Reef Ready Tanks vs Standard Tanks

[mwilliams]

I am in need of some advise on which one to choose from either a Reef Ready tank already pre-drilled and all plumbing already on it or a standard tank with the HOB...
I was told that the Overflow boxes inside the tank interfer with water ratio flow to the sump.
Is this true?
Also I have been reading that the HOB make a lot of noise is it the same nosie that you have with the filter systems that hang on the tank like the Pequin 350, AquaClear's, Whisper by Tetra... ????

The two Reef Ready tanks that I have been looking at one has two overflow boxes about 6" long and 3"wide then the other one just has one long overflow box about 24" long and 2 to 3" wide.
Please can someone advise on the Pros & Cons of a Reef Ready Tank??????

Mary

 

[neilanh]

I've never owned a RR tank, but after having a standard tank with a HOB I don't think I'd ever do that again. Id definately go RR if I had a choice.

 

[cmor1701d]

Always go with a reef ready if you can. Get Durso standpipes for the drains to keep them quiet.

 

[thincat]

Yeah, reef ready is the way to gos. If you go the other route you will have to put up with the noise and the chance that the overflow would lose prime and run dry. Then you will want to drill the tank and have to take the chance that it might crack. Are those tanks glass or acrylic?

 

[mwilliams]

The tanks are glass.
Tank (A) is 156 gal Reef Ready predrilled with all equipment from pipes, refugim/sump, pumps, skimmer, glass tops, stand and a few small stuff for $2,700
Tank (B- used) is I think 120 same as above except it does not have tops it is an open aquarium no center bars like other tanks have to place the tops on for $1,500.
Not sure which of the two would be the better deal...????????

Mary

 

[melosu58]

Reef ready is the way to go.

 

[Wy Renegade]

Agree, reef-ready is definitely the way to go.

 

[cmor1701d]

Forget the glass tops. You don't want to use them. CO2/Oxygen exchanges takes place at the water surface and a glass top can act like a greenhouse keeping the CO2 in.

 

[mwilliams]

cmor1701d:
If you don't use the tops to cover the tank with then how do you prevent the Salt Creep getting on the shield for the light fixtures?

mary

 

[Jaybird]

Go reef ready. In my opinion there is no other way if you have a choice. I have a 90G that I had to drill in order to fit an overflow. If I had to do it again.....I would have sold the 90G and paid the money to get a new one that was reef-ready.

 

[cabezon]

Forget the glass tops. You don't want to use them. CO2/Oxygen exchanges takes place at the water surface and a glass top can act like a greenhouse keeping the CO2 in.

in the sump and skimmer.

go RR.

I dont even understand the question. the

The Overflow boxes inside the tank interfer with water ratio flow to the sump.

they both have boxes in the tank with teeth, to skim off the surface and keep (or at least try to) livestock out of the drain.

 

[Jaybird]

I agree. You won't get nearly as much oxygenation of the water and/or transfer of gasses from the surface of the water as from your skimmer. By it's design, the skimmer will inject air into the water moving through it to create the skimmate. The amount of water that you will get moving through the skimmer, and exposed to air, will be far greater than that on the surface of the water.

 

[mwilliams]

This reply back is for cabezon.... you said you did not understand my question "The Overflow boxes inside the tank interfer with water ratio flow to the sump."
I was told that the Overflow Boxes that are inside the tanks (ReefReady) take up floor space, interfer with the water ratio flow rate and causes hot spots in the tank... Is this not true for Reef Ready Tanks?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Or you could get the non RR tank and install one of these

BeanAnimal's Bar and Grill - Silent and Fail-Safe Overflow System

I'm selling all my tanks and saving up for a big SW system and plan to use this type of overflow

There's a huge thread on it on Reef Central.

 

[mwilliams]

This reply back is for JayBird:
At this time I do not have a skimmer on my standard tank 55gal. It broke. I am running an Eheim 2217, Peguiun 350 & a #1 Hydor also switched to Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt mix.
I am trying to get info on Reef Ready Tanks because I was giving some info that Reef Ready tanks is not good tanks and to go with a standard tank with a HOB leading to the sump below.

 

[Jaybird]

Unless you are planning on having just live rock and fish (FOWLR) then I would really suggest getting the skimmer fixed. Usually the only part on a skimmer than can break is the pump (unless you were using one of the integrated HOB types). If you are looking at a reef setup then you will need a skimmer.

I'm not sure who told you that reef-ready tanks are not good and to use a HOB overflow box, but I would be cautious about listen to anything more that person has to say.

All the HOB overflows that I have seen run on a syphon. Imagine this scenario: you are at work/school and there is a short power outage at home. Water levels drop in the tank to your sump. System stabilizes. Power is restored and the return pump starts moving water from the sump back to the display tank but because of the water level drop there is no more syphon on the HOB overflow. The return pump will just keep going until there is no more water, which will usually mean a huge swimming pool on your floor.

That won't happen with the reef-ready tanks. The overflow portion is just a tube going down to the sump. When water goes above that point gravity does the job and the water falls back to the sump. Unless gravity is somehow affected by the power outage it can't overflow the display tank. Now, getting snails or other debris blocking the intake could be an issue, but it would also be one for a HOB overflow as well.

If you are trying to avoid buying a new tank and keep using the 55G then a HOB is the best choice. If you are looking for a new tank to replace the 55G then I would only buy a reef-ready one. I have a regular 90G that I drilled to put in an overflow and I would not do that again. Looking back, I should have sold the 90G and bought a new reef-ready one instead. It would have been less work and easier maintenance.





The reef-ready tanks are just as good as a regular tank. Even better, I would argue. They already have the holes drilled and include the baffles. You just need to provide a tank for the sump and the proper pipes to connect it all (and a return pump).

This reply back is for JayBird:
At this time I do not have a skimmer on my standard tank 55gal. It broke. I am running an Eheim 2217, Peguiun 350 & a #1 Hydor also switched to Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt mix.
I am trying to get info on Reef Ready Tanks because I was giving some info that Reef Ready tanks is not good tanks and to go with a standard tank with a HOB leading to the sump below.

 

[six2sevenproductions]

In my experience both types can be noisy and both can be adjusted. You will not know until you get one and do your best for adjustment. Hob boxes usually fail when the return pump is not strong enough. It builds air pockets and when the pocket get big enough it stops the siphon. Reef ready tanks take up way too much space inside the tank. On the plus side there is no siphon to fail.

 

[Jaybird]

True, some models have quite large plastic baffles for both intake and return. Some also have quite small returns. You can always try hiding a return with live rock...or dare I say it....attach some GSP to it and let it grow over.

Oh, one thing I never mentioned: if you are looking at a new tank go with glass. Acylic is nice and light but will scratch easily. As your tank matures and you end up needing to scrape coraline off the viewing sides you will wish you had glass.

Reef ready tanks take up way too much space inside the tank. On the plus side there is no siphon to fail.

 

[SAAVE853]

Rr
+1

 

[Krypt]

If I could trade in my HOB overflow for a RR tank, I'd do it in a heart beat. Aesthetically, they have a much cleaner look and functionally, they don't seem to have the same danger of siphon loss due to a power outage like the HOB ones.