New Build - Prices

Hi there!

Been reading through the newbie guides here since im planning on getting my first saltwater tank! And after googling just a bit i realised it will take more work then i thought from the start.

One thing that almost everyone says they regret is not getting the right kit from the start... I was planing on getting a tank that's 200-250l (50-60 galons) Roughly what would the tank and all the accessorys needed cost? (excl sand, rocks, plants and fish)

I was planning on spending about 1k USD for the initial setup. Do i need to spash out (excuse the pun) a bit more or should i manage ok to get the "hardware" i need with that?

Another question i couldnt find anyone who explained... RO/DI what on earth does this stand for? And what is it for, some people seem to use them and some people dont...

LPS is another one people keep throwing around, what does that mean

And another thing, i read about some kind of tube that has a UV light in it that can help prevent illnesses in the fishtank, what are these called? And are they really needed?

Thanks in advance! :

 

Welcome to 3Reef!!! You are about to embark on a great journey into saltwater tanks...enjoy the ride!

To answer some of your questions:
You should be able to find a used setup with everything you need for under 1K easily with money to spare for all the rest of the live stock. Check Craigslist, Ebay, For Sale Forums, etc...

RO/DI is a way to purify the water for your fish tank. It stands for Reverse Osmosis/DeIonization. It is essential for keeping healthy fish, corals and good water parameters. It all starts there.

LPS is a type of coral, it stands for Large Polyp Stony, there is also SPS - Small Polyp Stony (Hard Corals) and Soft Corals available.

The light you are referring to is a UV sterilizer, some swear by them others do not. Its something to read up on, I have one, not sure if it does much...but I cant stop it now...

Hope that helped a bit....
Read a lot, research more, and ask a ton of questions...and go slow!!!

 

For those of you joining us that are new to the hobby - the best piece of advice you'll get around here as a saltwater newbie is 3Reef's slogan
"Go slow, let it grow."
And for those experianced hobbyists joining us - it's still good advice
good luck and post pics soon



These should help a bit with the Abbreviations


read these and then come back and ask about anything you still don't understand. we'll get you squared away and on the right path

http://www.3reef.com/forums/new-hobby/how-setup-saltwater-aquarium-89044.html

http://www.3reef.com/forums/new-hobby/ultimate-newbie-guide-86462.html

http://www.3reef.com/forums/reef-aquarium-articles-how-tos/all-about-sumps-filters-fuges-79852.html

http://www.3reef.com/forums/protein-skimmers/all-about-skimmers-skimmers-skimmer-85389.html

http://www.3reef.com/forums/general-reef-topics/handy-research-links-89299.html

 

Thanks a lot really apriciate it. After reading on here i will almost be scared to add fishes so dont worry i wont be rushing into things .

ive been reading up on fishtanks, What would you recomend, acrylic or glass? What are the pluses and minuses of the two?

TELGAR: Thanks awsome links

 

Go glass. You will have less scratches than acrylic and easier to maintain.

 

(-) Acrylic will scratch a lot easier than glass, but sometimes you are able to get those scratches out.
(+) Acrylic is lighter than glass

(-) Glass is heavier (but with the size you are looking at, weight shouldn't really be an issue.
(-) If glass gets scratched, you CANNOT remove the scratches
(+) Because it is heavier and is harder to scratch - it will last longer

Personally, I will never own an acrylic tank. I like to keep my tank really clean so I would not want to take a chance on scratching acrylic.

 

Thanks for the replies , just came back from a small shop close by and i must say... im more tempted to go for on the 70gallon tanks!

Quick question on powerheads, ive been looking at the Aquaclear 70 Powerheads, but ive been thinking, maybe its better to have a few less powerfull ones then just one... Is my thinking dumb or would multiple ones give more of a wave effect?

cheers

 

2 smaller ones better than 1 big one.

 

Thanks a lot Does the same go for heating, filters ect as well?

 

i would go with the largest tank you can afford. you are more likely to want a larger tank later than a smaller one. Also, the more water, the easier to keep your water chemistry and other paramaters stable imo.