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Welcome to 3reef! This is a great hobby,very rewarding and challenging too.It's also a great way to keep that annoying excess cash from piling up.

 

+1 on all the above,lots of good advise availible here,ask questions and read before you buy.....anything!!! You`ll save lots and enjoy more.

 

Welcome to the reef! There's lots of great start-up articles on this site to get you started.

 

I have to review my IT skills. I must have not hit the subscribe button hard enough. I thought I had only one response to my hello. Which part of the forum should I post in if I was trying to decide on a 75 or a 180 gal tank. My wife would like the 29 gal BioCube, but she likes the big yellow tang.

I know if I start with a 29 gal, don't like it I can bail out no harm, no foul. If I do a 75 gal tank, I still can't have the big fish i want, but a 180 I do have room for, but do I want all the extra expense?

How feasable is it to have all of the maintance part of this in the basement, one floor below where the tank is. I thought it would be less messy during water changes if I could pump water from the basement to the first floor, add a drain to the first floor and also have an automatic water top off from the basement.

Our house is on the small size so there is not a lot of room to carry 10%makeup water from the RO to the first floor.

Thanks
Roger

 

a yellow wont fit in 29 that for sure.
it is feasible to have it all in the basement, you will have to spend extra money on a more powerful pump though.

there is a couple that go to one of my lfs that pumps water 2 stories to the tank.

edit: it would probably go in general topics if not a admin will move it for you but there pretty laid back as long as you dont break the rules

 

I think if I get a small 29, I will be hooked and want another, bigger tank. But I might find out that it is more than I want to do. Some of these tanks look pretty nice on the lfs cabinets. I just have to remind myself: one clown, one goby and one more fish. I guess I can have a healthy amount of cuc guys though.

I don't have a good support system for when I go on vacation. I think my 14 year old neighbor could take care of a small tank, but not a bigger one for when I am gone. Not that I leave very much, but it won't take leaving one too many times and losing a tank with a lot of livestock in it.

 

well smaller tanks are more likely to change parameter wise so i think you would be more likely to lose stuff in a small tank then a big one.

i would say as long as you do your set up properly(drip loop cords, dont place everything on one circuit, etc) you will be fine to leave up to a week or two. as long as the kid can feed the tank and not dump a whole container in the tank.

 

There are two people at work who have had tanks, they say the same thing. A bigger tank is more forgiving.

As far as starting one of these devils up, I guess a guy wouldn't have to have "The perfect setup" all at once. If i start a big tank with a tank and a sump, an auto top off, a refugium, a system to pump water from the basement can come later.

LR comes at a big expense at the lfs. should you try to purchase it with craigs list or online? A big tank, 75 or 180 can cost as much as a small car if it is bought locally.

 

yes you can try to purchase rock and the tank online or used from craiglist or ebay.
the tank would be significantly cheaper used.

only a small portion of the rock needs to be live. the rest can be base rock which is significantly cheaper. the live rock will seed the base rock.
ReefCleaners.org | Clean Up Crews and Macro Algae - Rock
this place sells base rock for cheap also the manager appears on this forum every once in a while

 

Where I want to put this tank is up for remodeling. When I get it done and start the tank, what part of the forum can I ask specific questions about what kind of equipment to purchase and not do something noob stupid?

thanks