Aquarium Migration Hardware Advice

Oreefteca · Jun 15, 2024

Hey folks, there is currently a great discount running on one of the local hardware shops here in Germany and I don't want to miss it today. I am planning to move to a new flat in September, and of course that will be my excuse to switch from Redsea 200XL (LxWxH: 60x57.5x53cm 24x21x22.6 inches) to Redsea 425xl (120x55x57.5cm 47x22x22.6 inches). I need your advice in terms of which hardware do you think I can/should carry on and which ones require upgrade (especially lighting). Current tank is a mixed reef and I would also post couple photos but only later on. Here is the list of most important hardware:

- 2 AI Prime HD's (I have a spare another AI Prime so I could make them 4 or combine with Blade Led's or even combine with a Hydra HD for example)
- 2 AI Nero 3's
- Redsea 300 Skimmer
- Redsea Reefmat 500 fleecefilter
- Aquamedic DC Runner 2.3 Main pump

I thank you all in advance.

ryanjohn1 · Jun 16, 2024

If you don’t wanna break the bank 3 primes would be a good start. You can add blades or do all hydras. I have 4 hydras over top of a 4 foot tank for sps. I don’t know what the out put of your return pump is but that would be the only thing in your list there that may be needed to upgrade at startup

Oreefteca · Jun 16, 2024

ryanjohn1 said:
If you don’t wanna break the bank 3 primes would be a good start. You can add blades or do all hydras. I have 4 hydras over top of a 4 foot tank for sps. I don’t know what the out put of your return pump is but that would be the only thing in your list there that may be needed to upgrade at startup

Yeah not breaking the bank is a good idea at least for this year. I did not want to miss out the deals yesterday and ordered another AI Prime HD so will start with 4 of them and maybe next year will add AI Blades or replace all 4 with ATI Straton's, will see.

As for the return pump, that for sure needs an upgrade because it pumps out 2000l/h which won't be enough for a 4 ft. tank. I have to either directly upgrade to a larger model of the same pump or spend a little more for the Redsea one. Redsea's pump is interesting, as one could combine it with the DC Skimmer from Redsea which should be avoiding overflows automatically.