Back in the reef hobby

jb61264

Reefing newb
Hi all...I just joined the forum today. I've been out of the reef hobby for about 10 years...but had a beautful 30G breeder aquarium going for about 4 years at one point and had to give it up because of personal reasons.

I've got the bug again and desperately want to start up a reef again. I kept my wet/dry filter and protein skimmer so I'm in fairly good shape as far as getting started again.

I've decided to go with a 20 gallon long aquarium and am currently searching for a provider (if you know of a good manufacturer that makes one of these, please let me know).

Can't wait to get started again, am looking to get my aquarium in the next two weeks and then start the process of cycling and gradually building my reef.

Would welcome any suggestions, comments, recommendations...look forward to a long and educational relationship with the living reefs forum :)
 
Welcome to the site. Sounds like you know what your doing. On a 20 I don't think you have to worrie too much about a bad manufacturer because its small. I have a 30 long and love it so of course my recomendation would be to go 30 instead of 20. Can't to learn more about your build, and pics if you can.
 
Welcome to the site. Sounds like you know what your doing. On a 20 I don't think you have to worrie too much about a bad manufacturer because its small. I have a 30 long and love it so of course my recomendation would be to go 30 instead of 20. Can't to learn more about your build, and pics if you can.

Do you have any good recommendations for finding a 30 gallon reef ready aquarium?...should I search out a local glass supplier and see if they can drill the holes?...whats the best way to add an overflow?
 
I would just go to petco or petsmart for the tank or any LFS. Yes some glass places will drill for you but mine wanted 25.00 a hole so I bought the diamond coated drill bit off of ebay for 10.00 shipped and drill my own holes now. Makes the tank is not tempered if you want to drill. I doubt a 20 will be.
 
Welcome to the site.

Most LFS and the big chain pet stores should carry glass aquarium.All the manufacturers that make tanks that size should work just fine-Top Fin,Perfecto and Aqueon(All-Glass & Oceanic).If you can't get one drilled or weary of doing it yourself then get a nano pre-filter.
 
I would just go to petco or petsmart for the tank or any LFS. Yes some glass places will drill for you but mine wanted 25.00 a hole so I bought the diamond coated drill bit off of ebay for 10.00 shipped and drill my own holes now. Makes the tank is not tempered if you want to drill. I doubt a 20 will be.

What did you do for your overflow box after you drilled the holes?...
 
Welcome to the site.

Most LFS and the big chain pet stores should carry glass aquarium.All the manufacturers that make tanks that size should work just fine-Top Fin,Perfecto and Aqueon(All-Glass & Oceanic).If you can't get one drilled or weary of doing it yourself then get a nano pre-filter.

You know...in my previous setup, I actually made my own pre-filter...although I think the reef aquarium gods were smiling happily upon me I don't think I want to do that again :)

I looked at Lifereef.com and saw they have a nano pre-filter...how do you feel about those?...fairly dependable?
 
Lifereef prefilters are the best and most dependable.This is according to the many threads of them through the years on RC.They supposely don't lose siphon when power is cut and turned back on.Most prefilters tend to loose flow over time IMO,those don't.
 
All AGA tanks smaller than 37 gallon do not have tempered bottom glass. All larger tanks except the 40 gallon Breeder have tempered glass bottoms. Mini bow tanks also have not got tempered bottom glass, nor the 10 gallon hex. The 40 gallon breeder has a great foot print, 18" x36", for its gallonage and light intensity would be easy even without Metal Halides, due to its shallowness, 16.5", and therefore make great small reef tanks. glass-holes.com has served me with great prices and excellent service. They sale overflow boxes for backwall drilled tanks, ade with 1/4" plastic. They also sell glass cutting holesaws, bulkheads, and street ninetys for bulkhead outlets. They recently made me three custom grated box shaped screems for my dedicated circulation loops. They only protrude into tank 2". Holes are relatively easy to drill in glass, you just have to go as slow as your drill will run and preferably use a cordless drill with a clutch (which all cheap 3/8" wireless drills seem to have." The old saying is "the solution to polution is dilution" and the larger the tank the more the dilution. I have actually drilled eighteen holes in four different glass aquariums in the last week using bits from glass-holes at approximately $10 each with no problems and no noticeable wear on drill bits. My only other expense was making some playdough out of flower, salt, cooking oil and cream of tartur. Internet recipe "homemade playdough". The play dough is to build a little dam of clay around drill bit to hold water to lubricate bit as the hole saw bit actually grinds through glass instead of cutting through.
 
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