Help! Discouraged!

Okay, I am getting very stressed and starting to get discouraged about this aquarium... I have been researching almost everything I can, and I keep getting lost in my thoughts. I know that things take time in this hobby. I want to be able to buy everything and just set it up, but my budget along with my wife is not allowing it right now. As I read about these systems, there is no way to go cheap. Every time I read about something and find what I think is reasonably priced, I read that it wont work for what I want. What do I want you ask? I want to be able to house corals that are vibrant in colors. I am still trying to figure out what kinds I want. I think the branch looking corals are cool, and the zoas are neat. I also like the leathers and brain corals. I have not studied enough to know what will go together. I know I want an anemone to host with a pair of clownfish. Also a Goby.

Here is what I have right now.
55g tank - 48"l x 12"w x 20"d
Oval Stand - (Needs Replaced ASAP for future sump)
40lbs Marco Dry Rock (Need 10 to 20 more lbs possible Live Rock)
40lbs Marco Course Sand
HOB Filter - (will be replaced with sump in future)
Heater
2 Powerheads - 800gph (Cheapos, will be replaced in due time, no hurry)
3 18" Fluorescent lights - 2 stock hood lights, and 1 spare (Need new lights for obviouse reasons)
Spectrapure RO/DI System - 90GPD Refurbished

10g QT tank
Heater
Air stones
HOB filter

This may be okay for a FOWLR tank, let me know what you guys think.

What I will need to purchase before turning into reef tank.
Hydrometer - (will replace with refractometer after budget allows it)
Saltwater Test Kit
CuC - After the system Cycles
Fish - Looking at what species I want (taking tank size, reef safe, and aggression into consideration)
Skimmer - probably get a HOB that can be used in sump also
Stand - with clearance for refugium/sump
20g or 30g tank - for refugium/sump
Water Pump - at least 500gph
HOB Overflow - at least 800gph (Can't drill the tank)
Plumbing for Sump
Live Sand for Refugium
Lighting - T5HO or LED (Not going with the cheapos here)
Reactors - (not sure how many and what for, yet)
New Powerheads - not sure of the GPH
Wavemaker timers
Extra heaters

Okay, so now I am seeing dollar signs and this is starting to get discouraging. I am wanting a reef tank so bad and wish I could just drop 1500.00 dollars right now on all my equipment but that is not happening. I am not sure how to talk my wife into budgeting for this hobby. I know there is going to be some budgeting due to replacing salt, feeding fish, and replacing filters of my RO/DI. Please help me guys, I need encouragement. Sorry about such a long post and my whining, but I needed to vent and to see what all I need to get.

 

As far as I can see you currently have everything you need to keep whatever type of coral you want (min the light). Having top notch equipment doesn’t make you a good reefer or dictate the success of your reef; you can have the bests equipment and still can’t keep xenia alive. What dictate your success as a reefer, Is the time you take to learn the needs and personality of your coral. And take it slow.
Also a lot of the stuff you have on your list, you can go DIY. hope this helps

 

Hobby: an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation.

Research is a fantastic thing and I applaud your pursuit of it, but you can over do almost anything. You have not even purchased live stock yet and your stressed.

Remember the SW or Aquarium hobby wants to sell, they want to sell you everything and anything. The forums can appear to generate this " I must have it mentality" even when you actually do not need it.

Save money on reactors, wave makers and put that into a refractometer....

Relax man

 

I attempted to build a stand about 2 years ago, but I came to the conclusion. Do not try to build anything unless you have all the tools needed to do them. And I can not justify buying a tool if I am only going to use it once.

 

That list of needs is in order of when I plan on buying them. Thank you for the encouragement. The only stressful thing I have right now is my wife telling me no, every time I say I want to buy something.....

 

lol, there is no words of encouragement there my friend, i have one of those on my back all the time :;D,


as for your stand, i would have it professional built or just buy one from the store , nothing will make you heart drop as fasts as being woking up from a crashs in the middle of the night.:-/

 

Your wife will be fully on board when she sees the beauty of a reef environment in the living room. Keep going down the path. You are getting there...and so will she.

 

Best advice I can give is to get your wife on board. Have you taken her to a fish store to show her what you are thinking about? Although I make all of the purchases, and do all of the maintenance for the tanks, I still keep my wife very involved. I go over ever purchase with her and why it is needed. We go the the fish store at least once a month and let her make suggestions on fish or corals. I show her any cool fish that pop up on Divers Den. Etc., Etc.

Doing this has made her that much more into the hobby and has no problem with what I purchase for the tanks. She even spends time every day inspecting them, and will send me picture messages with anything weird or funny going on.

Get her on board early

 

So in other words start the brainwashing early and often.

Start with careful placement of Liveaquaria and Marinedepot catalogs throughout the house.

Prelude to a romantic dinner a quick stop by the LFS.

Just when you think involuntary re-education is failing watching Finding Nemo will get you back on track.

 

Check craigslist also, maybe you can find some cheap gear there.