Just started need advice on my equipment and what I've done so far.

Wish I would have been more selective while picking live rock. I just grabbed what I saw. I just grabbed the biggest pieces that I found. I may try to break it up into smaller more workable pieces

 

If you have enough controller for both heaters it will work as a back up. I am not familiar the controller so not sure what all it can do. If you are able to have both then if it gets cold in the winter both will ensure your tank is the right temp and if the thermostat goes out on one it will not fry your fish if it is on the controller. I hope that makes sense.

 

@mdbostwick good point about using both....I was also tossing around the idea of keeping the 150w on the controller And using the 100 in a quarantine/hospital setup and keeping that in my son's rule. I wasn't planning on doing a quarantine but it seems everyone on this forum insist that they are a necessity. Thought?

 

A QT is definitely not a bad idea. Not everyone runs one. I have never done it in the past but I do have one now for any new additions I will get. I recently had a heater fail and had i not had the backup second heater It may have been detrimental. It is always a good idea to have extra equipment though even if you aren't using it for when, not if, something breaks.

 

Quarantine for fish is highly highly suggested. The fish are not cheap and almost everyone here has dealt with some sort of disease or injury to fish.

 

I consider myself luck in that I have not had a problem with a diseased fish spreading fish herpes and killing my tank in the past. Thus the QT now, no longer want to press my luck.

 

I am a big fan of via aqua heaters. It is all I will use. I have a at tank but only use it for new additions now that I am pretty invested in my DT

 

I figure it's a win win...I'll have a qt setup and my son will have fish in his room from time to time..I just would have nowhere else to put it

 

it took me forever to decide on a heater. so I went with the one that everyone seem to consider as the gold standard. to be honest the only reason I bought the controller was for the dreaded heater failure I keep hearing about.

 

I have heard good things about the eheim heaters. I also use ViaAqua heaters. I found the 300w ones on sale on Amazon and snagged 2 and my main heater is a ViaAqua Titanium and has its own temp probe. I don't have a controller yet, next big purchase of mine, for if the thermostat goes out on one but i do have 2 in my sump which saved my butt 2 weeks ago.