Solana owners

[maxfischer]

I have been kicking around the idea of moving into a 34 gallon Solana tank. We are just getting started on building a house and I need to downsize due to time that will be lost on the tank maintenance.
I know we have a few Solana owners in the club so I have a few questions for the,

1. How does the skimmer work?
2. Are you running a calcium reactor?
3. What are you using for top off?
4. What are you using for power heads (I have 2 Tunze 6055 is this to much)?

Thanks for the info
-Cory

 

[daveb]

1. How does the skimmer work?
I had the tunze 9002, and i personally prefer the stock skimmer.

2. Are you running a calcium reactor?
I dose 2-part.

3. What are you using for top off?
Tsunami AT-1.

4. What are you using for power heads
Ive got a 700GPH for return pump, a k3, and k1 in the tank. Id love to have 2x6055's instead but others may not.

 

[Joel A]

this is not a shot at any of the Solana owners, so please don't take it the wrong way as many of them are very attractive looking tanks..

but am I the only one getting a bit tired of them? Seems like EVERYONE has one now.. personally for me I can't ever see going smaller than a 4 foot tank.. i know that it's different for other people as they prefer different things.. but if i WAS going to go with a smaller tank i don't think i'd buy one of these "package" deals... i'd be more apt to just buy a custom sized tank and then add the equipment that i like and know works well with it..

again, not taking a shot at anyone... but how many Solana owners do we have in the club now.. i bet there are more people with 34 gallon Solanas in the club now than any other type of tank.

 

[Behrmon]

1. How does the skimmer work?
- Okay at best, not currently using any.

2. Are you running a calcium reactor?
- Two part for me, not a big deal on a 34g tank. I'm mostly LPS/Softie tho.

3. What are you using for top off?
- Tupperware Pitcher.

4. What are you using for power heads (I have 2 Tunze 6055 is this to much)?
- One moded 6025, seems good to me, I would think Two 6055 would be to much.

I'm keeping it very simple and don't currently miss all the work/cost of the 150. You have to be very willing to except some limitations with this size. All in all it's a great tank except the skimmer which is just okay.

 

[maxfischer]

this is not a shot at any of the Solana owners, so please don't take it the wrong way as many of them are very attractive looking tanks..

but am I the only one getting a bit tired of them? Seems like EVERYONE has one now.. personally for me I can't ever see going smaller than a 4 foot tank.. i know that it's different for other people as they prefer different things.. but if i WAS going to go with a smaller tank i don't think i'd buy one of these "package" deals... i'd be more apt to just buy a custom sized tank and then add the equipment that i like and know works well with it..

again, not taking a shot at anyone... but how many Solana owners do we have in the club now.. i bet there are more people with 34 gallon Solanas in the club now than any other type of tank.

I’m looking for an easy set up while I start building my house, I will be doing most of the work myself and will not have time to keep a larger system. I would break down my tank 100% but I want to keep some of the corals I have for the 300gallon tank going into the new house. I like the look the Solana and it fits my needs for now. I’m not looking to spend big money on a custom nano since I have a 96” x 30” x 24” going into the new house.


Thanks for the Info guys, i was a bit worried on the skimmer

 

[Joel A]

I’m looking for an easy set up while I start building my house, I will be doing most of the work myself and will not have time to keep a larger system. I would break down my tank 100% but I want to keep some of the corals I have for the 300gallon tank going into the new house. I like the look the Solana and it fits my needs for now. I’m not looking to spend big money on a custom nano since I have a 96” x 30” x 24” going into the new house.


Thanks for the Info guys, i was a bit worried on the skimmer

guess it makes a bit more sense then

 

[daveb]

Sure, i guess alot of people own a solana, not sure about everybody else but i know why i own one.

 

[ohsweetmadness]

1. How does the skimmer work?
- Okay at best- I'm not using one right now either.

2. Are you running a calcium reactor?
- No, but I'm mostly softy/LPS as well.

3. What are you using for top off?
- daily manual ones.

4. What are you using for power heads (I have 2 Tunze 6055 is this to much)?
- I have the stock return pump, with 2 korlaia 1s and a koralia nano.

I got my solana because I am a renter and I currently live in an old victorian that would never have supported the weight (I'm on the 2nd floor) and cannot handle the electrical pull (put in central air w/o updating the electrical). I gave up my 75g (which was a 4 foot setup) and I will say as much as I miss it, it's so much easier to stock, maintain, move, afford and convince worry-some landlords to rent to me with the solana. An all in one setup just seems to make the best sense to me in my situation. As much as I sometimes miss the 75, I always love the solana.

 

[Scott]

this is not a shot at any of the Solana owners, so please don't take it the wrong way as many of them are very attractive looking tanks..

I'm one of the annoying new Solana owners.

I'm moving to this from two bigger tanks in the basement, which it turns out cannot handle the moisture load. So I need to do something quick and this fits the bill nicely.

Frankly, the simplicity of this tank is allowing me to stay in the hobby for now. I wouldn't have had time to put something together piecemeal.

Anyway, mine has been running for 1 week, so my experience with it isn't very much. That said...

1. How does the skimmer work?

So far so good. It did an nice job cleaning up all the crap I stirred up when moving sand and rock from the other tank. It was running pretty wet for a few days and now it's settled in to creating some nice meaty foam. I've read that it starts going downhill after a month. We'll see.

2. Are you running a calcium reactor?

No. I didn't on the bigger tanks either. I dosed two-part.

3. What are you using for top off?

The bottles that come with it don't work. I don't understand how they can even sell that as a top off solution. I think I'll be rigging up the ATO valve from one of the tanks I'm breaking down.

4. What are you using for power heads (I have 2 Tunze 6055 is this to much)?

Just the stock pump for now. Seems to be doing the job.

 

[saltwaterB]

I have set up quite a few of these for people. I would have to say it is the convenience factor more than anything that draws customers to it. Unless you are trying to keep SPS, it is pretty much a great setup right out of the box, and for the price point you can barely match it for the size piece-mealing it together.
Plus it is a hot lookin' little tank!

 

[maxfischer]

Thanks everyone

How deep are people going with sand beds?
How are the MH bulbs that come with the fixture?
Can you remove the shelf on the bottom of the stand?

Im going to be getting one this week 99% sure and taking my time with the move over, im sure i will have way to many corals so keep an eye out for lots of frags.
Thanks for the help and Info

 

[Behrmon]

How deep are people going with sand beds?
2" Gray Coast for me.

How are the MH bulbs that come with the fixture?
Don't have the stock bulb.

Can you remove the shelf on the bottom of the stand?
Do you mean the very bottom? If so I wouldn't, the middle shelf sits on clip, I put a notch for cords which helps a lot.

 

[maxfischer]

Hope i will be able to use my calcium reactor set up, not sure how can feed it.