Your top 5 "must have" products

[whosurcaddie]

1 $$$$
2 $$$$
3 $$$$
4 $$$$
5 $$$$

 

[garyinco]

All the above seem like must haves to me. Plus a lots of knowledge and good advice, which is in abundance here. This is no where near a cheap hobby upfront, and the obsession to create a successful micro reef ecosystem just grows and grows. Great hobby.

 

[cubsare1]

Towel
Turkey Baster
ro/di
Refractometer
Ato

 

[BrianKC]

Awesome.
So far the only thing I'm lacking is the RODI. I live in a townhouse so having a "fish room" or area to accumulate water isn't practical. I've seen one on bulk reef supply that you can hook up to a sink and store away when not in use, so I may try that.

Currently I visit our LFS twice a week for water, but I always end up buy extra stuff once I walk in.. [emoji849]

I keep my whole RODI rig in a Rubbermaid tub in a storage room. Makes it really easy to lug around. Pull it out once a week and make 10g of top off for my top off bin. Surely you can find somewhere to stow 10g of RODI water.

 

[BrianKC]

Towel
Turkey Baster
ro/di
Refractometer
Ato

 

[oh207]

What are your top 5 products that you would say anyone with a reef tank MUST have?
Anything from foods, bacteria treatments, or fish disease treatments....

Based on your question, the assumption is made that a reef tank with water, salt, etc already is in place. So I will skip those and try to come up with what I think are MUST have items.

1. Decent Light
2. Powerheads
3. Skimmer
4. Refractometer
5. If SPS setup then Alk/Cal Supplements or if LPS tank then a Carbon reactor. If this is a mix setup, then the choice will be based on which type of coral is the most dominant.

I contemplate #5 for a while and had to settle for an if then scenario based on the type of corals in the reef tank.

 

[GregJames]

Once I get the IO/DO setup, it sounds like I need to look into a carbon reactor..

 

[oh207]

Once I get the IO/DO setup, it sounds like I need to look into a carbon reactor..

You can always throw the carbon in a mesh bag and add to your sump in a high flow area, but it will never come close to being as effective as when in a reactor. Also with a reactor, you can run a mix of carbon and GFO. Carbon removes the toxins from LPS coral warfare, allowing your corals to grow and trived and makes your tank looks clearer. And the GFO helps with Nutrient export. Although I wouldn't be concerned too much with running GFO in an LPS dominant tank.

If you are looking for more detailed answers, then you need to get into specifics such as tank size, does it have a sump/refugium, skimmer area, types of corals planning to grow, etc...Otherwise you will get lots of smarta$$ answers.

 

[GregJames]

Your top 5 "must have" products

65gal Red Sea Reefer
Planning to go all LPS
10gal sump
Skimmer
ATO
300w LED light
2 constant powerheads with 1 wave maker
It's been setup for only a month now

 

[GregJames]

(Filter socks were just placed there while working on it)