New here, and getting back in the hobby.

M

Mr. Thingdoer

New member
Hey all,

I'm getting back in to the hobby after a 6 year hiatus caused by a series of unfortunate events. I was a very active member at RC, and a member of CMAS, so I've probably met a lot of you before. I could really use some help in selecting gear for my new system, so I'll ask here, and also in other places on the forum.


A lot has changed since 2010, and I'm currently doing some research, trying to figure out my ideal future set-up. My last system was a 40 breeder with 30 gallon sump/fuge. I loved it, and don't remember the desire to upgrade anything.

So far, I'm leaning toward a rimless 36" x 18" x 16", or a rimless 24" x 24" x 16". I was planning to order from glass cages, unless somebody suggests a local source for quality tanks.

I had great success with a nice 6 bulb T5 fixture, but it appears that everybody has migrated to LED. I'm not sold on LED for horticulture applications, because even the $1k+ fixtures don't perform nearly as well as conventional pressure bulbs, or even T5s. I'm not sure how well they perform in a reef system. I'd really like some suggestions on the best bang for your buck T5 fixtures, and I'm open to try LEDs. (Budget $400 or less)

I had the Vortech MP20 for circulation, and that worked very well, although this time I'm leaning towards a Maxpect Gyre.

My last skimmer was the Vertex IN80. It performed pretty well, but I'm open to suggestions here as well.
 
Welcome to Chicago Reefs!!!

Check out the Deep Blue tanks, as they have many cool sizes in both rimmed and rimless. They offer a 57g RR that is 36"x18"x20" or a few options in the cube style. Aquapros in Glen Elyn usually has fantastic prices on them!!!

T5 are still very popular and many people are going back to T5 after using LEDs. ATI fixtures are still the best you can get and you can usually find used ones for a reasonable price.

Kev
 
Thanks guys!

I was originally looking at the Deep Blues, but found a few horror stories. I realize that some people complain about everything, so I take everything with a grain of salt. The prices are very low, so I wonder about durability. Are they good tanks?
 
I don't personally own one, but I have never heard any complaints. Everyone that I know who has purchased has been very happy.
 
[MENTION=3562]Mr. Thingdoer[/MENTION] Welcome back to the hobby and to the fourm. Many of the names and faces from Cmas and RC are here, but most lurk :D

BigKev23 said:
I don't personally own one, but I have never heard any complaints. Everyone that I know who has purchased has been very happy.
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Agreed. I have only owned a pico deep blue but several folks here havve owned larger DB and never heard a problem. Glasscages on the other hand...
 
jrpark22000 said:
[MENTION=3562]Mr. Thingdoer[/MENTION] Agreed. I have only owned a pico deep blue but several folks here havve owned larger DB and never heard a problem. Glasscages on the other hand...
Click to expand...


I'll take a look at the Deep Blue Tanks in person.
Has Glass Cages gone down hill? People used to love those tanks.
 
Mr. Thingdoer said:
I'll take a look at the Deep Blue Tanks in person.
Has Glass Cages gone down hill? People used to love those tanks.
Click to expand...

There's a lot of horror stories about glasscages as well, particularly in the customer service aspect. I don't know any people personally that had them, but I've read things.

Deep Blue is supposed to be really good.
 
I think I recall seeing someone having a 24x24x16 three sided starfire for sale on here earlier today.. Worth checking out!


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IHaveCrabs said:
I think I recall seeing someone having a 24x24x16 three sided starfire for sale on here earlier today.. Worth checking out!


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That's exactly what I'm looking for. I've been looking at the 24x24x12 reef ready by deep blue today, but 16" height would be nice.
 
Ive got the deep blue 30. I like it. I kind of wish it was a little deeper. Just makes aquascaping a little more challenging

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Mr. Thingdoer said:
I found that one. It's too deep. I need to stick with 24" or less.
I'm really torn between the 57G, and 30G Deep Blue Pros.
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Yeah, I understand that. I have a 12" shallow tank that is 24 front to back.

I wouldn't suggest going any less deep (front to back) than a 24 for aquascaping. Also the 12" shallow has been a challenge. I like it but am planning on a new display that is a little deeper because of my corals needing different light intensities.

Some things to consider for sure!

I have heard great things on the deep blues though.


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IHaveCrabs said:
Yeah, I understand that. I have a 12" shallow tank that is 24 front to back.

I wouldn't suggest going any less deep (front to back) than a 24 for aquascaping. Also the 12" shallow has been a challenge. I like it but am planning on a new display that is a little deeper because of my corals needing different light intensities.

Some things to consider for sure!

I have heard great things on the deep blues though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


The 57Gallon Deep Blue Edge is 36x18x20, which is less than 24" deep (front to back). I'm going to check it out regardless. After discussing it with my wife, we're leaning towards something bigger than the 30G cube, although we really haven't ruled that one out yet. I really like the dimensions of the Marineland 45G, but I prefer the look of the thicker glass on the Deep Blues, and I wish the Marineland came Reef Ready.
I'm going to take a drive over to Glen Ellyn after work to see these in person.

I had my last tank drilled and plumbed by another Reefer named Tom. He was basically the club's unofficial plumber. Is he on this forum?
 
Well, I took a drive to that shop in Glenn Ellyn. I tend to really think things through right before a purchase. I stood there, stared and compared two tanks for 30 minutes. I feel bad for the poor employee who had to witness this. I thought about something my wife said to me yesterday, and I finally made a decision. She said "Go BIG, or go home", so I snagged the 57G.

I spent another 30 minutes deciding between two skimmers. I chose a tried, and true Reef Octopus. I've had good experiences with them in the past, and I guess my decision was based on brand loyalty. There were some EShopps skimmers there, and I just picked what I knew.
Next up is a refugium, stand, and lights.
I guess I'll be starting a Tank Build thread in the very near future.

Thanks for all your help, guys!
 
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