Wow... in 5 years a LOT changes. Advice welcome

[Garage1217]

Man... I had no idea how much things would change in 5 years. I had to depart the hobby due to a wild work travel schedule combined with a move. Life is finally mellow enough to get back into the swing of things so here I am and wow... I am reading through the pages and new tech is all over. Dc pumps? Wild new LED setups (I was LED before LED was cool lol) and a lot of new toys.

Some initial questions:

Now that people have quite a few years on LED. What is the current consensus on SPS and LED? Mine were doing just fine, is that the norm currently?

If LED is still a hot ticket, what brands are people having great success with?

For the more long term reefer... anything else you can think of new in the last 5 that has been a leap forward in tech?

[moondoggy4]

Welcome back. I think the consensus is that you need lots of leds pendants so you do not have any shadowing, there are some nice leds that do better at coverage than others and they are pricey GHL and Eco tech are the two that come to mind.

Kessil makes some nice led lights as well nice shimmer.

[moondoggy4]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2621935 nice read

[moondoggy4]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2620588 another one

[moondoggy4]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2570484 here is another one

[sirreal63]

Welcome back! It has been said that reefkeeping is like a prison sentence, you may get out for a while, but eventually you will be back.

A lot has changed, but one thing is certain, what used to work still works. If you were to exactly duplicate your old setup you would still be in a great equipment place. I don't think there has been any massive changes for the better. Leds do a better job now though many people are mixing leds and T5's to get better coverage and perhaps blend the light better.

[mako61]

Im in the same boat but I was out for 10+ years. My kids are big now. I also had a little extra cash and spouse approval. I have been reading forums for several weeks. I also found a lot of good youtube info/people to follow. Always look at their results to weight the advice. so you may somewhat ignore me ..

just got:
Red Sea 525xl
Mitras lx7 lights x2 - may need a third
Reef octo varios-s 8 pump
apex controller with wav pumps
Marco dry rock - currently soaking in saltwater

got but questionable:
teco chiller 1/3 - went a little crazy on the size
pentair UV sterilizer
siporax media for sump

working on:
8020 DIY light mount - like one i saw on forums
still undecided on skimmer

I had an 8k budget for gear and im close. You could probably do it alot cheaper shopping around / used. But cheaper isnt always cheaper.

most wont need a chiller. im in texas. i mostly got it because my AC has failed a few times and my Nest lets my house get to 80 when no one is home. I got a big one because it does not cost much more and the footprint is the same its just a little taller. too big ACs cause short cycles in a house ie high humidity like cheap hotel rooms. Doubt that will be an issue in tanks lol

The UV was a few hundred and many would not use that either

I did live rock 15 years ago wont do that again. Its expensive and i got a couple nasty friends. With dry you can take your time. Im not an artist so my scape kinda sux but at least its mine. I had it on a table marked for tank size for a few days messing with designs. the marco 400 cement works well

If you got this far the last thing i would stress is, dont get in a hurry!

[Garage1217]

Much appreciated everyone! And yes - if it worked in the past, definitely will work today no question. Just taking in a lot and trying to resurface all the knowledge I once had. surprising how foggy things get after just 5 years.

This was my last tank setup. She was beautiful. With the new house and even being larger, I have less room for a tank. So this build will be with a 120G. Nothing huge but will have a nice frag tank and fuge plumbed through wall into a spare bathroom which works out amazing as I have water and drainage there. I will NOT be going so custom and crazy with this build but she will be well done.

Hopefully will make a deal in the next day or so on a used but excellent condition lee-mar 120 euro brace. Exactly as my last 225 just 100g ish smaller :)

For lighting, I am leaning at the moment to a current version maxspect razor for bang for the buck (I have used maxspect in the past ages ago when they first started). Still reading through. So many new toys to take in and learn about.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1878249&highlight=garage+led+build

[rtparty]

As much as things change, they remain the same.

Good flow, strong lighting and great water quality will provide a nice tank. Nothing has changed in that department. How you achieve any one of those is up to you.

- Tunze are still great.
- The newish Quiet Drive from Ecotech is amazing but there are reports coming in with many failed wetsides. The casing that holds the magnet cracks and rusts the magnet.
- Maxspect came out with the Gyre. IceCap licensed the technology and creates basically the same thing for much cheaper.
- DC pumps seem to be hit and miss. The other forum has a great thread right now about it.
- The good pump manufactures are still around and still produce great equipment. My Eheim Compact pump is silent. Only running a month so I can't speak to longevity but reports have been positive and the warranty is top notch.
- There is no shortage of Chinese stuff still flooding the market. (That isn't meant to read negative. Just the truth.)
- Lighting is still personal preference. MH/T5 is still the gold standard that everyone is trying to copy. Whether they have succeeded is solely up to you.
- Controllers have come a long way and also became absurdly overpriced IMO.

HTH and welcome back!

[wildman926]

I would highly recommend running an Algae Turf Scrubber (ATS) that is as big as you can stuff in your sump. Algae is nature's filter, so grow the algae where you want to, instead of your display tank. It will remove excess nutrients naturally, and will keep unwanted algae out of the display tank.

As someone pointed out, LED/T5 lighting seems the way to go now. That is what I run, and the colors remain, and growth is great with this. T5 for the full spectrum (ATI Coral +), and 453nm LED strips for the actinic, and dusk to dawn feature.

[jubjub47]

I would highly recommend running an Algae Turf Scrubber (ATS) that is as big as you can stuff in your sump. Algae is nature's filter, so grow the algae where you want to, instead of your display tank. It will remove excess nutrients naturally, and will keep unwanted algae out of the display tank.

As someone pointed out, LED/T5 lighting seems the way to go now. That is what I run, and the colors remain, and growth is great with this. T5 for the full spectrum (ATI Coral +), and 453nm LED strips for the actinic, and dusk to dawn feature.

If you get a proper led and program it correctly you have just as much full spectrum as a t5. So funny that people don't seem to realize that.

[rtparty]

If you get a proper led and program it correctly you have just as much full spectrum as a t5. So funny that people don't seem to realize that.
Because it isn't true. LEDs have holes in their spectrum. The spectral plots we are given by companies are wildly smoothed out.

That's not to say that LEDs don't work, they do. But they still can't hit in the low 400s (nanometers) reliably. I was lucky enough to see an actual plot of LEDs and most didnt veer 10-15nm off their stated range. That's why we see companies having to run 3-4 blues, 2 violets, 3 whites, a green, red and yellow even. They're trying to cover the spectral holes that LEDs leave.

[hart24601]

I prefer LEDs to MH no question and don't feel MH are the gold standard. Now maybe LED and T5, but hey, whatever floats your boat! Here is my old tank with LED. I also love carbon dosing. I had 26 fish in this system and still had that color and coral growth, pre carbon dosing there was no way that could be done so easily. I always feel like I should post my tank when I give advise, if you think my tank is rubbish or not what someone likes then they sure shouldn't listen to me!

Oh and for SPS I think flow has really become a center of attention more than years past, my tank has at least 100x turnover constant, not cycle up and down. And SPS feeding is a big thing now as well for amazing growth. Some great foods out there now.

http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q492/Bret_Hartman/2r_zpsxlyemhee.jpg

http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q492/Bret_Hartman/3r_zpsevllzq8e.jpg

[Pablos RSM 450]

Man... I had no idea how much things would change in 5 years. I had to depart the hobby due to a wild work travel schedule combined with a move. Life is finally mellow enough to get back into the swing of things so here I am and wow... I am reading through the pages and new tech is all over. Dc pumps? Wild new LED setups (I was LED before LED was cool lol) and a lot of new toys.

Some initial questions:

Now that people have quite a few years on LED. What is the current consensus on SPS and LED? Mine were doing just fine, is that the norm currently?

If LED is still a hot ticket, what brands are people having great success with?

For the more long term reefer... anything else you can think of new in the last 5 that has been a leap forward in tech?

Salts- A lot of new brands with promising selections and numbers.
Pumps- A lot of new brands and more DC selections.
Lights- A lot of new LED brands and they do grow SPS (LED+T-5 is best)
I have been in the hobby for 15+ years and everything seems to be getting better for the hobbyist. Many sellers now offer free shipping and these forums and youtube offer great advice and product reviews.
Welcome back to the hobby hope this time you can enjoy and stay in it. We will be here to help with advice along the way.

[wildman926]

If you get a proper led and program it correctly you have just as much full spectrum as a t5. So funny that people don't seem to realize that.

Why change something that is working? And pay how much for an led system to do that? When bulbs are only $20 a pop per 12-18 months? More than one way to do things in this hobby. LOL.....

[Garage1217]

I prefer LEDs to MH no question and don't feel MH are the gold standard. Now maybe LED and T5, but hey, whatever floats your boat! Here is my old tank with LED. I also love carbon dosing. I had 26 fish in this system and still had that color and coral growth, pre carbon dosing there was no way that could be done so easily. I always feel like I should post my tank when I give advise, if you think my tank is rubbish or not what someone likes then they sure shouldn't listen to me!

Oh and for SPS I think flow has really become a center of attention more than years past, my tank has at least 100x turnover constant, not cycle up and down. And SPS feeding is a big thing now as well for amazing growth. Some great foods out there now.

http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q492/Bret_Hartman/2r_zpsxlyemhee.jpg

http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q492/Bret_Hartman/3r_zpsevllzq8e.jpg

Beautiful tank! And agreed, my tank was on smirnoff as well :) Was one of the best thing I ever did. Really supercharged skimmer production and organics / corals loved it and responded well. I am still just in shock how much I have forgotten. Doses, regimens, settings... I have been re-reading a lot of my old posts and it is all coming back thankfully.

Good to see the lighting fights are still going strong HA! MH vs T5 vs LED vs Combinations... Oh the fun :) I have used each type and they all grew SPS just fine and I was GLAD to get rid of the MH heat. That is a huge thing here in Az with our summer temperatures. Causes your AC to fight to keep up drastically raises your electric bill. The efficiency of LED cured all that back in the day for me and also lowered evap / humidity in the house. A welcome change for me. Back then, 1000W of MH in a small home was pure hell.

[WLachnit]

I prefer LEDs to MH no question and don't feel MH are the gold standard. Now maybe LED and T5, but hey, whatever floats your boat! Here is my old tank with LED. I also love carbon dosing. I had 26 fish in this system and still had that color and coral growth, pre carbon dosing there was no way that could be done so easily. I always feel like I should post my tank when I give advise, if you think my tank is rubbish or not what someone likes then they sure shouldn't listen to me!



Oh and for SPS I think flow has really become a center of attention more than years past, my tank has at least 100x turnover constant, not cycle up and down. And SPS feeding is a big thing now as well for amazing growth. Some great foods out there now.



http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q492/Bret_Hartman/2r_zpsxlyemhee.jpg



http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q492/Bret_Hartman/3r_zpsevllzq8e.jpg



Love that first shot.