Setting up marine tank - need help.

[kksg2000]

Hi,

I'm getting REDSEA MAX 130D to start off a marine aquarium /w corals, live rocks and some marine fish. I am a beginner in marine tank and appreciate if anyone can give me need some advice.

1. I am running on limited bargin, is it a must to get a chiller and wave maker for marine tank?

2. Aquamarin is selling REDSEA MAX 130D at $1488. Anyone knows is there a better price in the market for this system?

3. Must i get a DI/RO unit? I got a Osim Upure which is supposed to removed chlorine etc. as well, will this do the job? Or can i treat the tape water with chlorine remover solution?

Thank you very much.

[bugattilambo]

This is my own personal thoughts

1)A chiller would be a good investment for a reef tank as it will give your tank low evaporation from the water and maintain

a constant and cool temp for your livestocks(corals and fishes).

A wave maker is not necessary if you need not need it(such as good circulation around parts of tank).

2)I know of a bro who uses a red sea max its a "plug and play" system kinda thing but for this amount a second hand or perhaps a first hand tank with sump would be much more worth it.

3)A DI is advisable if you do not want bad algae(diatoms/Hair algae) growing on your sand bed or rocks as it removes silicates

I think... after passing the water thru the DI system add chlorine remover to remove chlorine from it then its safe for usage.

The other alternative is to get distilled water from supermarkets or etc as it is the same as DI water.

Take your time to cycle your tank and while cycling do read up more about this hobby.

HAPPY REEFING!!

[kksg2000]

I have some more questions,

4. I see in this forum, some shops actually do sell sea water, do i need the cycling process with these water?

5. I'm on a limited budget of $2k, to set up the redsea max 130d, can i know are corals and marine fish epxensive? what are the price like? I need to do some budgeting.

6. Anyone had redsea max? Can you share experience? It is diffcult assemble the parts?

7. what common corals and fish am i limited to if without a chiller installed? I am quoted by AM over $2500 with chiller,wave maker, and livestock, and rocks. ... which is far away from my budget...

Thank you bros again.

[kksg2000]

This is my own personal thoughts

1)A chiller would be a good investment for a reef tank as it will give your tank low evaporation from the water and maintain

a constant and cool temp for your livestocks(corals and fishes).

A wave maker is not necessary if you need not need it(such as good circulation around parts of tank).

2)I know of a bro who uses a red sea max its a "plug and play" system kinda thing but for this amount a second hand or perhaps a first hand tank with sump would be much more worth it.

3)A DI is advisable if you do not want bad algae(diatoms/Hair algae) growing on your sand bed or rocks as it removes silicates

I think... after passing the water thru the DI system add chlorine remover to remove chlorine from it then its safe for usage.

The other alternative is to get distilled water from supermarkets or etc as it is the same as DI water.

Can you recommend a cheap DI to go with? thank you.

Take your time to cycle your tank and while cycling do read up more about this hobby.

HAPPY REEFING!!

[kksg2000]

This is my own personal thoughts

1)A chiller would be a good investment for a reef tank as it will give your tank low evaporation from the water and maintain

a constant and cool temp for your livestocks(corals and fishes).

A wave maker is not necessary if you need not need it(such as good circulation around parts of tank).

2)I know of a bro who uses a red sea max its a "plug and play" system kinda thing but for this amount a second hand or perhaps a first hand tank with sump would be much more worth it.

3)A DI is advisable if you do not want bad algae(diatoms/Hair algae) growing on your sand bed or rocks as it removes silicates

I think... after passing the water thru the DI system add chlorine remover to remove chlorine from it then its safe for usage.

The other alternative is to get distilled water from supermarkets or etc as it is the same as DI water.

Can you recommend a cheap DI to go with? thank you.

Take your time to cycle your tank and while cycling do read up more about this hobby.

HAPPY REEFING!!

[marinakid]

i guess crystal pro 1 stage or 3 stage depend on your budget, is the most commonly used.

[Terryz_]

Hi,

I'm getting REDSEA MAX 130D to start off a marine aquarium /w corals, live rocks and some marine fish. I am a beginner in marine tank and appreciate if anyone can give me need some advice.

1. I am running on limited bargin, is it a must to get a chiller and wave maker for marine tank?

Chiller is a plus point as you are able to keep temp under 28C.. Using fans is possible but it will evaporate a lot of water and you will require a top up system to replace the evaporated water unless you want to manually top up daily.. The fishes and corals will be more happy in a cooler water..

For Wavemaker, It is must if you dun have circulation in your tank.. It will help in water circulation and gaseous exchange..

2. Aquamarin is selling REDSEA MAX 130D at $1488. Anyone knows is there a better price in the market for this system?

Given the specs, I think it is suitable for FOWLR or softies tank.. The light is going to be very hot as it is PL so I guess a chiller might be need.. I am not sure if you can get a better price with custom making of a tankset of that size.. But for plug and play, Redsea is a good choice..

3. Must i get a DI/RO unit? I got a Osim Upure which is supposed to removed chlorine etc. as well, will this do the job? Or can i treat the tape water with chlorine remover solution?

Basically a DI is enough, I think Osim Upure is DI water.. DI/RO is to reduce the TDS in your water, the lesser the TDS the better..

I normally dun use DI/RO.. Hehe... Just tap water with Anti-Chlorine and leave overnight..

4. I see in this forum, some shops actually do sell sea water, do i need the cycling process with these water?

Yes, you will still need to cycle as there is bound to be die off in the rocks and going through the ANN cycle will be more stable as there is a substantial amount of bacteria to cope with the break down of waste..

5. I'm on a limited budget of $2k, to set up the redsea max 130d, can i know are corals and marine fish epxensive? what are the price like? I need to do some budgeting.

It all depends on what fishes and corals you are looking at.. Corals for cheap ones, you can go for zoas, mushrooms and yumas, although there are some very expensive ones... Fishes, do some research on the fishes before buying will save you a lot of money..

Bottomline, the brighter the color of the corals and fishes, the more expensive it will be.. IMO... LOL...

6. Anyone had redsea max? Can you share experience? It is diffcult assemble the parts?

SOrry, No experience on this...

7. what common corals and fish am i limited to if without a chiller installed? I am quoted by AM over $2500 with chiller,wave maker, and livestock, and rocks. ... which is far away from my budget...

Yes, you will be limited to softies and more hardy fishes like clowns, chromis and damsel?? I am not sure what brand they are offering you.. But $2500 including the tank?

All is my 2 cent worth.. :blush:

[kksg2000]

Hi,

I'm getting REDSEA MAX 130D to start off a marine aquarium /w corals, live rocks and some marine fish. I am a beginner in marine tank and appreciate if anyone can give me need some advice.

1. I am running on limited bargin, is it a must to get a chiller and wave maker for marine tank?

Chiller is a plus point as you are able to keep temp under 28C.. Using fans is possible but it will evaporate a lot of water and you will require a top up system to replace the evaporated water unless you want to manually top up daily.. The fishes and corals will be more happy in a cooler water..

For Wavemaker, It is must if you dun have circulation in your tank.. It will help in water circulation and gaseous exchange..

Redsea MAX 130D does come with 2 circulation pumps with adjustable direction outlets so i do not need a wavemaker in this case?

2. Aquamarin is selling REDSEA MAX 130D at $1488. Anyone knows is there a better price in the market for this system?

Given the specs, I think it is suitable for FOWLR or softies tank.. The light is going to be very hot as it is PL so I guess a chiller might be need.. I am not sure if you can get a better price with custom making of a tankset of that size.. But for plug and play, Redsea is a good choice..

3. Must i get a DI/RO unit? I got a Osim Upure which is supposed to removed chlorine etc. as well, will this do the job? Or can i treat the tape water with chlorine remover solution?

Basically a DI is enough, I think Osim Upure is DI water.. DI/RO is to reduce the TDS in your water, the lesser the TDS the better..

I normally dun use DI/RO.. Hehe... Just tap water with Anti-Chlorine and leave overnight..

4. I see in this forum, some shops actually do sell sea water, do i need the cycling process with these water?

Yes, you will still need to cycle as there is bound to be die off in the rocks and going through the ANN cycle will be more stable as there is a substantial amount of bacteria to cope with the break down of waste..

So am i right to say the reason to get sea water NSW from the shop is to speed up the cycling process?

And, do i still have to add salt to the sea water purchased from the shop?

5. I'm on a limited budget of $2k, to set up the redsea max 130d, can i know are corals and marine fish epxensive? what are the price like? I need to do some budgeting.

It all depends on what fishes and corals you are looking at.. Corals for cheap ones, you can go for zoas, mushrooms and yumas, although there are some very expensive ones... Fishes, do some research on the fishes before buying will save you a lot of money..

Bottomline, the brighter the color of the corals and fishes, the more expensive it will be.. IMO... LOL...

6. Anyone had redsea max? Can you share experience? It is diffcult assemble the parts?

SOrry, No experience on this...

7. what common corals and fish am i limited to if without a chiller installed? I am quoted by AM over $2500 with chiller,wave maker, and livestock, and rocks. ... which is far away from my budget...

Yes, you will be limited to softies and more hardy fishes like clowns, chromis and damsel?? I am not sure what brand they are offering you.. But $2500 including the tank?

All is my 2 cent worth.. :blush:

Thank you.

[kksg2000]

Do i need to cycle the saltwater fist before starting out the rock curing process?

[comycus]

Why don't you look at other options rather than the red sea max? It gives you v. little options of upgrading, has a lousy skimmer, doesn't give you sump space to work with to name a few (-) points.

I would rather recommend you to custom build a tank. Looks nicer, gives you options to upgrade in future if you need to, and gives you better quality equipment with the same $$ spent. My suggestion:

1) Approach a tank maker to help you custom build a tank to your budget. If on budget, some equipment can be purchased in the pasar malam section. I recommend Vincent from Aquarium Artist, equally as hassle free as redseamax, all setup will be settled for you. Can get his contact under our sponsor section.

2) DeLightings has another hassle-free option. Check out their thread at http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=88498

You cycle the saltwater and rocks together...

[raydiative]

totally agree with comy's point... having a custom build tank would give you many more options then a all in one tank... i believe if you approach the right tank maker, you could have a 2ft cube tank with basic equipments below 2K... do check out dr evil's tank.. i'm sure his pricing is relatively attractive..

[kksg2000]

Thanks Bros. I'm still considering between Reasea MAX or custom made tank. In btw, could someone recommend me a quiet 1/10 chiller, preferably about $300 and where to get it.

[raydiative]

resun would be a decent brand given your budget... can check out pasar malam for good deals..

[jackywongto]

Hi kksg,

Welcome to SRC! Just feel free to post your queries here.

A lot of passionate reefers on this forum who are most willing to share their experience /views.

I would opt for DE-Lighting Nano cube too over RSM too.

using the excess $$ lefover, you can prob invest in a better 2nd hand Artica chiller.

cheers

Jacky

[kksg2000]

Hi kksg,

Welcome to SRC! Just feel free to post your queries here.

A lot of passionate reefers on this forum who are most willing to share their experience /views.

I would opt for DE-Lighting Nano cube too over RSM too.

using the excess $$ lefover, you can prob invest in a better 2nd hand Artica chiller.

cheers

Jacky

Hi Jacky,

Are you having a 28g Nano Cube HQI Aquarium? I am considering this tank too but it only 1.5ft ... i am looking into a 2ft tank. Does this tank comes with a heater?

I have a question is, if i use a chiller, can i switch off the fans? Also, do i need a heater? Redsea max does has a heater but considering the warm wheater in Singapore, do i need one?

Thank you,

Andy

[raydiative]

Hi Jacky,

Are you having a 28g Nano Cube HQI Aquarium? I am considering this tank too but it only 1.5ft ... i am looking into a 2ft tank. Does this tank comes with a heater?

I have a question is, if i use a chiller, can i switch off the fans? Also, do i need a heater? Redsea max does has a heater but considering the warm wheater in Singapore, do i need one?

Thank you,

Andy

Bro.. its more advisable to setup a tank with a sump.. try not to go for the all in one tank as your first setup.. reason being the equipments that you can use will be very limited..

You are currently planning to use fans to cool down the water? A Chiller would be more then enough..

Also, you will not need a heater.. =]

HTH!

[jackywongto]

Hi Jacky,

Are you having a 28g Nano Cube HQI Aquarium? I am considering this tank too but it only 1.5ft ... i am looking into a 2ft tank. Does this tank comes with a heater?

I have a question is, if i use a chiller, can i switch off the fans? Also, do i need a heater? Redsea max does has a heater but considering the warm wheater in Singapore, do i need one?

Thank you,

Andy

Hey hi Andy.

No I am not using 28g HQI.

My tank is a 1.5ft cube custom made with no sump. Just a Deltec MCE 600 HOB skimmer.

- You do not need a heater for our climate in Singapore.

- I strongly advise against getting the 28g HQI. A lot of heat can be trapped within the closed canopy concept as it is using MH.

- If you are using a chiller, yes you do not need a fan blowing at the tank. (if you are referring to the fans in the 28g HQI canopy, then that has always got to remain switched up when your lights are on)

My suggestion:

Go to iwarna, they have the 1.5 ft cube tank (from DE-lighting) on display there.

Reborn also has a new cube tank on sale recently. you might want to check with them too.

2 feet is a good size. For a beginner, it is always better to have a sump as the increase in water volume also increases stability.

Check out Digibee Tank thread too... his is a 2 feet cube tank with sump.

The 1st few pages has his tank set up pics.

He's a nice guy. PM him and he can advise you too.

[raydiative]

Andy,

What about this?

http://www.sgreefclub.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=87272&pid=914538&st=40&#entry914538

[comycus]

that's a sweet deal.

In the meantime, try to read up more to get a scope on the commitment level required in this hobby. It's alot of $$,effort and patience. We have all seen many bros fizz out within a few weeks of setting up a new tank when they realise that it's not as easy as adding saltwater and fishes and corals.

[desideria]

heater in singapore is DEFNITEly not needed.. hahaah we all want super duper big big and economical chillers as chilling down our water is always a problem in our hot and humid weather!

[kksg2000]

Domp also act like a water overflow / auto top up water to the aquarium? I read in the internet, but couldn't fully understand how it works.

Thank you again.

[raydiative]

Domp? i suppose you mean sump?

[comycus]

The sump know it all:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/gt/index.php

Reefkeeping has alot of good articles to read up on if you wanna increase your knoweldge... do invest some time in reading up on them, or on threads in our forum. You will find it pays off in terms of $$ spent as you go along the hobby.

[kksg2000]

Thank you.. i am visiting aquamarin. Is aquamarin ok for a beginner like me to go for advice/purchase?

[foocha]

Thank you.. i am visiting aquamarin. Is aquamarin ok for a beginner like me to go for advice/purchase?

Am is a pretty good place but honestly the equipment is quite expensive. at least for me i feel.

for the price that you seem to be willing to spend for your tank, i would strongly advise u go for a 2nd hand tank of a bigger size.

alot of 3x2x2 sized tanks up for sale in pasamalam u should consider those.

for beginners, there is much to learn. importantly, the bigger the volume of water your tank can hold, the bigger the margin for error.

if u get a small tank, water conditions change very fast, which is almost definitely bad for your livestock. also, further down the line u will feel limited in space for livestock as well as equipment.

while redsea generally is a good setup, it is quite limited for marine. ask any experienced reefer and the answer would probably be custom and at least 3ft.

for 1.5k, u can probably source for a good 4x2x2 tank and get a decent 2nd hand skimmer like deltec or hns.

hope that helps.