clevengergl Posted March 9, 2015 Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 Hello All! Been out of the hobby for about 6 years and just diving back in. Used to operate a 220g mixed reef on the SW-side of Indy but had to tear it down and part it out when we moved to our new home in Franklin Township (SE-side). Anyway, my grand plans to transfer everything to the new home as an in-wall system with a dedicated garage-based fish room suffered delay after delay and my consolation prize was a beautiful baby girl, so not a total loss! ;-) So now the baby is a 4-year old and I've got another baby girl, but my wife thinks it's a good time to put our toes back in the water and introduce the little members of our family to the hobby we enjoyed so much years ago. What I'm looking for now is recommendations for nano/smaller reef tanks, preferably between 20-40 gallons and ideally all-inclusive with built-in-sump and lighting. The two that have me intrigued right now are the JBJ Nano Cube 28g LED Pro and the Red Sea Max C-130 (34g). It seems the trend right now is rimless tanks, which would be fine were it not for small, inquisitive hands, but with my house's current bio-load I think there would be compatibility issues. :-) Aesthetics are definitely important (to the Mrs, mostly), so I don't foresee a large amount of modding and after-market additions to the DT (certainly considering an additional sump in the stand below, though), but at the same time I want to have the capability to keep all types of corals, including SPS, clams, etc. So I guess this is a long way of saying, "If you were in my spot and starting again fresh, what would you be looking at?" Thanks in advance for the insight! Gary 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke33 Posted March 9, 2015 Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 Welcome back Gary! Been a while. Red Sea max tank is pretty nice, then again a custom acrylic tank would be pretty sweet too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clevengergl Posted March 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 Here's my Pros/Cons List: JBJ Nano Cube 28g LED Pro: Price: Best I've found is ~$620 new with stand and free shipping from Marineandreef.com (with 5% off code) Lighting - Pro: Awesome light output and whites, blues and moonlights are all on separate power cords for timer purposes; Con: Not sure if I'm a fan of the color mix for the diodes Cooling - Pro: 4x fans built into hood to draw heat off heatsink and away from water with minimal evap Con: No protein skimmer included (but looks like IM Ghost Skimmer Desktop fits in rear sump) Red Sea Max C-130: Price: Best I've found is ~$950 new with stand and free shipping from Marineandreef.com (with 5% off code) - UGH Lighting...2x55w PC's? For reals? That was terrible when I LEFT the hobby 6 years ago! Definitely would need a Steve's LED or RapidLED retrofit to get the lighting on PAR...heh, get it? ;-) Cooling - 2x Cooling fans blow across water surface, but worried about increased evap? Pro: Protein skimmer included, although I'll likely swap it out for a Tunze 9001 or whatever Luke, in his infinite wisdom, recommends! For any/either tank I'll likely be looking at the following: MP10 Upgraded skimmer Under-tank refugium I'm also open to any sources anyone might have on used systems or either type (or any other that meets my requirements). Thanks again, All! Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clevengergl Posted March 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 Welcome back Gary! Been a while. Red Sea max tank is pretty nice, then again a custom acrylic tank would be pretty sweet too Thanks Luke! Feels like it's been forever, but I'm super excited to be getting back into the hobby. Also bummed that I choose to do so right after Premium decides to move from LITERALLY 3 minutes down the road all the way to Edinburgh! :-( Guess I'll have to be a good husband and take my wife on frequent trips to the Edinburgh Outlet Mall! ;-) Intriguing idea on a custom setup. I'll have to look more into that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer82 Posted March 9, 2015 Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 Good to see you coming back! I had an RSM 130 as my first tank. It LOOKS cool, however it's quite deceiving. The fans in the hood....they suck. Not loud, well not for 3 weeks then they are, oh and then they randomly fail. I replaced I think 6 fans on mine over a 2 year span. I CONSTANTLY fought temperature issues. My tank always stayed about 81 even with ambient Temps in the mid to upper 60s in winter. The lighting system is decent given the size and I always liked the color. Grew any softie or lps without fail. This was my first rodeo, do it again and I'd go led all the way. Speaking of those. both moonlights failed, separately of course and they daisy changed together so you had to change the entire harness. Still have a spare here actually. Lol I kept the stock skimmer as I wasn't even aware of the 9001 back in 2006 when I ordered the tank. The stock skimmer, not so good imo. It constantly had to be adjusted and the neck cleaned out daily to perform even halfway decent. For me I would look at a deep blue 30g rimless cube. I think for the grand+upgrades you plan an rsm setup runs that you could piece together a nice system with everything you want. If not that a Solana would be a nice compromise and the lighting choices they come with are a little more desirable whether for your use or resale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roush2000 Posted March 9, 2015 Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 I had a red sea max 130d for several yrs. One of my fav tanks, you can usually find one used on ebay or whatnot for 400-500 they are worth the bit extra i think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roush2000 Posted March 9, 2015 Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 I had a red sea max 130d for several yrs. One of my fav tanks, you can usually find one used on ebay or whatnot for 400-500 they are worth the bit extra i think. Very easy to work on and upgrade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clevengergl Posted March 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 Thanks for the input, Reefer82 and roush2000! Definitely would like to find one used if I go the RSM route. Also started thinking a bit more about RR cubes and the possibilities there. Saw this guy on MarineDepot and though it was intriguing. Almost the same footprint as the RSM but with Starphire glass, stand, pre-plumbed overflow and sump. And yes, I know 60g is creeping out of "nano" territory, but it definitely piqued my interest! Anybody had any success with these or heard of anyone who has? http://www.marinedepot.com/CAD_Lights_Versa_Series_Aquariums_Saltwater_Aquariums_Complete_Kits-CAD_Lights-3X99343-FIAQCK-vi.html Thanks! Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clevengergl Posted March 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 Wonder if that 18g sump it includes would hold my SWC Xtreme 300 skimmer from my old 220? ;-) Be put to better use there than the top of my garage refrigerator! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke33 Posted March 9, 2015 Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 lol, I'm sure that skimmer would work well on that 60g. Think of all the extra water volume in it : ) Honestly I was looking at the CAD tank's when you posted, they look pretty nice and they are starfire glass which would be a nice upgrade. And you can pick your own lighting and skimming with these guys, which I think you would be happy with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBugmaster Posted March 9, 2015 Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 I have the 34 gal Solana. I wish it was drilled and had a sump! Very limited as to skimmers you can use and a pain to get in back to remove equipment to clean. I would not go with an all in one if I could do it over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clevengergl Posted March 9, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 lol, I'm sure that skimmer would work well on that 60g. Think of all the extra water volume in it : ) Honestly I was looking at the CAD tank's when you posted, they look pretty nice and they are starfire glass which would be a nice upgrade. And you can pick your own lighting and skimming with these guys, which I think you would be happy with. Thanks Luke! Would be interesting to watch the skimmer remove the entire volume of water in the sump lol...that thing's a beast! The CAD is looking better and better and I agree with MrsBugmaster; not having to worry about the space limitations of a built-in rear sump would be a huge plus. Now, as far as lights go for this bad boy, I'd want to do them right. The AI Hydro Twenty-Six LED fixture caught my eye due to its lower price, PAR output and easy customization. Anyone have any experience with this light? I'd also be curious to see some different mounting configurations folks have used. I'm partial to the clamp-on fixture look for rimless tanks, but not sure what my options would be for this type of fixture? TL;DR - Any other feedback on CAD tanks and AI Hydro Twenty-Six LEDs? Thanks! Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke33 Posted March 9, 2015 Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 There are lots of nice LED's out there right now that would work on a 2' cube. I do think that cad system would be much better than any of the others you were talking about, and you would have a sump which is worth its weight in gold. The AI 26 may not cover that tank great though, may want to talk with someone who has one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Msr224 Posted March 9, 2015 Report Share Posted March 9, 2015 For the 60g tank you can always use one of our Atlantik Compacts. I will have one for display at the swap and also have one as part of the grand prize in the raffle. https://orphek.com/atlantik-compact-wifi/ You could also use one of the Atlantik Pendants https://orphek.com/atlantik-pendant-wifi/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin1300 Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Welcome back to the addiction. I took about a 2 year dry streak then went crazy:) Couple others to add to the mix, I've seen these two blow up past couple years. From what I've seen at the MACNA events the IM tank is nice (glass) but stand is cheaply made. The Fluval has a really slick stand and then the sandbed portion is actually etched so you don't see all the junk along the bottom, stands look really nice for the wife! http://www.fluvalaquatics.com/us/product/15129-reef-aquarium-and-cabinet-set-m90-black/#.VP434vnF8_w http://innovative-marine.com/nuvo-aquarium/index.html These all are AIOs though which has it's limitations on skimmers and so forth. Could always make it flow to a sump but just wanted to give you more options to make the choice that much harder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bneufelder Posted March 10, 2015 Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Two year dry streak must of been rough Dustin. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clevengergl Posted March 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 Thanks so much for the great suggestions, all! Given me a lot to ponder. I'm definitely leaning toward the CADLights 60g, as I think the beauty of the display combined with the health and flexibility benefits a plumbed tank with a sump would provide to the overall system make it a great choice. My wife and I may be at a slight impasse, however, because she's still adamant that an AIO tank would be easier to care for and my giant hands wholeheartedly disagree! She's also concerned about the potential mess a rimless setup could cause to our walls and cabinetry as well as the extra amount of effort required to maintain a 60g compared to a 30g. I've tried explaining that, with a couple of SW setups already under our belt, the amount of extra care for the larger tank would be negligible. Also, since we're in a better place financially and have the added benefit of wisdom this go-around, I don't want to skimp on something critical only to go back and upgrade it later on. Anyway, I think I've got her on the fence, so thought I'd solicit some impartial advice here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer82 Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 I've had multiple rimless tanks...my walls are fine. Don't slop water all over the place and your cabinet will be as well. Not sure a rim helps there either. I've made quite the mess with both types in the past. Maintenance is relatively negligible between them. you still have powerheads, a skimmer, heater, and return. Lighting for either would likely be the same model so that's not a consideration. Really only the increased amount of ro required and extra salt for the water changes is it. I think from a total upfront cost standpoint there wouldn't be a huge difference. Maybe 15-20%? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke33 Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 Yep, agreed with Reefer82, I think the maintenance between a 30g and 60g is about the same, I actually feel like the 60g is more forgiving and would be a better choice. And there is a better selection of powerheads, skimmers....etc for a 60g vs 30g. I have also had rimless, have one set up right now and I haven't ever splashed on the wall : ) It is easier to splash over the side though, when your cleaning the glass so you do have to clean slower imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReefNewby82 Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 So which tank did you decide on clev? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clevengergl Posted May 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Decided on the 60g CADLights cube and it's been awesome so far! Will be putting up a build thread sometime tonight! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke33 Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Good deal, not really a nano! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clevengergl Posted May 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Nah, had to go a little bigger! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke33 Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Ok Gary, its been a while, whats up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clevengergl Posted June 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Oh, you know, the usual...work, family, battling a bit of cyano and a tiny bit of GHA, but all is good! Just finished uploading all my photos to Photobucket, so hoping to finally post that build thread tonight. On our way to the Newport Aquarium with the family for the afternoon. Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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