If you could change ~~~~

**Deepwater** · 12-25-2007, 05:30 PM

So i was thinking , and that doesnt come often lol about a question ------------what if you can go back in time and change a few thing about your tank that you are not happy with today. This could be a good read for ppl to not make the same mistakes we did.

Example.

If i can go back in time and change a few things. I would change my --

Tank , cuz its made more for a fish tank only , Its 4ft long and 18"wide and the top is half covered with built in glass

My stand I would love to have a bigger stand. That would give more room to work and put equipment there much easier.

Location of my tank. Maybe a few more few closer to the window so my tank can get some natural sun light for a few hrs.

Skimmer I learned the hard way on this , dont be CHEAP in this piece of equipment , Buy the best one you can afford ,and if that is not much , BORROW some and get thatt better skimmer

and the most annoying , are the ugly ass button polyps and green star polyps that im fighting with now to get out of my tank.

ALRHA · 12-25-2007, 07:03 PM

great thread!

I would get a tank without the center glass brace which is always dusty and has salt creep on it and filters out the light.

my tank was custom built so I am happy with the dimensions and the location (even though i cant reach all the way to the bottom of the tank without tongs).

Casanova1016 · 12-25-2007, 08:17 PM

nice ronen will me up with regrets... lol j/k mine is preety simple

we bought our tank used though it was a good deal...its didnt meet our needs or our prferences end result costing us more...

rbtwo4 · 12-25-2007, 10:38 PM

SKIMMER!

radridz3 · 12-26-2007, 03:02 AM

WOW my thoughts exactly..... The top tank brace has to go.. It ruins my spectrums with the salt spots ......I have found from expierence that cleaning the tank side of the brace with ro water will keep it from having dry salts on it....... Besides that only 1 other really problematic situation...Can anyone say APTASIA. For all you Newb's do everything possible to keep this suppliment and food horr out of your setup.......

ALRHA · 12-26-2007, 07:30 AM

how can you clean the tank side with RO water? isnt it too close to your water level?

gsago1979 · 12-26-2007, 11:48 AM

I would have to say not learning about closed loop systems for water circulation...Had I known about this creative way of increasing flow in my tank instead of using a bunch of powerheads I would have drilled my tank out before assembling it all years ago...

I guess when I set up tank #3 I will be doing this for sure...

Also wish that I would have saved myself the time energy and most importantly money and bought metal halide lighting at the very beginning instead of messing around with PC then VHO before finally arriving at Metal Halide...

noodleman · 12-26-2007, 01:47 PM

i would change my whole tank

Reefer4life · 12-27-2007, 10:30 AM

I hate button polyps! And would not had put them in my tank to begin with!
I would have been patient, and changed my install day, to accomadate my friend who couldn't make the install due to illness.
I would have had the close loop if I only waited.;(

nanoman1 · 12-27-2007, 08:29 PM

i would get a bigger tank then a 3 gallon lol. But i am stuck with mine till next year...thats when my bro moves out

Chong · 12-27-2007, 09:11 PM

I would definately change my aquascaping. Seems like i can never get it to the point that i'm happy with it.

Get a bigger tank

Have my tank in the wall

**Adamc1303** · 12-28-2007, 12:39 AM

I would get a stand that is a little taller so I have room to work underneath. I would also have a sump with a refugium not just the oceanic model 2 sump that I droped Chaeto into. I would also design the smup to use an external pump which would intern make the sump smaller and give me more room underneath again. what I really would have done if I knew what I know now 3 years ago is GET AN ELOS SYSTEM!

Rapscallion · 12-28-2007, 10:06 AM

I wish I never put in my tank because they taken over the darn thing:
1). Mini carpet anemones (Stichodactyla tapetum)
2). Rose Bubble Tip Anemone
3). button polyps

started off straight with MH lighting and a good skimmer

had more electrical outlets installed

chuck

bschuerman · 12-28-2007, 03:20 PM

A lot of button polyps here.. perhaps someone could post a few pictures of these creatures so I know not what to get

nyfireman3097 · 12-28-2007, 10:37 PM

I would of made a tiled box under and around my stand to catch water so my beautiful wood floors did not get warped. Also would have put a over flow into my tank instead of the elbow for more surface skimming

radridz3 · 12-28-2007, 11:00 PM

Cleaning the bottom side of the tank brace with r/o.........My water level is about 1-2 inch's below brace so I take a 1/4" compression hose from the r/o and rinse it off and wipe it down. I do this every week.. It blows. Why does acrylic have to be so flimsy...Because I am really getting agrivated with my tank brace.....P.s..... Another thing I would have done different ........Run a dedicated line and breaker just for the tank...And moved the cat5e socket on the wall before I set up the tank...

sasquatch · 12-30-2007, 12:18 PM

Great Thread! My tank has been up over 8 years and has had just about every mod done to it but the center brace, so instead of going back in time Im going forward, new everything and hopefully much less of the above. How many of you have a "closet of shame"? mines full.

**Deepwater** · 12-30-2007, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sasquatch

Great Thread! My tank has been up over 8 years and has had just about every mod done to it but the center brace, so instead of going back in time Im going forward, new everything and hopefully much less of the above. How many of you have a "closet of shame"? mines full.

LOL i dont have a closet full cuz i sell everything i dont use.

other wise i would have to rent a storage place for those things

ers

ALRHA · 12-31-2007, 01:17 AM

ah, well my water is about 1/32" below the brace, so there is no way to clean the bottom other than with a magnet cleaner - and even so it gets dirty again right away.

luckily i did have an electrician run me 2 20amp circuits dedicated to my tank. it set me back quite some $, but i feel it was well worth it.