Over the top

[Basile]

I've build myself a hell of a system! Now with some of the components not yet installed for diversed reasons , and its been 2 months that my tank has been running with out them and i'm starting to wonder if i really need them. Does anyone has that impression on some of their stuff.

Example. My Apex Neptune Controller is not set up yet because near the end and its seem i'm not the only one we seem when it comes to big system run out of steam or motivation. Specially when its been a while you've been building it. So my temp probe, ph probe, orp probe, aren't plugged in obviously and neither is all the cotrolled function yet, i don't have a router yet. For X reasons, the point is , some of those gadgets , im starting to think i may not replace when the time comes. Any of you started with all these and not reorder them after the first try, because they were not usefull or necessary, or relevent to your tank ?

Its my first big system and i was going to the max , as of now everything is running so well and without all these, just wondering.

http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq68/Basilesim/Photo562.jpg

Don't mind the plumbing and the wires i went for a theme, a Borg look

http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq68/Basilesim/Photo325.jpg


Another example was the salinity probe i defaulted on that, it was $139 for the probe + $ 95 for the module adaptor thats $235 for salinity that you have to replace every 18 months or so . So , i chose this;

http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq68/Basilesim/Tech%20things/Photo279.jpg

Its $95 , portable so i can use it anywhere at friends, i can use it to sample arriving bags, unlike probes that can't leave the tank's water. And its permanent , don't need to replace it after a year, or so. It more flexible and practicle. Thats what i'm leading on with the usefullness of things....

With the size of my refugium 75 G , half the size of the Reef ; i'm hopping to get rid of my GFO and let it take over and be more natural oriented. I know guys still with only sumps and t5 doing better than others with LED's Halides and with biopellets and other reactors sold on the market. Are we becomming to gadget oriented and less practicle hobbyist . Thats what i was thinking about and reflecting on, any comments?

[MarkoD]

Lol and still a refactometer does the same thing as that digital one and the probe.

But yeah I agree. The gadgets lose their novelty value.

I'd like to know when was the last time someone did a lightning storm with their LEDs

[Reef Pilot]

Gotta ask,... have your cats ever tried to jump on your lights,... or fallen into the water?...LOL

[tlhood]

Lol that one cat looks like he's going fishing

[jorjef]

The list of my need to have gadgets.

1- Skimmer.
2- Salt.
3- Water change pails.

I have long thought about what you are musing about today and decided I have no use for any reactors, dosers, etc etc etc. Hell, don't even have a sump. Water changes are my friend. :lol:

[Basile]

Lol and still a refactometer does the same thing as that digital one and the probe.

But yeah I agree. The gadgets lose their novelty value.

I'd like to know when was the last time someone did a lightning storm with their LEDs

LOL YES YES YES , thats IT , thats why i chose the Razor who paid $ 200 more for a lightening storm they never use! I posted that in my thread an ego trip , no coral value what so ever, storm, cloudy days , you really thing the corals need or value all these expensive programs,Which you pay through the nose ; each time someone shows me these things from there set up i hiss saying to myself thats money i've put in my skimmer or in my frame, or in a coast to coast , thank God . Thanks for that one i knew i wasn't the only one.......lol

[Basile]

Gotta ask,... have your cats ever tried to jump on your lights,... or fallen into the water?...LOL

Nope, they take a sip once and a while and thats it. If they did, the Razors are anchored with hooks, that can support 57Lb each so no problem there, the Razors are 2.2Kg and the cats are about 8lb and 6lb each so if it where to happen no to worry. The Razor become at worst slightly warm barely. Very efficient design, the fan are rarely on; extremely silent. You don't hear them.

[Basile]

The list of my need to have gadgets.

1- Skimmer.
2- Salt.
3- Water change pails.

I have long thought about what you are musing about today and decided I have no use for any reactors, dosers, etc etc etc. Hell, don't even have a sump. Water changes are my friend. :lol:

Thats cool, but with my set up i need a sump since i have a display fuge it means i have to have a place to put my pumps and since you have to dose when you have a diversity of macroalgae, they need supplement to survive, cheato excluded. Mine are collection ones with particular demand on iodine ( most red one need higher dosage) and iron and magnesium in the long term if they're to survive. A display refugium is not for cheatos, and caulerpa, ugly first of and not prize winning collection material lol. So a bit of plumbing had to be added to my set up for it. In time i want my refugium to overtake my GFO totally and take it out and let the natural way, the refugium become the natural filter of the tank thats my aim . Hopefully my skimmer will be ON and OFF schedule. That the experiment i'm goin for.

[tang daddy]

That's a lot of rocks in the display, how are any corals gonna fit lol!

[jon.smolders]

It is a relief to hear that you don't need all the hight tech gear to maintain a successful reef. I am setting up my tank again this year and I am shooting for low tech. Skimmer, gravity fed ato, sump, and weekly water changes to replenish calcium, magnesium, etc.

Its hard though because I keep hearing things like oh you need to run gfo or dose this or that.I'm going to run a remote fuge too but I don't consider that high tech.

[Masonjames]

Don't know how many pieces of equipment I have sitting on the shelf or have sold off because I thought I needed them or because I wanted them and thought they would be a great addition or serve a valuable purpose or get those cool new gadgets that are all the rave. I have since stripped down to the lesser is better approach. Less to maintain, less to fail or malfunction, less to replace, less to put my trust in while I sleep or go away, etc. And it has made my life simpler. Maintenance simpler. And I have found personally keeping my system stable is easier for me to do with less to look after. I now run nothing more then a skimmer, filter socks, and gravity auto top off. Plus when I don't need to spend my hard earned cash just maintaining equipment or replacing parts it leaves me with extra cash available to use instead on filling my tank with what I really want. Coral and fish. I have no experience with the controllers you were talking about but I think if things are doing great how they are now and your doing great without them then you probably answered your own questions. Hopfuly others will chim who can give you actual experience with or without the controllers and probs you have to help answer more directly your questions.

[Basile]

Don't know how many pieces of equipment I have sitting on the shelf or have sold off because I thought I needed them or because I wanted them and thought they would be a great addition or serve a valuable purpose or get those cool new gadgets that are all the rave. I have since stripped down to the lesser is better approach. Less to maintain, less to fail or malfunction, less to replace, less to put my trust in while I sleep or go away, etc. And it has made my life simpler. Maintenance simpler. And I have found personally keeping my system stable is easier for me to do with less to look after. I now run nothing more then a skimmer, filter socks, and gravity auto top off. Plus when I don't need to spend my hard earned cash just maintaining equipment or replacing parts it leaves me with extra cash available to use instead on filling my tank with what I really want. Coral and fish. I have no experience with the controllers you were talking about but I think if things are doing great how they are now and your doing great without them then you probably answered your own questions. Hopfuly others will chim who can give you actual experience with or without the controllers and probs you have to help answer more directly your questions.

Well i can honestly answer right now i don't need a controller, period. I have the Tunze multicontroller for my pumps and thats enought for the pumps and wavebox which i custom made for $ 20 instead of $ 650 , just had to buy the pump for the $ 295 but saved $ 300 right there. I like a wave in my tank specially with my softies it calms my nerves and i like the swaying of the corals in it . But for the rest . If i could return the APex Neptune i would in a heart beat. $600 in my pocket right now. Not because its faulty , just not relevent to the success of the tank, just ego, or the illusion of controll.

The wavebox custom made by Concept Aquariums from Calgary. The whole tanks and supports where made by them . They're here on this site.

http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq68/Basilesim/Mon%20systeme/Photo170.jpg

The dimension where exact and they executed the plan flawlessly so much so that the pumps fits like a glove

http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq68/Basilesim/Mon%20systeme/Photo171.jpg

http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq68/Basilesim/Mon%20systeme/Photo174.jpg

The magnet fits perfectly

http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq68/Basilesim/Mon%20systeme/Photo172.jpg

[Masonjames]

Ya there pricy. I have always thought about getting myself one but everytime I make it to check out and see the total; cringe, justification to the wife, umm okay maybe not today. Lol.

The tank looks great though. So all things considered I think you got a good thing already. Granted you already got the controller so you might as well use it, and then you can determine which aspects of it you like and which not to bother with. I'm sure there will be features of it that you will like allot. I defiantly wouldn't leave such an expensive piece of equipment sitting on the shelf collecting dust. Or try and sell it before it gets any use if you end up deciding you not gonna get any real use out if it yourself.

Wave book looks great : )

[MarkoD]

If my controller saves me once from a faulty heater being stuck on. 600 well spent. And it's already saved me twice

[Ram3500]

If my controller saves me once from a faulty heater being stuck on. 600 well spent. And it's already saved me twice

Note to self plug heater into apex tonight avoid total reef melt down !!!!

[mark]

Controllers nice and totally agree relying on a heaters built in thermostat risky, but unless you really need all a controller can do, a simple Ranco (https://www.etcsupply.com/ranco-etc111000000-digital-temperature-controller-p-86.html) for $60 a solution.