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Ian14
04/06/2015, 03:27 PM
I got a 220 gallon off eBay and have been extremely disappointed in the quality of the inside of the glass. You can't notice it until water is in the tank under the lights, then it is horrible. It looks like someone had taken sandpaper on the inside of the glass and went to work for hours. I am guessing one of the previous owners may have used something like that to get tough algae off.

It is my first saltwater setup and I am investing all kinds of money into the tank and I think it would be worth to just get a new tank. A LFS quoted me at $1185 before tax on a marineland 220 that is reef ready. Is that a good price? He said it comes with plumbing, is that hoses and everything you need to plumb or just bulkheads?

Thanks!

wakesetter
04/06/2015, 04:43 PM
I would avoid the Marineland tanks. Kinda under built imo. Check with an LFS to have a custom tank made. Shouldn't cost any more than what you were quoted. Where are you located? What are the dimensions on the 220?

tkeracer619
04/06/2015, 04:45 PM
Ian, many of us find out the hard way that the tank is the cheapest part of the system. Get something that will make you happy. All that scratching will just make it a pain to keep clean.

ca1ore
04/06/2015, 04:53 PM
A LFS quoted me at $1185 before tax on a marineland 220 that is reef ready. Is that a good price? He said it comes with plumbing, is that hoses and everything you need to plumb or just bulkheads?

That's a pretty good price. Typically ML tanks come with bulkheads and the overflow/return piping that goes inside the overflow.

fishgate
04/06/2015, 05:07 PM
That seems kind of high. Nothing wrong with a Marineland tank at all. One of the best. I'd get them over many of the "custom" makers. Check all of your local suppliers and go with the lowest. You could (and should) skip the "reef ready" tank, get a cheaper standard tank, and drill the tank on your own. The internal overflows are not the best system for a marine tank.

Ian14
04/06/2015, 10:43 PM
Thanks for the input guys. I'm located in the baltimore area. Not many fish stores around here, called most of the places within an hour that I found online. That was the best price. Dimensions 72 x 24 x 30.

Also, how much cheaper would non drilled tank be and why arent the overflows good for saltwater setup?

fishgate
04/07/2015, 05:54 AM
There used to be a guy in Northern VA but I tried to reach him recently and no luck I think he is out of business.

What you want if doing from scratch is a bean animal setup. This is hard to do with the built-in overflows on "reef ready" tanks. Plus they are visually ugly in the tank and take up a lot of real estate, not to mention they cost more. It is very easy to drill a tank. So get the non-reef-ready and drill for a bean animal drain system. I just drilled my 120 gallon tank a month ago and it was no problem at all. I installed one of the pre-made overflows with an internal and external piece from an eBay seller.

I am tearing down my 125 gallon reef ready tank and am debating removing the weirs and sealing up the bottom holes and then drilling for a better overflow through the back.

toothybugs
04/07/2015, 06:01 AM
IMHO you have a reasonable price there. A few years back (dang, I guess almost a decade now) I had an undrilled 215 Oceanic that I paid 1050 for. LFS owner said it wasn't too far off of cost at that price.

Reel North
04/07/2015, 06:14 AM
Fyi 220 is tough to light at the bottom if you are looking at sps. 180 is a much easier dimension if you are buying stock tanks.

cleverbs
04/07/2015, 07:48 AM
Let me just chime in here in regards to a marineland tank 220g tank. I have one and I originally got a standard one that I had my LFS drill for me and have had it up and running for a year and a half. Then I noticed the brace split on the tank. I called up marine land and they told me no problem they would replace the tank along with paying for any expense that came along with it. I was super impressed. Then they kept telling me we will call your LFS and have it taken care of. Day after day they told me this never doing it and then all the sudden at 4:59 (they close the call center at 5:00) they send me an email saying "We will not be replacing your tank, you can buy a replacement frame at your own expense from us" of course I cant call them because they are now closed. I contact my LFS and the owner is ****ED he emails his rep and copys me of it telling him how rude it was and how terrible their customer service was and how they are impacting his business. The rep gets back to him and tells him its because the tank was drilled. In the very first email I sent them I said the tank had been drilled by my LFS and they said no problem we are still replacing the tank. So after days of the LFS fighting with marineland and telling them that out of 1000s of tanks they have drilled they have never had a brace seperate because of it. They finally agree to replace the tank however the tank will have no form of warrenty on it what so ever after it leaves their warehouse. I said that bs and I want a full warrenty on the tank and they said that if I drill it they wont warrenty anything and the only reason they did it this time is because their customer service rep made a mistake and I had emails saying they would replace it after knowing it was after market drilled. So my LFS upgraded the tank to a reef ready tank for me so that it had a warrenty. Now I dont like a reef ready tank that much and would much rather have my C2C overflow and beananimal drain system it is not worth risking something happening again and having the 1200$ expensse of a new tank. So I would think twice before drilling a tank of this size yourself unless 1200$ isnt that much to you and its worth the risk but to me its not.

If I could do it again. I would of had my 220g custom made even if that ment that it had to be a smaller tank I would of had a higher quality custom tank made. I mean I paid more for my Lights then my tank and my skimmer cost 1/2 the price of my tank. I would of much rather spent an extra 200-500$ to get a really nice tank.

As for lighting the tank, I tried LED's over mine and without buying 6x 500$+ units I couldnt get high enough par on the bottom of my tank for sps. So I went with 3x 250w MH 4x 80w T5hos and now I have good par on the bottom and have enough par to grow anything any place in my tank.

Ian14
04/07/2015, 03:28 PM
I don't have the room for a bean animal system. I think if I were to get the tank I would get it pre drilled and everything, I know it isn't a tough task but spending that money and drilling it myself, risking a mistake just isn't worth it.

But cleverbs, I thought the same thing, the lights I was going to get cost just as much as the tank and I might as well have a nice tank, not one that is all starched up.

Hopefully I will be able to find a buyer on the scratched tank on Craigslist. Holds water and everything and is drilled, but the inside is covered in super fine scratches that are noticeable under light. Hoping to get 400 for it

Mustang67
04/07/2015, 04:16 PM
I thought of a custom tank, did the research and at the end of the day I wanted one by a major MFG. So I decided to go with Marineland, they are not going anyplace, they are held to a higher standard and mass produce a line of tanks that are very reliable. I do agree you may get better customer service from a custom builder, and perhaps a better build, or better price in some cases. I decided to remove the uncertainty and went with a Marineland 300 DD with Starphire front glass. I am very happy with the tank and I would recommend the same. Now that I have it, I wish I had a 500 Gallon:)

Tank $2199.
Monterey Read Oak Canopy $599.
Monterey Red Oak Stand $999.
Glass Top $149.

You can make your own stand and canopy if needed and save some $$. My 300 is in my office, I wanted something nice, well made, and I did not have the time to make one myself. I am very happy with the end result.

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag120/mustang4278mustang67/20150316_092515_zpsovdf9n2i.jpg (http://s1301.photobucket.com/user/mustang4278mustang67/media/20150316_092515_zpsovdf9n2i.jpg.html)

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag120/mustang4278mustang67/New%20tank%20supplies/20150323_101549_zpsj8mn2kml.jpg (http://s1301.photobucket.com/user/mustang4278mustang67/media/New%20tank%20supplies/20150323_101549_zpsj8mn2kml.jpg.html)

devildog12210
04/07/2015, 05:17 PM
My Marineland 180 RR was $699 at my LFS just to give you a comparison.

devildog12210
04/07/2015, 05:20 PM
Tank $2199.
Monterey Read Oak Canopy $599.
Monterey Red Oak Stand $999.
Glass Top $149.

You can make your own stand and canopy if needed and save some $$.

If that is truly made from Red Oak you will have a hard time making your own for less. The price per board foot of red oak down here is insane.

d2mini
04/07/2015, 05:45 PM
IMHO, tank warranties are over rated. I mean once it's set up and running for a while, full of thousands of dollars worth of livestock, if it busts a seem the cost of the tank is the least of your worries.

Per the OP's original question, custom would be the way to go if u can swing it. For a tank that size you are looking at around $2k unless you go baller and get a Reef Savvy or something.

Mustang67
04/07/2015, 05:57 PM
If that is truly made from Red Oak you will have a hard time making your own for less. The price per board foot of red oak down here is insane.

Its not solid Oak, its compressed particle board with Red Oak veneer.

Ian14
04/07/2015, 06:07 PM
[QUOTE=Mustang67;23653512]I thought of a custom tank, did the research and at the end of the day I wanted one by a major MFG. So I decided to go with Marineland, they are not going anyplace, they are held to a higher standard and mass produce a line of tanks that are very reliable. I do agree you may get better customer service from a custom builder, and perhaps a better build, or better price in some cases. I decided to remove the uncertainty and went with a Marineland 300 DD with Starphire front glass. I am very happy with the tank and I would recommend the same. Now that I have it, I wish I had a 500 Gallon:)

Tank $2199.
Monterey Read Oak Canopy $599.
Monterey Red Oak Stand $999.
Glass Top $149.

That is a really nice looking setup. I see some of the plumbing but did they give you the hoses too?

Mustang67
04/07/2015, 06:19 PM
No, just a pre drilled tank (dual corner over flows) the over flow piping, 4 bulk heads, and return piping with the ends to direct the flow where you want it to go. Looks something like this

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag120/mustang4278mustang67/5-633053_zpsuxyyzdne.jpg (http://s1301.photobucket.com/user/mustang4278mustang67/media/5-633053_zpsuxyyzdne.jpg.html)

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag120/mustang4278mustang67/15929251_zpskph7vpet.jpg (http://s1301.photobucket.com/user/mustang4278mustang67/media/15929251_zpskph7vpet.jpg.html)

Ian14
04/07/2015, 07:36 PM
Gotcha. Do you know what size hoses would fit that then?
I have mag 1800gph for the return pump I suppose that should be enough

Mustang67
04/07/2015, 07:54 PM
I actually took I believe 3/4 ID hose, about 5 inches in length and plumbed it to 1" PVC. So from the pump a small piece of hose that connects to a female PVC adapter which then connects to a 1" PCV pipe. I also bought a bunch of these http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/schedule-80-union-slip-x-slip-1-4440d927e935e3273252c4be793c9152.html

You just un screw it from one end of the pipe, makes it easy to disconnect the pump and any other systems that you do not want permanently plumbed.

Ian14
04/07/2015, 08:05 PM
Nice, thanks! What kind of sump and pump do you have for your 300 gal? and Lights?

Matthias7
04/07/2015, 08:07 PM
I have a Marineland 250dd. I am very happy with the tank.

Mustang67
04/07/2015, 08:19 PM
Nice, thanks! What kind of sump and pump do you have for your 300 gal? and Lights?

Sump, 75 gallon drilled for pluming, 5 bays, for now a 1200GPH pump, 5x Radion G3 lights and 8x T5 lights. As soon as the new Red Dragon 230Watt pump is available I will make the purchase and replace my current 1200GPH pump. I also have 3x Tunze 6105 power heads controlled by an Apex controller. Love the Apex system!!

I will be pulling my sump out soon and will replace with a DIY Acrylic sump. 58Lx 18W x 20H. The 75 gallon fits but I don't have much clearance under the stand to do any work. The new DIY sump will fix that issue.

Toddrtrex
04/07/2015, 10:05 PM
I picked up my Aqueon 210 for about $600, granted there was a sale. Since I was doing a "Herbie", I didn't need the overflow kits. Picked up the stand and canopy at the same time.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/toddrtrex/210/FTS1-5_zps61b38e8f.jpg

Ian14
04/08/2015, 08:17 AM
That sounds like a good setup. I am going to go with reef breeders for the lights I think. I am using the acrylic sump that came with the original tank, it is a pro clear aquatics premier 300, rated for a 300 gallon tank.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21GYwpuUAWL.jpg

Do you reccommend those wave makers and controllers? Are there cheaper alternatives

Toddrtrex
04/08/2015, 08:23 AM
That sounds like a good setup. I am going to go with reef breeders for the lights I think. I am using the acrylic sump that came with the original tank, it is a pro clear aquatics premier 300, rated for a 300 gallon tank.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21GYwpuUAWL.jpg

Do you reccommend those wave makers and controllers? Are there cheaper alternatives

I would ditch the bio-balls.

What are the dimensions of that sump? Want to make sure that it can handle all the excess water when the main pump is off.

As for lights, over my 210 I went with 8*80 ATIs.

Ian14
04/08/2015, 01:29 PM
I would ditch the bio-balls.

What are the dimensions of that sump? Want to make sure that it can handle all the excess water when the main pump is off.

As for lights, over my 210 I went with 8*80 ATIs.

I've water tested it and it holds the excess water when the pump turns off and then some. What should I put instead of bio balls?
It is 36 x 12 x 18
http://www.pro-clear.com/proclear.pdf
Premier 300

Mustang67
04/08/2015, 03:36 PM
Here is a pic on how I plumbed my RT pump
http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag120/mustang4278mustang67/New%20tank%20supplies/IMG_2842_zpskzjijcty.jpg (http://s1301.photobucket.com/user/mustang4278mustang67/media/New%20tank%20supplies/IMG_2842_zpskzjijcty.jpg.html)

Ian14
04/08/2015, 04:02 PM
Nice.Wish I had that kind of space. Do you all think that sump I have will be enough?

Ian14
04/08/2015, 04:55 PM
Also, considering a planet aquarium custom tank

Mustang67
04/08/2015, 05:28 PM
From my experience and my own opinion I would concentrate on the tank, skimmer and return pump. They are your foundation and the some of the most costly items. Get the tank you want, don't be shy to go larger, I have never heard anyone say...gee I wish I went with a smaller tank. Get a good skimmer one that can handle what you have in mind now and one that can handle any future growth. My tank is a 300DD, I went with a skimmer that's rated for a 600 or a 300 with heavy bio load. I am glad I made the choice that I did. If you have the budget I would go with a DC controlled pump, again my opinion go a bit bigger, think of any possible future growth, by going with a DC pump you can always tune it down with a press of a button if the output is to high. Taking this route you can add anything you want in the future with out having to make major changes.

On the sump, you will want one that can hold all of your systems and or accessories. For me I have a 75 glass sump that I bought from Petsmart, its a DIY. I drilled it and configured it for my initial needs. Now that my tank is up and running and I have learned quite a bit I am going to go with a larger sump. I need to go from a 48 in length to a 58 in length and go from 25 in height to a 20 in height. I need more clearance under the stand and would like a little more water volume for my RT pump. I will go with Acrylic and build and drill it my self.

Here is a link to my build
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2467347

Ian14
04/09/2015, 07:40 AM
I'm having a hard time finding a skimmer. I need one that is no higher than about 24 inches and that can have a water level of 6-7 inches.
Also, what should I replace the bio balls with?

Sn8kbyt
04/09/2015, 08:27 AM
I picked up my Aqueon 210 for about $600, granted there was a sale. Since I was doing a "Herbie", I didn't need the overflow kits. Picked up the stand and canopy at the same time.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/toddrtrex/210/FTS1-5_zps61b38e8f.jpg

I picked up the same tank for $480 and also didn't need the overflow kits. I built my own stand and canopy and saved a ton.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2464238 link to my build and adventure :)

Mustang67
04/09/2015, 08:51 AM
I'm having a hard time finding a skimmer. I need one that is no higher than about 24 inches and that can have a water level of 6-7 inches.
Also, what should I replace the bio balls with?

Try this for a skimmer, it needs 7 to 9.44 inches max of water.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/skimz-monzter-sm201-internal-protein-skimmer.html
•Rated for tanks 211-528 gallons (800-2000 Liters)
Skimmer Specifications:
•Body Diameter: 7.87" (200mm)
•Foot Print: 9.21” x 9.21” (234mm x 234mm)
•Total Height: 21.5” (545mm)•Cup Diameter: 201mm

Not sure about the bio balls.

Ian14
04/10/2015, 07:50 AM
Thanks, I'll look into that skimmer. Debating on whether to sell that wet dry filter I have now and get a nicer sump

Toddrtrex
04/10/2015, 09:38 AM
I'm having a hard time finding a skimmer. I need one that is no higher than about 24 inches and that can have a water level of 6-7 inches.
Also, what should I replace the bio balls with?

This is the skimmer (http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/skimz-leopard-sl203-dc-internal-protein-skimmer.html) that I went with. Is 22" high, and the min water level is 7 inches.
Prior to cleaning it, and with a very light bio-load,

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/toddrtrex/210/skimmer_zpsca316af3.jpg


As for the bio-balls, depending on how it is set up, you could run some macro algae in there -- as long as it stays full submerged.

malira
04/10/2015, 12:01 PM
I you want more bio-mechanical filters there is "Marine Pure,"(mixed reviews but mostly good) my son runs bio pellets with great success.

Ian14
04/10/2015, 12:45 PM
Wow. What kind of skimmer is that?

Still trying to sell the 210 gallon before i get a new one. Also looking to sell that wet dry filter, the pro clear aquatics premier 300.

Would like to do it the right way get a used 75 gallon, drill it and put in my own baffles/compartments.

Still waiting to hear back from the rep for planet aquariums about pricing for the new tank. -__-

A bunch of dry rock came so I think i am going to stick them in my trash can filled with ro water and start cycling with ammonia i guess, why not.