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One thing to consider: Just automatically measure Alkalinity DRIFT. It is pretty hard to carefully calibrate and return a real Alk value. But you don't really need it. You use normal hand tests to get it right. All you need to know if it is drifting too far high/low. I was considering a DIY...

No opinion on AI Blades. But suggest you DO NOT buy AI Primes. Terrible long term. Fans die quickly. UV burns out and sometimes takes out the whole light. And I am far from the only one with those problems.

Yeah, the 55G is down a ways to get the right amount for IO. (I also add Mg when I mix. Wish IO was better on that) Another trick I did was add a float valve to the RODI input to the barrel, and through a bit of trial and error, adjusted it to the right height, so all I do is flip the main...

I had a bit of the same problem. But personally, I think it taught me I was feeding wrong. Even without the roller, a lot of food ended up on the bottom of the sump. I still feed heavy, but by spreading feeding out over the day more, fish/coral would eat it all right away, with much less waste...

55G Brute with a powerhead in the bottom. The big bonus: You can dump and entire full 50G bag of salt mix in at once. No worries about components settling, no open bags turning solid from humidity.

Practice silicone joints on scrap pieces of glass. Make sure the overflow is really the way you want it. Large enough, 3 holes, etc. Think about how you want to run your returns. Up through overflow?

Mine is in the sump, but is dry on both rollers, and does not smell.

Definitely appreciate the offer, but I am not that interested in bulbs anymore. The goal is a really solid long term plan.

Very interesting option. Nice and simple. No dimming, but that is not a big deal. A bit annoying that they do not publish the LED mix. I had mostly dismissed them as simple add-on strips. Never thought about using lots of them. That said, might also be good as an add on to two Phillips lights...

Cost wise, it is a but unclear which is cheaper. Aquacave has ATI Straton in stock for $1,099. Several places have Phillips for $800. For ATI Straton: 230 Watts, 15x15 LED area covers 30x30 tank area. So 3 works well for my 88x28 tank. Total = $3,300 For Phillips: 170 Watts, covers 31x24 tank...

Yes, I was intrigued by those Reefi lights also. Good price for what you get. I had a horrible experience with AI primes myself. Both fans dying and UV melting the lenses and frying the circuit board. I am sure others deal with fans and such better than AI, but I am still pretty reluctant. If...

I am looking for new lights. Never seem to have time to get around to new DIY ones. Very important to me is lower maintenance and long life. So the Philips ones have two key advantages: 1) No fans to clean, clog, or fail. 2) The UV is more around 415 nm Violet, not the deep UV that fails so...

Key: Is the whole tank a bit tilted, or is there a twist? A twist being 1 corner, not 2, being high/low. Twists can be bad. Minor tilt of 0.12" does not really matter.

Tend to agree. I am quite good at woodworking, and made a really nice DIY stand. Looks great. But I would probably only do the face or skins next time. DT was no problem, but there was a leak in the back of the old sump, slow drip over about 4 years. The wood near the leak was swollen, and black...

ATS lights are less expensive because of the usage requirements, not because of quality. Display lights must penetrate water, and they need to be both optimized for coral, plus have a good color spread to appeal to user. That penetration and coverage really cranks up the power requirements...

I personally feel the "purely outcompete" idea is BS. My ATS outcompetes algae in the main tank because there is a big cleanup crew of snails and tangs. But once you have a CUC (and why would you not) problem solved. The reason I feel this way is because of observations during tank crashes...

A little, yes. I get a fair bit of detritus buildup in the part of the sump with the ATS. Never really cared. Easy to siphon.

No, actually pretty low. A good one will have the right grow light combo of red + blue. And the LEDs are only about 3" from the screen. It ends up being very efficient. My ATS lights (for a 250G pretty fish heavy tank) is 36 Watts, and on about 30% of the time.

Support is a good point. This is another reason I recommend going through an LFS to order.

First, a warning: ALL tank manufacturers have complaints here and there. Sometimes mistakes happen in the best companies. But I feel a whole lot of tank failures are because users do not level them properly. So don't panic on reading a few reviews. Neptune Aquatics sells CD tanks, and is a...