Best money spend on non-livestock

[bsharding1982]

What do you feel was the best money you have spent to improve or ensure the quality of your tank? Equipment etc....

[aoc230]

i dont think i can nail it down to one sole instrument in the band! i've found the addition of quality:
1.lights(DRUMMER)
2.pumps(LEAD GUITAR)
3.sump/refugium(LEAD VOCALS)
broke it down in importance of band members haha lol bored sorry

[addicted2reefin]

skimmer wuld bethe guy puttinb it all together

[aoc230]

for sure

[arredondojason]

I really like my vortech MP40s x2

[pwoller]

Vortech mp40's, skimmer, phosphate reactors.

[gatorchem]

Good Lights and a good skimmer I think are the best money to spend.

[viggen]

bigger tank.... even though it's still empty I know the fish will be happier/healthier in their new 475g tank :beer:

[damseldude]

good lights and skimmer

[Walking_Target]

Salt :D

DDH2O makes my corals happy, whereas Instant Ocean doesn't.

[Psionicdragon]

skimmer

[shaggy14]

skimmer, lights, and controller

[Johnny C]

I've got to say... hands-down, an ATO was the best investment I've made. Other than that, see above.

[fox2589]

skimmer,vortech,soon to be controller

[MaLi]

A reef controller ! :bounce2:
Made my life so (too) easy. Lights, ATO, feeding, temperature, wavemaker, pumps, - no worry life:lolspin:

cheers,
Marian

[ostrow]

Tunze Wavebox #1
Swirlstein with (first) a Tunze Stream and (second) an MJ Stream a close second.

[rpeeples]

I've got to say... hands-down, an ATO was the best investment I've made. Other than that, see above.

Good call...

Maybe not the most important but certainly an overlooked value investment :)

[ostrow]

Ok, I take it back. Those two things were the best but my mind was inside the tank.

By far, without any question, hands-down and absolutely by leaps and bounds ... it has no name as far as I can tell. I contacted Paul at autopoff.com a couple years ago after getting fed up with water on my basement floor. He built me a gizmo with two sensors, one for upstairs at my display and one in the low floor spot in my fishroom, connected to a 12v relay that can handle 15A. When either sensor detects water on the floor, the return pump shuts down.

Nothing made my life easier in the hobby than that. I got sick of bleach-cleaning all of the damn kids toys down there, etc etc!

[aquaph8]

skimmer and money spent to support RC

[floridazooguy]

skimmer all the way

[MAMGM]

lights, skimmer, and my ATO

[Nereaga]

1. ATO
2. VorTech MP40w
3. Skimmer

[Pudge957]

Controller would be my #1. Then ato

[IDSkoT]

i dont think i can nail it down to one sole instrument in the band! i've found the addition of quality:
1.lights(DRUMMER)
2.pumps(LEAD GUITAR)
3.sump/refugium(LEAD VOCALS)
broke it down in importance of band members haha lol bored sorry

At first glance, I was like, "Is this backwards...?" Then I realized... drummers are the bomb. :thumbsup:

[scolley]

A controller. This applies to my relatively new reef, and my many other tanks. Hard to imagine another piece of equipment having such broad application to the reduction of labor (the real hidden cost) in managing complex aquatic systems.

[albano]

well, I do love my Octopus dual recirc. skimmer, but the best has to be my new LED lights for my new 450g DT (been testing it on my 170g, and its, GREAT)






my 450g build thread
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/tank-threads/63397-hundreds-corals-fish-free.html

[flyingphish]

spend your money on stability. a good controller and either an array of dosing pumps or a Ca Rx with Kalk Rx is your best investment.

skimmers and lights all do the same nowadays.

MP40's would be next on my list. ATO out of convenience sure why not.

stability is king, from chemistry to temperature...

[EMT87]

lights and skimmer for the start

[extremeshocks]

I will have to say a filter sock i know they are cheep and alot of people dont like them i think they are awesome. Since i started using them i have clear water and NO micro bubbles.

[jeff1225]

+1 for ATO....makes the hobby more enjoyable.

[albano]

well...people have listed everything from controllers to filter socks...what other favorite 'TOYS' , should we know about?

[tkeracer619]

I will list it the best way I can. No order just why I chose each piece of equipment.


Reeflo Dart - A return pump that starts every time.
ATO - autotopoff.com,keeps water in the box not on the floor.
RODI - Our fish are swimming in it!
Vortech MP40w - Tons of flow, no stray current.
Aquarium Plants CO2 regulator - No more fiddling with needle valves! Set and forget.
Cole-Parmer Digital Peristaltic pump to feed Ca Reactor - No more fiddling with needle or ball valves. Set and forget.
Skimmer - Askoll powered PM Bullet XL-1. To suck the poo right out of the fish.
Lighting - Luminarc reflectors, radiums/t5 blue+/vho super actinics. Why choose just 1?
Controller - Because the lack of control is chaos.

[drparker]

refractometer
RO/DI unit
RKE Controller
Good test kits
BRS reactors

[Paul B]

My boat. I can collect water and do other things also :rolleyes:

[EllieSuz]

My ReefKeeper Lite controller, hands down.

[RVANANO]

My Giesemann Infinity fo sho

[SDguy]

osmolator
vortechs (with battery backup)
controller

[kimber45]

skimmer wuld bethe guy puttinb it all together

what? hahaha

slow down bro.

lights
flow
skimmer
controller

[flamron]

A backup generator. I haven't had to use it yet, but I can't imagine losing $1000s of dollars because I lost power.

[Slayer311]

RO/DI-start with the basics here
Flow-vortechs the bomb
Sump/skimmer-lots of airating the water and docs removal
Lighting-for reef tanks
Controller-eliminate 10+pesky timers/automation

[aoc230]

spend your money on stability. a good controller and either an array of dosing pumps or a Ca Rx with Kalk Rx is your best investment.

skimmers and lights all do the same nowadays.

MP40's would be next on my list. ATO out of convenience sure why not.

stability is king, from chemistry to temperature...

what kind of skimmer ya got,ill trade for my seaclone 150 haha lol... i beg to differ, skimmers are not all as good as the next... light i can see, but some companies are way more reliable then others(who wants their lights to fail when a friends watching the tank while your away and bulbs also play a vital role as well??) something to think about.

although what you mentioned does make husbandry tasks way more manageable

[angieg1123]

RODI unit, skimmer, and MH lights

[Crustman]

JBJ ATO, GSA Kalk stirrer and Vertex IN100 skimmer

[xurifle06]

Tunze ATO. Especially on nanos. Add the calcium dispenser if you want to kill two birds with one stone.

Rich

[karsco]

RKL controller, I-Tech Skimmer, Vortech...

[ReefingBuddha]

A good networkable controller (i.e. Apex) and a wet/dry vac! So much easier for maintenance and cleanup.

[albano]

having just survived a couple of winter storm, power outages...I have to say that my generator saved my livestock, BUT, my 'emergency' overflow plumbing (direct to house drains) saved my floors and a lot of clean-up work!

[jubjub]

definately the ato is first....then good lights...then good skimmer

[VacavilleFC3S]

i just ordered another mp10 :)