but after I bought it my wife would make me live in it. the price was very hard to pass up though.

I think I could be convinced by LEDs I would just want to replicate an existing setup that had good growth. One of LED issues i see is so many diffrent types of fixtures, brands, PAR values styles on and on. Its hard to get a grasp on exactly what would work in which application. I think seeing a few in person and wrapping my head around the DIY thing would help, as a prefer to build it myself.

Thanks agian for the posts soon I may take you all up on some site visits.

 

[user 26995]

I'm just north of you in Hansville, just north of kingston. You are welcome to come up and see my SPS tank. I have been keeping it under LED's for two years now. It has great growth. And the colors are vibrant.

 

[user 26995]

If you want to get an idea on different brands, I have three different high end models different brands and a small DIY that a few members here were so gracious to build for me.
It would give you some idea as to what can be done with each.

 

[pandora32]

I heard bout your recent led fixtures lorrie. Dont mean to hijack. Sorry. How do you like them?

 

[kpiotrowski]

to answer your previous qeustion, biopellet reactors are a form of controlled solid carbon dosing. basically providing fuel for denitrifying bacteria with the benifit of directing the outflow of the reactor directly to the intake of your skimmer thus skimming out all excess bioproducts immediatley. they have been cases where they are so effective that people's macros die off due to starving for nutrients. I use one a tank with no fuge and no other reactor but carbon and the tank is super clean. it is the 65g I told you about.