Product Critique - Red Sea 34 Gallon Plug n' Play Acquarium

[Craig Manoukian]

Well Let's Critique The Red Sea Plug n' Play Reef Aquarium, so everyone is invited to chime in! Price, components, design, etc,. is open for discussion. What do you like or what you don't like is all valid.

Red Sea Max Aquarium - Complete Reef System

 

[boozeman]

I saw it at MACNA, it was very nice! I was very tempted to get one
the lighting left a little to be desired though

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Booze,

What Do You Think About The Ceramic Filter Media? I Really Liked The Waterproof Electrical Components.

What About Future Upgradability?

 

[boozeman]

nanotuners is already offering a modded hood in HQI for it

 

[Dentoid]

This is reefing for dummies! The lazy reefer. It sure takes some learning out of the hobby. It's the let's have it now attitude of American society. I'm sure there is a niche for it though.

 

[sasquatch]

Great topic Craig! due to my experiences with redsea products, Im just going to lurk on this one.Steve

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Steve

Wade in on this one. We need all the input available. Has ome great features, but as Dentoid points out, the simplicity limits the learning that is so vital to successful reefing.

 

[boozeman]

these 'all in one' systems are responsible for introducing alot of people into reefing these days. Thier apeal is in that they aren't as 'intimidating' to set up as a full size reef would be and make a good stepping stone for people to get the feet wet

 

[sasquatch]

Ok first of all its made by redsea, somebody name one product they make that you would recommend. The biggest problem IS the dedicated parts, what do you do when something breaks? are the parts sitting at the lfs or at the supplier 3 weeks away, for a purpose built plug and play unit the R+D team is still using filtration that is out dated, there are cooling issues, the prism skimmer is, well, a prism skimmer. Its gotten a lot of people into the hobby yes, succesfully? I dont know, but my guess is there will soon be a flood of them on ebay when the novelty wears off, if this tank/system was done right nanotuners wouldnt be "fixing" it. It is a pretty package but so were fatman and littleboy. Steve

 

[boozeman]

I'm waiting till Elos makes a nano

 

[Xtreme1024]

I have owned 1 for about 2 1/2 months now. I had to add a chiller because it ran too hot with the lighting design it comes with and also added a Tunze filter due to poor water flow. With those 2 mods tank is great, no problems as of yet, even though I will be picking up my 125G next week.

 

[InLimbo87]

Personally, I don't think they're worth the money. Not sure if the rumors are true as I haven't inspected them myself but they are advertising the lighting as T5, but they are supposedly just normal PC's.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Great stuff. Keep the particular and detailed review points coming!

 

[AQTCJAK]

Being a retailer & haveing to deal with the issues i agree with sasquatch 100%

 

[Craig Manoukian]

So with the discount to $750 what would the cost be to upgrade the components, skimmer, lights, chiller, removal of filter media, etc. as they fail and what would that total allow you to purchase in tank size for a regular setup?