Reef on a Budget
- Thread starter inkblue
- Start date
:tired: Wouldn't people have to "read" this discussion as well, which in your reality..."they will most likely not."
:hug: Exactly.
- Location
- Philippines
This thread is geared for those who give advice... see Page 1.
Killerdrgn
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Park Ridge, NJ
Ok what are your parameters for a cheap tank? Like only 10 gallons, needs to support sps, must have x, y, and z components, etc.
You can probably set up a tank that'll support 1 or 2 mushrooms for under $150.
This is a really open ended thread as we have no input requirements. The definition of cheap for a 500G aquarium is different than the definition of cheap for a 5G aquarium.
You can probably set up a tank that'll support 1 or 2 mushrooms for under $150.
This is a really open ended thread as we have no input requirements. The definition of cheap for a 500G aquarium is different than the definition of cheap for a 5G aquarium.
- Location
- Greenpoint Brooklyn, NY
I was looking at two separate hang on skimmers once, one was for 80$(or something) with a pump known to blow up and barely skimmed at all, and most likely produced more water than skim and required ALOT of constant cleaning/tuning/maintenance. The other was the remora hang on for 120-130$, came with a maxi jet and skimmed stuff out of the water and all u had to do was dump out the skimmate. Reviews of both stated both worked and people said would buy again on both sites i looked at. Now as a reefer on a budget u would buy the 80$, end up junking it because it didn;t work, curse at thse who said it did and noone would buy it because it was a waste of plastic, so your out 80$, and end up buying a better one anyways.
I like saving money here and there whenever possible. But if its a good deal and a good product, everyone has one and recommends it to others. If someone recommends a higher priced item not on the usual budget then its for a reason.
I would rather buy something at a moderate price, that worked well and kept its value for a resale if i ever upgraded. Or something that was low cost that i could modify for pennies to work 3x better than the stock version.
Either way, a hobby is a hobby. And every hobby costs to be in it (Reefing hurts the wallet).
I like saving money here and there whenever possible. But if its a good deal and a good product, everyone has one and recommends it to others. If someone recommends a higher priced item not on the usual budget then its for a reason.
I would rather buy something at a moderate price, that worked well and kept its value for a resale if i ever upgraded. Or something that was low cost that i could modify for pennies to work 3x better than the stock version.
Either way, a hobby is a hobby. And every hobby costs to be in it (Reefing hurts the wallet).
If you want to skimp on your nutrient removal system because of high costs i.e. skimmer, mechanical filtration etc., don't put the nutrients into your system. VERY VERY easy on the fish load and feeding and your tank can still be clean and healthy...even with a crappy skimmer 
- Location
- Philippines
Thanks Rich simple suggestion for the budget conscious reefer...
simple suggestion for the budget conscious reefer...
- Location
- Philippines
Take it offline? You mean the skimmer...? But if you already bought it, wouldn't it be a waste of money rather than a savings :scratch:
- Location
- Marine Park
Nice
Sell it, like I did it serve its purpose. It was a quality skimmer too.
I used it as a crutch to make my system skimmerless in the long run.
Check it out there is quite a number of people now going the way I have.
Nothing wrong with saving money...But all of you are right when you say "Don't buy cheap" But it also depends on what you're buying...I have a cheap backup pump
I used for two years and spent around $20 for it. I use it to move water, mix salt,
and if something gos wrong with my main return and it's been working out great
I feel it's paid for itself many times over...
Also if you keep any kind of saltwater tank you should always have salt IN STOCK!
if you can't afford at least that you have no right to keep the tank..IMO
Somethings like a skimmer you can use cheap., IF you know what to do with it.
like an air stone skimmer, you can make one very cheap and they work great,
(or at least mine have) however they do more tending to and some knowhow
then we have some other stuff we CAN NOT skimp on, as in TESTING! and Bulbs
and having the light you need or at least what your tank needs.
BTW, I do have a reef tank that cost me less then 4 bucks ..
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/tank-threads/32703-bought-thing-petco-3-bucks.html
I used for two years and spent around $20 for it. I use it to move water, mix salt,
and if something gos wrong with my main return and it's been working out great
I feel it's paid for itself many times over...
Also if you keep any kind of saltwater tank you should always have salt IN STOCK!
if you can't afford at least that you have no right to keep the tank..IMO
Somethings like a skimmer you can use cheap., IF you know what to do with it.
like an air stone skimmer, you can make one very cheap and they work great,
(or at least mine have) however they do more tending to and some knowhow
then we have some other stuff we CAN NOT skimp on, as in TESTING! and Bulbs
and having the light you need or at least what your tank needs.
BTW, I do have a reef tank that cost me less then 4 bucks ..
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/tank-threads/32703-bought-thing-petco-3-bucks.html
- Location
- Philippines
No offense to the seller, but that Jebo on sale is a perfect example of what not to recommend might as well go skimmerless as per Sharn...
might as well go skimmerless as per Sharn...No offense to the seller, but that Jebo on sale is a perfect example of what not to recommend
I thought the same thing when I saw it..:biggrin:
Killerdrgn
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Park Ridge, NJ
Your $4 tank is definitly cheating though, your using things you already have around. Wasn't the intention of this thread to show newbie reefers how to start up a cheap tank?
But i assert again that we cannot have a really serious discussion until we get some minimum requirements for the tank. Without minimum requirements i can say that i can make a reef tank for free out of a poland spring bottle i found on the street. Or in a pint/quart soup container.
This is a great thread. I think there is a lot of validity to it.
Advice can be how to save money and buy the less expensive piece of equipment. I think almost everyone would agree the MJ900 is reasonably inexpensive and good. Sure there are better but for the price .. I would say the MJ900 is the best bang for your buck pump out there.
On the other hand the Nano Fission is a piece of crap...again I think we can almost all agree on it. SO save your money.
I personally think you can be cost effective. Most of the all in one tanks with very simple mods can keep a diverse reef enviromnent. SPS maybe not. But I can tell you in mine with the standard lighting, small fuge light, MJ900, one panel of eggcrate, and some filter medium I have a good growing mixed bunch of corals. My total cost for all the mods would be 60 bucks? With a Koralia 2 add another 40 bucks. But even there I could have saved the difference between the two pumps.
I bought a nano fission...25 bucks down the drain.
If you do the little things right you can get away with LR and LS without a skimmer. Water changes, careful feeding, and a small fuge does it for me.
Frags from fellow reefers, sales, group buys are all good ways to save money.
I agree you cannot take an old 55G fresh water tank that has been treated with copper, a perfecto hood, and a whisper filter and hope to keep SPS. But with a budget and careful planning you can have some nice corals that are happy and growing.
Advice can be how to save money and buy the less expensive piece of equipment. I think almost everyone would agree the MJ900 is reasonably inexpensive and good. Sure there are better but for the price .. I would say the MJ900 is the best bang for your buck pump out there.
On the other hand the Nano Fission is a piece of crap...again I think we can almost all agree on it. SO save your money.
I personally think you can be cost effective. Most of the all in one tanks with very simple mods can keep a diverse reef enviromnent. SPS maybe not. But I can tell you in mine with the standard lighting, small fuge light, MJ900, one panel of eggcrate, and some filter medium I have a good growing mixed bunch of corals. My total cost for all the mods would be 60 bucks? With a Koralia 2 add another 40 bucks. But even there I could have saved the difference between the two pumps.
I bought a nano fission...25 bucks down the drain.
If you do the little things right you can get away with LR and LS without a skimmer. Water changes, careful feeding, and a small fuge does it for me.
Frags from fellow reefers, sales, group buys are all good ways to save money.
I agree you cannot take an old 55G fresh water tank that has been treated with copper, a perfecto hood, and a whisper filter and hope to keep SPS. But with a budget and careful planning you can have some nice corals that are happy and growing.
- Location
- Philippines
I have made my mistakes (fission)
, but am very happy these days. I do dream of a 120 G Italian made custom reef tank with all the fixins but until then I want my corals to grow and be healthy and happy. Anyway keep up the good work this thread is :starfish::starfish::starfish::starfish::starfish:.
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