Upgrading tanks - what's one thing you wish you would have done differently?

[WallyTime7]

Hey friends -
Currently running a RedSea Reefer 55 gallon DT and upgrading (as of right now) to a Waterbox 130.4.

What's one thing you wish you could have done differently when upgrading? Tank plumbing, aqua-scape, anything if you had the chance! Honestly curious before I make the switch.

I may go from socks to reefmat 500 but curious if there are other tips out there.

 

[Montiman]

I have a RedSea 750 XXL. I would never get an open-top tank again. Every time someone sits on the couch and gets blinded by the lights or my fish splash on the front glass I am reminded of how next time I will get a traditional canopy.

 

[Jekyl]

Never using dry rock again. Next tank will be ocean direct. T5 hybrid instead of just LED.

 

[Devaji]

ok here's one...never ever let the aptaisa get out of control. went from 1 to 1000 in a month.
I would have a action plan on hand and ready to go 1st sigh of it.

 

[mjszos]

Currently? Should have gotten a bigger tank

 

[WallyTime7]

Currently? Should have gotten a bigger tank

Where in Chicago? I'm in Logan. Any local groups you're a part of? Love to learn more especially locally.

 

[flashsmith]

A couple things that have kept me from NOT going with a filter roller. Not if but when it breaks you need to have a backup plan. Once you modify your sump for it there is no emergency plan B if it fails unless you're willing to buy 2. They can sometimes smell bad due to the dirty end of the roll sitting in your stand for weeks. If a doser breaks you can dose by hand until there's a fix. You can get by without a skimmer for a bit if it fails. You can go without a wavemaker if it fails. You should always have a backup return pump of some kind. But if a filter roller fails and you've cut your baffles out so that it fits that's a problem.

 

[Jo P White]

Would have thought about an exterior plumbing system instead of interior, I have an IM100 INT. Love the tank, but I definitely lose a lot of real estate because of the overflow running along the entire back.

 

[Rmckoy]

Never add Xenia to another tank ,

 

[mjszos]

Where in Chicago? I'm in Logan. Any local groups you're a part of? Love to learn more especially locally.

Just the Facebook groups. I’m in the burbs now, didn’t have any luck finding local meetups unfortunately.

 

[Slocke]

My fish hate special grade sand. Should have gone for Fiji pink its a lot kinder on my sensitive wrasse.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Bigger the better

 

[Lps_lover12]

Taken more time on my aqua scape, I’m only 9 months in with my tank and already want to redo it

 

[WallyTime7]

Taken more time on my aqua scape, I’m only 9 months in with my tank and already want to redo it

I hear you on that!

 

[WallyTime7]

Any takes on chaeto/algae versus bio balls? My chaeto area is overrun by nuisance algae but DT is fine. It's ugly to look and curious if the bio ball route is worth the change? Or harder to manage...

 

[PeterC99]

I have a RedSea 750 XXL. I would never get an open-top tank again. Every time someone sits on the couch and gets blinded by the lights or my fish splash on the front glass I am reminded of how next time I will get a traditional canopy.

3D printed Light-shades from @chemisfun11 ! Totally changes viewing experience!

 

[piranhaman00]

only T5s from now on, LEDs are not comparable

 

[ScubaShane]

A couple things that have kept me from NOT going with a filter roller. Not if but when it breaks you need to have a backup plan. Once you modify your sump for it there is no emergency plan B if it fails unless you're willing to buy 2. They can sometimes smell bad due to the dirty end of the roll sitting in your stand for weeks. If a doser breaks you can dose by hand until there's a fix. You can get by without a skimmer for a bit if it fails. You can go without a wavemaker if it fails. You should always have a backup return pump of some kind. But if a filter roller fails and you've cut your baffles out so that it fits that's a problem.

You can just roll it by hand until you got a replacement motor. It takes the same energy as changing filter socks. I did it with my Clarisea. DD sent me a new motor.

 

[PeterC99]

Hey friends -
Currently running a RedSea Reefer 55 gallon DT and upgrading (as of right now) to a Waterbox 130.4.

What's one thing you wish you could have done differently when upgrading? Tank plumbing, aqua-scape, anything if you had the chance! Honestly curious before I make the switch.

I may go from socks to reefmat 500 but curious if there are other tips out there.

Forget filter socks and roller mats. Use these cheap 3D printer filter cups. Change out a small piece of filter floss every week. Cheap and easy.

 

[workhz]

1- If you use someone else’s rocks, always just cure them again. I have a feeling some of the issues I faced were from the original rock.

2-I’d have gone with a 5-6’ tank instead of 4’ but didn’t have the space on the wall I wanted to use not the inclination to carry a 6’ tank into the basement.