Established tank or a brand new one?

[ChappyChap]

So I'm out going between fish stores because I decided my 45 is too small, one store has a reef ready package for 1300 it's a 72 gallon tank with everything I need, they are a bit over priced but money isn't too big a deal. However another store where I got my 14 gallon nano set up from has a beautiful 62 gallon rimless reef tank, well established with all kinda of corals, dwarf angels, anthias, etc. up and running out the door for $1200 So should I go for the better deal, set up and running tank or should I just start my own?

 

[NanoReefer]

im sure we could help you choose the better deal, if you explained the tanks a little more thoroughly. such as means of lighting, filtration, protein skimmer, live rock quantity, types of fish, coral, anemones, powerheads etc.

 

[ChappyChap]

I have a 6 bulb 24" t5 fixture that is going to go on which ever tank I get. Both have sumps and protein skimmers, single powerheads, live sand and rock about 1lb per gallon. The established tank has zoantids brain coral and numerous other types I'm not sure what they will give me and what that won't. The 72 is brand new an the 62 stocked with assorted corals and fish of my choice

 

[Ted]

There are pros and cons on both setups. The new set up is bigger (slightly) and will be easier to move. The cost of live rock is going to be three or four hundred and you are going to have to wait out the initial cycle and slowly build up the tank. The established setup is smaller (slightly) will be a bit of a pain in the ass to move. Total tank breaks downs moving rock, water, sand (which I wouldnt do, go new on the sand) corals means a lot of buckets and man power moving everything. However your cycle will be shorter if at all. You also get the benefit of already having the live rock and some stock. To me.....I would go with the established set up...:twocents:

 

[ChappyChap]

Yeah they have only like three or four really nice pieces of large rock in est tank. The sand I will go new on, but also the stand has piece of one side that's warped and kinda bowed out. Its not weight bearing but with the humidity the laminate is de-laminating and has rusted the hinges. They said they could order me a new one. I wish photobucket would work so I could post a picture. They have a 36" metal halide fixture on it now, and I have a 24" 6 bulb t5 so would it work on that 36" tank?

 

[Ted]

Hmmm...that throws a entire different ball out there...If the stand is iffy...ugh....and not complete live rock...Not as good a deal as I thought...that kinda negates in my mind the advantage of the established tank...I also missed that your light is a 24 incher....In that case I would go with the new. Main reasons...Its new you get to bring it to life with your ideas. This tank I would think is your show place, dont want a iffy stand on it when the in laws come over. Third all the added pain of really just moving a couple of rocks and water not worth it. It is was 100 lbs of rock would be different. Wish you could show pictures of the established tank....As far as the light....I feel that with T5 lights you should be side to side with them. My 36 inch tank has a 36 inch light...Total coverage. A 24 would leave you gaps unless you move the light way up, then you would lose par at the bottom of the tank not a good trade off. Again this is your show place. I dont know how it would look with the 24 on the 36 tank...Will the legs even spread that far or are you doing a hood? To make it work you would probably need to suspend it from the ceiling...I have done that and...well it didnt look that great...

 

[ChappyChap]

Ok so with all that, I'm thinking about just sticking with the 45 cube, ill still be able to get some nice coral growth and have a dwarf angel or two or a yellow tang and a school of anthias of something. It did have proper amount of live rock, just in large 20-30 lb pieces. It's a beautiful tank. Does anyone know how to get pics from an iPhone to this site? Also I got some live rock from marine depot.com about 50 lbs and its kind of turned the water a yellowish tint. Is that bacteria blooms or possibly something else?

 

[ChappyChap]

The new 72 wouldn't have worked as it was a 3 ft tank too. Ill just get a 90 something gallon down the road hopefully. So I just redid my current tank. Light fixture installed. 200 Watt heater. New sand bed(old one had lots of dirt and pieces of newspaper and junk from the dirty rock I put in) I bought three large pieces of live rock totaling forty lbs and put about 20 or so of my previous cleaner pieces of rock. Did about 60% water change to clean the water up. That dang bubbling sound came back and I couldn't get it to go away the same way I did before. Perhaps an o ring on the airline tubing? Anyways here's a few pics, I guess I should have posted this in the. 45 gallon reef build since that's what it is.

Ill post more tmrw when it's in daylight cycle and clears up.

 

[little_fish]

Looks good! But you will only be able to have one dwarf angel (they will fight with another till one is dead) and the tank is too small for tangs or anthills. But! There are tons of other could fish that will do just great in there

 

[ChappyChap]

Any ideas? Will I be able to have any cool anemones or urchins stuff like that? I want some killer corals, with my lighting I should be fine growing everything up to and including sps corals. Here's a pic now that the water has cleared and I everything in place. I got a test kit, I'm showing little if any ammonia, no nitrites and about 10-20ppm nitrates, with a ph of around 8.0-8.2. Ill keep checking and looking for ammonia spikes but the larger pieces of rock stayed wet so I assume I got very little die-off there.