Newbie

welcome to 3 reef

 

Thanks for the warm welcome. I was happy to see in my surfing, that this forum seems very nice compared to otheres I have come across.

Can you guys give me a ballpark price for a 180 gallon without stand or anything, just the tank. Also, would you suggest buying new, or looking for use also.

I also found out what I thought was a petco type of place, but it's 'Aquarium Adventure', obviously specializing in fish.

I thinking when it comes time to purchasing, I will pick it up to save on shipping costs.

Thanks again.

 

Scour Craig's list for a used one, find and join any local reef clubs in your area, members usually offer used tanks there first, sometimes whole systems even.

 

Depending on who you get the tank from and because of the weight try and find a bigger store that handles tanks and stands. Shipping can be too high for one tank. I like All Glass they make a great glass tank. Comes with dual overflows. They are recessed in from the ends so your not looking into the overflow. A new one costs about $900-$1000. After you are moved I would check craigslist and maybe pick up a whole setup. This economy is causing some reefers to have to sell their tank. Used equipment is what it is. Be sure it all works with no leaks or telltale scratches. Prefer to buy with the tank setup and spend a lot of time looking it over and ask questions about products you don't know about. Figure in your mind the cost of the goods new and take into heavy consideration the age of it all. The person that's selling it also plays into part because if he is very diligent about his work and you can see it's been well taken care of that will effect the offer just as the guy who either is selling it for a friend or doesn't show any interest well you can do the math. 10 cents to 50 cents on the dollar and it's gotta be a knockout system to give 50 cents.
A lot of the decisions you make will be based on affordability. I would not get a reef tank that's at least 18" in depth or you'll be unhappy in no time. Wait it out man even if it's years by then you'll be a full fledged reefer.

 

Welcome to our forum. You will have a lot of fun here and yes... learn a lot about saltwater aquariums. I can only agree and say that you should go as big as you can afford. But be reminded that it's not over with just getting the tank and equipment. This is NOT a cheap hobby. So, just be aware of that.
Good luck with the move and finding the right tank for your budget!