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Unread 03/18/2018, 06:35 PM   #1
pleasants9
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Buying a running system

I am looking to by a running system and get back into the hobby. I see two major issues with the DT though. Green bubble algae and aiptasia. It is present on all rocks and parts of the tank. It only has a clownfish for livestock, are my chances/options good for riding the tank of these pests or will I be battling it for as long as I keep the system alive? There are only about 6 big pieces of live rock in it.


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Unread 03/18/2018, 07:18 PM   #2
CleanReef
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ÆWhat kind of tank are you considering buying? Good deal? If so, you might consider setting up a QT tank for the fish and starting over with the tank you just bought. Aiptasia isn't very easy to get rid of with fish alone. The bubble algae isn't so bad but if you want them both gone, dry out every piece of equipment and start with new rock and sand. Good luck.


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Unread 03/18/2018, 07:32 PM   #3
pleasants9
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180 gallon drilled with single overflow, 3x mars aqua led lights, about 50lb live rock, a few large leathers, clownfish, sump underneath with large in-sump skimmer and return pump. Asking $1200 and offered to help move it to my place (I don't have a truck) Only other options I have been able to find locally is a dry 180 gallon with stand for $600.


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Unread 03/18/2018, 09:22 PM   #4
lionfish300
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IMO I would start with dry so you can do your own thing and do it right. Why buy someone else problems. Good luck


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Unread 03/19/2018, 09:19 AM   #5
thegrun
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I would place some of the old rock and fish in a Brute trash can as a temporary home for the fish and start off with new rock and sand, cycle the new tank and then move over the fish. You are going to be fighting bubble algae and aiptasia for a long time if you try to reuse the old rock or sand. In addition there is likely to be issues with phosphates and hair algae if you reuse the rock.


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Unread 03/19/2018, 05:45 PM   #6
pleasants9
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I'll admit I would rather start fresh, but I don't think spending $600 on just a tank and stand I could stay close to $1200 after lights/skimmer/sump/pump/sand/live rock.


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Unread 03/19/2018, 06:23 PM   #7
Kevin Guthrie
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$1200 is good. What people are saying I think (and I agree) is buy the lot, keep the livestock and equipment, but replace the sand and rock with new. You are basically paying the extra 600 for the equipment which is probably a good price.


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Unread 03/19/2018, 06:28 PM   #8
pleasants9
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ok, so basically put all livestock in a trash can with an pump to keep them happy long enough to get new sand and live rock cycled in the tank?


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Unread 03/19/2018, 08:56 PM   #9
CleanReef
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Don't forget a heater. Keep the rock you got in the trash can to help with the bio load, and for the new setup, you'll need a lot more new rock. Like 150lbs+


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Unread 03/20/2018, 01:05 PM   #10
OzIA
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I'm not sure the price is that great. I didn't hear a lot of high $ brand names that carry the higher resale values. Sounds like the labor / relocation is the most value to you at this point. I bet they would take $1000 and still help.

It also sounds like they let it go / haven't been doing much maintenance. …Another sign they want out but also, you might just move it and set it back up with some predators to target some of the nuisance growth.

I had a copper banded butterfly that would eat aiptasia and majanos (the brown ones, wouldn’t touch the green) like nothing else. I’m not sure if they all do that, but if you could add the berghia nudibranch, it will target aiptasia. A couple doses of Reef Flux will clear most of the macro algae, including hair algae.

I guess my point is if you put some focus into it, you might be able to pull it back without drying out all the rock and if after a month or two, it still looks bad, just pull the animals out and start over dry.


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Unread 03/20/2018, 01:37 PM   #11
crawlerman
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I'd just set it up and put in a bunch of peppermint shrimp (make sure they are real peppermints) and emerald crabs. They have both always worked for me. If it doesn't work you can always go to the plan B restart.


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Unread 03/20/2018, 01:49 PM   #12
alton
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180 gallon drilled with single overflow, 3x mars aqua led lights, about 50lb live rock, a few large leathers, clownfish, sump underneath with large in-sump skimmer and return pump. Asking $1200 and offered to help move it to my place (I don't have a truck) Only other options I have been able to find locally is a dry 180 gallon with stand for $600.

Or new $600
New Mars Lights $300
New return pump $100
New sump DIY $100
New or used Skimmer $200
TOTAL $1,300
The questions I have is how old is the tank, there is always a chance it may leak when you move it or shortly after with no warranty
Is it a high quality stand?
Lights Mars Aqua not the best ( I have one on my QT Tank) but how old are they once again no warranty
Skimmer how old is the pump? And the value of the skimmer?
Return Pump how old?
Rock and sand is polluted with very bad algae therefore worth $0
If your taking votes, I say add a couple extra hundred dollars and start new or get him to drop price.


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Unread 03/20/2018, 02:12 PM   #13
OzIA
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Nice summation Alton. Your numbers confirm the way it was feeling to me. Maybe $1000 is even too much.


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Unread 03/21/2018, 12:54 PM   #14
pleasants9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alton View Post
180 gallon drilled with single overflow, 3x mars aqua led lights, about 50lb live rock, a few large leathers, clownfish, sump underneath with large in-sump skimmer and return pump. Asking $1200 and offered to help move it to my place (I don't have a truck) Only other options I have been able to find locally is a dry 180 gallon with stand for $600.

Or new $600
New Mars Lights $300
New return pump $100
New sump DIY $100
New or used Skimmer $200
TOTAL $1,300
The questions I have is how old is the tank, there is always a chance it may leak when you move it or shortly after with no warranty
Is it a high quality stand?
Lights Mars Aqua not the best ( I have one on my QT Tank) but how old are they once again no warranty
Skimmer how old is the pump? And the value of the skimmer?
Return Pump how old?
Rock and sand is polluted with very bad algae therefore worth $0
If your taking votes, I say add a couple extra hundred dollars and start new or get him to drop price.

Thanks I have been out of the game for a while so this puts things into a better perspective. The tank is older, he bought it used 5 yrs ago and the stand is ok, its sturdy but dirty with salt creep. The mars aqua lights are older as well. But i'll be honest that's what I was planning to install on whatever system i came up with anyways. I will post some pictures. Where is an economical place to buy a new drilled tank? Where I looked online the prices were closer to $1000.

DT:
[IMG]http://i63.*******.com/e15lps.jpg[/IMG]
sump:
Image and video hosting by *******
[IMG]http://i67.*******.com/2aj47fa.jpg[/IMG]
http://*******.com/r/2aj47fa/9
http://i67.*******.com/2aj47fa.jpg
Front Shot:
[IMG][IMG]http://i65.*******.com/qrk9jd.jpg[/IMG][/IMG]

The way i used to post photos doesn't seem to be working.....



Last edited by pleasants9; 03/21/2018 at 01:11 PM.
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Unread 03/21/2018, 01:37 PM   #15
pleasants9
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FTS
https://ibb.co/huzf5H
Skimmer
https://ibb.co/jEemec
display
https://ibb.co/i1Mosx

These links will have to do.


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Unread 03/21/2018, 09:59 PM   #16
Kevin Guthrie
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Can't see your pics in today's first posts but the ones in the second are OK. There's a bit more there than the pieces of equipment listed above.
I'm seeing 2 circulation pumps.
Does the hood have a fan?
Skimmer looks like an ASM but I can't tell what model. I bought an ASM G4 6 years ago, $425 with pump.
Two dosing pumps, do you know what they do? Can't imagine using 2-part calcium for a tank that size but that's what it looks like. Consider converting to CA reactor and ATO.
Does the heater have a controller?


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Unread 03/22/2018, 05:59 AM   #17
pleasants9
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Yeah it looks like it was two large koralia pumps? No cooling fan, I think the hood was once used for halides and has since been retrofitted for the Mars aqua lights, and the two dosing pumps still work according to the seller. I don't believe there is a controller for the heater, just the analog dial.


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Unread 03/25/2018, 07:21 PM   #18
pleasants9
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Cheapest I could find a new tank was $975, I think I'm going to go for it


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Unread 03/28/2018, 08:52 AM   #19
Fraq
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I would try cleaning a lot of that stuff before starting it up again. Definitely get new sand and start it up with the existing rock (after you've cleaned it some).


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