Noob from Dallas

Hey everyone,
Semi-new to fish and brand new to saltwater. I had a 55gal freshwater setup when i started college. Now that i have a little more freedom, time and money, I'm trying to start up my first saltwater tank. I scored a brand new 55gal tank and cabinet off my local craigslist for under $150. Hopefully i dont annoy the hell out of you guys with questions. I'm no stranger to online forums, so i do know how to use the search function. A little about me:

I'm 22, live in Dallas and do Network Operations and Engineering for a living. I've always wanted a saltwater tank. I have always loved the look of coral, and the temperature of the lights commonly used in these tanks. I'm hoping with a little time, patience, and some help from a friendly community, i can build out the tank I've always wanted.

My new tank, as of now:
I just picked up the tank last weekend and got the cabinet stained and everything nice and clean (the tank was brand new but in storage for about 4 years). Plans for my next step are filtration and water so i can get things to settle. I'm looking for a local place to get Live Sand, so if any fellow Texans near Dallas have any suggestions, I'm all ears!

 

Hi and welcome to 3reef!You definitely came to the right place and the search function is a very usefull tool but don't hesitate to ask questions if you don't find what you are looking for. As far as your tank if it has been in storage that long you will want to inspect the silicone very carefully. IME fishtanks actually hold up better when they have water in them as the silicones seems to last longer while its wet. If the silicone seems brittle it may be a good idea to replace it. The tank is actually one of the cheaper parts of the hobby but also the most important.Petco runs 1$ a gallon sales frequently and may even be having one right now. Not saying its absolutely necessary for you but just keep it in mind.55 gallons is alot of water to come spilling out in your home!!Good luck!8)

 

Welcome to 3reef.

Petco is having their $1 per gallon sale through July 15 I believe.

 

Thanks very much! I made sure to inspect the seals very closely. i had it sitting in my garage filled with water for a few days and it seemed to hold up very nicely. That's definitely nice to know about the $1/gal from petco though! I will have to see what they have, maybe i can get some other supplies from them.