Red Sea Max or piece together a system?

[charon]

Hello all...I'm seriously considering (after it being recommended here) getting a red sea max as my first reef tank. I'm torn between doing this and putting together my own system with a sump and overflow.

I guess I'm worried that the red sea max isn't that good, is the heater powerful enough, are the lights strong enough, do the two return jets provide enough circulation?

Has anyone here used a red sea max before? Can you alleviate my worries...?

Thank you. :)

:sfish:

 

[sen5241b]

The red sea is the best of the All-in-1 tanks.

 

[Bifferwine]

With the all-in-one systems, you have to worry about when one component breaks. It can be difficult to get a replacement or get it fixed. It is much more time consuming to put together your own tank, but I think it's much more rewarding too. It's something you built and you created. It's up to you.

 

[reeffreak]

I like the Red Sea Max but is the best all in one?Doubtful.

It's enough depending on what your expection are.The heater is fine.The lights are good enough for many corals-mainly softies and LPS corals.It won't be enough light for the very high light demanding corals which includes most of the SPS corals.They have three fully setup RSM at the LFS,without any powerheads,it look like plenty of flow for soft/LPS corals.My concern is its acrylic which tends to scratch up easily.

 

[charon]

actually, according to their website, it's curved glass...

I like the Red Sea Max but is the best all in one?Doubtful.

It's enough depending on what your expection are.The heater is fine.The lights are good enough for many corals-mainly softies and LPS corals.It won't be enough light for the very high light demanding corals which includes most of the SPS corals.They have three fully setup RSM at the LFS,without any powerheads,it look like plenty of flow for soft/LPS corals.My concern is its acrylic which tends to scratch up easily.

 

[reeffreak]

Is it really?I have to knock on it the next time I go to the LFS.

 

[UnderwaterWorld]

I would say piece ur own together, if your going to get a lot of quality stuff and you want the best working system you can have.

I am not a big fan of the Red Sea, I have never owned one. I do own the 34 G Solana though and I think it's a great tank and very easy to use. It's also cheaper than the Red Sea around here.

 

[charon]

The Solana looks nice. Can I ask what you like about it more than the Red Sea Max?

I would say piece ur own together, if your going to get a lot of quality stuff and you want the best working system you can have.

I am not a big fan of the Red Sea, I have never owned one. I do own the 34 G Solana though and I think it's a great tank and very easy to use. It's also cheaper than the Red Sea around here.

 

[UnderwaterWorld]

the look, and I like current which is the company that makes the solana. I have the metal halide pendant that looks real cool too. It's mainly just the look, and the price.

if you go to current-usa.com or something and look at the solana I'm sure you'll like it, it has a small ATO built in which needs to be filled about 1 or 2 days.

 

[charon]

Is the water circulation more powerful on the Solanas? That's something I'm concerned about with the nano tanks...

the look, and I like current which is the company that makes the solana. I have the metal halide pendant that looks real cool too. It's mainly just the look, and the price.

if you go to current-usa.com or something and look at the solana I'm sure you'll like it, it has a small ATO built in which needs to be filled about 1 or 2 days.

 

[UnderwaterWorld]

I'm not sure, mine has real good flow, I also added a Koralia 2 and my flow is great