Reefer to be! Have some questions!

[cindre2000]

That is just a figure. It is a bit on the high side, especially if you want a Fish Only set up. It also assumes that you will buy everything locally, which can get expensive. It works better with larger aquariums since you cannot skimp as much.

 

[herpencounter]

Mines a small tank so (most stuff I have to get at my lfs) the most expensive thing is really going to be live rock 6.50 a pound on avg. I just got an 11 pound rock add it up 8O .

 

[toastii]

ouch... hmmmm

yea ok i think im going to go with getting the 24gl aquapod that guy is selling for 90$ now... and just hold onto it for a while... a long while

 

[toastii]

oops the person was selling the protein skimmer... not the tank..

 

[toastii]

nother person selling a 25gl (and stand) for first 70$ then 50$ and now 30$

 

[herpencounter]

Just 1 question on the 25 gall how long is it?

 

[spanko]

$90 for a 24 gallon aquapod is a good price if it has all of the original equipment with it and it is in good shape. i think you would do well getting this tank.

 

[toastii]

$90 for a 24 gallon aquapod is a good price if it has all of the original equipment with it and it is in good shape. i think you would do well getting this tank.

it was just the protein skimmer not the tank

 

[mr_X]

i lost count with my 125. i tried to cut every corner possible, and what i ended up with is a very functional, but somewhat ugly setup.
it's interesting to hardcore reefers i suppose, but to the "regular joe", it's a bit of an eye sore.
i'll say this much- the smaller the tank, the less expense. i am in the process of helping my SO(significant other) start a 30 gallon cube, and even buying some used stuff, it's still getting pricey. especially the lighting.
but the good news is, you don't need as much live rock or sand, you don't need the masive halide hood, and you won't need to purchase as many frags to colonize the tank. you also won't go through the salt as fast as some of us.
so far-
tank and stand -175.00(craigs list)
sand/live sand mix/ salt- 90.00(LFS)
heater/powerheads/pumps/thermometer/hydrometer-60..00(some new, some used)
live rock- 180.00...and we're not sure if we'll need more yet.
lighting- we haven't purchased yet, but we are looking at 300 or so for a suitable fixture(better get the best light now, instead of half-azzing it and then re-purchasing later)
and then..there's livestock......??????

so...we're at $625.00, for a 30 gallon tank, and we haven't added livestock yet.

have fun! :wink:

 

[toastii]

so far my list is for live stock

2 - OCELLARIS CLOWNFISH M. $27.98
1 - BUBBLE ANEMONE S. $19.99
3 - ASTRAEA SNAIL $5.97
1 - PEPPERMINT SHRIMP $6.49
- MINI-REEF LIVE ROCK 12 LB. $39.99

i have a thermometer/hydrometer
i have leftover salt-- but i will deff need new salt in a year when im going to do this

dont know about a tank yet
frags/zoas ive seen ppl sell these cheap
heaters are easy
sand-- seawaterexpress (easy)
pumps also easy- petsolution has 10gl (i'll get a bigger on obviously) whisper air pumps for 5$
stand also easy.. there are really nice ones at petssmart that are cheap and hold upto 20 gl (they might have a bigger size)

and i know where to get everything cheaper than at a LFS (petsolutions- absolutely amazing) livestock so far is only at 100$

i will prolly get the majority of my stuff used
and i think im going to set up a "New tank for Sara Fund" and put some money away and add money to that.. see how much i have to spend after ra year of saving

 

[mr_X]

live rock is 3 dollars a pound? what kind of rock is that?...send me the link.
i pay 5.99 for hand picked, uncured fiji, solomon island, and some tonga branch, and i thought that was cheap. :?
meanwhile..what does "live sand-easy" mean? what is easy about it? is it free?
you will need salt pretty regularly. not just for the initial fill. so that salt that you are saving....unless it's over 1000 pounds, you will run out fairly soon if you plan to do water changes, and if you don't, your tank will smell like the bay, and look like it too 8O

i'm not talking about air pumps either....
i mean water pumps. you will need a decent amount of flow and circulation. these aren't 6.99 like whisper air pumps.

 

[herpencounter]

Have you decided what size tank you are going to get?

Once you tell use what size tank, we can help allot more.

 

[toastii]

http://www.petsolutions.com/Default.aspx?ItemID=170210L

im prolly not gonna get that though... i'll have too see because i rather not cure it. im not quite sure about it. but i might cure it if im upto it in a year and i get that job at the invertabre house in the national zoo! this rock is also nano sized.. like rubble its not actually large pieces of rock.. which i just found out.

oh the live sand- easy to get.. not that expensive-- i dont think id have to double chek

i know the salt i have isnt enough!!! haha its only like 5gls worth! id deff need lots more. i will need more quite soon actually.

oh.. water pumps.. hmm didnt think about that << thats why i need you guys.. i know absolutly nothing.. except that you have to cycle the tank. :?

and again i wont bee starting this for a year of saving and lots of research...

 

[mr_X]

i don't think you are going to want that mini reef rock. that's what we call "rubble" basically. you are going to want larger, prettier pieces. :wink:
dude..read my build thread...learn from my mistakes!

 

[toastii]

ssrryy!!! i havent-- but my options are a
12gl
or
20-25gl

lets say i was getting a 12gl- what could i put in it


this is someone elses tank

12 gallon JBJ no mods other than the mini jet, 15 pounds of live rock, 20 pounds of live sand, Paired Percula Clownfish, 3 Orange/Purple Legged Hermits, 3 Mexican Turbo Snails, Coral Banded Shrimp, Brittle Star with tiny brothers and sisters, Asterina Stars everywhere, Green Star Polyp Colony, Yellow Polyp Colony, Ricordia Colinies, Green and Red Striped Mushrooms, Purple Mushrooms, Blue Mushrooms, Reddish Green Mushrooms, and Pink and Orange Zoo Colony.

im not saying i want all that.. thats just what he/she has... umm zoas frags sand rock inverts etc.

 

[herpencounter]

I can help you so so so much more if I know what size tank you want to get.

IMO you should get a 20 gallon tall not to big so it wont get expensive (remember the smaller the tank the cheaper the bigger the tank less chance of killing every thing in your tank).

Edit: you beat me to it so your looking at a 12?

 

[toastii]

umm lets aim for a 12 and if i end up finding something bigger i can just add supply costs right?

 

[toastii]

or should i aim for bigger (20) and subtract?? hmmm pick one and then we will theorize what i can put in this tank im planning in the future

 

[herpencounter]

You cant really subtract much.....

ummm! lets see for a 20 and if my total is to much then we will look at the 12.OK.

 

[toastii]

thats good! i like that idea... i wonder how much i can save in.. 12 months

ok so what can i put in this thing-- building it around the clownfish idea