Which is the best buy here for a newbie --- the Red Sea Max 34 or the new 28 gallon JBJ with HQ? Looking for cost effectiveness, quality and being able to have a lot of options with what I can put in it...I'd start smaller, but I want as much H2O I can afford so if things go sour they don't happen too quickly...or would I be better off starting at 12 or 24 gal? I've been lurking on this site for some time and I place a lot of faith in your opinions, so please give me something...thanks!
RED SEA MAX 34 VS. JBJ 28 150 HQ
- Thread starter werun2
- Start date
Both tanks are pretty new on the scene and from what I recently heard the RedSea isn't even available yet. IMO which tank would be best for you depends on what you want to keep in it. The RedSea has PC lighting from what I have seen which is good for zoos, softies, some LPS corals, etc. If you have SPS corals on your mind then the MH on the JBJ may be the better choice for you.
http://www.aquatichobbyaquariumsupply.c ... K&click=35
Skip, I reallly appreciate the response. The shop above says they have the Red Sea 34, and with FREE SHIPPING no less....that's not bad, if it's even true. From what I get from your post, the MH on the JBJ would allow be to keep the zoos, softies, some LPS and a bonus of SPS --- is that right? That would make the JBJ more versatile, I guess. Let me ask you, if you were a newbie and just starting out, and wanted to get your feet wet and get into this hobby, and you were looking on nanocustoms.com because they seem to have the right packages, which unit would you purchase in a 12gal and which one in a 24 gal or would you opt for the 28 gallon because of all the nice upgrades?
Skip, I reallly appreciate the response. The shop above says they have the Red Sea 34, and with FREE SHIPPING no less....that's not bad, if it's even true. From what I get from your post, the MH on the JBJ would allow be to keep the zoos, softies, some LPS and a bonus of SPS --- is that right? That would make the JBJ more versatile, I guess. Let me ask you, if you were a newbie and just starting out, and wanted to get your feet wet and get into this hobby, and you were looking on nanocustoms.com because they seem to have the right packages, which unit would you purchase in a 12gal and which one in a 24 gal or would you opt for the 28 gallon because of all the nice upgrades?
That is a hard question for me to answer because I have been in the hobby for a long time and plan my tanks according to what I want to put in them. If you were to go with a MH on the tank then you would be able to keep about anything that you may decide you want including SPS corals and clams. As far as which tank I would get if I were planning on getting an all-in-one tank I am not sure if I would get the 28 which is just being released or go with the 24 gallon Aquapod that has been on the market for awhile now. It is available with either a 70 or 150 watt MH. I will say that I have seen the Aquapods and like them but I have not seen the new JBJ tank yet so I can't really say anything about it.
Thanks for your candor and opinion. I've got a lot to learn. I've been doing a lot of research for a couple of months now on tanks, systems, corals and inverts. I'm really interested and read as much as I can and I'm trying to make an informed decision on what road to take. I hope you don't mind the questions --- Here's what I'm thinking of doing: I like the TBS "package" and would like to go with that, I beleive. If I do, I wouldn't really need the bioballs in the back of a nano, right? My thinking is that I would need carbon and a skimmer and maybe turn one of the chambers in the back into a refugium (use live rock? macroalgae? something else?). I think that would help with the filtration. As for skimmers, are the skimmers that fit into a 24 gal nano adequate? Can you recommend a skimmer for the 24 that's not overkill, affordable, yet plenty of bang for the buck? Aside from the tank with plenty of lighting, can you recommend any other equipment that I might need, for example an upgraded pump (aside from the obvious test kits, heater, etc, of course) Right now, I have a freshwater 20 gallon that I pay a ton of attention to. I live in a rural area and the LFS is nice, but overpriced in my opinion, so I need to buy online (as much as I'd like to support the LFS, my funds are limited). Still yet another option I'm considering is to just forget the nano tank, get a 20 gallon tank and sump and go from there....but I like the all-in-one concept since I don't have a ton of room....your thoughts?