New. 900$ To Spend. This Is What Im Looking For.

Hello everyone I am new to saltwater fish tanks to be honest I don't know much about tanks,fish,corals or verts but I have been wanting a saltwater tank for a long time but have always been told they are very difficult to keep up and what not well I have read a bit online (Thats what got me here) and it does not seem that hard if I just learn and do things "by the book" I guess you could put it. ANYWAY I got 900$ and this is what I would like to have. A few fish (2-5) that are fairly easy to take care of but have nice colors. same with corals a few as well and fairly easy to take care of, Basicly I want the best looking tank I can set up but yet not have to worry 24/7 if something is going to go wrong. I understand some of the basics as far as needing live rock and sand depending on live marine. Really just looking to know what a good tank size is what fish are best with one another and are ok with certain corals ETC and trying to stay in 900-1200$ range. Sorry for long thread and thank you for your time.

 

howdy and welcome to 3reef.

I would first ask this question, have you any experiece with keeping aquatic critters at all? fw or sw?

Answer this so I can answer your initial question.

 

Welcome to 3reef =]

Im going to start by being compeletly honest with you. You are going to spend close to 900 just getting the tank set up. I have a 36 bowfront and spent almost a grand starting it up. You need:

Tank
Stand
Decent lights(better to get good ones first instead of waisting money later)
Filter
Heater
Substrate
Liverock
Water
Salt
Test Kits

Fish and Coral will come a month or two down the road after your tank has cycled. Good luck to you and really do your research before you jump right into this!Its a fun hobby and very addicting but it can get exspennsive fast =]

 

Welcome to 3reef,

The lighting will probably a significant chunk of that cost, so knowing specifically what type ( soft, sps, lps) will guide you in what type of lighting you will need to house those specific corals.

For a 1st tank I like 50-90 gallons but that just a personal preference. Starting with a fairly large volume of water is a good idea, more room for errors.

As far as fish, to plan a tank that does not need constant supervision you will probably, have to consider how often the fish need to be feed to thrive. Some fish do ok every other day or longer, some need multiple feedings daily. What type of fish do you like?

This thread composes a lot of valuable information.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/new-hobby/whats-important-successful-tank-108699.html

 

With what the above has stated as mostly true- patience makes for a much better experience- SW is in no way like FW, yes it can be expensive, but this depends on what your preference is as in accordence to the critters you wish to keep- SPS equates to an expensive tank set up, LPS less expensive, but prone to maintence issues, a FOWLR- a great set up for the beginner IMHO, and far less expensive too.

 

I disagree I feel this to be a requirement- hence the reason she prefers this, ( and I agree ) I feel this to be a requirement for a mixed reef, but for a FOWLR tank, 20 gallons or better will do depending on the fish you choose to keep. A FOWLR is the lowest maintence and lowest cost SW tank option.

Corailline, is more cautious then I am, but her advise is always sound.

 

Craigslist is your best friend.

Scour the area for a good deal on a tank and stand. Used, I would not pay more than a $1.25 per gallon, and that is for a nice tank and stand.

Also, Petco (IIRC) often has $1 per gallon sales.

My personal preference is something around 40 gallons to 75 gallons for your first tank. Big enough to have diverse critters and easy to maintain without getting too expensive on equipment.

The shallower the tank, usually the cheaper you can go on lights.

 

Silor

 

This. My recommendation would be to try and find a 65 gallon AGA with an overflow or a 75 gallon with an overflow.

I don't know where you live, but I did a quick search in the SF area and found the following applicable tanks:

- 75 gallon bow front with a very nice stand and canopy for $250.

- A 60 gallon cube (24"x24"x24") including a decent protein skimmer, sump for $300.

- A 90 gallon with all the goodies for $500 - including sump, fuge, protein skimmer, pump, etc.

So you should be able to find a decent setup for about half of your budget then spend the rest on sand, rock and fish.

 

I am no expert, though I will say for $900 I would check craigslist...patience will be the key. Also I when looking on Craigslist I highly recommend checking cities just outside your hometown..someone may just have something you are looking for and if you dont mind 1/2- 1 hr drive then it may be worth it!!

I paid a little over $500 and received a 125 gal w/ overflow and stand, a 55 gal sump, a skimmer, and T5 lighting. I still have a little room to spare to get powerheads, pumps, live rock, and sand.