Tank planning help

[Quas111]

Hi guys I'm starting a new tank mid-end Nov and I need some feedback on my choice of equipment I've gathered some information already and I need some advice if its the right thing. I have a budget of $3k for equipment and around 5 feet of free space (the tanks probably going to be around 3 feet due to budget)

Here's the information I've gathered:

Tank

3ft*2ft*2ft Tank (2nd hand)

~$400

Lights

DELightings T5 Retrofit II 2x 39w (3 feet) (x2)

SGD240.00 (x2)

$480.00

Tubes

$120

Skimmer

(unknown)

~$700

(2nd hand ~$300)

Wave generator

Tunze stream 6065+6085

$180+$240 =$420

(2nd hand) ~$210

Hailea chiller and pump

Hailea 1/4 hp

$450

Hailea - Water Pump HX6530 (1750L/H) SGD49.80

Return pump

Reef Octopus Diablo DC Water Pump DC-3500

SGD140.00

Substrate

Coral Sand Size no. 0 10kg x3

SGD10.00 x3

$30

Live rock

$280

Dosing pumps (optional)

Bubble-Magus 3-Way Dosing Pump

SGD390.00

(2nd hand: ~$200)

Total: $3250 (everything being new)

$2520(when some of the things are second hand)

(Sorry if it's messy )

Seniors and pros please post your opinions here thanks!

[sky007]

You can get the new Reef Octopus skimmer from Vincent of aquarium artist for a very good price. That save u another $300..

[Evolutionz]

Lights
DELightings T5 Retrofit II 2x 39w (3 feet) (x2)
SGD240.00 (x2)
$480.00
Tubes
$120

Get a maxspect Razor 160w 16k instead, for $640. way cheaper then ur t5 choice and no need to worry about spending $120 every 6 - 8 months changing bulbs. and i see you planning to get dosing pump which means you are probably gonna go sps. 4 tubes might not be enough for a 322 for sps tank.

these few items cost much lesser and yet good performance, so you can use this extra money for bigger tank :

Skimmer :

Get a Bubble magus Curve 7 cheap and yet very good performance. probably $250~ or so?

Wavemaker :

Jebao WP25 x2 should be enough for a 322, if 422, can get a wp40 + wp25.

lowest price of WP25 is $75 and wp is $85. total around 160 - $170 only for 2x brand new set.

Liverocks :

hunt and wait for reefer to decom and release. 30 - 40kg probably more than enough.. market price is around 3 - 5 bucks/KG.. so total $90 - $200

Dosing Pump:

Can consider Marine Magic dosing pump, very popular nowadays for being reliable and cheap. local distribution provides warranty as well.

price is $200~ for brand new set.

That should give you quite alot more budget for upsizing your tank!

hope this helps!

[Boonboy]

Not sure if you are using NSW. If not, you may also want to budget for a RO/DI unit, mixing pump and container for top up and water changes.

[angmoh]

for skimmer, you may wish to consider to grab this Deltec 1455 at 500++

3k budget for a 3ft tank is pretty comfortable. Looking forward to your new setup

[Quas111]

Hi guys, thanks so much for the help

I'm gonna try to reply to each of your inputs so sorry if I spam a bit haha

[Quas111]

Thanks guys for your inputs on skimmers. Now I'm balancing the pros and cons of a few skimmers wh

[Quas111]

Hi guys, thanks for your skimmer inputs

I am now trying to balance the pros and cons of a few skimmers you guys suggested to me, the the new reef octopus skimmer,bubble magus curve 7, or the deltec 1455. I'm not going to buy anything yet until the parts list has become super concrete so I won't be buying from the pasar Malam as of yet haha

[Quas111]

Lights

DELightings T5 Retrofit II 2x 39w (3 feet) (x2)

SGD240.00 (x2)

$480.00

Tubes

$120

Get a maxspect Razor 160w 16k instead, for $640. way cheaper then ur t5 choice and no need to worry about spending $120 every 6 - 8 months changing bulbs. and i see you planning to get dosing pump which means you are probably gonna go sps. 4 tubes might not be enough for a 322 for sps tank.

these few items cost much lesser and yet good performance, so you can use this extra money for bigger tank :

I had a similar discussion about lights recently, and I guess I'm convinced enough to switch to LEDs and since the input here has been so much cheaper than I initially thought, I may get a 4ft to 5ft tank instead

[Quas111]

Not sure if you are using NSW. If not, you may also want to budget for a RO/DI unit, mixing pump and container for top up and water changes.

I already have all those set up for a currently running nano tank I have so I won't need to spend more money on these kind of things . All I need is salt which ill probably go to lfs to buy

[Quas111]

Wavemaker :

Jebao WP25 x2 should be enough for a 322, if 422, can get a wp40 + wp25.

lowest price of WP25 is $75 and wp is $85. total around 160 - $170 only for 2x brand new set.

Liverocks :

hunt and wait for reefer to decom and release. 30 - 40kg probably more than enough.. market price is around 3 - 5 bucks/KG.. so total $90 - $200

Dosing Pump:

Can consider Marine Magic dosing pump, very popular nowadays for being reliable and cheap. local distribution provides warranty as well.

price is $200~ for brand new set.

That should give you quite alot more budget for upsizing your tank!

hope this helps!

Hi Evolution, I greatly appreciate your input

I'm probably going to get 2 or 3 jebao wp40s considering the price of them, and the fact that I may be getting a 4-5 feet tank. Maybe I may also get a wave controller to make the flow more random, depending if I have enough money.

The live rocks I posted were "worst case scenario" where I have to buy everything for lfs (oopsies I forgot to put that in the data) and I'm going to add them in slowly so I don't end up overcrowding my display tank without realizing it

I'm going to consider buying the marine magic too. Much cheaper than my initial choice and it seems more people have used it too

[Quas111]

Wavemaker :

Jebao WP25 x2 should be enough for a 322, if 422, can get a wp40 + wp25.

lowest price of WP25 is $75 and wp is $85. total around 160 - $170 only for 2x brand new set.

Liverocks :

hunt and wait for reefer to decom and release. 30 - 40kg probably more than enough.. market price is around 3 - 5 bucks/KG.. so total $90 - $200

Dosing Pump:

Can consider Marine Magic dosing pump, very popular nowadays for being reliable and cheap. local distribution provides warranty as well.

price is $200~ for brand new set.

That should give you quite alot more budget for upsizing your tank!

hope this helps!

Hi evolution, thanks for your input!

For the wave generators, I just found out about the cheaper jebao alternatives, so I'm going to get them maybe if I get a 4 or 5 feet tank ill buy more wp40s too. I'm also gonna buy a wave controller for them if I have enough remaining budget. Can anyone recomend any? Haha

I forgot to put this before the live rocks input. The price I put there is the worst case scenario where I buy everything from lfs. Oopsies!

I just found out about the Marine magic dosing pumps recently. I am probably gonna get that too I can save so much more money from here haha

[Quas111]

I found a good tank maker from a reefer here. It is "Atlantic glass industry". Does anyone have suggestions on this? I heard it's quite cheap too

What is more worth it? Buying a new tank from them or getting a 2nd hand tank from someone else?

[Evolutionz]

Hi Evolution, I greatly appreciate your input

I'm probably going to get 2 or 3 jebao wp40s considering the price of them, and the fact that I may be getting a 4-5 feet tank. Maybe I may also get a wave controller to make the flow more random, depending if I have enough money.

The live rocks I posted were "worst case scenario" where I have to buy everything for lfs (oopsies I forgot to put that in the data) and I'm going to add them in slowly so I don't end up overcrowding my display tank without realizing it

I'm going to consider buying the marine magic too. Much cheaper than my initial choice and it seems more people have used it too

Welcome bro, glad to help.

If you are going for a 422, probably 2x wp40 would be great but you will need to tone them down a little.. they are still alittle too strong for a 422.. my tank's a 4x2x1.2ft tank and i use a wp25 (W1 full strength) and 2 smaller china wavemaker. Both wp25 and 40 are controllable with wave modes and random modes.

I found a good tank maker from a reefer here. It is "Atlantic glass industry". Does anyone have suggestions on this? I heard it's quite cheap too

What is more worth it? Buying a new tank from them or getting a 2nd hand tank from someone else?

my tank's from atlantic glass industry, i would say workmanship is okay, but for the price it is certainly hard to beat. almost half the price from other well known tank makers i quoted from! they also offer crystal glass option.

[Quas111]

my tank's from atlantic glass industry, i would say workmanship is okay, but for the price it is certainly hard to beat. almost half the price from other well known tank makers i quoted from! they also offer crystal glass option.

Around How much did your tank cost? And is the cabinet chengai wood?

[Quas111]

Welcome bro, glad to help.

If you are going for a 422, probably 2x wp40 would be great but you will need to tone them down a little.. they are still alittle too strong for a 422.. my tank's a 4x2x1.2ft tank and i use a wp25 (W1 full strength) and 2 smaller china wavemaker. Both wp25 and 40 are controllable with wave modes and random

oh ok then I'll probably get 1 wp40 and 2 wp25 or 2 wp40 as you recomended!

[Evolutionz]

Around How much did your tank cost? And is the cabinet chengai wood?

i reused my previous 422 freshwater set up. so i only changed my display tank.

Display tank is 12mm 4x2x1.2 around $200+

Sump tank (just a plain tank) 6mm 50x35x45cm $60.

delivery $90

total around $350 or so.

Previously quote a 2x2x1.5ft 10mm tank from a well-known tank maker already quote me $250 liao.

the tank from atlantic came with some bubbles in the silicon, but all is at the bottom glass corner, which are totally fine for me cause i wont be seeing it unless i specifically search for it. The cutting of the glass and rest of the silicon work is pretty good. i was told to add $90 to upgrade to front panal crystal glass. regretted that i didnt!

[Quas111]

i reused my previous 422 freshwater set up. so i only changed my display tank.

Display tank is 12mm 4x2x1.2 around $200+

Sump tank (just a plain tank) 6mm 50x35x45cm $60.

delivery $90

total around $350 or so.

Previously quote a 2x2x1.5ft 10mm tank from a well-known tank maker already quote me $250 liao.

Oh ok wow not bad. Quite cheap compared to some other lfs haha but I think if the cabinets going to cost more I may get second hand

[Evolutionz]

oh ok then I'll probably get 1 wp40 and 2 wp25 or 2 wp40 as you recomended!

a 1 wp40 and 1 wp25 would work just fine. and probably another smaller normal wavemaker to blow some dead corners. i personally uses a wp25, sunsun 3000l/hr and sunsun 5000l/hr wavemaker for my 4x2x1.2ft mixed reef sps dominated tank.

[Evolutionz]

Oh ok wow not bad. Quite cheap compared to some other lfs haha but I think if the cabinets going to cost more I may get second hand

From what i know getting tank made by LFS are generally much more expensive than tank makers themselves, maybe you can ask atlantic glass industry if they do make the full tank set (tank+cabinet+sump+piping) if i do remember correctly, they do make the full set. and they are very punctual when it comes to delivery! i have a few friends who will agree with me.

And if you are planning to get a 2nd hand cabinet, make sure its built for marine. i am able to reuse my freshwater cabinet is mainly because it was made a 422 10mm freshwater tank. so i reduced my new tank's height to only 1.2ft. if not a 422 marine tank will definitely give way if i use it with my cabinet.

[Quas111]

a 1 wp40 and 1 wp25 would work just fine. and probably another smaller normal wavemaker to blow some dead corners. i personally uses a wp25, sunsun 3000l/hr and sunsun 5000l/hr wavemaker for my 4x2x1.2ft mixed reef sps dominated tank.

oh ok then I'll still probably get 1 wp40 and 2 wp25 just incase. If too strong then ill put a wp25 in the sump. I plan to put the wp25 in the display attached to the wall socket timer so that the current can slow down at night

[Quas111]

From what i know getting tank made by LFS are generally much more expensive than tank makers themselves, maybe you can ask atlantic glass industry if they do make the full tank set (tank+cabinet+sump+piping) if i do remember correctly, they do make the full set. and they are very punctual when it comes to delivery! i have a few friends who will agree with me.

And if you are planning to get a 2nd hand cabinet, make sure its built for marine. i am able to reuse my freshwater cabinet is mainly because it was made a 422 10mm freshwater tank. so i reduced my new tank's height to only 1.2ft. if not a 422 marine tank will definitely give way if i use it with my cabinet.

thanks! Ill keep this in mind. Ill probably go around to compare prices first

[Quas111]

Here's the updated information. I have not yet confirmed skimmer and I may change the substrate too

(4 or 5)ft*2ft*2ft Tank (2nd or first hand)

~$500

Maxspect razor 160W 16k

$640

Skimmer(undecided yet)

~$500

Jebao wp40 +wp25 x2

$85+$75x2

$235

Hailea chiller and pump

Hailea 1/4 hp

$450

Hailea - Water Pump HX6530 (1750L/H)

$49.80

Reef Octopus Diablo DC Water Pump DC-3500

SGD140.00

Coral Sand Size no. 0 10kg x5

SGD10.00 x5

$50

Live rock

~$150 from both lfs and decomm

Dosing pumps (optional)

Marine magic dosing pump

$200

Total: $2915

Btw ill post a separate build thread once I star the tank!

[Ahhyi]

Bro. Go for hailea 1/2 hp. Not much more money only.

[black tank]

Here's the updated information. I have not yet confirmed skimmer and I may change the substrate too

(4 or 5)ft*2ft*2ft Tank (2nd or first hand)

~$500

Maxspect razor 160W 16k

$640

Skimmer(undecided yet)

~$500

Jebao wp40 +wp25 x2

$85+$75x2

$235

Hailea chiller and pump

Hailea 1/4 hp

$450

Hailea - Water Pump HX6530 (1750L/H)

$49.80

Reef Octopus Diablo DC Water Pump DC-3500

SGD140.00

Coral Sand Size no. 0 10kg x5

SGD10.00 x5

$50

Live rock

~$150 from both lfs and decomm

Dosing pumps (optional)

Marine magic dosing pump

$200

Total: $2915

Btw ill post a separate build thread once I star the tank!

Buy a 422 new tank if u can cos used tank may hv silicone issue leading to leak n chiller would be better to get 1/2 hp.