So Much has Changed

[BubbleHead]

I've been out of the hobby for about 10 years and so much has changed. I previously had 40 gal. 65 gal. 75 gal 150 gal and a 180 at different times. So much has changed and I have a lot to learn. I was trying to ease back into this addicting hobby. I bought a 14 gallon bio cube and had planned on just sticking with that for awhile. I now have a 5.5 pico and a 90 gal. cube as well. I'm still working on getting the hardware together before setting up the 90. I just have tank, stand, 100 dry rock and skimmer so far.

 

If you have any advice on how to properly set this tank up, it would be great to hear your thoughts.

Edited December 17, 2012 by BubbleHead

[zygote2k]

I'd recommend doing as much research into lighting and protein skimmers as possible before setting up a new 90.

Things 10 years ago are mostly obsolete now. There are still downdraft skimmers though.

[smallreef]

There are advancements and 'cutting edge' products coming out every day....

what did you do in the past and how did that work for you? the basic principles haven't changed though...just stuff to make it easier on us!

[OldReefer]

I took a break for a while and came back a couple years ago. I know how you feel. Welcome to Reefing v2.0.

 

Needle wheel cone skimmers like the Avast CS1 have made the Beckets and downdraft skimmers obsolete. Carbon dosing ( aka Vodka) used to be crazy, but now it is normal practice using bio-degradable plastic pellets. Ca Reactors are still used in some big systems, but 2-part dosing has become mainstream.

 

Ecotech power heads are so good that closed-loops are becoming rare.

 

DSBs are becoming a thing of the past with skimmers and pellets becoming so efficient at extracting nitrate. Running GFO (Rowaphos) was probably cutting edge when you got out. Now it is pretty much standard.

 

LEDs are fun, but nothing still grows coral like a metal halide. T5s have lots of color options, but you will never see anything as pretty as the old VHO Actinic.

 

The other thing tat is odd is the fascination with frags, If somebody has a 6-inch coral, they feel compelled to cut it up into 5 pieces.

[miggs76]

I've been out of the hobby for about 10 years and so much has changed. I previously had 40 gal. 65 gal. 75 gal 150 gal and a 180 at different times. So much has changed and I have a lot to learn. I was trying to ease back into this addicting hobby. I bought a 14 gallon bio cube and had planned on just sticking with that for awhile. I now have a 5.5 pico and a 90 gal. cube as well. I'm still working on getting the hardware together before setting up the 90. I just have tank, stand, 100 dry rock and skimmer so far.

 

If you have any advice on how to properly set this tank up, it would be great to hear your thoughts.

 

I think you are the one who bought my ecopico a few weeks ago..hope everything is coming along well...PM me anytime and I'd be glad to help you with that tank. No need for a skimmer, just do a 1 gallon water change every week and it will work out well. I rarely ever got algae in that tank. Never saw any cyano either. The 1 gallon water changes were basically 30% per week because with the rock there was only a little under 4 gallons of water that could be in there. The little hang on back filter worked well too. Just be sure to cut out some filter floss and change that every week.

[Steve175]

As big a sump as you have space for.

Avast and Volcano (esp. SRO) are often recommended currently for skimmers - with little complaint from users - and it would be hard to go wrong with either.

While I am an old halide champion, LEDs seem to be hitting the mainstream and put out a lot less heat. A 4-6 bulb T5 will also get you out of the blocks (prob not for SPS).

2-part should be fine in a 90 - ideally with a dosing pump (many use BRS, I prefer liter meter but a bit pricey)

Use a manifold off your return to run GFO through a reactor. Add a 2nd or even 3rd capped line of the manifold for future flexibility (biopellets, charcoal reactor, ca reactor, etc).

95% there after the above (at least until the addiction reaches peak effect and you've had time to figure out the other 999,999 newer ways to spend money in this hobby).

I bet you knew all of this [feeling stupid] - the method hasn't really changed for most of it, just the brands.