Cali Kid Corals

Hi! I'm new here.

Ckletter

Ckletter

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Hello, I have been a "fish aficianado" my whole life but I just recently joined this group. I haven't had a saltwater tank since 2001, and the whole hobby has changed! I am really excited because my brand new Deep Sea Aquatics 190 is being delivered today. I have a 160 freshwater planted tank, which I moved to my office, and now I am filling that location (in my garage) with a reef tank! I am hoping to fit as large a sump with exterior pump skimmer and refugium in the stand. I need everything. Hoping to hard plump. Probably LEDs in the canopy. I was planning to leave glass tops over the tank, but seems like most reefkeepers leave the glass off (for gas exchange?) and use some type of mesh. Not sure yet if I will go with an apex controller or ato or algae scrubber. Most likely will get RO set up. So much to do, aquascaping, planning the plumbing, storage and asthetics...
 
Welcome! Yeah the beginning is always hectic but most fun. You get to piece out everything and custom it to the way you like and works for you. Good luck on the build keep us posted .
 
Ckletter said:
OK, thanks for the tip. Is there an ATO product that you recommend? Do you run it with some sort of controller, like Apex?
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I use the smart ATO micro. I like that it has an optical sensor, but you do need to keep it clean. I wipe it clean every few weeks to keep it working nicely.
If you go the controller route there are options to add ATO to either GHL, Neptune apex, and I believe hydro as well.
there are also break out box options like the one from avast marine, which allow you to choose the sensors you use and add more sensors for redundancy for auto water changes.
In other words, I didn’t even list all your options, there are a lot of ATO options

Welcome to BAR! Check out the tank journals forum and consider starting your own, it’s a great way to get peer review from reefers with lots of experience. There is certainly a few hundred years of combined experience in this club so it’s a great help.
 
I really like my Tunze Osmolator ATO (regular, not the nano). It has an optical sensor, but it also has a redundant float switch to prevent overfill. Also, the pump is relatively inexpensive to replace if it breaks (which hasn't yet for me). I have an Apex and have done my own break out box and floats in the past when I was running a sump.
 
Welcome!
Reef tanks have PH issues, so commonly have no glass top for CO2 exchange, yes.
Although a lot of that is just crazy reefers always sticking their hand in the tank fixing something...

As far as advice on what to buy for a 190G tank:
ATO definitely.
Alk + Calcium dosers very likely.
Apex is great, but it is expensive, and not actually mandatory. And you need to be a bit careful of over-thinking it with all that data
and ending up "chasing numbers."
Algae scrubbers can be hit and miss. I use one, but others have issues.
I might suggest starting simpler with just a bunch of extra live rock in the sump.

KEY to salt-water : GO SLOW.
Especially when buying fish and coral.
 
I have glass tops on my tank. You will have plenty of gas exchange if you run a skimmer.
The reason I use the lids is to keep fish in, minimize evaporation to reduce water and energy usage, and prevent extra humidity in the house.
 
Ckletter said:
Do you connect your Tunz ato directly to an RODI unit? What do you use as the freshwater resevoir and how many gallons is best?
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I did but a lot of people would advise you against due to the outcome being much worse if the float switch fails. If you have a 190 thats covered id say a 10-20 gallon resevoir is probably good to last a week or two
 
Kremis said:
I did but a lot of people would advise you against due to the outcome being much worse if the float switch fails. If you have a 190 thats covered id say a 10-20 gallon resevoir is probably good to last a week or two
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If it’s covered you’ll do less than a a gal day pretty sure.
 
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