Altohombre
The Tennis Pro Reefer
damn I thought everyone recommended 6-lines. I guess I will scratch that off my wish list.
The "I wish I would have..." thread
- Thread starter jb61264
- Start date
If I had it to do all over again I would never buy a "Reef Ready" tank again, even if I had to special order a large tank that is not Reef Ready. I cut the towers out of my "Reef Ready" tank, and plugged the little bulkheads. I now have back wall bulkheads with an in tank overflow box, without siphon tubes. The box takes up about one eight the space that the two towers took up. And I have lots of return holes and two dedicated circulation pumps, plus the sump pump. No in tank power heads. The towers use up to much tank space and the bulkhead holes are too small for good overflow volume. Power heads, in my opinion, are not an attractive feature in a tank. If I had to do it over again I would continue to drill holes.
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putter
Reefing newb
good to read the reviews on the 6 line, at one point I had considered that fish for my tank. If....no WHEN I do my built in tank I will attempt to run pvc for returns and flow as fatman suggests, no sence having power heads hanging around if you can accomplish the flow in other ways. Various runs of pvc hidden with rock work would be sweet! I have lots of time to plan and design the next tank I get!
Alexander
Reef enthusiast
guessing you guys are referring to closed loop. I have it. its not hidden on this one... but its really cool.
and sixlines really are not that bad. you want to make sure you add them close to last if not last on your list of fish, unless your adding a massive fish. they can get a little territorial but some are not so bad. its just kind of a hit and miss thing so as long as you add it last you will be fine
and sixlines really are not that bad. you want to make sure you add them close to last if not last on your list of fish, unless your adding a massive fish. they can get a little territorial but some are not so bad. its just kind of a hit and miss thing so as long as you add it last you will be fine
ladypheesh
Frank the tank!
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
6-line wrasse:
If it's a smaller tank with only 2--5 fish, don't do it. My tank is 30g.
If the 6-line will be one of the larger fish in the tank, don't do it.
If the other fish in the tank are very peaceful and rarely aggressive, don't do it.
If the tank is larger (75g+) and you will have some larger fish in the tank, try it.
If those other fish in the tank can take care of themselves, try it.
Everyone told me the 6-line was a great fish for my tank because my tank is small. Only 30g. I wanted fish that would remain rather small so that I didn't overload the tank. Most 6-lines will not even reach 3" in captivity. Usually, they max out at about 2--2.5" Seamed like the perfect fit. They are supposed to be peaceful fish.
It wasn't until mine turned into an A-hole that I did a lot more reading on them. I found out that they do become bullies in smaller tanks where they are the most aggressive fish. My goby and my clown are both very peaceful fish. That left the door wide open for the 6-line to turn into the bully, and he did just that.
In a 75g tank with some angels, tangs or a school of chromis --no problem. They all get bigger than the wrasse and they are all quite capable of fending off any aggression from the wrasse. Probably kick his butt and that would be the end of it.
Hope this helps.
I'm surprised that a lot of you wouldn't want the reef ready tanks. I hate having crap hanging on the back of my tank. The idea of using an overflowbox on my next tank doesn't appeal to me at all. Crap hanging up and over the back glass looks silly to me. But, I've never had a reef ready tank either. It sounds like they don't really drill the holes big enough. Maybe you could order it reef ready with custom holes drilled? Or order it with the overflows and drill the holes yourself?
If it's a smaller tank with only 2--5 fish, don't do it. My tank is 30g.
If the 6-line will be one of the larger fish in the tank, don't do it.
If the other fish in the tank are very peaceful and rarely aggressive, don't do it.
If the tank is larger (75g+) and you will have some larger fish in the tank, try it.
If those other fish in the tank can take care of themselves, try it.
Everyone told me the 6-line was a great fish for my tank because my tank is small. Only 30g. I wanted fish that would remain rather small so that I didn't overload the tank. Most 6-lines will not even reach 3" in captivity. Usually, they max out at about 2--2.5" Seamed like the perfect fit. They are supposed to be peaceful fish.
It wasn't until mine turned into an A-hole that I did a lot more reading on them. I found out that they do become bullies in smaller tanks where they are the most aggressive fish. My goby and my clown are both very peaceful fish. That left the door wide open for the 6-line to turn into the bully, and he did just that.
In a 75g tank with some angels, tangs or a school of chromis --no problem. They all get bigger than the wrasse and they are all quite capable of fending off any aggression from the wrasse. Probably kick his butt and that would be the end of it.
Hope this helps.
I'm surprised that a lot of you wouldn't want the reef ready tanks. I hate having crap hanging on the back of my tank. The idea of using an overflowbox on my next tank doesn't appeal to me at all. Crap hanging up and over the back glass looks silly to me. But, I've never had a reef ready tank either. It sounds like they don't really drill the holes big enough. Maybe you could order it reef ready with custom holes drilled? Or order it with the overflows and drill the holes yourself?
:bounce: There are a lot of nice circulation systems set up in tanks with manifold systems. Basically you just run all the way around your tank from the back typically with a U shape and the bulk of the pipe is behind the rim of the tank (inside the tank) where it is not seen. You simply drill small holes in the glass cover shelf lip to put plastic wire ties through to hold pipe. You put a lot of 1/2 "T's" off the main pipe which is typically a 1 1/4" (which is the largest diameter pipe able to be hidden). Run high volume, high velocity through the main pipe (meaning a pressure rated pump). That will give you good velocity at usually six branch nozzles or possibly eight , depending on pump volume/head rating. That can all be done without drilling holes in your glass. Another pump can do the same thing at the bottom of your tank, with the U portion buried under sand and/or behind rocks. It is even easy to add Loc-line nozzles so you can control direction easily or just use 45 or 22 degree pipe fittings. The nozzles will stay in place without your gluing them. Then there are bulkhead systems................. :Cheers: Oh, by the way I have several stacks of cut out overflow towers, both corner and back wall. Can not figure out any "good" use for them, yet. Nearly all large tanks delivered to Alaska are "Reef ReadY'. I think Alaska is the dumping grounds for poorly designed "Reef Ready" tanks. Problem is that there is only one tank AGA makes over a 33 gallon tank that does not have tempered glss bottoms. Which limits you to drilling back and side glass. The AGA 40 gallon breeder tank does not have a tempered glass bottom. I have drilled a lot of tanks and found it easy. There are good over flow boxes made for back wall bulkheads by glass-holes.com, or home made ones work good whether made of plastic or glass, depending on whether you want overflow teeth (notches) or not.
fishbait
I found Nemo
I wish I bought better lights to begin with. but they done all that I needed them to.....at the time.
I wish I didn't listen to my old lfs when I started. I would have had a lot less headaches in the begining
I wish I never married my first wife
I wish I didn't listen to my old lfs when I started. I would have had a lot less headaches in the begining
I wish I never married my first wife
putter
Reefing newb
I went with 2lbs per gallon, in the tank I have I find it left little room on the bed of the tank for anything! I think I would drop back to a max of 1.5 per gallon next time....or a different style of tank.
Bifferwine
I am a girl
Ha! :bounce:
fishbait
I found Nemo
I knew someone in here would appreciate that one!
kevinsimons
Reefing newb
I wish...
-I would have bought the coralife light fixture instead of the Nova Extreme - which has a ridiculously noisy fan - if it weren't for that fan, the tank would be nearly silent...
-I would have stuck with the ONE LFS whom I trust implicitly and has never steered me wrong or sold me something I didn't need or shouldn't have (like a coral banded shrimp, which just killed and ate my electric scallop -which I also shouldn't have had but now that's not a problem anymore is it?)...or the sun coral which is never open and requires hand feeding
-I would have gone with a glass tank instead of acrylic, which scratches easily
-I would stop leaving the top off the salt bucket, which turns into a brick in this high-humidity city
and to end on a positive note - things I'm really GLAD ABOUT:
-this community, with it's amazing advice and knowledge bank
-the Kent RO/DI unit - success in this hobby starts with pure water
-knowing that cheaping out never works in this hobby - EVER.
-my primary show fish get along so well (nobody beats up on anybody or eats any corals)
-discovering Marine SAT
-I would have bought the coralife light fixture instead of the Nova Extreme - which has a ridiculously noisy fan - if it weren't for that fan, the tank would be nearly silent...
-I would have stuck with the ONE LFS whom I trust implicitly and has never steered me wrong or sold me something I didn't need or shouldn't have (like a coral banded shrimp, which just killed and ate my electric scallop -which I also shouldn't have had but now that's not a problem anymore is it?)...or the sun coral which is never open and requires hand feeding
-I would have gone with a glass tank instead of acrylic, which scratches easily
-I would stop leaving the top off the salt bucket, which turns into a brick in this high-humidity city
and to end on a positive note - things I'm really GLAD ABOUT:
-this community, with it's amazing advice and knowledge bank
-the Kent RO/DI unit - success in this hobby starts with pure water
-knowing that cheaping out never works in this hobby - EVER.
-my primary show fish get along so well (nobody beats up on anybody or eats any corals)
-discovering Marine SAT
ladypheesh
Frank the tank!
Thanks for the reply and advice, Putter. We have a standard 75 gal and just got about 125 pounds. (just over 1.5/gal) I think it will work out well.
