I'm back at it again

[ilyakarp]

hello reef and fish keepers.
30 years ago I had to give up 55gal. reef tank that I enjoyed for 10 years for the lack of time to properly taking care of it.
Now I'm retired and have money and time to do it again. I'm scoring internet for articles and videos about reef kipping. Some things like cycling the tank, using ro/di water and water parameters stayed the same. But technology improved tremendously. And here is a question. Neptune systems. Quite expensive and look good and replaced a lot of chores, but how reliable the are. Please enlighten me.

 

[niandors]

hello reef and fish keepers.
30 years ago I had to give up 55gal. reef tank that I enjoyed for 10 years for the lack of time to properly taking care of it.
Now I'm retired and have money and time to do it again. I'm scoring internet for articles and videos about reef kipping. Some things like cycling the tank, using ro/di water and water parameters stayed the same. But technology improved tremendously. And here is a question. Neptune systems. Quite expensive and look good and replaced a lot of chores, but how reliable the are. Please enlighten me.

I have a 55 gallon aquarium and it's pretty hard to care for.

 

[lmforbis]

I have a 120 gallon. I’ve been keeping reef tanks for over 20 years. My approach is to keep things simple. The only fancy gadget I have is a reef keeper lite system that I use only for temperature. Keeps the risk of heater failure to almost 0.
I rely on my live rock and skimmer for filtration. I have a sump but it is just a 40 gal tank breeder with a couple home made baffles and a ton of rock rubble. I use an inexpensive gravity ATO. I have my salt mixing station in a room in my basement below the tank. I have it plumbed directly to the tank so I can turn a couple knobs and pump it directly to the tank. Water changes take around 20 min for 30 gal.
There are always initial periods of the uglies and random ups and downs but once every thing is stable it is easy to maintain. Bigger is always easier.

 

[ilyakarp]

Thank you for your reply. I already settled on a Red Sea REEFER Deluxe 350 91-Gallon Saltwater Aquarium (did not buy it yet).
When I've had my 55 I was successful in raising and trading LPS. And that what I'm planning to start with, and add SPS along the road. For now I'm just comparison shopping and putting equipment on a wish lists. My problem is that I and my wife like to travel and automating the system looks like will be the way to go. That's why I'm interested in Neptune system.

 

[lmforbis]

You’ll love the reefer. I’ve always wanted one of those.
I do take off for a couple weeks at a time. I use an auto feeder and the rest takes care of itself.

 

[ilyakarp]

Does anyone using a drip system for top up? My RO/DI storage tank is in the garage, and I'm thinking of running tubing from storage tank through the wall to top up reservoir with some kind of a needle valve to drip DI.

 

[lmforbis]

I use a gravity ATO with a simple float valve (kind of like a toilet). My RODI is plumbed from my kitchen, where the system is located, under the floor to a reservoir under my tank but above my sump. I also have the RODI plumbed directly to the norwesco tank I use for mixing salt water. it is also plumbed to my fridge and a spigot in my kitchen sink although that part doesn’t go through the DI resin. You don’t want to drink DI water.

 

[beaslbob]

One thing in this hobby is what is old is new again.

Back in 2003 or so everything was deep sea beds (dsb). Then everything became more of a balance out the system with macro or other algae. Just like 20-30 years ago.

So my advice is to not dismiss what you did so successfully for 10 years so many years ago. The same techniques still work.

To me what is important is to start the system with macro or other algae (usually in a refugium) right from the start. Then do the rest.

I also use FW male mollies for dither (cycle) fish. Wait a week without adding food then start very light feeding. Like 1 flake per fish per day.

Then do the rest.

But that's just my .02

 

[ilyakarp]

Thank you guys for your help. The reason I asked a about gravity feed because I read an article that said that gravity feed is asking to flood your house. That float valves fail. Is it possible to introduce some redundancy like second float valve?

 

[lmforbis]

I do use two float valves. The first is in the ATO container the second is in my sump. I also have a valve between the water source and the ATO container that can be turned off. I usually keep it on. I haven’t flooded my house since I set this system up 4 years ago. Plenty of floods before that.

 

[ilyakarp]

Thank you.
I'm full of questions. But, if I don't ask I'll never learn. And I like learning from somebody else mistakes.
Next question. Power. Will I need a dedicated 20Amp outlet for 100gal tank?

 

[lmforbis]

You shouldn’t. I have a 120 that is running off regular outlets.

 

[ilyakarp]

You saying outlets. How many do you use and are they 20Amp or 15?

 

[lmforbis]

Mine are 15 amp. I do use two different circuits. My sump is in my basement and that is on a different circuit from the tank. Lights, power heads and heaters are on one circuit. The return pump, skimmer, water mixing pump and reactors are on a different circuit. Other things are on those circuits as well but nothing like a microwave that would cause the breaker to be blown.

 

[ilyakarp]

I installed 6 stage RO?DI system, flushed it and ran for a while. TDS meter registering 4 ppm. The water supposed to be 0. Should I trust it or calibrate it or buy some other means of testing? What do you use for calibrating yours?

 

[lmforbis]

It takes some time to get to zero. The first water that comes through can be higher. 4 should be fine. I use a basic TDS meter.